Is Iquitos Safe for Tourists and Backpackers? Exploring The Amazon Rainforest from Peru, What to Expect.
- Jack Thompson
- May 22, 2024
- 14 min read
Updated: Aug 3
These are my own personal reflections on Iquitos; how I felt from a safety point of view and if I feel it is safe for tourists, backpackers and holiday makers, I am architect Jack, welcome to Backpackers Blueprint, welcome to Iquitos.
Iquitos is the largest city in the world with no access roads. You can only get to Iquitos by water, or by air. It is the city of a million tuc-tucs, ayahuasca ceremonies and unexpected French architecture, it is also the gateway point for the Amazon River from Peru and once you are in ... you are in!
Iquitos is an anomaly for so many reasons and for that exact reason, I want to have a look at the safety of Iquitos. This one is for all those looking at heading to Iquitos for an Amazon Adventure.
Quick Contents Links
No.4. Must do excursions
No.1. Landing into Iquitos, welcome to the Amazon rainforest
There really is no light pollution in the Amazon at night, and it turns out a speed boat glides through the river water like a warm knife through butter! I was expecting some chop but it simply didn't come, in fact it was far smoother than any night bus journey I have ever been on! The journey was from Leticia in Colombia with the next stop being Iquitos. An overnight ride of around 16 hours that left from the docks at around sunset. The boat is set up with seats 2 each side of a centre isle. Its smooth but not always peaceful. The captain would speed up between villages but when passing them would slow down to a crawl so the noise would dampen. Largely open sided the wind flows across your face, with no clouds in the sky the stars and sky feels vast, even from between the banks of the tree lined river.
You try to take it in as much as possible knowing you are boating down the Amazon river, in the rainforest at night! But with the effects of a long day looming over you (and a beer or 2 on the dock) tiredness takes over you start to drift off to sleep in the bold upright hard plastic chair. It is not just the chair that fights your attempt to sleep, but the constantly unfolding events. The boat pulling up to a village stop and letting people off, other boats pulling along side our boat and letting people on (apparently people smuggling is big around these part), the national guard stopping the boat and checking everyones ID and passports. Its a ride that is surreal in more ways than one.
We arrived into Iquitos dock around mid morning a fellow backpacker and I hopped onto the timber dock and immediately felt lost. We did a 360 spin to take in our surrounding and find the exit! Walking through an alley of stilt homes the water turned to land and the homes to concrete as we were passed from the serenity of the river to the chaos of Iquitos.
High pitched horns ringing out across the city scape, people jostling for space and any form of order seemed to have left the vicinity. It was in total contrast to where we had come from.
The streets felt gritty, unclean, polluted but also colourful with each tuc-tuc personalised through paint or decoration in an attempt to stand out. It became hot, the heat surrounded us from all sides as it reflected off the building and tarmac below our feet.
I pulled out my phone which remarkably still had signal. The hostel was not a huge walk away. It was however, a walk that felt a bit different. The only two people with big backpacks on were myself and my friend. We were drawing the eye of the locals something that does happen a lot, but for some reason, I really felt it here!
Nonetheless, all we could do was carry on, so we did. Around half way through our walk to the hostel, someone clocked us. He walked up to us and asked us where are we from and where we are going. He suggested that we should go to the market and that he could take us.
"We will, but we are going to head to our hostel and drop our bags, have a sleep and a freshen up first, thank you for the tip".
The gentleman did not seem to realise this was our way of saying 'no thank you'. He did not want to take 'no' for an answer and seemed desperate to get us to the market straight way!
Even if we did take this gentlemen up on his offer to guide us around the market, it would not be with all my bags; and it definitely would not be until I had spoken to the staff at the Flying Dog Hostel first!
Arriving to the hostel we were buzzed in through a locked door ... sanctuary, we finally managed to part ways with our impromptu friend, politely of course. We checked in and got that much needed shower.
Now here is the thing, the guy walking with us said he was very well known in the area and knew the owners of the where we were staying 'really well', did I check this claim, yes I did, was it false, yes it was! It's one of those moments where I was pleased to stick to my guns and make sure my first port of call was the hostel.
The moral of the story here, trust your gut and don't ever be pushed into a situation you do not want to be in, in a city you do not know.
Benefit of the doubt ... The guy could have just been being overly friendly and genuinely trying to help us have a good time, however I also found out that the market he was attempting to take us to was a hot spot for crime. If you have read my other blogs, you know I have a far bit of tech on me and this always gets locked up before I venture anywhere.
After sitting with some fellow explorers, it became clear that most people were in Iquitos largely for one reason; ayahuasca!
People from all over the planet and from all sorts of vocations were here, in a city, only accessible by plane or boat, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, to partake in a ritualistic, mind altering ceremony. I am talking an experience doctor from North America, a guy from Chile who has recently discovered spirituality, some girls from Europe, who were tackling issues from their past. The individuals each had their own story and each had their reason why ayahuasca was the medicine of choice.
It was an unusual environment to be in, and not one that I personally had any interest in (I had not heard of Ayahuasca before landing here in Iquitos!). So after a quick look around the city, my friend and I decided to make a quick exit having done our Amazon experiences in Leticia!
However, that said, there are some great companies offering great experiences (more on that below). Most people fly to Iquitos from Lima, this is a common domestic flight and is not overly expensive, you can check the prices on Skyscanner they run from as little as £45 one way!
No.2. Is Iquitos Safe?
The thing with Iquitos is it feels extremely isolated! Perhaps due to only being accessible by boat of plane. It adds an extra dynamic that sticks in your subconscious that you are cut off. Petty crime is high in Iquitos, and police presence is low (see express robbing below).
Flying Dog Hostel recommended that we not walk around alone at night. So if you are solo, make friends with some people at your hostel. I did this, one evening we decided to all go out for dinner in the evening together. Ironically, I ended up walking to the restaurant on my own in the dark after having issues trying to book my plane ticket on the hostel computer. Slightly trepidatious following warnings of staying with the group, I walked quickly but did not feel unsafe! Arriving at the restaurant we grabbed some food from a modern (and rather westernised) restaurant called 'La Casa De Las Enchiladas' before walking back home again with no issues at all! The streets are dark and at the time they felt fairly unpopulated, so if you turned the wrong corner I could see how you could quickly find yourself on the wrong side of a mugging but no more so than any other unknown city.
If you are heading to Iquitos as part of a group or as a family you are going to be far less vulnerable and it is easy to get from the airport to your accommodation by tuc-tuc.
Express Robbing
Generally this is your most vulnerable area as a solo traveller and exactly why you should not wander around alone at night. The express robbing is simply being marched to a cash machine under threat of violence and being asked to withdraw money. Ironically I heard more stories of this happening in Mexico than Peru, but it is still something to be mindful of especially in Iquitos!
Ayahuasca
One thing that greets you when you walk into hostels are warnings regarding ayahuasca. I did not know what ayahuasca was until arriving into Iquitos! It turns out a lot of people travel to Iquitos specifically for a spiritual ceremony that involves drinking a hallucinogenic tea made from the bark and stem of the tropical tree 'liana Banisteriopsis caapi' or B.caapi.
The warnings are unfortunately in relation to sexual assault. The ayahuasca ceremonies take place in the jungle, at night, with the effects making you entirely vulnerable.
Since leaving Peru, my naivety and curiosity has lead me to undertake research in what these ceremonies are for, and why people travel so far to take part in them.
In the UK ayahuasca is considered a Class A drug, however in Peru and around the Amazons, and as far north as Costa Rica, you are able to find retreats that are purely for undertaking the ceremony which takes place over several nights. The thing that varies greatly is cost. Costa Rica for example now offers 'luxury clinics' that can cost thousands for a few nights stay. Paradoxically you can find much cheaper solutions in places like ........ Iquitos.
I would never recommend participating in a ceremony, but if you are sure it is something you want to do, please please please do your homework. Look for reputable options.
More reputable clinics usually request you stay on a certain diet for up to a month before arriving and will guide you through the process from start to finish. Reputable clinics should also have specialist who you are able to help with questions, concerns and guidance.
Unlicensed or 'spur of the moment' ceremonies are not a good idea. If for what ever reason you do turn up somewhere and think its for you ... talk to your hostel.
The Borders
The latest advice from .gov (UK) updated in 2026 is do not travel within 20km of the Peru, Colombia, Brazil border. This is due to criminal activity. However there is a small caveat of the border town at the Peru, Colombia and Brazil intersection (where we had come from).
The general guidance is against solo travel in and around these border towns. Usually I travel solo but fortunately I had met someone who was also heading to the Amazon so we stayed in touch and met up after our exhibitions in the Amazon had finished. Would I do it again solo now ... perhaps ... but I would constantly feel on high alert.
Creepy Crawlies
Mosquitos are not your friends, they never have been and never will be, and here they are no exception. I ended up walking out of the Amazon Rainforest with remarkably few bits and I put that down to good preparation. Not just regularly topping up with Insect Repellent but also wearing the right clothing, I tend to use nosi-life gear by Craig Hopper!
Yes there are spiders about, but you have to look for them and they tend to only come out at night! If you want to find the insects and spiders then a lot of companies have dedicated tours to this or this element is usually part of a 3 day excursion (more on that in section 04).Alternatively you can skip these sessions if spiders and insets are not your bag ... I am not the biggest fan of spiders so when some people went to go and hunt them out I simply said have fun and I will see you later!
No.3. Iquitos Health Advice
There are some things to consider here and they mainly revolve around what is in your backpack, make sure to read my other blog.
You ARE going to have to look after yourself a bit as you are in a part of the world that is a long way form top tier medical facilities. Your nearest big city is Lima and it is a few hours away by plane. You can do everything right be be taken out of action by a mosquito carrying Dengue and to that ends it is essential to have insurance from a good company set up for these type of excursions, I use Safety Wings when travelling through tough environments like the Amazon Rainforest.
Vaccinations
I had been taking malaria pills before heading to the Amazon and I had also had a yellow fever injection before travelling. Yellow fever may be required to be presented upon entry to Colombia/ Peru/ Brazil especially if you are heading to the Amazon. It is worth checking for further requirements which you can find at Travel Health Pro and Fit For Travel. Make sure to check with your doc or pharmacist before getting vaccinations or taking any medication.
No.4. Safe MUST DO Excursions in the Amazon Rainforest
So lets be honest here, you are probably in Leticia for the Amazon experience. Once you are properly geared up for safety getting into the Rainforest is what makes you feel like an explorer. It WILL give you memories that will last a lifetime. I still regularly think back to my morning coffee on a floating lake house in the middle of Piranha Lake. The glassy reflections of the morning sunrise to the chorus of the jungle as birds of all shapes and forms seemed to fly over. I am a bit of a coffee snob, and was given an instant coffee from a jar, honestly, it was one of the best coffees I have ever had. I have never felt as easy as sitting in that moment in the Amazon rainforest ... and thats exactly what you need to do to.
There are a multitude of places and spaces offering tours and it is one of the places where you absolutely should spend the money and not think twice, as these ARE pretty unique experience and a good tour group will be the difference between you leaving the rainforest and never wanting to go back or like me thinking ... I NEED TO GO BACK!
Companies tend to run at around $100 dollar per day have a look at prices for a 3 day 2 nighter from Iquitos.
If you want to know what to expect that ready about my own experience in the blog below,
The english was not fantastic here, but I managed to use my Spanish to get through ... if you are not great with Spanish, make sure to check you have a guide who is good with English before booking the tour.
If you want to learn a bit more about Iquitos then I have put together a piece on the history of Iquitos, its more than just a city in the middle of the Amazon, it has a lot of french architecture and I explain why in my brief history blog where you can see some very cute cafe' that look straight out of Paris!
No.5. Where Should I say in Iquitos?
Is Iquitos comfortable, yes it absolutely can be, in fact you will find a lot of your modern comforts if you head to the right place, including AC and lets say 'insect protected' rooms! If you are looking for a balanced get away then Iquitos has several options depending on budget. If you want comfort, a killer view and and a pool then consider Hotel de Turistas Iquitos - Check Price Here
If you still want comfort but you want a more traditional stay (by traditional I mean french colonial period) Casa Morey is your choice - Check Price Here
If you want to go full unique stay, something you will talk to your friends about for a long time, then Amazon Oasis Floating Lodge is for you - Check Price Here
One thing I will say about the latter (Amazon Oasis) Is it is more of an experience in itself. If you are booking a 3/4 night excursion and just want some comfort before the discomfort of the rainforest experience the first two are better. If you want to get lost for a few days with a partner or to free up some mental bandwidth but still experience the Amazon; then the Floating lodge is a great option. Or do both! Get into Iquitos, have a nice couple of days somewhere fancy before an immersive 3/4 day tour and then get some R&R at the floating lodge after! I'll leave it to you!
For hostel hoppers I am going to leave this to my other blog where I have some great selections for you,
No.6. Quick fire safety tips fro your Iquitos trip
Taxi' - Ask your hostel/club/ restaurant, wherever you may be to order you a taxi/ tuc-tuc. As a pedestrian you are very vulnerable, especially when carrying your luggage. The same goes for the end of a night out. Hostels and even you club/ pub will have connections to safe taxi firms.
Contact your location, drop a message to hostel to let them know when you will arrive.
Never hand your phone to a driver, write the address of where you are going on a piece of paper and pass it that to the driver.
Don't pay in advance but do ask for the cost or an idea of the cost even if on a meter.
Street Tips - Safety in numbers. If you find yourself walking home alone at night for whatever reason, walk in close proximity of a group you are pretty sure are a good people, just making yourself look like part of the group adds a layer of protection.
Do not stand in the middle of the street with a map looking lost.
Public places and restaurants are your friend. If you feel vulnerable for any reason, go into the nearest cafe/ restaurant/ museum.
No flashy jewellery watched etc. Blend in as much as possible.
Hostel Tips - If the usuals are not available (reviews from Hostel work or booking.com) then your fellow backpacker is your asset here, ask where they stayed if it was good and if they would recommend it.
Lock up your valuables. Make sure your hostel of choice has lockers
Let them know when you will arrive.
Ask your hostel about excursions and finding local guides
Often there is a hostel that is known for something in the area. For example, Bigfoot Hostel in Leon Nicaragua is known for volcano boarding. It has a good reputation for it and therefore you can assume the hostel also has good hook ups with local people, taxis, guides, excursions. That hostel is also likely a safe place!
Is Iquitos safe for backpackers and tourists? In this backpackers opinion, during the day, you will be fine, at night ... keep up your guard, but overall, if you stick to the usual safety checks you should have an interesting and insightful visit.
Decoding the worlds architecture
Please always make sure to check the latest local news and government information for the country you wish to explore before travelling. The information in the guides are from personal experience. Safety can never be guaranteed, the intention is to help avoid issues when on the road.
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