Loreto Region
Discovering the
Loreto Region
In Peru’s vast north-eastern Amazon, Loreto is a region shaped by rivers, rainforest and an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. From the lively streets of Iquitos to remote jungle lodges and the immense protected landscapes of Pacaya Samiria, this is Peru at its wildest and most adventurous.
Loreto’s main gateway is Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon and a fascinating destination in its own right. Its riverfront, colourful markets and surviving architecture from the rubber-boom era give the city a character unlike anywhere else in Peru.
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One of the most distinctive areas is Belén, where life has developed around the seasonal rise and fall of the rivers. Its busy market is filled with Amazonian fish, fruits, medicinal plants and other products from the surrounding forest, while parts of the neighbourhood are reached by boat when water levels rise.
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Beyond Iquitos, the rivers become the region’s highways. Boats carry travellers between small communities, rainforest lodges and areas of protected jungle, with opportunities to encounter monkeys, tropical birds, caimans and both pink and grey river dolphins.
South of Iquitos, the riverside town of Nauta provides one of the principal gateways to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Travelling from here by boat takes visitors increasingly deeper into flooded forest, lagoons and waterways where wildlife becomes the focus of the journey.
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Known as the “Forest of Mirrors” for the remarkable reflections created on its dark waters, Pacaya Samiria is one of Peru’s great protected wildernesses. Pink river dolphins, caimans, turtles, monkeys and huge numbers of birds inhabit an immense landscape where exploring by canoe or small boat can be unforgettable.
Loreto also has a rich Amazonian culture and cuisine. Indigenous and riverside communities maintain traditions closely connected to the forest and rivers, while local cooking features freshwater fish, plantain and cassava alongside regional favourites such as juanes, tacacho and patarashca. Tropical fruits including aguaje and camu camu add flavours rarely encountered elsewhere in Peru.​
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