Day Tours
Butterfly Farm – Nanay, Momon and Amazon Rivers
Explore a local market, set sail to visit the Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm & Amazon Animal Orphanage, and meet an indigenous community to learn about their culture and customs. Visit significant buildings or museums to discover the history of Iquitos.
Highlights
- Sail the Itaya, Nanay, Momon and Amazon Rivers
- Discover the Bellavista-Nanay Market
- Explore Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm & Amazon Animal Orphanage
- Visit the Padre Coche village and learn about their culture
- Learn about the history and culture of Iquitos
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Pick up at your hotel.
Embark on a boat at Plaza Castilla where we will navigate and observe the surroundings of the city of Iquitos and the activity along the Itaya and Amazonas River. We disembark and tour the market of Bellavista-Nanay to learn about the different varieties of fish in the Amazon, seasonal tropical fruits, regional dishes such as jaunes (rice, chicken, olive and egg wrapped in bijao leaf), roasted caimans, patarashca, smoke fish, tasting suris or roasted worms on bamboo sticks.
We then embark on another boat and observe the union of the Nanay River (black water) and the Amazon River (white or muddy water), sighting one or two species of dolphins, the Pink and the Gray Dolphin. We continue to navigate up the Nanay River to visit the Butterfly Farm “Pilpintuwasi”. There you will observe different species of butterflies, the stages of metamorphis, and other animals that are being rehabilitated before being released back into their natural environment. These may include squirrel, spider, red howler, monk saki, red uakari, tamarin monkeys, black agoutis (rodents of 2 kg), sloths, tapir (the cow of the forest), black and white caiman, etc.
Walk to the village of Padre Cocha to visit the Kukama ethnic group where they present traditional dances such as the manioc or cassava, fariña, wind and farmer dances. You will even have an opportunity to dance with them, if you choose. There will also be an optional opportunity to buy handicrafts, which supports the local economy.
A typical local lunch served on the boat.
Navigating on the Momon river, we travel to the Serpentarium where you will have a chance to observe and maybe touch “the anaconda”, which is the biggest snake in the world. Piranha fishing from the boat on Momon River is also an option.
We then navigate to the village of Independence along the Amazon River, where we will take a short jungle walk to view the tallest and largest species of tree in the Amazon the Lupuna “Ceiba pentandra”, then climb to a viewpoint where you will have a beautiful panoramic view of the Mighty Amazon River and its surroundings. There will also be an optional opportunity to buy handicrafts, which supports the local economy.
05:00 p.m.
Return to the port of Bellavista-Nanay, where we then take a city tour of the old buildings dating from the rubber boom era. This includes the Iron House designed by the famous French architect Gustave Eiffel, the former 5-star “Palace” hotel now a Peruvian army recruitment office, Main Matriz Cathedral or 0Mother Church, and other buildings.
06:00 p.m.
Return to your hotel.
This Tour Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Iquitos
- Bilingual guide in English/Spanish
- Local lunch and bottled water
- Entrance Fees
This Does Not Include
- Personal expenses such as purchasing handicrafts or souvenirs
- Optional gratuities
- Food and drinks not listed
Rates
Contact us for price.
YAKU AMAZON LODGE & EXPEDITIONS S.R.L
Hernando De Luque #138
San Antonio, Iquitos - Peru
Tel: +51 959 467659, Peru
Tel: +1 (913) 634-7371, USA