Amazon Rainforest Tour: Jungle Lodge & Wildlife Experience

Boat rides at dawn, jungle walks by day, night searches for caimans and anacondas

A 3-day Amazon rainforest tour from Iquitos based at Curassow Amazon Lodge, 110 km upriver in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, where you explore primary jungle by foot and speedboat to observe wildlife, fish for piranhas, and watch pink river dolphins at sunset. The lodge sits on the Yanayacu River with private ensuite rooms, meals, a live English or Spanish-speaking guide, and hotel or airport pickup included. Days begin before dawn and mix boat exploration with jungle walks. Nights include guided searches for nocturnal animals.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel and jungle introduction

• Reception at Iquitos airport or hotel
• Transfer by road and speedboat to lodge
• Welcome drink and bungalow distribution
• Lunch at lodge
• Jungle walk to learn about plants and animals
• Dinner at lodge
• Night boat excursion to spot wildlife

Day 2: Morning exploration and wildlife watching

• Early morning boat and jungle exploration
• Breakfast on board
• Lunch at lodge
• Boat excursion to lakes and dolphin observation
• Dinner at lodge
• Night jungle walk for nocturnal animals

Day 3: Final exploration and return

• Breakfast at lodge
• Boat and jungle walk to spot birds and monkeys
• Visit village San Juan or Ayacucho
• Lunch at lodge
• Departure to Iquitos
• Arrival and transfer to airport or hotel

The experience

The lodge sits 110 kilometers from Iquitos on the Yanayacu River, a tributary of the Amazon. You're picked up at the airport or hotel at 9:15 a.m., driven to the operator's office to finalize details, then travel by road and speedboat for three hours to reach the property. The bungalows are private rooms with ensuite bathrooms, mosquito-netted windows and doors, hammocks on the balcony, 24-hour electricity, purified water and WiFi: a hotel standard inside the jungle itself.

Each day follows a rhythm built around wildlife activity. Day one includes a 2-3 hour walk through primary jungle to spot monkeys, sloths and birds while learning about medicinal plants and rubber trees, then a night boat excursion searching for caimans, snakes, nocturnal birds, frogs, tarantulas and capybaras. Day two starts before 6 a.m. with a boat and jungle walk (breakfast served on board to save time), then five to six hours of morning exploration. The afternoon brings a boat trip through lakes lined with giant lily pads to watch pink and gray river dolphins, with optional swimming, before sunset. A second jungle walk that evening hunts for tarantulas, spiders, cane toads, smoky jungle frogs, snakes and monkeys. Day three begins at 8 a.m. with a boat and jungle walk to find hoatzin birds and other species, includes a visit to the village of San Juan or Ayacucho to buy handcrafts, and departs by 1:30 or 2 p.m., arriving back in Iquitos by 4 p.m.

Fishing for piranhas, oscar fish, sardines and catfish is optional on the morning of day two. The reserve itself is one of the most biodiverse areas of the Amazon, and the guide (speaking English or Spanish) leads all walks and boat trips. Meals and two nights at the lodge are included. GST is covered.

What’s included

• Hotel or airport pickup in Iquitos.
• three-hour transfer by road and speedboat to the lodge.
• two nights in a private ensuite bungalow.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
• a live guide speaking English or Spanish.
• boat explorations at dawn and dusk.
• jungle walks by day and night.
• optional piranha fishing.
• optional dolphin swimming.
• a visit to a local village to purchase handcrafts.
• transfer back to Iquitos on day three.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (under 13)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 38 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Curassow Amazon Lodge

Is this one for you?Small groups and solo travelers work well here. The lodge holds only ten rooms and the guide leads all activities. The 3-day length lets you move beyond the river itself into primary jungle and return to the same comfortable base each night, so you're not rushing between camps or losing time on transfers.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (under 13).

What animals am I likely to see on the 3-day Amazon tour from Iquitos?

The Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve holds primates, sloths, caimans, anacondas, pink and gray river dolphins, capybaras, tarantulas, frogs, snakes, hoatzin birds and many other species. Day and night jungle walks and boat rides target different animals active at those hours. Dolphins appear during the afternoon lake exploration, and nocturnal creatures emerge during evening walks.

How long is the boat ride from Iquitos to Curassow Amazon Lodge?

The transfer from Iquitos takes three hours total: first by road to the river, then by speedboat navigating the Amazon and its tributaries to the lodge on the Yanayacu River, 110 kilometers from the city.

What time does the 3-day tour start and end?

Pickup is at 9:15 a.m. from your hotel or the airport in Iquitos. The tour departs the lodge on day three between 1:30 and 2 p.m., with an estimated arrival back in Iquitos by 4 p.m.

Can I fish for piranhas during the tour?

Piranha fishing is optional on the morning of day two, during the 5-6 hour early boat and jungle exploration. You can also fish for oscar fish, sardines and catfish, or choose to bird-watch instead.

What are the rooms like at Curassow Amazon Lodge?

Each room is a private ensuite bungalow with a bathroom and shower, windows and doors fitted with mosquito nets, a balcony with hammocks, 24-hour electricity, purified water and high-speed WiFi. The lodge operates as a hotel inside the jungle, not a basic camp.

Is swimming with river dolphins included?

Swimming with pink and gray river dolphins is optional during the afternoon boat exploration on day two, when the tour visits lakes to watch them at sunset.