Hi paulcrasmussen,

There are plenty options available in both Iquitos and Manu and both have their pros and cons. One pro for going to Iquitos is that the tourism is much more developed offering more options and types of excursions into the jungle. Though, it will take you several hours before leaving the city of Iquitos before you come upon virgin rainforest which for some is a minor inconvenience. On the other hand, Manu is geared more towards sustainability and ecotourism and offer excursions into the rainforest and canoeing adventures. They have jungle lodges as well but not as many options as you would find in Iquitos. Both are amazing destinations. I couldn’t make up my mind between the two but if I had to lean towards one destination I would choose Manu because of its ecotourism, canopy tours in select lodges, and the amazing biodiversity and ecosystem one can experience showing far less human impact than Iquitos. What kind of activities are you looking to do in the Jungle?

Salvador

Peru For Less

Both are great destinations but totally different. If you are in cusco you may want to consider Puerto Maldonado. For me Iquitos was the best jungle experience but as SalvadorG mentioned above you need to stay at a lodge well outside of Iquitos. We stayed with Maniti Expeditions (www.manitiexpeditions.com) in Iquitos and they were wonderful. Saw lots of wildlife, beautiful eco-lodge, well priced. In Puerto Maldonado we stayed at Sandoval Lake Lodge in Puerto Maldonado, very nice and quiet lodge, but obviously it is not located on the main amazon river. You can book directly with both lodges so a travel agency is not necessary.

Hi,
If you want to be in contact with the nature and feel the jungle, I think is better Manu.
I went to both places years ago, and the experience was completely different.
Also you can start your trip to Manu from Cusco, if you choose Iquitos, you have to flight from Cusco to Lima, and then from Lima to Iquitos.
Good luck, enjoy your trip
Sicalodi

We spent a week in Manu with Pantiacolla tours & had an amazing time. We saw lots of wildlife, had a great guide, wonderful food and really enjoyed our time. It was very rustic & remote so if you are looking for a tourist-type lodge, I would choose some place else.

There are many options around (not in) Iquitos including lodges with high biodiversity (monkeys in particular, as well as the dolphins.

In Manu it is the tapir lick and better chance to see otters.

Book direct and ask for a discount, it should be generous especially around Iquitos with an independent Lodge such as Tahuayo. Ask lots of questiobs about the seasonality of viewing any wildlife you had especially wanted to see.

.

The northern Amazon Rainforest is less developed than the south but this can work in your favour. Try to travel over 100 km from the urban center as the rainforest gets more pristine the further you go. In Peru, a recommendation is the

Tahuayo Lodge
http://thinkjungle.com/amazon-jungle-tours/tahuayo-lodge

This gets good reviews and you receive a private guide. I have visited the lodge twice and it is in the Tahuayo Reserve, which seems to be lesser known than the larger Pacaya Samiria National Park. For the Pacaya, because it is flooded forest, you can look at some good cruises but these are more expensive. Some suggestions of reputable companies are

Delfin Cruises
http://thinkjungle.com/amazon-jungle-tours/delfin-i

Aqua Expeditions
http://www.aquaexpeditions.com

and

Jungle Expeditions
http://www.junglex.com/en


Another area worth looking into is

Tarapoto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarapoto

This is on my list of places to visit when I go back as this is apparently more off the beaten track than the other gateways to the Amazon e.g. Iquitos (forest off the Amazon River e.g. Tamshiyacu, Pacaya Samiria National Park), Cusco (Manu National Park), and Puerto Maldonado (Tambopata Reserve).

For Cusco area, you are best off at either the Manu Wildlife center or the Cock of the Rock lodge. At the MWC you have a 10% chance of seeing wild jaguar (Owned or managed by Inka Natura).

http://www.inkanatura.com

Don't forget to also consider the Tambopata (from Puerto Maldonado, which is just a short flight from Cusco), which has a variety of different tours and lodges. The closest and most popular seems to be the

Posada Amazonas Lodge
http://thinkjungle.com/amazon-jungle-tours/posada-amazonas-lodge

This is located just 45 minds from the town but also look at the Refugio Amazonas Lodge and the Tambopata Research Center (all owned or managed by Rainforest Expeditions).

www.perunature.com

Now, that should set you up! I love the Amazon Rainforest and completely understand how hard it is finding all the info and deciding on the best tour. I hope you have a great time and stay safe!

I had a similar question before my Peru visit. This question skews to choosing the Amazon but there are lots of good responses in this link that answer your question.

http://www.fodors.com/community/south-america/what-is-the-best-amazon-jungle-experience-for-wildlife.cfm

Below is Aug 2012 report/photos to:

Pacaya Samiria by boat--Amazon basin north of Iquitos (for pink dolphins)

Cuzco/Machu Picchu/surroudings

Heath River Wildlife Center (for macaws on the river banks) and Sandoval Lake in Tambopata


http://safaritalk.net/topic/9397-peru-kaleidoscope-of-colors-amazon-cruise-machu-picchu-jungle-lodges/


Good luck and have a wonderful trip.