The Amazon Basin Places

Iquitos

A sultry port town on the Río Amazonas, Iquitos is quite probably the world's largest city that cannot be reached by road. The city has some 400,000 inhabitants and is the capital of the vast Loreto department. The area around Iquitos was first inhabited by small, independent Amazonian tribes. In the 1500s Jesuit missionaries began adventuring in the area, trying to Christianize the local population, but the city wasn't officially founded until 1757.

Getting Around

The most common mode of transportation in the Iquitos area is the motocarro, a three-wheeled motorcycle with a canvas top. Service in town costs around S/1.50, whereas a trip to the outskirts costs around S/10 an hour. Always negotiate the price beforehand. There aren't many places to go by road, but exploring the outskirts and tiny hamlets around Iquitos—during the day—can be fun. Motos y Autos JB rents four-by-fours and motorcycles by the day and by the hour.