Belen Market And Floating Houses

We will pick you up from selected hotels or a designated meeting point to begin a walking tour along the Iquitos Boulevard, immersing ourselves in the city`s vibrant atmosphere until we reach the traditional Belén neighborhood. If you prefer, you can opt for a moto-tuk-tuk ride to the market—a fast (not included) and picturesque option that allows you to experience local life in a different way.

The Belén Market is one of the most important commercial hubs in Iquitos, a fascinating place where the colors, aromas, and sounds of the Amazon come together. Here, you`ll find an impressive variety of products, from exotic fruits and spices to local meats and even wild animals on display, such as small caimans. We will walk through its narrow aisles, exploring the daily life of merchants and locals who keep the ancestral traditions of Amazonian trade alive.

Inside the market, we will arrive at Pasaje Paquito, a historic corner where you will learn about traditional Amazonian medicine. Locals use herbs and natural extracts to treat various ailments, and here you’ll find renowned products such as Cat`s Claw and Dragon’s Blood, famous for their healing properties. You will also have the opportunity to purchase handcrafted goods made by talented local artisans, each piece reflecting a fragment of Amazonian culture.

We will continue to the lower part of Belén, known as the "Amazonian Venice," where wooden houses are built on stilts to withstand the rising river waters. In this part of the tour, we will visit an area where locals work with mapacho, a natural Amazonian tobacco. You’ll observe the artisanal process, from drying the leaves on the ground to the manual crafting of these cigars—an art passed down through generations.

Further along, you will learn about "frotaciones," traditional medicine used in the jungle to relieve muscle and joint pain. These preparations are made from natural ingredients, including oils and fats extracted from regional animals, such as anaconda fat, and are used by Amazonian healers in their treatments.

We will then take a canoe-style boat to explore the village of San José de Río Itaya, also known as the "Venice of Loreto." We will glide through its waterways, where houses appear to float on the river, adapting to the changing water levels.

For those interested, there will be a special opportunity to participate in a unique experience: traditional piranha fishing with handcrafted rods—an optional activity that will allow you to connect with one of the Amazon’s most deep-rooted traditions.

At the end of our tour, we will return to the dock and take you back to your hotel or meeting point.