1. The Program

Iquitos, the capital city of Loreto, is the main fluvial harbor of the Amazonas River and the largest city in the Peruvian forest. In the past, this area was populated by different groups, such as the Cocama, the Huitoto, and the Bora; subsequently, Jesuit missionaries founded the city. At the end of the 19th century, Iquitos experienced its maximum height with the rubber exploitation. The economic prosperity resulted in luxurious buildings, such as the “Hotel Palace” showing an Art Nouveau style, and “La Casa de Fierro” designed by the famous French architect Gustave Eiffel.

In contrast to these buildings, the rural houses of the district of Belén rest on rafts and piles as a protection from the river water level. One of the major attractions is to sail through rivers and lakes, as well as to enjoy its beautiful beaches. 

The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is an amazing source of natural riches, created in 1982 to protect the paiche (arapaima). It is located at 185km from the city of Iquitos, between the rivers Marañón and Ucayali, at the province of Requena. It covers 2.080.000ha of swampy forest, the largest natural conservation area in Peru. Being an immense biological reserve, it is the home of more than 467 bird species, 132 mammal species, 220 fish, and 150 reptile and amphibian species.
 
Within the Reserve live more than 30 thousand people and about 20 national park rangers that control the overexploitation of species, such as the black caiman, the manatee, the charapa (Peruvian turtle), the giant otter, the anaconda, river dolphins, among others.