Located about 20 minutes from downtown Iquitos, on a road adorned with multiple scents and sounds, Quistococha Resort welcomes you with a colorful sign and a very reasonable entrance fee: S/.3 for adults and S/.1 for children.

Once inside the complex, you find yourself surrounded by jungle, a stage on which star several species of animals. At the start of the tour, you will be received by watermelon-eating macaws and giant ants that, while not part of the decoration, steal the attention of people visiting the Amazon for the first time. The tour also takes you to an island of monkeys and jaguars in different cages, pumas, giant iguanas head, huge lizards and rodents that are part of the zoo which houses over 150 species of fauna.

The road, adorned by a variety of sounds caused by birds, continues downhill to the favorite spot for visitors: the lagoon and its white sand beach, a fun space also known by the name of Tunchi Beach. This is where most guests concentrate, to swim in its warm waters, sunbathe, boat (boat rental costs S/.5 per hour) or use the paddleboats (S/.10 per hour).

A visit to Quistococha would not be complete if you do not grab some of the delicious gastronomic offerings from the Amazon. A restaurant at the foot of the trees has panoramic views and offers meals off all kinds, but you should definitely try the juane, paiche, tacacho with cecina and patarashca, among other dishes. They are accompanied by the juice from the camu camu and cocona fruits, native to the Amazon region.

At the exit, there is a shop that invites you to buy souvenirs (chains, bracelets, necklaces, brochures, hand-painted ornaments and more) to remember your visit. And outside the complex, a small food fair gives you a last chance to try suri, a worm that you can eat live or grilled. But that is another adventure.