Je viens de passer 1 heure a répondre en detail a une question sur la descente de l'Amazone en bateau depuis Iquitos jusqu'à Belem (en venant du machu-pichu). Après un tel élan d'écriture (exceptionnel pour moi !) je pense que les infos peuvent interesser pas mal de gens. Donc, voici une copie de ma réponse (en anglais pas parfait, desolé !):--
Well this is exactly what i have done 1.5 yaers ago. It was really fanstastic as you see some of the amazone affluents near machu pichu and it's amazing to think you meet the same water 3000 km later in Iquitos ... until the Atlantic sae if you patient!
Well, you really need time in fact, but you can stop in a few Amazon cities easily as you have to change several times to other boats.
The price of the plane is higher in Brazil than in peru, so if you want to keep some time, it's better to fly in peru and use boat in Brazil.
I remember the price for a Cusco -> Lima -> Iquitos ticket was 128 dollards with is quite few if you consider you fly maybe 2500 km over the forest (with is really impressive).
Spend a while in Iquitos (2, 3 days) and you can do some better Amazonia excursions here (5 to 10 days and more) than later i think as the forest is better conserved here and it's less touristic.
Once in Iquitos you have to go to the Brazilian frontier (laeticia / Tabatinga) witch is in fact the same divided city): You can use an express boat (8 hours and 50 dollards more or less), or a normal boat (cheaper but 24 hours may be more), or even plane (1h30 and 70 dollards if y remember well).
Then you can spend a while in Laeticia(colombian part)/Tabatinga(Brazilian part) to visit too and breeze the Indian Atmosphere. It's a really animated world lost city in fact. Just during the colombian hollydays or Brazilian Hollydays it's more crowded as a lot of colombian come for on of the unique secured colombian amazone start point for excursions (colombian/Brazilian hollydays usually in Jully and December ). Seems there is some good excursions too here but some are returning close from Iquitos so it's better to do them there (in Iquitos).
From Laeticia/Tabatinga to Manaus, you have 2 options : By plane from Tabatinga Airport (more or less 300 dollards one way to Manaus for 2 or 3 hours), or by boat (100 dollards, for 4 to 5 days with food included on board, in "Hamocs" class like most of the people !). This can seems long, and it can be for some people. But if you like to meet people and speak spanish or Portugues you'll enjoy it (like me!!). The boat is sometime far from the border of the river, and sometime close so you can or can't see o lot of things, but it stops in a few small lost cities (yes cities ! with no roads going to them!), and people are coming in while other are leaving the boat each time, so it's kind of animated. When i was there, there was colombians, Brazilians, europeans ... a big mix and i really spent good days speaking and drinking (a little bit! ). The boats have usually a few cabins too ("camarotes"), for 2 persons, if you wich to keep your things more secure or need more intimity, but it's twice or 3 times the hamoc class price. They all have bathrooms/toilets (with amazone water) and a bar with music on top. Food and water included, but drinks not. Better to drink mineral water too.
Note that you could cut your trip to Manaus in two parts (more or less equals) and go first to Téfé if you want to visit. Haven't been there, but there is some national reserves and probably good excursions too. Most of the boats stops there anyway so ... you just have to choose your destination in Tabatinga.
Once in Manaus, you have to take another boat to continue, so you can also spend some time downtown. It's a nice city, swiming in Indian culture and modern in the same time (because of defiscalization lows). I loved it.
From Manaus to Belem by plane : more or less 300 dollards again for 2 hours (more one of timezone change) or .... by boat: 5 days to Belem for again 100 dollards food included. But i think you should cut it in two and stop in Santarem (2.5 days) down on the Amazone river. It's a nice quiet city with nice beach on Tapajos rio "Alter do chao". Then you can easily take another boat to Belem (2-3 days) or Macapa (same duration).
Here : important notice : The PARINTINS CARNAVAL : If you are here at the end of June, you can't miss the " Bois de Parintins", an extraordinary Amazonian carnaval during 5 days in the Parintins Island (down 2 boat days on the Amazone river from Manaus). It's between MAnaus and Santarem so you can stop and continue after to Santarem.
It's really incredible and beautifull and may be like the Rio carnaval (Yes i said it!!!) but with Indian touch. Really fantastique. Problem the city of Parintins is small and hotels booked sometimes one year before at really expensive prices! (may be 5 times the normal price and only for the 5 full days of carnaval, not less).
If you are in Manaus a few days before, a lot of Amazone boats are stoping there usuals trips to go to Parintins island. You can then book a ticket to Parintins easilly. The price (30 dollards for the cheapers) include usually the return ticket Manaus -> Parintins -> Manaus and you can stay onboard at night to sleep in hamocs during the 5 days of the carnaval as the boats they there during all the carnaval time.
Again, there are some cabins too, but with "carnaval special prices" the cheapest are ussually 100 dollards for one persone (this time) and until 400 dollards, for 5 days.
If you are in Manaus in time you should go there by boat, sleeping on it, and then continuing to Santarem and Belem. Or you can also catch a plane from Parintins to Santarem and Belem, as i 've done (missing time) but it's more expensive too and you have to reserve early for the carnaval time.
Well, that's all i think. You have also a nice boat trip from Belem to Macapa and return (30 hours) witch goes throw MArajo Island and pass closed from the river border so it's easy too see the Indians small villages and houses.
If other questions, i am staying in touch.
Personnaly i had done Iquitos -> Laeticia by plane, and Tabatinga -> Manaus by Boat, and Manaus -> Parintins by boat again ... and finished by plane until Belem. It does 7 days of boat. 5 days of Carnaval and the rest to visit the cities (laeticia, Manaus... Belem) and take plane. I visited Santarem on an other time coming from Macapa so i have travelled all the Amazone until Peru finally !
Christophe
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