The decision was not easy. Data: 6 days on the boat to Tabatinga and then next 3 days to Iquitos. 9 days in total. Or turbo-prop flight Manaus – Tabatinga and then 3 days on the boat. I took the second solution.
Only one little airline: Trip flies to Tabatinga. They operate from terminal 2 in Manaus airport (I did not know about that – but you will save 15 minutes of sweaty walk from the main terminal 1). The flight on little ATR took me 2 hours 40 minutes. There were great views of the Big River en route.
Tabatinga lies at the conjuncjon of 3 frontiers: Columbia, Peru and Brazil – can you find on the map this remote place?
We landed in the empty airstrip at 2 pm. The only transport to the river port here is a taxi. I – the only tourist was asking people about the boats to Iquitos-Peru and they say there will be a boat tonight at 7 pm and then the next on Wednesday evening.
No reason to wait here 3 days till Wednesday! Go!
On the post of Policia Federal in Tabatinga village I got the Brazilian exit stamp – I took me only 5 minutes. Then in the ¨port¨on the huge Amazon River I took a little boat (5 reais fare) and after 10 minutes sail I landed on the other side of the river – in Peru.
They call this village Santa Rosa. Immigration Officer was plaing cards for money on the boat landing. I was waiting patiently more then an hour when they will finish… Then I got the stamp to my passport. Welcome to Peru!
But where is my boat to Iquitos? They hope it will come in the evening. I do hope too!
