Books in Spanish and various school supplies make a great donation to the very poorly-equipped schools of some of the remote villages that we visit. The Amazon, with its beautiful scenery, is a photographers paradise. We highly recommend a variety of film speeds for the jungle environment. You should carry resealable plastic bags with you while on excursions to protect your camera equipment from rain and moisture. Nighttime is one of the best times for photography in the Amazon, particularly if you are interested in insects and other invertebrates, frogs, reptiles, and the like.
Many animals are most active and can be most easily approached at night.
Remember to bring sufficient batteries for your flash. Tropical fish collectors and sport fishermen will want to bring along additional equipment. Fishing rods and dip nets can be transported quite easily, especially if they break down and can be packed inside a PVC tube for airline handling. Sport fishermen may want to bring an assortment of lures, weights, bobbers, fishing line, etc. Simple hooks can be purchased in Iquitos, other items are expensive or unavailable.