Amazon River Explore Cruise
(5 days / 4 nights)
Departures on Tuesday – Low Water Season (June to November)
M/VAqua
The 130-foot-long, M/V Aqua is the first true luxury cruise ship on the northern Amazon River in Peru. It has twelve oversized cruise ship suites handsomely decorated and was custom built to offer an extraordinary level of comfort for our guests. We offer three, four and seven night cruises along the Amazon River in Peru.
Day 1: Iquitos – Nauta – Embarkation – Maranon River
In the afternoon, transfer by bus from the airport to the small village of Nauta, a one-and-a-half hour drive where we can enjoy the countryside views of the jungle. Upon arrival (aprox 7:30 pm) we board the Aqua and we begin our cruise. During our exquisite welcome dinner we have the fantastic view of the river and surroundings through the panoramic windows.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Ucayali River – Magdalena – Puinahua Canal
We will set out early this morning to explore the Ucayali River, the Amazon’s largest tributary. Sightings include the slow-moving three-toed sloths, iguanas, orioles, and horned screamers, as well as many other birds.
After breakfast we will walk through the village of Magdalena, a small community of ten families. After meeting the people, including lots of lively and curious children, our naturalist guides will lead you through the jungle to a beautiful lake that is home to the world famous Victoria Regia giant water lily. We return to the vessel at noon.
In the afternoon we will cruise the majestic Ucayali River, giving us the chance to see and meet native ‘balseros’, or fishermen, who demonstrate their skill and let us see their catch. We are also likely to spot, and have an opportunity to photograph, the ‘banana balsero’ rafts, loaded with hundreds of clusters of bananas, drifting down the river to market. Other highlights include the viewing of woodpeckers, parrots, macaws, and toucans. We return to the vessel at 6:30 pm.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Puinahua River –Hatum Posa Lake – Pacaya River
At 8:30 am we walk near Hatum Posa Village, where our guides will introduce us to native people doing subsistence farming, and will tell us how they learned to cultivate wild plants and trees to earn farm income. Deep in the primary forest, our guides will also show us the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle—the source of many of the world’s pharmaceutical products. Return to the vessel by 11:00 am.
In the late afternoon, we will take our skiffs along the Pacaya River, journeying from Ranger Station No. 1 toward Yanayacu Lake, where you can view the abundant life that is hidden in the deep rainforest. We may see saki monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and the easy-to-spot heavy howler monkeys, leaping long distances from tree to tree. As the sun sets, we hear the loud, ferocious sounding warning signals made by the howler monkeys as they mark their territories. When night falls, we hear other nocturnal animals. On returning to our vessel we will use our special spotlight torches to locate night creatures, including, perhaps, huge caimans.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Pacaya River – Puinahua Village
Back on the river as the sun rises, we see a treasure trove of wildlife, including parrots, macaws, toucans, and many kinds of monkeys. Enjoy a ‘bag breakfast’ on board while we stop near a popular dolphin feeding spot, where we will see quite a show as we enjoy our meal. We return to our vessel by 11:00 am.
In the afternoon we have an optional excursion, a short informational walk into a riverside village. Our guide will show us the way of life in these communities of fishermen and farmers. Once we are back onboard, the ship will continue its journey down stream, sailing toward Iquitos through the night.
Leaving the peace and beauty of the jungle behind, we will enjoy our final dinner together, swapping stories about the wonderful experiences shared on the river.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Iquitos – Check out and disembark – City tour
Weather and time permitting, this will be the last opportunity to see how people live along the Amazon—by visiting the lively riverside community of Belen, in Iquitos, by skiff. Here, where the houses and shops actually float on the river during some months, you will see the bustling food market for the entire Peruvian Amazon. All local inhabitants throughout the region sell and purchase goods here.
Some groups may instead take a short skiff ride to visit the Boras indigenous community, on the Momon River. The Bora tribe has made every effort to maintain its traditional culture since arriving from deep inside the rainforest more than 30 years ago. Today they will perform some of their most colorful dances for us.
Back on board (11:00 am) it’s time to finish packing. Please leave your packed suitcases in your suite for pickup before going to lunch.
We disembark at 1:15 pm in Iquitos, once a rich center of the rubber industry. We will have a brief city tour. En route, we visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees and dolphins and prepared them for re-introduction into their natural habitat. Finally, we will stop at the San Juan Amazonian Indian Market, for a last chance to shop for local crafts. Transfer to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Note: All the itineraries are subject to change due to weather conditions and other non predictable issues. All hours mentioned are approximate and are also subject to change.
