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A journey by river into the Amazon
rainforest …
Observe immense buttressed trees loom overhead, hanging with
vines and alive with over 500 species of birds and many
more … this region has been identified as having the highest
bio-diversity on the planet |
Day 1. Saturday -
Arrive
Iquitos / Cruise
An early-morning flight will take us from
Lima (Peru)
across the majestic snow-capped Andes Mountains to the tropical
forest and winding rivers of the Amazon and the exotic city of
Iquitos. After collecting our luggage, we are met by our
English-speaking naturalist guide and make our way by a 45
minute bus ride, with a short sightseeing tour en route visiting
Belen Market, Main Square, Plazas, the Eiffel or Iron House, and
the Boulevard area, to our dock in downtown Iquitos. We board
the
M/F Arapaima and after settling in our cabins, guides
provide a general orientation, staff introduction, safety
procedures, amenities and excursions to be held for this day. We
depart a few miles downstream on the Itaya River to meet and up
the Amazon River passing by islands of different sizes, small
villages and farms lined along the river shore. A Peruvian
welcome buffet lunch is served in the dining room while the M/F
Arapaima sails during the middle of the day stopping in the
afternoon for a motorized boat excursion into the rainforest to
observe the immensity of the trees and the incredible amount of
different types of vegetation that surrounds us. At mid-evening
we pass the juncture of the Ucayali & Marañon Rivers, both major
tributaries of the Amazon, where the Mighty River begins its
flow down to the Atlantic Ocean, then upstream the Marañon River
to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. (L, D)
Note
We suggest our customers to arrive one day prior or in
the early morning hours of the ship's departure day. We can help you book
additional services, such as airport transfers, overnight or day-use rooms at local hotels
and other, if needed.
 A day on the M/F Arapaima begins
with a hearty breakfast which will normally be
served between 7:00 and 8:30 AM followed, or
preceded, by daily excursions. During a "normal" day
in the Amazon we will take three excursions which
may focus on bird
watching, fishing for piranhas, short and long day
and night jungle walks into primary and secondary
forests and visits to local Indian communities and
small Amazon villages. Lunch is ready between 12:30
and 2:00 PM and dinner is served between 7:30 and
9:00 PM. The bar opens from 9:00 AM till 11:00 PM.
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Day 2.
Sunday - Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
We awake to the exotic sounds of the dawn chorus and join our
naturalist guides for a bird-watching excursion along the
Marañon’s River edges. We are afforded excellent views and photo
opportunities of different species we might see here including
jacamars, Ibis, parrots, the spectacular red-and-green,
blue-and-gold and Scarlet macaws among other wildlife that
reside within this virgin paradise. A lavish buffet lunch is
served on board followed by a further optional lecture. Early
afternoon, the M/F Arapaima arrives at San Martin Lake, part of
the Pacaya / Samiria National Reserve. When the day again starts
to cool it gives us time to get back into our motorized aluminum
boats to head into the jungle once more for exploration.
Invisible birds call sporadically to each other in shrill chirps
shattering the silence, like distant gunshots, while ours and
naturalist guides’ eyes dart in all directions trying to locate
the sources of these occasional noises. Dinner is served aboard
while the ship continues sailing up and deep into the Samiria
River. (B, L, D)
Day 3.
Monday - Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
At daybreak, we continue our fascinating cruise program by
exploring an Amazon flooded forest and a black water oxbow lake
at Ranger’s check point # 2. The Lake is often crowded with
giant Victoria Amazonica water lilies; their enormous leaves can
exceed five feet in diameter. We also search the jungle
surrounding the lake for primitive-looking birds called Hoatzins
and also have chances to see a huge variety of colorful birds,
Three-toed Sloth and numerous species of monkeys like Squirrel
and Capuchin. Guides teach us how to catch piranhas and other
species with just using a wooden stick, fishing line, a
hook and
a cube of beef or chicken. Here, we can see the true variety of
the Amazon’s edible fishes such as the huge Paiche or Arapaima
Gigas, which is a primitive 60 – 80 pound fish that has scales
so large and rough that Amazonian people use them as a rasp or
for decoration. Tonight, we board our motorized canoes and use
our flashlights to pierce the darkness and perhaps catch the
shining red eye of the black Amazon caiman, frogs, snakes and
birds. (B, L, D)
Day 4.
Tuesday - Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
After breakfast we get an introduction to the daily life of the
river people. Naturalist guides, educated in biology and
ecology, translate, for park rangers and native guides, and
compliment your Amazon expedition cruise with explanations of
the significance of annual rainy season floods to the health of
the rainforest. As we slowly make our way upstream on the
Samiria River and then into even narrower waterways, a wall of
tropical vegetation line each side of the river, we are
fascinated by the tales our naturalist guides tell about the
region’s ecology. We are barely glimpsed at the enormous variety
of wildlife and flora found in this unique environment – try to
imagine 250 species of tree per hectare and 573 species of
birds! Although we are literally tripping over plants, the fauna
is much harder to locate as each find is a discovery in itself,
and usually the result of hours of patient searching. (B, L, D)
Day 5. Wednesday – Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
We have another fascinating full day exploring many areas around
the Samiria’s reserve. An
outstanding feature of this river is the large population of
both Gray and Pink Amazon River Dolphins, often seen cavorting
near the ship and along the shoreline. Search for primates, such
as Capuchins, Pygmy Mormosets, and black monkeys, sloth and
colorful birds. We can expect
to see trees in a mind-numbing variety of shapes, sizes, colors
and configurations, vines weaving themselves amongst the trees,
creepers hanging from the vines, and orchids and bromeliads. We
return to the ship just in time to take a quick shower and eat
an early dinner before our next adventure – Cayman spotting. We
board aluminum skiffs to go with our naturalist guide into
marshy areas looking for the red eyes of the Caymans along the
riverbanks. When night falls, we start our cruise back to
the Marañon River. (B, L, D)
Day 6.
Thursday - Pacaya Samiria National Reserve / Yarapa River
Today, we hope to reach a region of flooded forest and small
jungle lakes where we have the chance to spot the pre-historic
Hoatzin bird. We also get to fish for giant armored catfish,
sardines, and piranhas – if you do catch your own, these fish
make an outstanding lunch or dinner (the chef will be happy to
cook them for you). We stop at Nauta Caño creek to hike into the
forest to stretch our legs. This also gives us a chance to see
things we might not see from the river. This area is famous for
its high concentration of wildlife and with luck we may see many
rare and endangered species. During the afternoon, we visit a
village at the Yarapa River to shop some souvenirs and learn how
people in this part of the world live in conjunction with their
surroundings. Tonight, we bid a goodbye to our captain and crew
at a farewell dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 7. Friday - Depart Iquitos:
We arrive in Iquitos this morning and after disembarkation you
are transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima. (B)
Flexibility is a GREAT tool during Amazon Expedition Cruises!
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Please note:
The itinerary, as outlined here, is a guideline – it is
important to allow room for the unpredictable and unexpected
surprises that make each trip unique. We will find it is more
satisfying to let the jungle, the weather and our naturalist
guides lead the way. Trust the expert guides if they find the
need to modify the itinerary for the best interest and safety of
the group. |
Package includes
- Welcome drink
- Accommodations in air conditioned cabins
- All shore excursions and sightseeing as described
*
- Naturalist English speaking guide
- Snacks (certain days)
- Meals as indicated (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Package DOES NOT Include
- International and domestic airfare (can be quoted
separately)
- Airport transfers
- Hotels
- Tours not offered in the program
- Any type of insurance
- Tips to porters, drivers, crew and Tour Guides
- Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages
- Domestic airport taxes of US$6.00 at each airport in Peru and
International departure taxes of US$31.00 upon leaving Peru
- Any other services not mentioned in itinerary
Note:
Transfers from / to hotel or airports are not included and are
charged as
additional services. Also at additional costs, an
array of activities like city tour, visit to local zoo, meals at
local restaurants, jungle lodges before or after cruise program,
suited to every interest, may be scheduled.
