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Embark on the voyage of a lifetime, sailing the earth’s mightiest river — the Amazon, aboard a luxurious small ship. The first luxury vessel in the region, the 24-passenger small ship, M/V Aqua caters to the most discriminating and adventurous of world travelers, providing an unforgettable journey into areas penetrated by only a privileged few. As your small ship docks along the river, knowledgeable and experienced naturalists will take you, via small launches, into remote estuaries in the Peruvian rain forest and the massive Pacaya Samiria Reserve which spans more than 5 million acres. As you explore these pristine wilderness areas teeming with hundreds of species of wildlife and birdlife, you will also encounter local people living in villages as they have for centuries. And when the day’s sightseeing is over, the comforts of your luxurious floating hotel will await you. Cruise the Amazon in Style aboard the Small Ship Agua.

Note about Seasons and Itinerary: The M/V Aqua operates year-round, and every voyage is uniquely appealing, based on the changing seasons. During the flooded season (December – May), the river and estuaries grow, allowing launch boats to venture deeper into the flooded forest. During the dry season (June – November), the river recedes and beautiful sandy river beaches form. The itinerary is also offered as a 5-Day or 4-Day.

8-Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Saturday – Iquitos / Amazon River

Fly to Lima, transfer to Iquitos, board the M/V Aqua in the evening. As you settle into your over-sized suite, your small ship cruise will begin its journey toward the Yanayacu River, deep in the heart of Amazonia. Over the next seven days, you will also sail along the two largest tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. You are embarking on a spectacular adventure, to a place visited by only a few of even the most experienced world travelers. Your Cruise Director and Guides will give a safety and orientation talk. Enjoy Peruvian cuisine, considered some of Latin America’s best, and raise a glass of fine South American wine to toast the beginning of a beautiful journey.

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: na

Day 2 - Sunday – Tahuayo River, Charo Lake, Yacapana Islands

Sunrise on the Amazon River! Our sumptuous daily breakfast buffet features a broad choice of traditional breakfast egg dishes, plus Peruvian specialties and fresh-squeezed fruit juices. This morning you will board our comfortable excursion skiffs for your first adventure tour, traveling from the Amazon through the Huaysi short-cut canal to explore the Tahuayo black water river. (The Flooded Season, Dec. – May, will explore the Yanayacu “black water” and Yarapa Rivers). Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots and plenty of cold potable water will always be available for you on board the skiffs. As we float down the Tahuayo, occasional fishermen paddling in their dug-out canoes will give us a cheerful greeting. Keep your binoculars ready to spot a vast variety of wildlife: terns, orioles, blackbirds, black collared hawks, monkeys, and sloth share this wonderful environment with us. Upon arrival at Charo Lake, you can bait your hooks to try to catch one of Amazonia’s fearsome piranhas! As you fish, trained naturalist guides will also tell you the story of the lake and its inhabitants. Back onboard the M/V Aqua relax prior to lunch and then enjoy an after lunch visit to the Yacapana Islands “Iguana Islands”. In the late afternoon, you will have the chance to see and photograph both gray and pink freshwater dolphins. The people of the Amazon believe that these dolphins turn into humans to steal handsome men or pretty women from their villages during celebrations. We will return to the M/V Aqua Peruvian small ship and continue our journey upstream, toward the headwaters of the Amazon River, where the Ucayali, Marañon, and the Amazon Rivers merge. Perhaps sip a pre-dinner pisco sour on the Upper Deck, while you watch the sun set.

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 3 - Monday - Marañon River/ Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve

Choose between two morning excursions (either a skiff exploration, or a guided jungle walk). On the full-morning skiff excursion: Travel from Yanayacu Creek to remote Chingana, a small creek where giant river otter usually nest. See howler and capuchin monkeys, the squirrel-sized monkeys called tamarins, pink and gray river dolphins, and a vast variety of birds. Learn first-hand about the important medical value of jungle plants. And we will show you famous Kapok Trees, the tallest trees in the Amazon Basin. On the guided Jungle walk, your Park Ranger will tell you all about sustainable resource management projects in Amazonia. You will visit one of the projects, where villagers are planting palms to obtain oil. The ranger may also show you the artificial nests created on the sand to protect turtle eggs.
On an afternoon expedition, search for two different kinds of freshwater dolphins, including the unusual pink ones found in the Amazon. The National Park has 13 species of primates. Keep your eyes directed toward the jungle canopy, where you may catch a glimpse of tamarins, howlers and pigmy marmoset monkeys. Watch for alligators, and keep your binoculars at the ready, as you are likely to see more than 200 species of birds. Still not enough!... How about a post-dinner night excursion! Take the skiffs out in search of caimans, tree boas and frogs.

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Tuesday - Birthplace of the Amazon / Puerto Miguel

Skirt the edges of the vast Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres. Take a pre-dawn skiff ride to view one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the sun rising over the birthplace of the Amazon River at the union of the Ucayali and Marañon tributaries. Glide past river banks populated by large-billed terns, laughing falcons, gray tanagers, sandpipers, five kinds of parakeets, the exotic short-tailed parrot, and dozens of other birds. Travel to Puerto Miguel village, where you can meet and interact with local villagers from this most remote part of the world, and learn about their culture, traditions, and folklore. Share a last lunch with your fellow passengers who have taken the 4-Day journey. This afternoon we will travel by skiff along the Ucayali River to Yucuruche Lake, where we will take a short jungle walk to see the world’s largest aquatic plant, the giant water lilies or “Victoria Regias”. Over dinner, meet new passengers who have come aboard for the 5-Day journey.

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Wednesday – Ucayali River / Yanallpa Area

Go on a jungle walk in search of the bizarre-looking birds called “hoatzins”, which live in huge colonies in the strange, Jurassic Park-like Yanallpa Lake. In the afternoon, cruise the majestic Ucayali River, giving you a chance to see and meet native balseros, or fishermen, who will demonstrate their skill and let you see their catch. We will also see “banana balsero” rafts, loaded with hundreds of clusters of bananas, drifting down the river to market. Take an after dinner skiff excursion to search for caiman, members of the alligator family, along the fish-rich Sapote River. (The Flooded Season, Dec. – May, will explore the “mirrored forest of the Dorado River).

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - Thursday – Puinahua River / Hatum Posa Lake and Pacaya River

Take a morning jungle walk near Hatum Posa Village. Guides will introduce you to native people doing subsistence farming, and will tell you how they learned to cultivate wild plants and trees to earn farm income. They will also show you the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle. 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. You may see saki, capuchin and howler monkeys with their ferociously loud calls which serve as warnings and mark their territory. Tonight the vessel will be docked by the No. 1 Ranger Station in Pacaya Samiria National Park.

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - Friday – Puinahua / Pacaya and Sapote Rivers

Lets do breakfast on the skiffs! On Yanayacu Lake, guides point out parrots, macaws, toucans, monkeys, and dolphins. 11:00 a.m. In the afternoon, try your hand at fishing on the Sapote River. (Or, Carocurahuayte Lake during Flooded Season). There are more than 3,000 species of tropical fish that live in the Amazon Basin. The key target will be piranhas, the small fish with a fearsome reputation are considered a good food source by the locals. Enjoy a final farewell dinner.

Accommodations: M/V Aqua
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Saturday – Iquitos: Disembark, City Tour, Airport Transfer

A brief skiff trip along the majestic Amazon will give you a last chance to photograph the wildlife of the jungle. Enjoy your final lunch onboard. In the afternoon, take a guided tour of bustling Iquitos, once a rich center of the rubber industry. See a house built by Gustave Eiffel and stop at San Juan Amazonian Indians’ Market for some last-minute shopping. Conclude your Peru small ship cruise at 4 pm upon arrival at Iquitos Airport, where your guides will help you check-in and will wait with you until your flight departs at 5:30 pm.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

5 Day Itinerary:

Day 1 - Tue. – Arrival /Nauta/ Embarkation/ Marañon River
Day 2 - Wed. - Ucayali River/yanallpa area
Day 3 - Thu. - Puinahua River/Hatum Posa Lake /Pacaya River
Day 4 - Fri. - Puinahua/Pacaya and Sapote Rivers
Day 5 - Sat. – Disembark, Iquitos city tour, airport transfer

4-Day Itinerary:

Day 1 - Sat. - Iquitos/Amazon River
Day 2 - Sun. - Amazon/Tahuayo (or Yanayacu) River and Charo (or Corrientes) Lake
Day 3 - Mon. - Marañon River/Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (Nauta Caño & Yanayacu-Pucate)
Day 4 - Tue. - Birthplace of the Amazon/Puerto Miguel Village and Marayali River


Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be flexible makes our style of cruising unique.

Single Travelers: The M/V Aqua offer single occupancy at an 80% supplement.

Cruise Cost Includes: Transfer from Lima to Iquitos, overnight accommodations aboard the M/V Aqua, all meals while cruising, all airport transfers, Park entrance fees, naturalist guides.

Not Included: Airfare from US to Lima; excess baggage charges; airport departure tax from Lima; domestic flights estimated at $350-$500 per person, tips to local staff and items of a personal nature such as soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, laundry fees and insurance of any kind.

Arrival and Departure: This trip begins and ends in Lima, Peru along with a transfer to Iquitos. Plan flights to arrive by noon on Day 1 and depart late afternoon on the last day. Airport transfers are included for travelers arriving and departing on scheduled arrival/departure days.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: A special cancellation policy applies to all Galapagos trips, which is stricter than the AdventureSmith Explorations policy. When a trip cancellation is received inside of 70 days from departure, all trip costs are 100% non-refundable. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with

Accommodations Aboard: M/V Aqua is Aqua Expedition's 130-foot flagship. Its 12 luxury guest suites, designed by an internationally renowned Peruvian interior designer, measure a generous 230 to 240 square feet, and feature large, outward facing panoramic windows and en suite sitting areas. All suites are air conditioned, and four are interconnected, to cater to families. Guests can socialize in the dining room, bar, on the observation deck and in the outdoor lounge. There is also a small boutique. You'll be served by a crew of 16, plus three skilled guides. Rates include all excursions, meals, and wine with meals.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Daily excursions from the boat will be made in a smaller skiff. Trip members will hike from the landing point to specific areas for wildlife observation. Hiking time for most landings will be a couple of hours round trip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Most landings are dry but some may be "wet", requiring cautious footing on slippery rocks. The boat staff will be on hand to assist.

Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining this trip with our Peru: Machu Picchu extensions.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

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