Covering 60 per cent of the country, Peru’s Amazonian region is a magnet for wildlife lovers. Sleepy backwaters, lush islands and deep jungle make up the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a place of exceptional beauty and biodiversity and Peru’s largest protected area at 8,000 square miles. From June to November is low-water season. Birders and wildlife enthusiasts will leap at the chance to venture into the habitat of some of the rarest and most iconic species on Earth, while visits to local communities of ribereños, or river people, provide insight into local culture and village life. In high-water season, from December to May, the Amazon River and its tributaries (the Marañón and Ucayali) flood, and most of the Pacaya-Samiria reserve is submerged. Though this may sound limiting, it also opens up a perspective on the entire landscape and riverscape that is nothing less than enchanting – and whenever you choose to visit, this untouched wilderness is alive with a seasonal rotation of sloths, monkeys, caimans, pink river dolphins, turtles, manatees and stunning birdlife.
Day 1 | Arrive in Lima, Peru
Land in Lima, Peru's culinary capital on the Pacific coast. Abercrombie & Kent’s team will be on the ground to meet and greet guests, and provide a seamless transfer to your hotel.
Day 2 | Nauta
Travel by plane from Lima to Iquitos and into the Peruvian countryside. In Nauta, a remote village set on the banks of the Marañón River, you will be met by your river guide and welcomed aboard Pure Amazon, an A&K Sanctuary. Once settled on the intimate riverboat, you will meet the expert naturalists who will accompany your expedition, and dine on innovative Amazonian cuisine. BLD
Day 3 | Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
There are more than 400 species of bird in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, from scarlet macaws to swallow-tailed hummingbirds. Spot some of the region’s most colorful and curious winged creatures on a guided birding excursion, with an expert answering all your questions along the way. Broaden your knowledge of the area with a midday lecture, then board a skiff for a guided night safari that may reveal the glowing yellow eyes of dozens of caimans and other nocturnal river dwellers. BLD
Day 4 | Amazon Basin
A visit to a local village community lifts the lid on life in the Amazon Basin: you will meet ribereños, or river people, and learn about their culture. Piranha teeth are often used in local crafts, and you will have the chance to fish for these dangerous omnivores from a skiff, catching and carefully releasing one of the most dangerous fish in the world. BLD
Day 5 | Pacaya River
Navigate the Pacaya River on board a skiff for close-up encounters with the lush flora and iconic fauna, scanning the canopy for long-limbed spider monkeys, supine sloths and shy monk saki, another primate. BLD
Day 6 | Ucayali River
As the cruise continues down the Ucayali River, the main headwater tributary of the Amazon, you can choose between a picnic breakfast, a jungle walk, a canoe or kayak ride, or a swim. Afterwards, our experts will guide you around another local village to meet the locals.
Day 7 | Pure Amazon
Today’s pace is set by you: make the most of access to our Amazonian wildlife experts with a lecture on board, or take to the water once more in a skiff to soak up the staggering scenery and the sounds of the jungle. BLD
Day 8 | Iquitos
Return to Nauta to disembark from Pure Amazon, then travel onwards to Iquitos to visit a lively market brimming with freshly harvested bounty from the surrounding forest. The Museum of Indigenous Amazonian Cultures is a must-see for a better understanding of the traditions and rituals of local tribes. BLD
Day 9 - Departure B
* Contact us for availability and bookings (aksanc)