Voyage to the headwaters of the mighty Amazon in the heart of Peru’s northern rain forest aboard the elegant riverboat Delfin II. Slip through an intricate network of jungle waterways in a skiff in search of a variety of birds, as well as caimans, tamarins, and sloths. Skim past massive lily pads, peer up at towering ceiba trees, and witness glorious sunsets on the still waters of the Amazon River Basin.
Highlights:
- Explore the amazing biodiversity of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve with our team of naturalists, and encounter rare pink dolphins, sloths, howler monkeys, giant lily pads, and an astounding variety of birdlife.
- Learn from a certified photo instructor, who travels with us aboard the Delfin II riverboat.
- Glide into the Amazonian backwaters by kayak or skiff for an up close look at the intricacies of this rain forest ecosystem.
- Meet the ribereños, indigenous people who live along the river’s edge, and get a glimpse into their traditions and way of life.
Day 1: Lima, Peru
Arrive in Lima in the late evening and transfer to your hotel.
Lodging: Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport Hotel
Day 2: Lima/Iquitos/Nauta
After a morning visit to the celebrated Larco Herrera Museum, fly to Iquitos and continue overland to Nauta, where your ship awaits. Get settled in your elegant cabin and gather for a welcome dinner of fine Peruvian cuisine prepared by the onboard chef. Tonight, step out on deck to gaze at the magnificent night sky over the Amazon. Accomodation: Delfin II
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 3-8: Exploring The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
Spend this week exploring the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a pristine swath of jungle stretching more than five million acres and harboring fascinating flora and fauna. The reserve is bordered by the Marañón and the Ucayali, two powerful rivers that converge to create the famed Amazon, which floods annually with nutrient-rich waters. Pacaya-Samiria’s “Mirrored Forest” is created by the glassy reflections of the reserve’s waterways during flood season.
Explore this remarkable wilderness on daily excursions by skiff, kayak, and—when the water level permits—hikes on dry land. Skim past giant lily pads afloat on black-water lakes, and venture into the rain forest on narrow tributaries. Spot sloths and monkeys, including colored saddleback tamarins, noisy howlers, and shaggy-tailed monk saki monkeys. Watch for an astounding variety of birds, from tanagers and hummingbirds to parrots and endangered scarlet macaws. Look for signs of the massive paiche fish, the Amazon’s largest; rare pink dolphins; and indigenous piranhas.
Season permitting, seek out Victoria amazonica, a giant water lily that grows in small lagoons. Go on a bird-watching hike, listening for the vocal oropendola and then looking for its telltale yellow tail. Listen to a cacophonous symphony of nocturnal animals calling out across the treetops at sunset. Explore the forest in a skiff as night falls, using a spotlight to find caimans, frogs, fishing bats, and other creatures of the night. Visit the reserve’s edge and get to know the ribereños who live on the riverbanks, learning about their age-old traditions. Watch them make jewelry and other handicrafts and learn how subsistence farmers cultivate wild plants and trees to earn income. Hear about edible fruits and indigenous plants with medicinal properties hidden in the jungle.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (daily)
Days 9-10: Nauta/Iquitos/Lima
Disembark in Nauta and return to Iquitos for the flight to Lima. The next day, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport Hotel
Day 9 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10 Meals: Breakfast
