Amazon Expedition Cruise

Day to Day Itinerary

• Day 1

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  After arriving on a noon flight, you’ll be warmly welcomed at Iquitos International Airport by the Aqua Expeditions crew and enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant before boarding the Aqua Nera. Settle into your spacious suite as your adventure begins. Following an introduction from the naturalist guides and a safety drill, you’ll gather at the restaurant for your first Amazonian meal, expertly crafted by renowned chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino.
• Day 2

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  Aboard comfortable skiffs, explore the Amazon River and the Yanayacu Yacapana River, where you can spot tropical birds, hawks, and sloths. Try your hand at line-fishing for piranhas as naturalist guides share their insights into the region. In the afternoon, head to the Yarapa River, a blackwater tributary of the Ucayali River, for an evening of stargazing and a nocturnal wildlife excursion.
• Day 3

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  Begin your day with an early excursion to Clavero Lake aboard comfortable skiffs. Villagers in the area use traditional dugout canoes, and visitors have the chance to swim in the lake’s calm waters or meet with the local Amazonian community. In the afternoon, continue your journey on the majestic Marañon River, searching for diverse wildlife.
• Day 4

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  In the morning, take a guided visit to the local market and marvel at the regional produce of the Peruvian Amazon, and sample exotic snacks if you wish. After breakfast, visit a group of Amazonian artisans and learn the art of weaving palm fibers, as traditionally done in the Peruvian Amazon. In the afternoon, visit a beekeeper in the community of San Francisco before heading out on skiffs to witness one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere, the birthplace of the Amazon River. By nightfall, you will meet the new passengers who signed on for the four-night trip, as we start our journey together along the Marañon River.
• Day 5

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  Wake up early for a birdwatching session along the Marañon River, followed by breakfast in the jungle. Visit an Amazonian village to interact with local riberenos and watch a palm harvesting demonstration. Spend the afternoon swimming, kayaking, or canoeing in the Yanayacu-Pucate River, where you might spot pink river dolphins. Explore the riverbanks on a bike ride through the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. After lunch, you can engage in a spiritual experience guided by a Kukama Kukamiria healer. End the day with a nighttime skiff cruise along the Yanayaquillo River for stargazing and nocturnal wildlife spotting.
• Day 6

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  Today’s early start offers plenty of rewards: a full-day excursion with a picnic lunch accompanied by the sounds of the jungle, fishing along the black waters of the Samiria River, and options for canoeing, kayaking, swimming, or a jungle walk in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. After lunch, you’ll take a skiff back to the Marañon River, keeping an eye out for pink river dolphins along the way.
• Day 7

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  Start your day with a morning wildlife excursion on the black waters of the Nauta Caño River. If you prefer, enjoy a scenic bike ride along the riverbank from Puerto Prado Village to Santa Cruz Village. In the afternoon, take a jungle walk to discover flora and fauna, including medicinal trees, insects, and poison dart frogs, while learning about the rainforest’s ecosystems. Before dinner, meet the dedicated crew behind your exceptional experience aboard Aqua Nera.
• Day 8

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  In the morning, visit a local market to explore the regional produce of the Peruvian Amazon and sample exotic snacks. You’ll then have the choice between a cruise along the Itaya River to see the floating houses of Belen or a visit to the Chullachaqui Ecomuseum to learn about Yagua ancestral hunting practices. After breakfast on board the Aqua Nera, disembark and visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where orphaned Amazonian manatees are rehabilitated before being released back into the wild, en route to the airport.