The Aria Amazon Cruise begins in the city of Iquitos and transports guests in exceptional comfort deep into the Amazon rainforest, along the Ucayali River.
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | Iquitos Airport | ||||
| TYPE OF SERVICE | Shared | ||||
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. All times indicated are approximate, and are also subject to change.
Itineraries: High Water / Low Water.
Fixed Departure – please contact us.
Accommodation:
Passengers are accommodated in 16 Design Suites:
• First Deck: 8 Design Suites measuring 23 sqm / 250 sq. ft. each deck
• Second Deck: 8 Design Suites measuring 23 sqm / 250 sq. ft. each deck
– All Design Suites feature panoramic, river facing floor to ceiling windows.
– All Design Suites with twin beds that can be converted to a California king size bed.
– Interconnecting suites for families.
– All Design Suites are air-conditioned, with en-suite sitting area and bathroom.
Gross FIT Rates (US$):
First Deck $4,050.00
Second Deck$4,200.00
3 Night Itinerary (per person/double occupancy)
Single supplement: 25% in addition to the adult rate
Child Policy:
•Seven year age minimum on all departures
•Child under 12 years old will receive a 20% discount
•Third person sleeping on sofa bed will receive a 20% discount
•Third person being a child under 12 years old sleeping on sofa bed pays US $500 per night
Included:
•All meals while onboard
•All excursions
•Beverages (non-alcoholic, select premium wines, sparkling wine and national beer)
•Bike use
•Group transfers to/from vessel when arriving and departing on recommended flights
•Pacaya Samiria entrance fee
Not Included:
•Air tickets to and from Iquitos
•Guide and crew gratuities
•Boutique purchases
•Private transfers to/from vessel
•Spa Services
•Visas
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 1: Friday: IQUITOS – AMAZON RIVER (HIGH WATER) (-/L/D)
Embarkation and Check-In
From the moment you step on board, enjoy the ARIA AMAZON’s low-key luxury. As you settle into your handsomely appointed, generously proportioned suite, you will feel the vessel begin to move the beginning of one of your life’s great adventures. We suggest you stand on the Upper Deck to take in the view, as the ARIA AMAZON leaves Iquitos behind.
Over the next three days, you will also sail along the two largest tributaries of the Peruvian Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. You are embarking on a spectacular journey to a place visited by only a very few of even the most experienced world travelers.
Safety Drill and Briefing on the Upper Deck
Before dinner we will perform a routine safety drill. Then it’s into the air-conditioned lounge, where you will learn about life on board, and will have the first nightly briefing about your next day’s Amazon adventure. You will meet our naturalist guides and your cruise director, who will use video, photos, and maps to introduce the details of your journey deep into the Peruvian Amazon.
Welcome Dinner
Sit down, relax, sip fine South American wine, toast the beginning of a beautiful journey and enjoy the innovative Amazonian cuisine, created by our Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top ranked dining experiences. Schiaffino’s imaginative use of local products – fruit, fish, spices – makes every meal a delightful adventure. (The menu always offers choices, including a vegetarian option.)
Perhaps sip a nightcap on the Upper Deck, under the stars, before retiring.
Day 2: Saturday: AMAZON – YACAPANA – YARAPA – CLAVERO LAKE (B/L/D)
Yacapana Islands Exploration and Dolphin watching.
The locals call Yacapana Islands «The Islands of the Iguana» because of the large number of these reptiles – like tiny dinosaurs – which inhabit them. Amazon folklore says that if you touch an iguana, you will develop some of its characteristics and, as no one wants to look like them, these animals are well protected. We will also see the famous Amazon River dolphins, pink or gray, along our route. Amazonian people believe that these dolphins possess the power to turn into men and women of great beauty.
We will pass close to lush islands, giving you the opportunity to take good pictures of the tropical flora and fauna.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Breakfast
Our sumptuous daily breakfast buffet features a wide variety of dishes, including Peruvian specialties and fresh fruit juices.
Yarapa River Exploration and Fishing in Moringo Lake
This morning you will board our comfortable skiff to sail from the Amazon River to the Yarapa River. Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots, and fresh water are always available in our private boats. As you float down the Yarapa, past the occasional fishermen paddling in their canoes, keep your binoculars ready to spot wildlife: terns, tropical songbirds, black collared hawks and sloth share this wonderful world with us. Upon our arrival at Lake Moringo, use your hooks to try to catch some of the ferocious piranhas and other fish species. As you fish, trained naturalist guides will tell the story of the lake and its inhabitants.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Cold towels await you back aboard the ARIA AMAZON. As the ship continues down the Amazon River, you have free time to rest or take a nap before lunch.
Lunch
Enjoy lunch in the comfort of our air-conditioned dining room.
Lecture in the lounge by our naturalist guides.
Canoeing and swimming at Lake Clavero
We sail on to Lake Clavero where villagers paddle in their traditional dugout canoes. You may wish to swim in the lake’s calm waters and visit the community to interact with our Amazonia neighbors who will be pleased to welcome you.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Before dinner, sip a classic Peruvian pisco sour on the Upper Deck while watching the sunset.
Dinner
Day 3: Sunday : UCAYALI – YANALLPA – DORADO RIVER – PACAYA SAMIRIA RESERVE (B/L/D)
Breakfast
Ucayali River Expedition / Yanallpa
This morning, board the skiffs to explore a fascinating black water stream, part of the vast Amazon flooded forest within the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Your guides will tell you about the jungle as we explore what scientists call a «gallery forest,» because of its dense vegetation that creates a tunnel of leaves. As we explore this type of riparian vegetation, watch above for parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Optional Peruvian cooking lessons
Lunch, followed by an optional siesta
Lecture in the lounge by our naturalist guides
Dorado River Exploration and Night Excursion
This afternoon we take a magical journey through the «Jungle of the Mirrors,» where towering trees are reflected in the dark river. We move on to Dorado River where you may observe enchanting parrots, macaws and a variety of primates, unperturbed by our presence. As we make our way back to the ARIA AMAZON, you may see alligators, frogs and fishing bats.
Return to ARIA AMAZON
Crew presentation
Towards the Birth of the Amazon River and Dinner
While you dine, we continue our journey upstream, toward the headwaters of the Amazon River, where the Ucayali and Marañon Rivers merge.
Day 4: Monday: BIRTHPLACE OF THE AMAZON – VILLAGE VISIT (B/L/-)
Breakfast
Travel briefing for the day
Birthplace of the Amazon
This morning, the ARIA AMAZON skirts the edge of the vast Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres at the headwaters of the Amazon basin. Get up early to see one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the sun rising over the origin of the Amazon River. Here, the junction of two major tributaries, the Ucayali and the Marañon, form one of the greatest waterfalls in the world – certainly this is nature at its most captivating. Your morning excursion will be accompanied by abundant bird song, as you glide in our small boats past large-billed terns, laughing falcons, exotic short-tailed parrot, and dozens of other vibrantly hued birds.
Village visit
We will travel by boat to a community located along the Marañon River, where you will meet and interact with local villagers in this remote part of the world and learn about their traditions and folklore. Walk around with our naturalist guides to see how Aqua Expeditions works with these communities to improve their natural resource management. You will also have the opportunity to shop for local handicrafts directly from the artisans.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Light Lunch
Disembarkation / Manatee Rescue Center / Transfer to the Airport
This afternoon, we will take you to the Manatee Rescue Center, a kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees to rescue, rehabilitate and release them back into the wild. Later, we stop at the Amazonian Indian Market San Juan, where, you may wish to shop for local crafts before leaving.
Guides will help with check in at the airport and stay with you until you have boarded your flight back to Lima.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 1: Friday: IQUITOS – AMAZON RIVER (LOW WATER) (-/L/D)
Embarkation and Check-In
From the moment you step on board, enjoy the ARIA AMAZON’s low-key luxury. As you settle into your handsomely appointed, generously proportioned suite, you will feel the vessel begin to move –the beginning of one of your life’s great adventures. We suggest you stand on the Upper Deck to take in the view, as the ARIA AMAZON leaves Iquitos behind.
Over the next three days, you will also sail along the two largest tributaries of the Peruvian Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. You are embarking on a spectacular journey to a place visited by only a very few of even the most experienced world travelers.
Safety Drill and Briefing on the Upper Deck
Before dinner we will perform a routine safety drill. Then it’s into the air-conditioned lounge, where you will learn about life on board, and will have the first nightly briefing about your next day’s Amazon adventure. You will meet our naturalist guides and your cruise director, who will use video, photos, and maps to introduce the details of your journey deep into the Peruvian Amazon.
Welcome Dinner
Sit down, relax, sip fine South American wine, toast the beginning of a beautiful journey and enjoy the innovative Amazonian cuisine, created by our Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top ranked dining experiences. Schiaffino’s imaginative use of local products – fruit, fish, spices – makes every meal a delightful adventure. (The menu always offers choices, including a vegetarian option.)
Perhaps sip a nightcap on the Upper Deck, under the stars, before retiring.
Day 2: Saturday: AMAZON RIVER – YARAPA RIVER – UCAYALI RIVER (B/L/D)
Breakfast
Amazon River Expedition
Get up early to watch the sunrise for the first time on the Amazon River. This is just a sample of what lies ahead. Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Breakfast
Wake up early and enjoy the beautiful view of sunrise. Our sumptuous daily breakfast buffet features a wide variety of dishes, plus Peruvian specialties and fresh fruit juices.
Yarapa River Exploration
This morning you will board our comfortable skiff to sail from the Amazon River to the Yarapa River. Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots, and fresh water are always available in our private boats. As you float down the Yarapa, past the occasional fishermen paddling in their canoes, keep your binoculars ready to spot wildlife: terns, tropical songbirds, black collared hawks and sloth share this wonderful world with us
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
While the boat continues its journey along the Amazon River, you will have free time to rest or take a siesta before lunch.
Lunch in the comfort of our air-conditioned dining room.
Lecture in the lounge by our naturalist guides.
Canoeing and swimming at Lake Clavero
We sail on to Lake Clavero where villagers paddle in their traditional dugout canoes. You may wish to swim in the lake’s calm waters and visit the community to interact with our Amazonia neighbors who will be pleased to welcome you.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Before dinner, sip a classic Peruvian pisco sour on the Upper Deck while watching the sunset.
Dinner
Day 3: Sunday : YANALLPA – DORADO RIVER – PACAYA SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE (B/L/D)
Breakfast
Ucayali River Expedition / Yanallpa
This morning, board the skiffs to explore a fascinating black water stream, part of the vast Amazon flooded forest within the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Your guides will tell you about the jungle as we explore what scientists call a «gallery forest,» because of its dense vegetation that creates a tunnel of leaves. As we explore this type of riparian vegetation, watch above for parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Optional Peruvian cooking lessons
Lunch, followed by an optional siesta
Lecture in the lounge by our naturalist guides.
Dorado River Exploration and Night Excursion
This afternoon we take a magical journey through the «Jungle of the Mirrors,» where towering trees are reflected in the dark river. We move on to Dorado River where you may observe enchanting parrots, macaws and a variety of primates, unperturbed by our presence. As we make our way back to the ARIA AMAZON, you may see alligators, frogs and fishing bats.
Return to ARIA AMAZON
Crew presentation
Towards the Birth of the Amazon River and Dinner
While you dine, we continue our journey upstream, toward the headwaters of the Amazon River, where the Ucayali and Marañon Rivers merge.
Day 4: Monday: SOURCE OF THE AMAZON – VILLAGE VISIT – NAUTA CITY (B/L/-)
Breakfast
Travel briefing for the day
Birth of the Amazon River
This morning, the Aria skirts the edges of the vast Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres at the headwaters of the Amazon basin. You will see one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the birth of the Amazon River. Here, at the junction of two major tributaries, the Ucayali and the Marañon, form the greatest waterfall in the world – nature at its best. Your dawn excursion will be accompanied by abundant bird song, as you glide in small boats past large-billed terns, laughing falcons, exotic short-tailed parrot, and dozens of other birds.
Village visit & Shaman experience
We will travel by boat to a community located along the Marañon River, where you will meet and interact with local villagers in this remote part of the world and learn about their traditions and folklore. Walk around with our naturalist guides to see how Aqua Expeditions works with these communities to improve their natural resource management. We will have the opportunity to learn about medicinal plants from a Shaman or local medicine teacher, whose knowledge of spiritual healing has been passed down from generation to generation since time immemorial. You will also have the opportunity to shop for handicrafts directly from the artisans.
Return to the ARIA AMAZON
Light Lunch
Share a last lunch with your fellow passengers, before preparing for your onward journey.
Disembarkation / Manatee Rescue Center / Transfer to the Airport
This afternoon, we will take you to the Manatee Rescue Center, a kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees to rescue, rehabilitate and release them back into the wild.
Guides will help with check in at the airport and stay with you until you have boarded your flight back to Lima.
