Amazon River Voyage
The ultimate luxury Amazon River cruise - elegant and intimate, Delfin I and II get you up close to the Amazon's nature, wildlife, and cultures.
From: $3,450 | 4 & 5 DAYS | PERU
Amazon River Voyage Trip Highlights
- Journey deep into the Amazon by way of the Delfin I and Delfin II – the region’s most intimate and elegant river boats.
- Explore the black-water lakes of the flooded forest of Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve with a team of experienced naturalists.
- Spot legendary wildlife of the Amazon including pink and gray dolphins, multiple monkey species, piranhas, and scarlet macaws.
- Enjoy fresh, local and international gourmet cuisine throughout
- Meet and share with local tribes people indigenous to the Amazon
Itinerary Overview
Voyage to the headwaters of the Amazon River and explore the intricate waterways of Peru’s rainforest by skiff while spotting wildlife with experienced naturalist guides. Cruising the Amazon offers a unique perspective into this vast wilderness and its people. The Delfin I and II are the most intimate and elegant of the vessels on the Amazon and offers unparalleled service.
DAY 1 • Iquitos
Arrive Iquitos in early evening flying from Lima or Cusco. Get settled in to your spacious cabin aboard the Delfin I or II and enjoy a pisco sour from your private balcony or the teak wood bar before a gourmet dinner and trip briefing.
DAY 2 • San Isidro Flooded Forest Hike and Yanayacu/Pucate River
Rise early for sunrise and birdwatching before hiking through tropical rainforest to giant ceiba trees. After lunch spot troops of monkeys and river dolphins while exploring by skiff. Enjoy the jungle symphony while looking for both southern and northern constellations.
DAY 3 • Canopy Walk/Primary Forest Hike, Tawampa Lake/Nauta Caño Exploration
Appreciate the Amazon canopy from within and above it exploring an extensive canopy walkway 85-ft high. Canoe back to the boat looking for the world’s largest fresh water fish, the giant arapaima. Catch piranha in flooded forest and spot caimans, night herons, spectacled owls and more after dusk.
DAY 4 • Amazon Headwaters & Caño Piraña / Yucuruchi Lagoon (Giant Water Lilies)
Visit an indigenous community on the river banks and experience their timeless traditions. Meet local women and children while visiting the small schoolhouse and craft market. This experience isn’t soon forgotten. Spot wildlife on an excursion to the Amazon’s giant lilies in the afternoon.
DAY 5 • Yarapa River, Amazon Headwaters, Nauta and Iquitos Airport
Fresh juices and delicious breakfast will help you have a keen eye to spot squirrel and capuchin monkeys, pink dolphins, as well as myriad bird species this morning. After a visit to the Manatee Rescue Center take an evening flight to Lima or Cusco.
Is It For Me?
Great for those looking to get up close and personal with the mighty Amazon River and the surrounding wilderness while enjoying the comfort of an intimate river boat experience.
Knowmad has vast knowledge and operating capacities in Peru; this is a private trip and we are happy to modify excursions, accommodations, and the flow of the itinerary to perfectly suit your travel style and interests.
Have questions? Talk to an expert: 612-315-2894
Important Info
COSTS
Listed prices are approximations. All Knowmad trips are custom and exact pricing is provided in your trip proposal.
- From $3,450 per person / 2 travelers for 3 nights
As close partners, we guarantee best pricing with Delfin and Aqua vessels as well as VIP treatment.
Additionally, regional airfare is estimated at $400 (Lima/Iquitos & Iquitos/ Lima—subject to change).
TYPE Flexible Date Departures. These are group excursions along with fellow cruisers.
LIGHT TRIP Suitable for nearly all ages and ability levels. Walks are generally short and on flat terrain. Activities include wildlife viewing, boating, canoeing, cultural opportunities, optional hiking.
DEPARTURES Year round; can be set up to match your dates.
LENGTH 4 and 5 days; can be combined with other travels or full-length trip via Lima.
BEGIN / END Lima, Peru
Air Travel
INTERNATIONAL Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. You may arrange your international airfare independently, or we are happy to offer our feedback and assistance in helping you book it.
REGIONAL If booked by Knowmad Adventures, internal airfare for this trip (Lima/Iquitos, Iquitos/Lima) averages $350, however this is an approximation and the airfare is subject to change upon booking. If you would like to arrange your own regional flights, please consult us prior so we can verify the departure and arrival times.
What's Next?
Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Signing up is easy. Call us at 612-315-2894 or email travel@knowmadadventures.com and reserve your spot. Or simply download our registration form, fill it out, and send it back to us along with your trip deposit. Please refer to registration form for terms & conditions.
Weather & When to Go to the Amazon Jungle
The weather in Iquitos is warm and humid with average annual maximum temperature of 33°C (95°F) and minimum of 21°C (70°C). The dry season is from May to November. The wet season is from December to April. The seasons feature differences in the plant and animal life as well as in the climate. All activities are subject to change due to weather conditions and time of year. River and tributary levels may vary and thus navigation times and excursions may need to be modified at the captain’s discretion.
Prior to your departure, you are provided a detailed pre-trip information packet including a recommended pack list, information about the regions you’ll be visiting, suggested readings, up-to-date health information including any recommended vaccinations and more.
Accommodations
Our trips feature comfortable accommodations that complement their surroundings. We seek out intimacy and character, but never sacrifice cleanliness and security. We also find the best value for quality. In general, our physically moderate to vigorous trips feature hotels classified as 3+ to 4 stars, while less physically demanding trips feature 4+ to 5 star hotels.
As South American travel specialists, we’re experts and have inspected hundreds of properties. Knowmad is happy to suggest upgrades and alternative hotels based on your preferences to ensure your trip is perfect for you. Photos below are from this itinerary’s preferred accommodations. For more specifics, call or write to request more info, or download the detailed trip itinerary.
The accommodation featured in this itinerary is the following:
DAY 1 Iquitos
After a late afternoon flight to Iquitos, it will become clear that you are traveling where few have gone before. In fact, you are part of a select group of seasoned world travelers who will visit remote Pacaya Samiria Reserve, five million acres of protected, flooded forest, roughly the size of a small Central American country. A world of flora and fauna awaits you.
After arriving at Iquitos International Airport, you will be assisted by our guides and transported by bus for about 1 1⁄2 hours, heading northwest toward Nauta (the oldest city in the department of Loreto). Nauta lies between Iquitos and the Marañon River, where the Delfin I is waiting for you.
Upon arriving at the port of Nauta, you will board the Delfin I, assisted by our experienced crew. Upon arriving at the port of Nauta, you will board the Delfin I, the most unique and small river vessel in the Amazon River. You’ll enjoy the personal attention and your own private decks. Your immense suites will be the epitome of luxury while cruising; you willl enjoy a variety of environmentally friendly amenities for your ultimate indulgence. Just before dusk, as the Delfin starts its journey into the rainforest, our barman and staff will provide you with Peru’s finest and most famous cocktail, the pisco sour, made of Pisco, a Peruvian grape brandy. Fine regional cigars will also be available.
Dinner is served in our cozy dining room located at the back of the ship’s second deck. Because of its cultural diversity, Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the world’s finest, making the country an attractive culinary destination. Aside from providing you with your first rainforest adventure, the Delfin I is also a unique culinary experience, offering the best of Amazonian-Peruvian cuisine in a cosmopolitan gourmet setting. Our chef prides himself in serving dishes in different styles and seasoned with a wide variety of herbs and spices, as well as exotic fruits.
At 9:30 pm there will be a briefing and time to relax. On the top observation deck, our guides will use charts and short videos displayed on our flat LCD screen to conduct a brief orientation, outlining details of your journey, including the places you will visit, the wildlife you will see, as well as a summary of the history and geography of the Amazon basin.
Finally, under the beauty of an Amazonian night filled with hundreds of stars or perhaps a full moon, and wafted by the gentle breeze of the rainforest, our multitalented staff will entertain you with a little live music.
DAY 2 San Isidro Flooded Forest Hick & Yanayacu/Pucate River
On your first morning with us we will recommend an early activity to explore one of the most important zones of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Early rising is always rewarding and wildlife is abundant and very active. We will offer an early morning bird watching experience just before breakfast for those who will like to get up with sunrise. Wake up call will be at 5:30 only for the ones that dares.
Today we will hike through this pristine and unique flooded ecosystem, passing through a classic tropical rainforest with emergent trees and canopy trees reaching up to 55 mts. in height. Many trees have buttress roots which often extend high up the trunks while palms are abundant and many of them have stilt roots. Biologically, this kind of forest is probably one of the richest habitats on earth, supporting the most species of plants and animals per unit area. Our target is the giant ceiba or kapok tree with its large diameter. Meet local medicinal plants and encounter them while hiking. This forest is also very good for spotting birds such as the bluish-fronted jacamar seen in pairs in middle and lower parts of forest edges, or collared trogons, red capped cardinals, etc.
After emerging from the depths of the forest, you will be treated to a world-class gourmet meal. We will continue upstream towards our next destination, the YanaYacu protected area within the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.
Never does nature seem more bountiful than in the tropics. In this opportunity you will have the chance to explore one of our main cores of the National Reserve. Wild life will be the one to grate you and biodiversity will be outstanding. On board of our aluminum skiff we will have the chance to get deep into the rainforest and its fantastic diversity of flora and fauna. You will have the chance to enjoy some of the myriad bird species, colorful butterflies and other diverse insects, noisy monkey troops and active pink and grey river dolphins. Enjoy these black waters river and discover these mysterious and bountiful destination.
We will calm your appetite, serving dinner at our cozy dining room; there you will continue enjoying our special food service and unique recipes. Tonight far from civilization, the stargazing opportunities are unique. While enjoying the sweet breeze of the Amazonian night, the wonderful symphony of the jungle, you can see stars of the northern and southern constellation.
DAY 3 Canopy Walk/ Primary Forest Hick, Tawampa Lake /Nauta Caño Exploration
You will get used to our wonderful breakfast festival, with all natural juices and really exotic fresh food that our kitchen personnel will point you, we are sure that you have never tasted some of them.
After breakfast you will get to the only Canopy Walkway in this area, an experience unequaled in the rainforest! At a height of over 25 meters (85 feet) and extending for 500 meters (one-third of a mile), the Canopy Walkway provides a view of the rainforest from the treetops, the best vantage point for observing Amazon wildlife and vegetation. The Canopy Walkway is accessible to all and requires no special skills or equipment. The suspended walkway is spread between 14 of the area’s largest rainforest trees and is one of the longest canopy walkways in the world. You’ll enjoy “terra firma” forest and you will be able to see the differences between your previous hick and this one. We will be back canoeing the Tawampa lake were giant arapaima (biggest fresh waters fish in the world) perhaps will be one of the sights while rowing slowly through.
After returning to Delfin I, our creative chef will continue amaze you with the innovative creations he has designed for you. While explaining every detail of the local food you will learn more and more about life in this pristine and unique area.
In the afternoon we will have the chance to explore the Nauta Caño small creek, lagoons, its wonderful dynamic and stunning panoramas. Cruising is the best way to experience the diversity of the wildlife that populates the rivers and their neighboring habitats. We will sail quietly near shore, exploring marshes, streams and oxbows.
On board our excursion skiffs, we will head to a beautiful lake for a spectacular spot, where
we expect to catch some fish; the target again, will be “piranhas”. During the rainier season, river flood and low forest have more than 1 mt (3 ft) of water standing at the base of the trees. Flowering and fruiting time coincide with this flooding, fish including piranhas swim in among
the base of the trees to devour the fruit or chew at their outer coverings. So the undeserved super-carnivore reputation of piranhas as a bloody thirsty fish is really exaggerated. There are 25 different species of piranha in the Amazon basin, black, white, red bellied. They are so smart and fun to catch.
Once it is dark, you will hear the second installment of the jungle symphony. Armed with powerful spot lights, we will start our night safari in search of night herons, pauraques, spectacled owls, up to a dozen species of croaking from the river’s edge, and fish bats flying over the water scooping up fish.
Spectacled and black caimans are found in these pristine waters, and our guides will point them out to you. Stargazing at this time is unique while fireflies light up the jungle around us. After returning to the vessel we’ll enjoy dinner. The chefs will continue to surprise you with the variety of our menu.
DAY 4 Amazon Headwaters & Caño Piraña / Yucuruchi Lagoon (Giant Water Lilies)
You will get used to our wonderful breakfast festival, with all natural juices and really exotic fresh food that our kitchen personnel will point you, we are sure that you have never tasted some of them.
We will wake up at the Amazon Headwaters and San Francisco Village, an important and historic place, where the Ucayali & Marañon Rivers merge and give birth to the mighty Amazon River. We will be in the formation of the Amazon River; the two powerful tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon River. In this spot, we will search for the most elusive and exotic fresh water pink river dolphin, medium sized, long snout and little or no dorsal fin you will see that they are really pink, they love this place, because is one of their favorite feeding spot.
We will stroll around San Francisco Village, a local community; you will stroll around their community, their houses and will have the chance to meet how simple their life is. We will be greeted by lots of children who take you to their school to let you know all about Dait. The local teacher will be around. They will show you their arts and craft market that will be displayed for you to appreciate their work.
On return to Delfin I we’ll have lunch. As usual, you will enjoy the diversity of our culinary choices. Our kitchen staff will be there for any special requests.
On this afternoon we will have a 35 minutes hike along the Yucuruchi Jungle trail. Here we’ll be able to study closely termites. They are the oldest of all social insects and have one of the most complex societies in the insect world. Our guides will point you about de different sized and shapes of each individuals within a single species. Our main target will be the giant Amazonian water lilies called “Victoria’s Amazonicas”, this beautiful flower grows in small lagoons, swamps, cochas, or small creeks and you will be amazed by them. On this trail you will also get to know all about caciques and oropendolas birds, bees and wasp nest are the special place, this birds use to build their nest, apparently the birds benefit from this closed association. On return to the vessel we’ll enjoy dinner and our last night on the river.
DAY 5 Yarapa River, Amazon Headwaters, Nauta And Iquitos Airport
We will start exploring this narrow river to let you experience the abundant and spectacular deep rainforest wilderness including squirrel and capuchin monkeys, herons, egrets. You will have the chance to see green iguanas with prominent head crest and throat fan, extremely long, mostly arboreal and just laying still on a tree branch. At around 8 o’clock breakfast will be served on the skiffs surrounded by tropical rain forest and with monkeys strolling around us, natural juice & Fruits, sandwiches, coffee and tea will be a nice treat in this morning. We will get to a beautiful lagoon called “Uvos” a very special fruit that grows wild in the shores of this lagoon; you will be surprised also because of the presence of lots of pink dolphins that loves to go there in search of food source.
On return to the vessel, we’ll enjoy lunch and then we will disembark at our port in Nauta, where a bus will be waiting to take you back to Iquitos. On our way to the Iquitos Airport we will visit the Rescue & Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals were you will have the chance to meet baby manatees and learn about this pacific and wonderful creatures and why they are in the endangered species list. You are most welcome to help this extraordinary program!
Afternoon flight departs for Lima.
Extend Your Adventure
Machu Picchu
This incredibly vast archaeological site – lost to the world until well into the twentieth century – is perched amidst Andean peaks and lush cloud forest making it as breathtaking as it is intriguing. Arrive by train or by a day’s hike on the Inca Trail.
Lake Titicaca
Besides being the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca is home to diverse traditional cultures including the floating Uros civilization, the Quechua people of Taquile Island, and the Amaru peoples. Come and meet them at the top of the world.
Lima
Want to spend more time exploring this great city? Besides getting you a great value for hotels and airport transfers, we can line up a fantastic cooking lesson and culinary city tour, full and half day sightseeing adventures, surrounding ruin visits and much more.
Let The Journey Begin
Planning a trip to South America might seem a little overwhelming at first. Knowmad offers door-to-door trip planning: first, we listen, and then we help you navigate the seasonal differences and itinerary options, resulting in a holistic, seamless, and custom-crafted experience, all at a guaranteed best value.
The simplest way to get started is to give us a call at 612-315-2894or to fill out this short form so we can learn more about your travel preferences.
