Enjoy a 5-day luxury trip in the Amazon, Ucayali, and Maranon rivers aboard the Zafiro! The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve's buffer zone, the Sapote River, can be reached by skiffing through its tributaries. Witness some of the world's most incredible wildlife, including many kinds of primates, hundreds of unusual birds, and even groups of pink and gray dolphins.
Highlights
Visit where the Maranon and Ucayali Rivers join together forming the Amazon
Kayak and swim with the famous Amazon pink dolphins
Meet and visit with locals and learn about life on the Amazon River
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
You'll be picked up at the airport and brought to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotels Iquitos where you'll enjoy a delicious lunch before being transferred by private vehicle to the main dock of the city of Iquitos to board the cruise ship. The staff will show you to your suite, which will be equipped with comfortable beds, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton sheets, cotton bathrobes, air conditioning, and a private bathroom with a shower and amenities. Before setting sail, the bartender will serve you a cocktail prepared with local fruit and pisco, the most popular liquor in Peru. You can sip it while enjoying 360° views from the observation deck or a panoramic view from the indoor or outdoor lounge.
After setting sail, the naturalist guides will offer an overview of the travel itinerary, including activities, routes, information about wildlife and vegetation, geographical and historical context, as well as other useful info. If you have any doubts or concerns, the guides are always available to answer your questions. You’ll then enjoy the welcome dinner. Start your journey by dining in Peruvian cuisine with an Amazon flare. There are many options on the menu, including vegetarian alternatives. Please let them know in advance if you have any special dietary needs. After dinner, you’ll be able to take in stunning views of the starry night sky while you start your journey to the depth of the Amazon rainforest.
Day 2: Amazon River | Kukama Reserve | Source of the Amazon | Marañón River | Casual | Nauta Creek
Before breakfast, you’ll go out for a boating expedition on the Amazon River to explore the local flora and fauna. When you get back, enjoy your breakfast buffet, which offers a daily selection of traditional dishes, Peruvian specialties, freshly baked goods, and a range of freshly squeezed juices. After breakfast, you'll head out to see the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañón rivers, which give rise to the Amazon River. Here you'll observe pink and gray river dolphins.
You'll go back to the boat for lunch by midday and then have time to rest. Make sure you attend the talk about the source of the Amazon and the hydrography of the river so that you'll be up to speed for your walk to Puerto Prado, where you'll see the Victoria Amazonica, the largest water lily in the world. You'll then head back to the boat for dinner and live music. After dinner, you'll enjoy a nighttime outing in search of caimans, tarantulas, frogs, and other nocturnal species.
Day 3: Yanayacu of Pucate | Japanese Lagoon | Yanayaquillo | San Regis | Amazonian Natural Park
Breakfast and an outing on a skiff to different lakes and lagoons, until you reach the Japanese Lagoon. There, you'll enjoy a picnic and one of the best conserved and protected areas of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. It's also a popular spot to view pink river dolphins from the skiff. Before heading back to the Zafiro, you'll take a trip to the Yanaquillo. Once you're back on the cruise ship, get ready to go kayaking and take a dip in the black waters.
Head back for lunch aboard the Zafiro. Before starting the afternoon activity, your guides will give a talk about the Amazon philosophy. Afterward, take a walk through the rainforest over hanging bridges, where you can admire the riches of the rainforest from the treetops. Once you're back on the Zafiro, the bartender will give a demonstration of how to make Peruvian cocktails, and you'll then enjoy live music while you await the gala dinner with the captain.
Breakfast and visit the community of San Regis, where you'll learn about the local people's way of life and traditions. You'll also learn about their ancestral traditions from the community's shaman. With your guides as interpreters, you'll be able to ask questions about spiritual connections and curing the soul. You'll then continue the ceremony by planting a tree as a positive contribution to the environment. There, you'll also see a market set up by women from the community to sell their handmade crafts. Head back for lunch aboard the Zafiro.
After resting, the guides will tell you about the myths and legends of the Amazon. In the afternoon, you'll head out on a skiff to the Shiriyacu stream. There, you'll find a good spot to do some piranha fishing using local techniques and equipment. Back on the boat, you'll enjoy the stunning colors of the sunset. Return to the Zafiro, live music, and dinner.
Day 5: Marañón River | Nauta | Disembark | Iquitos Airport
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
Before breakfast, you'll visit Nauta, the second most important city in the region. Upon arriving, you'll take a motorcycle taxi to the local market where you'll see what business in the city is like firsthand. After, you'll head back to Zafiro cruise for breakfast. After breakfast, you will proceed to disembark. On the way to the airport, you will visit the Manatee Rescue Center (Amazon Forever Organization) where biologists and volunteers care for manatees, an endangered species that authorities have rescued. You will learn how manatees are treated and prepared for their return to their natural habitat. Likewise, you will be able to see other animals that have also been rescued. They will invite you to make a donation to this dedicated organization and study center.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$3,9002-3 travelers
Select a Date
First Deck Suite
21 m2 / 226.04 sq. ft. Panoramic floor to ceiling windows on the first deck.
Select a Date
Second Deck Suite
21 m2 / 226.04 sq. ft. Panoramic view floor to ceiling windows with separate balcony overlooking the Amazon River on the second deck.
Select a Date
Master Suites
23 m2 / 247.57 sq. ft. 90-degree front-facing windows, air conditioning with en-suite bathroom and living room.
Select a Date
Zafiro Suite
44.60m2 / 480.07 sq. ft. 180-degree front facing window with jacuzzi and amazon view located on the second deck.
Notes
Single Supplement: 50% in additional to the total adult rate.
Child Policy: Children must be a minimum of 7 years old on all departures. Children must be accompanied by one or two adults in the same cabin.
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 251 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 251 reviews on
2 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
3 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
4 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
6 days ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.