Capital of French Guyana located more than 7,000 km from the French mainland, Cayenne offers a harmonious ensemble of monuments, beaches and old Creole houses on the eastern side of the South American continent. Between history and modernity, the city is marked by the presence of the former prisons, the vestiges of which can be seen on the Salvation Islands. This port of call will give you the opportunity to visit two museums, the Musée local de la Guyana and the Musée des cultures guyanaises, and learn more about the historic and cultural interests of the region. The Place des Palmistes, with its three soaring Guisanbourg palm trees, is the main square in Cayenne It provides the setting for a variety of events throughout the year.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

From Mucurui, set off in a Zodiac© dinghy along the luxuriant meanders of the channels adjacent to the Amazon River. These wind their way through the Rio Cajari Extractive Reserve, a protected area where only ancestral practices for resource extraction are allowed: fishing, hunting, and harvesting wild plants (Brazil nuts, acai berries, hearts of palm, tropical fruit, etc.). You will navigate through the winding channels to enter the seclusion of the forest. Through the varzea forests covering the banks or along a surprising natural wet meadow, you may get the opportunity to observe birds of prey, large wading birds, howler monkeys, stunning macaws and colorful toucans.

The Aquiqui River is one of the many tributaries of the Amazon River and offers the opportunity to admire an impressive forest gallery. A veritable ecological corridor, this natural area with its dense and luxuriant vegetation is home to a rich and varied fauna, notably including many aquatic birds. If the water is high enough, you will be able to explore the branches of the river aboard your Zodiac® dinghy. And maybe you will be lucky enough to observe the cocoi herons, roadside hawks and anhingas, as well as monkey squirrels and iguanas.

Discover the Guajará River, a tributary of the Amazon River with fast-flowing waters edged by a few dwellings. The place includes a pasture area for buffaloes and a narrow band of the forest from which to observe sloths, green iguanas and myriad birds in stunning colors, such as the toco toucan. With a bit of luck, you might hear the loud cry of howler monkeys, since it can resonate over a radius of several kilometers. The river itself is renowned for being home to the famous pink river dolphin.

Established at the confluence of the Tapajós and Amazon rivers, the city of Santarém flourished for a time during the rubber boom, then sank into oblivion when the “soft gold” boom eventually went bust. Over the last twenty years or so, the economy of Santarém, which is now Amazonia’s third biggest city after Manaus and Belém, has regained some momentum thanks to soybean cultivation and tourism. Renowned for its forests and especially for the small village of Alter do Chão with its beaches worthy of the Caribbean, Santarém offers a wonderful opportunity to discover the Amazonian ecosystems.

The following optional excursions will be available for an additional charge: From Santarem To Alter Do Chao.

Despite its image as an impenetrable land, the Amazon can be explored, even when one is not a hardened explorer. Aboard your ship, sail this river and journey deep into the heart of this green paradise, the Amazon, the rich exuberance of a wild symphony. From the Andes, the Amazon fights its way between Peru and Colombia to reach Brazil where it achieves its majestic breadth. This exceptional site is an unspoiled and secret refuge for thousands of animals and the handful of tribes who live here, far from any contact with the city, in harmony with nature. Aboard our Zodiac® dinghies, do not miss the daytime and nocturnal excursions to experience the surrounding environment.

In the state of Para, discover Balaio. This visit to the heart of the Amazon rainforest will be the ideal moment for exploring the wild natural environment. Vous pourrez notamment découvrir l’incroyable nénuphar géant Victoria amazonica. A little-known treasure, the fine leaves with upturned edges of this water lily, a gem of the lacustrine areas, can support the weight of a small child! With a bit of luck, you may get a glimpse of monkeys through the dense foliage, such as howler monkeys or squirrel monkeys. The area is also home to many species of birds including parrots, kingfishers and birds of prey.

400 km upstream of Manaus, discover Parintins, known for its traditional festival, “the Boi Bumba”, celebrating cultural diversity in the Amazon. Over the last three days of June, the city is divided into two groups that compete against each other: the “Caprichosos” in blue and the “Garantidos” in red. Although the choreographies might suggest a reproduction of the Rio Carnival, the themes presented all relate to the Amazon. A performance from this festival will be presented when the ship calls here: an opportunity to admire the beauty of the dancers’ costumes and let the rhythm of the music take you over.

The following optional excursions will be available for an additional charge: Boi Bumba Folkshow.

Established at the confluence of the Tapajós and Amazon rivers, the city of Santarém flourished for a time during the rubber boom, then sank into oblivion when the “soft gold” boom eventually went bust. Over the last twenty years or so, the economy of Santarém, which is now Amazonia’s third biggest city after Manaus and Belém, has regained some momentum thanks to soybean cultivation and tourism. Renowned for its forests and especially for the small village of Alter do Chão with its beaches worthy of the Caribbean, Santarém offers a wonderful opportunity to discover the Amazonian ecosystems.

In this region, the waters and vegetation are subject to the oceanic influences of the Atlantic. The saline tidal currents provide the right environment for fruit palms to grow. Macaws, parrots, and toucans are particularly fond of these. Conditions permitting, you will be able to explore the narrow arms of the river penetrating the heart of the forest, to discover all the distinctive features of this singular environment.

Through the “green corridor” of the Strait of Breves, discover the banks of the Amazon. Sailing via Guajara Bay, you will discover Santarem, a very lively city with a strong traditional style. A unique sight will appear before you: the dark waters of the Amazon will brush those of the Rio Tapajos without actually mixing, like two strokes of paint. A little further on, Alter do Chao will reveal its immaculate beaches.

The historical city of Belém stretches along the Bay of Guajar on the Amazon Delta, at the northernmost tip of Brazil. Its lively waterfront is home to the century-old Ver-o-Peso market and its iconic turreted iron structure, the Mercado de Ferro. Nearby, mango tree-shaded streets lead to the neoclassic Da Paz Theatre, the Baroque cathedral of Sé and Presépio Fort, whose battlements look out over the old town and the bay. The Bosque Rodrigues-Alves Botanical Garden is a fascinating mini Amazonian forest in the middle of the city that was established in the 19th-century.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Lying off the coast of Kourou, an essential element of any trip to Guiana, the Islands of Salvation were known as the "Islands of the Devil" because of the strong sea currents that made access to them perilous. Once infamous for being the site of a jail with very harsh conditions of detention, where Alfred Dreyfus was exiled, today they are a peaceful place where coconut palms cast shade over the crystal-clear waters. During your cruise, we invite you to make a timeless journey to visit the many remains of the prison that are still visible, including cells and the abandoned hospital.

Arrive back at Cayenne and disembark after breakfast.