The new M/V Aqua, Aqua Expedition’s flagship, will be the first true luxury vessel ever to cruise the northern Amazon. Its 12 over sized guest suites, feature en suite sitting areas and generous outward-facing panoramic windows. Each of the handsomely decorated, air-conditioned suites measures between 230 to 240 square feet. Four suites can be interconnected to cater to families. You can socialize in the dining room, indoor lounge, on the observation deck, and in the outdoor lounge.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Miami/Lima. Flight from Miami to Lima, Peru. Upon arrival, you will be met after clearing customs and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2: Lima City Tour. Morning at leisure. In the afternoon, a trip to the essential Lima, “The City of Kings” including the most important architectural icons of the city, such as the Main Square, where you can find the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Then, we continue with a visit to the San Francisco Convent, an architectonic jewel dating back to the 16th century. On our way to the modern area of the city, we will cross the exclusive district of San Isidro, the new financial heart of the city, to take a look at pre-inca Huaca Huallamarca. Finally, we conclude our circuit in Miraflores, where we will visit the “Parque del Amor” (Love Park) an excellent spot to enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean. Overnight in Lima.
Day 3: Lima/Iquitos (Tuesday only). Transfer to the airport for your flight to Iquitos on the Amazon River. Upon arrival, transfer to the pier and board the Aqua Amazon River Cruise. Your guides await you, as your flight from Lima glides in for landing at Iquitos International Airport. After you’ve claimed your luggage, you will board an air-conditioned bus for a scenic one-and-a-half hour drive through the Peruvian countryside to the small village of Nauta, where the M/V Aqua lies at anchor, awaiting your arrival.
Check-In at 7:30 p.m. Take a few moments to settle into your over-sized suite before dinner. Over the next four days, you will sail along several tributaries of the Amazon, as well as on the mighty river itself. You are embarking on a spectacular adventure, to a place visited by only a few of even the most experienced world travelers.
Safety Drill and Briefing on the Top Deck at 8:00 p.m. Before dinner we will perform a routine safety drill. Following that, your Cruise Director and Guides will give a brief orientation talk about life on board, where you will go and what you will see on your Amazon journey.
Welcome Dinner at 8:30 p.m. Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the world’s best. Here it is presented with a touch of European flair, and a vegetarian dish is always available. Raise a glass of fine South American wine to toast the beginning of a beautiful journey, then look out the window and watch the river go by as you experience your first wonderful meal aboard the M/V Aqua. Perhaps enjoy a nightcap on the Upper Deck, under the stars, before retiring.
Day 4: Ucayali River/Yanallpa Area. Breakfast at 7:00 a.m. Our sumptuous daily breakfast buffet features a broad choice of traditional breakfast egg dishes, plus Peruvian specialties and fresh-squeezed juices.
Jungle Walk to Yanallpa Lake at 8:00 a.m. This morning we will go in search of the bizarre-looking birds called “hoatzins,” which live in huge colonies in a very strange Jurassic Park-like lake. As we hike, your guides will teach you orientation techniques used in the deep jungle. Return to the M/V Aqua at 11:00 a.m. Lunch at 12:30 p.m. Enjoy lighter mid-day fare in our air-conditioned dining room.
Ucayali Exploration and Discovery Tour at 4:00 p.m. This afternoon we will cruise the majestic Ucayali River, giving you a chance to see and meet native balseros, or fishermen, who will demonstrate their skill and let you see their catch—including a type of “armored” catfish with a shell-like skin—which they are taking to the market in the small village of Requena. We will also find a “banana balsero” raft, loaded with hundreds of clusters of bananas, drifting down the river to market. Return to the M/V Aqua at 6:00 p.m. Dinner at 7:30 p.m.
Night Trip at Sapote River at 8:30 p.m. Your guides will show you several types of caiman, members of the alligator family, along the fish-rich Sapote River. Chances are good that we will surprise other night-dwelling creatures as well. Return to the M/V Aqua to sail upstream on the Puinahua River at 10:00 p.m.
Day 5: Puinahua River/Hatum Posa Lake and Pacaya River. Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Jungle Walk Near Hatum Posa Village at 8:30 a.m. On this walk, your guides will introduce you to native people doing subsistence farming, and will tell you how they learned to cultivate wild plants and trees to earn farm income. Deep in the primary forest, your guides will also show you the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle. Return to the M/V Aqua at 11:00 a.m. Lunch at 12:30 p.m.
Pacaya River Exploration, Plus Night Trip from Ranger Station No. 1 to Yanayacu Lake at 4:00 p.m. In the late afternoon, we will take our skiffs along the Pacaya River, journeying from Ranger Station No. 1 toward Yanayacu Lake, where you can view the abundant life that is hidden in the deep rainforest. You may see saki monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and the easy-to-spot heavy howler monkeys. As the sun sets, you will hear the loud, ferocious sounding warning signals made by howler monkeys marking their territories.
When night falls, you will hear the second movement of the Amazon rainforest symphony, as other nocturnal animals send their shrill calls across the tree tops. We will use our special spotlight torches to locate night creatures, including, perhaps, huge caimans. Return to the M/V Aqua at 7:30 p.m. Tonight the vessel will be docked by the No. 1 Ranger Station in Pacaya Samiria National Park. Dinner at 8:00 p.m.
Day 6: Puinahua/Pacaya Rivers and Carocurahuayte Lake. Pacaya Exploration; Breakfast on the Skiffs at 6:30 a.m. In the bright morning light, your guides will show you parrots, macaws, toucans, and many different types of monkeys. We will also go to the dolphin feeding spots along Yanayacu Lake, where you will be delightfully surrounded by these creatures while enjoying a light breakfast and fresh juice. Return to the M/V Aqua at 11:00 a.m. We will begin our homeward journey, sailing toward Iquitos. Lunch at 12:30 p.m.
Sapote River Fishing Trip at 3:30 p.m. Armed with poles and bait, we will take you to a special place on this fish-rich river, where you will catch some of the more than 3,000 species of tropical fish that live in the Amazon Basin. The key target will be piranhas, the small carnivorous fish with a fearsome reputation—considered a good food source by the locals.
Return to the M/V Aqua at 6:30 p.m. We will sail downstream all night, as we make our way to Iquitos, and your onward flight. Farewell Dinner at 8:00 p.m. Just minutes after being in the wilderness, surrounded by monkeys and birds, and the other wildlife of the rainforest, you will find yourself sitting down to a final gourmet feast in the ship’s dining room.
Crew Presentation at 9:00 p.m. Tonight, the guides will introduce some of the crew members you haven’t yet met on the trip, but who have worked behind the scenes to give you an unforgettable experience.
Day 7: Iquitos/Lima. Arrive in Iquitos City/Check-out and Disembark at The Main Wharf/City tour and tranfer to the airport. Breakfast at 7:30 a.m.
Last Skiff Trip (optional) at 8:30 a.m. A brief skiff trip along the majestic Amazon will give you a last chance to photograph the wildlife of the jungle. Return to the M/V Aqua 10:00 a.m. You have time to pack and prepare for the next stage of your journey. Light Lunch at 12:00 p.m. Please leave your packed luggage in your cabins, to be transferred to the bus, before coming to the dining room for a light lunch.
Disembarkation/City Tour and Transfer to the Airport at 12:40 p.m. Your afternoon in the remote city of Iquitos, accessible only by river or air, will not disappoint. This bustling town, complete with a house built by Gustave Eiffel, was once a rich center of the rubber industry. After a city tour, we will make a stop at San Juan Amazonian Indians’ Market for some last-minute shopping.
Arrive at Iquitos International Airport at 4:00 p.m., where your guides will help you check-in and will wait with you until you flight departs. Upon arrival in Lima, transfer to your hotel.
Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. All times indicated are approximate, and are also subject to change.
Day 8: Lima/Cuzco. After breakfast, transfer to the airport to take your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the morning is free to rest and get acclimatized to the altitude. In the afternoon, we will visit the Imperial City, living example of the mixture of the Andean and Spanish cultures. We start our trip visiting the Santo Domingo Convent, built over the Koricancha, and ancient Inca palace and main worship center of the Sun God. Later, we will stop at the Main Square, where you can find the Cathedral. Going on with the tour, we will visit the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, imposing sample of military Inca architecture which domains the city. Finally, we will take a look at Qenko, Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 9: Machu Picchu “The Lost City of the Incas”. You will visit one of the most important energetic centers of the world: Machu Picchu. The excursion will be by train and during the trip we will have an amazing view of the landscapes of the Sacred Valley of Urubamba. Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes, our representatives will assist you to board the bus which will take you to the citadel. It will be an unforgettable experience, where a professional tour guide will transmit us the history around this mysterious and charming place. After the guided tour, you will have free time to explore the zone on your own, relax and meditate. Buffet lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. At the scheduled time, we will go down. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Day 10: Morning at leisure. You can make a second visit to Machu Picchu and have the chance to know hidden places, such as the Intipunku (Gate of the Sun). Those with a sense of adventure can enjoy a hike full of adrenaline to the top of Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain) to visit the Temple of the Moon and enjoy a spectacular view of the city. In the afternoon, you will board the train that will take you back to Cusco. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 11: Cuzco/Lima/Miami. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima. Upon arrival connection with your international departure flight.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Round-trip air transportation from Miami to Lima round-trip, Lima to Iquitos r/t, Lima to Cuzco r/t, coach class (You do not need to fly via Miami; we will fly you the most direct way to your destination. Depending on your travel dates and proximity of travel, we will quote you the most economical surcharge from your city or country of origin);
- Round-trip airport/hotel transfers;
- Hotel accommodation including breakfast daily and taxes;
- 4 night cruise aboard M/V Aqua in a suite, all meals and excursions included;
- Guided tours in English including all entrance fees;
- Deluxe option comes with private guided services the following Orient Express hotels: the Sanctuary Lodge in Machu Picchu, Monasterio in Cuzco and the Park Plaza in Lima;
- Meals as per itinerary.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Peru
Cultural Journey
Boating and Sailing
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