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Overview :: Itinerary :: Activities :: Riverboat :: Sightings :: Trip Planning :: Trip Maps :: Book it
Iquitos Amazon cruises: Pacaya Samiria reserve, Tres Fronteras & Yurimaguas
Overview Amazon cruises from Iquitos offer several itinerary options, you can choose to navigate into the Pacaya Samiria natural reserve for amazing wildlife, cruise down river to Tabatinga in Brazil and Leticia (from here you can continue to Manaus) or venture up river to the Yurimaguas region. We offer several riverboats for each option. PACAYA SAMIRIA RESERVEThe Reflection of hundreds of snow-white Great Egrets flash off the black-glass lake, pink dolphins surface gracefully in pairs. A sloth moves slowly in the tree top. At 5 million acres, the Pacaya Samiria Natural Reserve, locally called "The mirrored forest", is the second largest Reserve in Peru. In this carefully protected area there are 85 lakes, 250 species of fish, 132 mammals species, 150 reptile species, and 449 bird species. The Reserve is the home of the largest variety of Flora in Peru among which 22 species of orchids. IQUITOS TO TABATINGA / LETICIA While sailing down the Amazon River, you will be able to appreciate the varied and beautiful landscapes along the river. Visit a sugar cane rum still, enjoy visits to river archipelagos, find Victoria water lilies, indigenous villages, jungle hikes in search of wildlife, piranha fishing excursions, night canoe rides in search of Caimans. A great combination of rainforest tribes culture and the mighty wilderness that makes this brown and mud clouded river ecosystem mysterious and wonderful. UPRIVER FROM IQUITOS TO YURIMAGUASSail on the Amazon, Marañon and Huallaga rivers. Start in Iquitos and sail upriver to the remote Yurimaguas region, gateway to the spectacular foothills of the Andes and the seldom visited Kuelap ruins. This cruise also operates in the reverse from Yurimaguas to Iquitos. This trip can go on to Tarapoto located in a low Andean valley where you can then fly on to Lima or start a car/bus trip through the Andes to visit spectacular mountain views, ancient ruins and the old culture of the northern Peruvian coast. Top
Iquitos river expedition to the Pacaya Samiria reserve
TURQUESA, TURMALINA, AMATISTA & ESMERALDA PROGRAM PREVIEWItinerary REFERENCIAL PROGRAM FOR 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS AMAZON CRUISEThere are several riverboats that sail into the Pacaya Samiria natural reserve. Day 1 - Iquitos - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise
We embark on our vessel. Soon afterward, we cast off and begin our journey into the greatest wilderness on Earth. Tonight, as we cruise slowly up the Amazon, the stars above present an incredible spectacle of both northern and southern constellations. (B,L,D)
Day 2 - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise - Rio Marañon / Rio Ucayali
We wake up this morning on the mighty Amazon river. As our boat continues upriver, we are amazed at the ever-changing panorama of jungle life. Small villages occasionally come into view along the shoreline, channels weave through island mazes providing close-up views of a variety of marsh birds, including Oriole Blackbirds, Purple Gallinules and Yellow-headed Caracaras. We arrive at the junction of the Río Marañón and Río Ucayali, the place indicated on most maps as the inception of the Amazon River, about 2,400 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. We turn up the left fork, the Ucayali. An outstanding feature of this river is the large population of both Gray and Pink Amazon River Dolphins, often seen cavorting near the boat and along the shoreline. Our morning excursion takes us into the surrounding rainforest in search of Giant Water Lilies and elusive wildlife such as monkeys and sloths. We return to our boat for lunch. This afternoon we may visit a small village or, perhaps, call on a local shaman. As dusk approaches, we focus our attention on the river as the fishing bats begin their night’s foraging. (B,L,D)
Day 3 - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise - Rio Ucayali / Requena
This morning our excursion takes us into a small tributary of the Ucayali. Our guides use their expertise to help us search for an incredible variety of animals and birds. After returning to the vessel we continue up the river, heading for the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. This afternoon our excursion into the largest wetland
reserve in the world provides the opportunity to view a variety of primates, including Red Howler and Squirrel Monkeys, as well as Monk Saki, a unique primate that frequents seasonally flooded forests.Tonight, a nocturnal visit to the reserve reveals Caiman, Capybara, Common Potoo, frogs and other wildlife, active at night. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise - Requena / Rio Trapiche
Our outing begins at an optimal time for wildlife observation. We can expect to see numerous wading birds, such as the White-necked Heron, Black-capped Heron, Wattled Jacana and Sunbittern. In addition, parrots are quite common, and we may observe the most conspicuous of these, the endangered Scarlet Macaw, often seen flying in pairs or small groups. Along the river channel we hear leaves rustle high in the trees as the Red Howler monkeys, in small family groups, feed on leaves, a staple of their folivorous diet. Midmorning we stop at higher ground to take a leisurely hike through a varzea. This seasonally flooded forest is surprisingly open, due to its periodic inundation with water, and is likely to reveal Three-toed Sloths in the upper canopy and a proliferation of butterflies, including the spectacularly brilliant Blue Morpho. We enjoy a picnic lunch at a ranger station before heading back to our vessel for more opportunities to observe wildlife as we explore the river channels. This afternoon we depart for the Tapiche River. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise - Rio Tapiche / Rio Marañon
This morning our vessel enters the Río Tapiche for a short distance. Today’s activities include swimming in the river, paddling a dugout canoe, and visiting a river village. The villagers here may present small hand-made crafts for sale, if you are interested. After a full morning, we return to the ship and continue down the Ucayali toward the Río Marañón. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise - Terra Firma
Today we enter the Terra Firma, the type of forest envisioned when one hears the word "jungle." Large trees festooned with epiphytes, palms, woody vines and a vaulted canopy create the shadowed mystery of tropical rainforest. Our trail winds through the forest arriving at a canopy walkway where we explore the world above the forest floor. Throughout the morning we experience the awe of Earth’s most prolific life zone. Plants, invertebrates and animals surround us as we become immersed in the forest. Returning to the ship for lunch, our trip continues as we start back toward Iquitos. This afternoon our excursion on a blackwater river provides one last chance to enjoy the beauty of tropical rainforest. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Pacaya Samiria Amazon cruise - Iquitos
After breakfast, we arrive at the docks and disembark in Iquitos.
(B) (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner) NOTES ON THE ITINERARY:Please note that the day to day schedule must be considered approximate. The exact order of the activities and specific features may be altered due to navigational considerations. Top
What you might see
Sightings
Amazon cruises bring you into close contact with nature and enhance the probability of spotting animals, yet nothing is guaranteed it is up to mother nature and chance sometimes but with luck and patience anything is possible.
To date, few inventories of Pacaya-Samiria's flora and fauna have been carried out. It is known, however, that the reserve provides critical habitat for the grey and pink river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis, Pteronura brasiliensis), Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis), the black and spectacled caiman (Melanosuchus niger), giant South American river turtle (Podecnemis expansa), saddleback tamarin and many monkeys including the spider, capuchin, and squirrel species. A preliminary survey of birds has listed over 350 species, of the eight species of macaw recorded in Peru, five are found in the reserve. This protected area contains 85 lakes which are home to 250 species of fish and the largest variety of flora in Peru, including 847 different species of plants and trees (22 recorded species of orchids). Top
Riverboat and excursions
Riverboat Latin Trails offers several options for river cruises in the Peruvian Amazon, we use Iquitos as our main port of call (we also depart from Yurimaguas) for exploring the Amazon river basin. The riverboats we can offer you are: M/V Rio Amazonas: Spacious riverboat with nice open areas (tourist class) M/V Arca: Classic style steel hulled riverboat with wooden decoration (tourist class) M/V Amazon Explorer: Small / Private expedition boat with only 4 cabins (tourist class)
All our boats are air conditioned and have private facilities. All excursions into the rainforest are in company of native and naturalist guides. Click on each boat for more details Top
Peru Travel arrangements
Trip planning When travelling to Peru for your cruise additional plans should include: - 1 hotel night in Lima pre-cruise
- Roundtrip airfare between Lima and Iquitos
- 4 airport transfers
- 1 hotel night in Lima post -cruise Since you will be in Peru, you may also consider in taking a pre or post trip extension: - Machu Picchu tour and Cuzco
- Andes mountain range travel
- Nazca lines & ballesta islands
- Puno and Lake Titikaka
- Chachapoyas & Kuelap fortress
- Arequipa and the Colca Canyon
- Trujillo and Sipan
- Mancora beach vacation Top
Custom trip form for an Iquitos Amazon cruise
Book it! Please fill out the below form with your preferences and we will prepare a customized Amazon cruise itinerary for you.
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