Amazon River Discovery Cruise 5days / 4nights Program

Embark on the voyage of a lifetime, sailing the earth’s mightiest river — the Amazon. The first luxury vessel in the region, the M/V Aqua caters to the most discriminating and adventurous of world travelers, providing an unforgettable journey into areas penetrated by only a privileged few. As your ship docks along the river, knowledgeable and experienced naturalists will take you, via small launches, into remote estuaries in the Peruvian rain forest and the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. As you explore these pristine wilderness areas teeming with wildlife, you will also encounter local people living in villages as they have for centuries. And when the day’s sightseeing is over, the comforts of your luxurious floating hotel will await you.

Amazon River voyages depart from the port city of Iquitos, Peru. Iquitos is served by numerous daily flights from Lima, Peru’s capital. The flights take one hour and twenty-five minutes.

DAY 1: TUESDAY
Arrival / Nauta / Embarkation / Marañon River

5:50 p.m. Arrival
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 your journey to the river.

6:00 p.m. Transfer to Nauta’s main wharf.
A scenic one-and-a-half hour drive through the Peruvian countryside to the small village of Nauta

7:30 p.m. Check-in
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.

8:00 p.m. Safety Drill and Briefing on the Top Deck
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.

8:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner
Meet your fellow travelers at your first onboard dinner. 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.

DAY 2: WEDNESDAY
Ucayali / Yanallpa / Dorado Rivers / Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

8:00 a.m. Yanallpa River Expedition
This morning we will board the skiffs to explore this amazing black water stream, part of the vast Amazon flooded forest. Your guides will tell you about the rainforest and its dynamic life, as we explore what scientists call a “gallery forest,” because of its narrow vegetation, creating a tunnel of leaves. As we float through this tunnel, it is easy to spot parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys, very close to the skiff.

4:00 p.m. Dorado River Exploration and Night Excursion This afternoon we will take a magical journey through the “Mirrored Forest,” seeing towering trees reflected in the black water river, while spotting dozens of enchanting parrots, blue-yellow macaws,
and a great variety of primates and sloths enjoying nature unperturbed by our presence. As we make our way back to our vessel, you will also have the chance to see caimans and frogs and fishing bats.

DAY 3: THURSDAY
Puinahua River / Hatum Posa Lake and Pacaya River

6:30 a.m. Hatum Posa Lake Expedition
This morning we will rise early to cruise this beautiful and intricate ox-bow lake. As we follow its shore, we will almost certainly surprise several kinds of monkeys and many types of birds, including terns, neo-tropic cormorants, egrets, herons, hawks, and our favorite horned screamers. We will also take the skiff into other black water lakes linked to this huge lake in the flooded forest.

9:00 a.m. Jungle Walk Near Hatum Posa or Village Visit
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.

4:00 p.m. Pacaya River Exploration, Plus Night Trip from Ranger Station No. 1 to Yanayacu Lake
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 see the abundant life that is hidden in the deep rainforest. We have chosen this time of day to give you the chance to see the late afternoon activity of the rainforest animals, including fluffy monk saki monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and the easy-to-spot howler monkeys. As the sun sets, listen for 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. As we take the skiffs back to the M/V Aqua, we will use our special spotlight torches to locate night creatures, including, perhaps, huge caimans.

6:30 a.m. Pacaya Exploration and Breakfast Aboard the Skiffs
Back on the river as the sun rises, you will see a treasure trove of wildlife, including parrots, macaws, toucans, and many kinds of monkeys—as well as some “surprise” species that you have never seen before. Enjoy a “bag breakfast” of light sandwiches and fresh juice. Since we will stop near a popular dolphin feeding spot, you will see quite a show as you enjoy your meal.

11:00 a.m. Return to the M/V Aqua
From this point, we will start sailing down river, toward Iquitos.

3:30 p.m. Carocurahuayte Lake/Fishing Trip
This afternoon, we will travel to this splendid “hot spot” lake, where you will be certain to catch some of the more than 3,000 species of tropical fish that live in the Amazon basin. Our key focus will be on piranhas, those small, carnivorous fish with a big reputation for being scary.

6:30 p.m. Return to the M/V Aqua
Once we are back onboard, the ship will continue its journey down stream, sailing toward Iquitos through the night.

8:00 p.m. Farewell Dinner
Leaving the peace and beauty of the jungle behind, we will enjoy our final dinner together, swapping stories about the wonderful experiences shared on the river.

9:00 p.m. Crew Presentation
After dinner, your guides will introduce some of the crew members that you have not yet met, but who have been busy with the “behind the scenes” work that has helped to create a seamless experience.

Day 5: SATURDAY
Arrive in Iquitos City / Check-out and Disembark at the main wharf / City Tour / Transfer to the Airport

9:30 a.m. Morning Excursion – The excursions today depend on the level of the river.
Weather and time permitting, this will be the last opportunity to see how people live along the Amazon—by visiting the lively riverside community of Belen by skiff, in Iquitos. Here, where the houses and shops actually float on the river during some months, you will see the bustling food market of the entire Peruvian Amazon. All local inhabitants throughout the region sell and purchase goods here.

10:00 a.m. Return to the M/V Aqua
Sadly, it’s time to finish packing. Please leave your packed suitcases in your suite for pickup before going to lunch.

1:15 p.m. Disembarkation/City Tour/Manatee Rescue Center/Transfer to the Airport
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. En route, we will visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees that conservation authorities have seized from local people and fishermen. Biologists will give a presentation about the project and its efforts to help these helpless mammals. You will also see how the manatees are cared for and are prepared for re-introduction into their natural habitat. Finally, we will stop at the San Juan Amazonian Indian Market, for a last chance to shop for local crafts.

5:00 p.m. Check-in at Iquitos International Airport
Your guides will help you with check-in, and will stay with you until you have boarded your flight back to Lima.

6:20 p.m. Departure. Your flight leaves for Lima.

Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. All times indicated are approximate and are also subject to change.

2010 Departures Dates for 5days/4nights Amazon River Discovery Cruise – High Water:

Every Tuesday

December 2009:            01, 08, 15, 22
January 2010:               05, 12, 19 and 26
February 2010:             02, 09, 16 and 23
March 2010:                 02, 09, 16, 23 and 30
April 2010:                    06, 13, 20 and 27
May 2010:                    04, 11, 18 and 25

Aqua Expeditions operates every week of the year and all of Amazon River Cruise departure dates are guaranteed.

This program includes:

ü       All meals while onboard
ü       All excursions
ü       Wine with meals
ü       Transfers to/from vessel when arriving on recommended flights
ü       Pacaya Samiria entrance fee

It does not include:

·   Airfares and local airport taxes (Lima usd 6.05 and Iquitos usd 3.57)
·   Guide and crew gratuities
·   Bar and Boutique purchases
·   Personal insurance, expenses and tips
·   Any service not specified in the program

	5d / 4n
Suite	USD 2,950
Master Suite	USD 3,150
Single Supplement is 50% in addition to the regular rate

Children Policy: 7 year age minimum on all departures, child under 12 years old will receive a 20% discount.
Third person sleeping on sofa bed will receive a 20% discount
Third person being a child under 12 years old sleeping on sofa bed pays US $350 per night

All Amazon River Cruises are priced based on per person, double occupancy of suites and master suites.

Suites: All of the M/V Aqua's oversized suites measure a spacious 230 square feet, with a comfortable en suite seating area and extra-large windows that enable you to get the "big picture" of the rivers and their banks from the comfort of your air-conditioned room. All suites are decorated to create the feeling of a luxury lodge on the Amazon River, complete with Amazon photography by French photographer Jean Claude Constant. Sheet and bedspreads are 100% Peruvian cotton, with at least a 280-thread count.

Master Suites: The M/V Aqua's four master suites, at the front of the vessel, measure 240 square feet and contain all of the luxury features of the main suites, including natural fiber tapestry paneling over the bed. Large glass windows at the foot of the king-sized bed make it possible for you to pull back the curtains and count the constellations in a sky filled with brilliant stars. These suites have a totally separate seating area for optimum privacy.

Important Notes:
·   We recommend that all guests fly into Iquitos on flight that arrives Saturdays and Tuesdays and that guests depart from Iquitos on flight that leave Saturdays and Tuesdays. Please note that airport transfers are only included if arriving or departing on these recommended flights.
·   Guests on the M/V Aqua will change planes in Lima for the one hour twenty-five minutes air flight into Iquitos, Peru, which arrives daily.
·   Aqua Expeditions is not responsible for activities or services for passengers arriving prior to the scheduled arrivals and departures.
· Transfers are only included if arriving or departing on the above recommended flights.
·   All picks-ups and drop-offs will be to and from Iquitos' Francisco Secada airport.

The Amazon River in Peru has basically has two seasons, a high water season (December through May) and a low water season (June through November). Traveling to Peru in either season offers rich rewards, fabulous sites, and amazing opportunities to view plant and animal life and hot weather with some rainy days here and there.

Two key points to remember, as you choose between visiting Peru and the Amazon River in the high water season or during the low water season: there will be some rain whichever season you choose, and you will see spectacular wildlife and plant life, whether you go in the wetter or in the drier season. The Amazon basin is as rich and lush and green as it is because it gets an abundance of rain (12 feet a year on average). In a typical year, the Amazon River rainforest experiences 200 rainy days, which means that there will be days of heavy rain even in the low water season.

Peru’s rainy season runs from December through May - summer and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. This is our relatively cooler and wetter season when the Amazon region receives a little more than half (60%) of its total rainfall. During the high water season the average temperature is 86 degrees Fahrenheit, only 12 degrees cooler than in the low water season.

There are great benefits to traveling to Peru’s Amazon at this time of year. Perhaps most important, the Amazon Basin’s rivers and streams are about 23 feet higher than they are during the low water season, meaning that every river, creek and lake is navigable. Thus, you are able to explore on your cruise excursions by skiff, more of the waterways of Amazonia and will have access to areas with more plant life and wildlife than if you travel to Peru during the low water season. The flooded waterways put travelers much closer to the Amazon jungle canopy, where monkeys play and our beautiful Amazon birds like to roost. In fact, you are very likely to see many more mammals, both monkeys and others, during the high water season.

Enhanced navigation by water has a flip side - areas to walk and hike are sometimes limited at this time, and if we do find usable hiking trails there will be more mosquitoes than in the low water season. Fishing in the Amazon River is more limited during these months too, but you still have close to a 50:50 chance to get out your rod and reel and make a catch.

The low water season in Amazonia coincides with our winter in the Southern Hemisphere (from June to November). This is the warmer season on the Amazon River, with temperature averaging about 98 degrees Fahrenheit, and, despite its name, the low water season still exhibits some heavy rains.

A key difference between visiting Peru in this season vs in the high water season is that trails and jungle paths that are flooded from December to May are now easily accessible, allowing groups to explore deep in the jungle by foot (and accompanied by fewer mosquitoes than during the flooded season). The flip side of this is that water levels on the Amazon River and its tributaries are much lower from June to November, which means that many of the creeks and lakes that we visit during the rainy season are inaccessible. But lower water levels, however, can be a bonus in another way: During these months fishing is 100 percent guaranteed . . . you even stand a fair chance to catch a piranha. And while you are farther below the birds that roost in the Amazon jungle canopy, you will have the chance to see dozens of species of migratory birds in flight, something you would completely miss during the high water season.