A Saturday flight over the Andes from Lima to Iquitos will take one hour and 45 minutes. Cruise boarding begins at 6 p.m. The seven-night luxury cruise explores the two largest of the Amazon's tributaries, the Maranon and the Ucayali as well as a third tributary, the Puinahua. On the way up the Amazon, discover some of the many hidden black water lakes as well. You can combine this cruise with a pre-departure or post-cruise tour of Machu Picchu, Lima and Cusco for an even more unforgettable vacation.
Aqua Expeditions
Calle Huallaga 215
Iquitos
Maynas
Loreto, Peru
866-603-3687
aquaexpeditions.com
This Amazon Adventures ten-day excursion aboard the riverboat La Amatista begins on a Friday. It boards in the small port town of Nauta on the Maranon River, a road journey from Iquitos. The rooms, home for the next seven days are air conditioned with large bathrooms. Search for exotic marsh birds and fish for piranha. Watch for the rare giant river otter as your early 19th century style vessel transverses the upper reaches of one of the mightiest rivers in the world. The
Amazon Adventures
2711 Market Garden
Austin, TX 78745
800-232-5658
amazonadventures.com
Amazon Voyagers offers four- or seven-day cruises, travelling both upstream and downstream from Iquitos, to Leticia / Tabatinga, Pacaya / Samiria or one of the other many destinations on the river. It passes lakes filled with giant Victoria Amazonica water lilies with leaves that may exceed five feet in diameter. Search the jungle for the unique hoatzin, a prehistoric-looking bird often called the "reptile bird." Cast a fishing line for the paiche, a primitive fish weighing as much as 80 lbs. Visit a small Indian village where the natives live much like their ancestors did hundreds of years ago.
Amazon Voyagers
Capistrano Valley, CA
949 682 7745
amazoncruise.net
