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M/V Aqua 7 Night Amazon Discovery
You will start your journey through the wild Amazon region in Iquitos, once a booming rubber town, today a quiet, sleepy river town. Each day will bring amazing new wonders, as guests set out with guides in a fleet of three launches to float toward the source of the mighty Amazon. Each day, you will explore the small inlets and various winding river systems that make up the flooded forest. The heart of every visit, however, will be Pacaya Samiria Reserve, located on the headwaters of the Amazon basin, spanning more than five million acres. Twice the size of Yellowstone Park, it teems with wildlife and aquatic life, such as the colossal Victoria Regia water lilies. Visitors will have the opportunity to see hundreds of species, including the endangered pink Amazon dolphin, black alligator, and giant river otter. You will also encounter—and have the chance to interact with—local people living in villages as they have for centuries. When the day’s sightseeing is over, the comforts of your luxurious floating hotel await you.
Pacaya Samiria Reserve - As the M/V Aqua skirts the edges of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve, located on the headwaters of the Amazon basin, you will become one of only a handful of seasoned world travelers ever to have reached this remote, remarkably beautiful destination. Pacaya Samiria spans more than five million acres, making it twice the size of Yellowstone Park—and it is rich with wildlife and aquatic life. In winter, when the river is high, visitors can explore the small inlets and various winding river systems that make up the Reserve’s flooded forest. In summer, the river recedes and beautiful sandy river beaches form. Only about 30,000 people live in this vast tract of land. You will have the chance to meet some of them. In addition, park rangers will show you some of the conservation and sustainability projects that are part of this vast reserve.
Wildlife - When you arrive at Pacaya Samiria Reserve, you will enter a world filled with birds in neon-brilliant colors, playful monkeys, graceful hawks and herons and millions of butterflies. You will have the opportunity to see hundreds of species, including the endangered pink Amazon dolphin, the rare giant river otter—and perhaps, if you are very lucky—a sleek, black jaguar. In this glorious environment, parrots and macaws perch in trees as though posing
. . . fuzzy orange and chic black howler monkeys munch on the treetop leaves . . . pre-historic looking iguanas, like mini-dinosaurs, laze in the sun. You will have the chance to watch long-legged cormorants fish for their dinner, and will probably see alligators cooling themselves in the river, and possibly from a safe distance, the legendary boa constrictor.
The M/V Aqua
Dining Room - Gaze out at the great wilderness from the elegant comfort of the ship’s dining room. Fine china and crystal and superb service are part of the experience, matching what you would expect from a fine dining restaurant in Lima. Choose to dine à deux, or at a table accommodating your whole family or your new friends.
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.
Menu & Description - Fine dining, deep in the Amazon jungle, may sound like unlikely—yet you will find it aboard the M/V Aqua. Executive chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, one of Lima’s culinary stars, has created a menu that draws on both Peruvian and European influence. Wine is included with meals, giving you the opportunity to experience a range of the finest South American vintages.
Special Requests - M/V Aqua will make every attempt to accommodate special requests, and to deal with dietary requirements. Because the M/V Aqua sails in such a remote area, all requests must be made at least 30 days in advance.
Indoor Lounge - Relax between Amazon adventures, or enjoy a pre- or post-dinner cocktail, in our air-conditioned Indoor Bar, a soothing oasis in an exotic location. The atmosphere is casual, the music is soft, and the conversation is good.
Observation Deck - You will find that you spend a lot of time on the generous top-level Observation Deck, sunbathing, reading a good book, enjoying some down time after an excursion, or simply watching the river go by.
Download M/V Aqua Brochure - Pdf format
Departure Dates - Aqua Expeditions operates every week of the year. Conditions on the river change with the seasons, but each rewards visitors in different ways. The summer months tend to be sunniest. In winter, when the rains come, we can navigate by skiff deeper into the flooded forest, reaching areas that are not accessible in summer. Come whenever you can . . . you will have an incredible journey
Day per day Itinerary - (December–May):
- Day 1: Saturday - IQUITOS ARRIVAL/TRANSFER TO AMAZON RIVER/CRUISE
- Day 2: Sunday - AMAZON/YANAYACU RIVER/CORRIENTES LAKES/YARAPA RIVER
- Day 3: Monday - MARAÑON RIVER/PACAYA-SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE (NAUTA CAÑO AND YANAYACU-PUCATE)
- Day 4: Tuesday - BIRTHPLACE OF THE AMAZON/PUERTO MIGUEL VILLAGE/MARAYALI RIVER
- Day 5: Wednesday - UCAYALI/YANALLPA/DORADO RIVERS/PACAYA SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE
- Day 6: Thursday - PUINAHUA RIVER/HATUM POSA LAKE/PACAYA RIVER
- Day 7: Friday - PUINAHUA/PACAYA RIVERS AND CAROCURAHUAYTE LAKE
- Day 8: Saturday - ARRIVAL IN IQUITOS/CHECK OUT AND DISEMBARK AT THE MAIN WHARF/CITY TOUR/TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
Download 7 Nights Itinerary - Flooded Season - Pdf format
Day per day Itinerary - (June-November):
- Day 1: Saturday - IQUITOS ARRIVAL/TRANSFER TO AMAZON RIVER/CRUISE
- Day 2: Sunday - AMAZON/TAHUAYO/RIVERS AND CHARO LAKE
- Day 3: Monday - MARAÑON RIVER/PACAYA-SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE (NAUTA CAÑO AND YANAYACU-PUCATE)
- Day 4: Tuesday - BIRTHPLACE OF THE AMAZON/PUERTO MIGUEL VILLAGE AND MARAYALI RIVER
- Day 5: Wednesday - UCAYALI RIVER/YANALLPA AREA
- Day 6: Thursday - PUINAHUA RIVER/HATUM POSA LAKE AND PACAYA RIVER
- Day 7: Friday - PUINAHUA/PACAYA RIVERS AND CAROCURAHUAYTE LAKE
- Day 8: Saturday - ARRIVE IN IQUITOS CITY/CHECK-OUT AND DISEMBARK AT THE MAIN WHARF/CITY TOUR AND TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
Download 7 Nights Itinerary - Dry Season - Pdf format
Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. All times indicated are approximate, and are also subject to change.
Child Policy: 7 year age minimum on all departures - Child aged 11 or under will receive a 20% discount - Third child under 11 in same cabin, US $350 per night
Included: All meals while onboard - All excursions - Wine with meals - Transfers to/from vessel when arriving on recommended flights - Pacaya Samiria entrance fee
Not Included: Air tickets to and from Iquitos - Guide and crew gratuities - Bar and Boutique purchases
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