|
Amazon River Cruise
Aboard La Amatista
$3,598 per person for lower-deck cabins or $3,798 per person for upper-deck cabins, both based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $1,998.
Trip Details
See the tour brochure (pdf)
La Amatista ship info & deck plan
On the WWF Travel blog: Q-and-A: The Amazon Voyage
Call 888-WWF-TOUR to sign up today!
Trip Overview
Motor up the Amazon River to discover a diversity of towering trees, thick plants and abundant wildlife in the rain forest. Observe its complex interactions, from industrious leaf-cutter ants scurrying beneath the canopy to scarlet macaws flying two-by-two through the misty air at sunrise. Take daily excursions to explore narrow channels, and look for pink dolphins gracefully undulating through the water. Forest walks provide an even closer look at the dynamics of tropical nature.
Trip Itinerary
The following itinerary is subject to change. If you'd like to receive the tour brochure via email or postal mail as soon as it's available, call us at 888-WWF-TOUR (888-993-8687) or email us.
Friday, March 19: U.S. / Lima, Peru
Fly to Lima, the nation’s capital and largest city, and transfer to the Swissôtel. (D aloft)
Saturday, March 20: Iquitos / Embark La Amatista
Fly over the Andes Mountains to Iquitos, where, time permitting, the group will take a brief city tour before boarding the riverboat. Tonight, we’ll start our slow cruise up the mighty Amazon. (B,L,D)
Sunday, March 21: Amazon River / Ucayali River
The ship continues upriver, passing small villages and channels that wind around small islands. Look for such marsh birds as oriole black birds, white-necked herons and yellow-headed caracaras. Through your binoculars you may even spot brown throated three-toed sloths hanging high or green iguanas clinging to tree trunks. Come upon the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañón Rivers – a well-known spot considered the beginning of the Amazon River and approximately 2,400 miles from the meeting of the Amazon and the Atlantic Ocean. On the Ucayali River, look for gray and pink dolphins cavorting near the riverboat. Later, take your first outing into the rain forest to see the giant water lilies that blanket oxbow lakes and look for monkeys and sloths. As dusk approaches, sac-winged bats begin foraging. (B,L,D)
Monday, March 22: Ucayali River / Pacaya-Samiria Reserve
Explore a small tributary in search of piranha, which are common in slow-moving water. Look for monkeys, sloths and an enormous variety of birds. Continue upriver to the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, the largest wetland reserve in the world. Monk sakis, squirrel monkeys and saddle-backed tamarins are often spotted. Explore Caro Lake – connected to the river by a small stream – where flocks of greater ani follow monkeys in search of insects scrounged up by their foraging. A nighttime boat outing may reveal caimans, capybaras, common potoos, frogs and other nocturnal wildlife. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, March 23: Pacaya-Samiria Reserve
Spend the day exploring the flooded realm, seeing wading birds such as herons, wattled jacanas and horned screamers. Parrots – including festive, yellow-headed and orange-winged – are common too. Enter an igapó (a seasonally flooded forest), where plants are different from what we see along the main course of the Amazon, and walk through the forest, conditions permitting. (B,L,D)
Wednesday, March 24: Pacaya-Samiria Reserve
Board the motorboats and head even deeper into the heart of the vast wetlands. Look for such birds as canary-winged and dusky-headed parakeets and blue-and-gold and scarlet macaws. Squirrel monkeys are common as well. At a ranger station we may take a short hike to explore the forest. After a picnic lunch, venture back to the riverboat through the maze of waterways. (B,L,D)
Thursday, March 25: Ucayali River & tributaries
This morning, the riverboat heads downriver; as it does, we’ll go on a wildlife excursion. This afternoon, explore the narrow Tapiche River. After dark, go on another night excursion to listen to the sounds of the rain forest and look for nocturnal wildlife. (B,L,D)
Friday, March 26: Ucayali River / Amazon River
Stop at a village along the river and meet the Ribereño people who live there. We’ll visit the local school to interact with the children and meet the teacher. Later, continue downriver to Iquitos, with time to compile our wildlife lists and enjoy a farewell dinner. (B,L,D)
Saturday, March 27: Iquitos / Lima / en route
Disembark in Iquitos and fly to Lima. Take a city tour, seeing the cathedral and Plaza Mayor. Enjoy lunch at a distinctive restaurant popular with locals. The rest of the afternoon is free, with dayrooms available at our hotel and dinner on your own. In the evening, transfer to the airport for flights home. (B,L)
Sunday, March 28: U.S.
Arrive in the United States and connect with flights home.
Optional Extension
Cusco and Machu Picchu
March 28 – April 2, 2009
Explore mystical Machu Picchu and Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire.
Saturday, March 27: Iquitos / Lima
Spend the night in Lima. Swissôtel (B,L)
Sunday, March 28: Lima / Cusco / Urubamba Valley
This morning, fly to Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire. Upon arrival, meet your guide and leave for the historic Urubamba Valley, dotted with Andean markets and Inca ruins. Aranwa Hotel (B,L,D)
Monday, March 29: Urubamba / Machu Picchu
After breakfast, explore Ollantaytambo, where ancient temples and fortresses were built to protect the Sacred Valley. Take a train to Machu Picchu, known as the “Lost City of the Incas,” where we will spend the afternoon. Machu Picchu’s existence was virtually forgotten until its rediscovery by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel. (B,L,D)
Tuesday, March 30: Machu Picchu
You may return to Machu Picchu for an early morning visit, with time on your own to explore or climb to the Sun Gate; or relax at the hotel. Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel. (B,L,D)
Wednesday, March 31: Cusco / Sacsayhuamán
After breakfast, travel back to Cusco via train and bus. Explore Sacsayhuamán – a huge fortress of massive stones, zigzagging along the side of a mountain. Enjoy a tour of Cusco before our farewell dinner. Hotel Libertador (B,L,D)
Thursday, April 1: Cusco / Lima
After a morning visit to Koricancha, the sacred Inca sun temple, return to Lima, where we will visit one of the city’s renowned museums and stay overnight. (B)
Friday, April 2: Lima / U.S.
This morning, fly home, with clear impressions and wonderful memories of the “Heart of the Inca Empire.” (meals aloft)
Extension cost: $2,678 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $898. (Airfare is additional.)
Click the globe to explore WWF's work
