Arrival at Iquitos International Airport. Enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant or enjoy a box lunch en route, depending on your flight. The afternoon continues with an introduction to this historic city and the opportunity to meet an indigenous Amazon community. At 6:00 pm, board the Aria Amazon. Settle into your designer suite as you begin one of life’s greatest adventures. Following a routine safety drill and introduction to your naturalist guides, gather for innovative Amazonian cuisine created by Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top-ranked dining experiences.
Aboard the ship’s comfortable skiffs, set sail from the Amazon River to the Yarapa River. Keep your binoculars ready to spot tropical songbirds, black collared hawks and sloths. Go fishing for Amazonia’s notoriously ferocious piranhas while your naturalist guide shares stories and tales of Lake Moringo. As the sun sets, head off onto an evening’s wildlife excursion with extraordinary stargazing on the black waters of Nauta Caño.
Rise with the sun for an early morning birdwatching along the Marañon River. After breakfast, take a jungle walk on the firm soil forest “Casual,” while looking for flora and fauna which include medicinal trees, insects, and poison dart frogs! Later, swim, canoe or kayak in Yanayacu-Pucate River as you look for legendary pink river dolphins. Come the night, use the hi-tech telescope to identify the planets and constellations.
This morning, visit the local fresh market with your guides who can identify the day’s catch at a glimpse, and taste the region’s exotic fruits. In the afternoon, witness one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the birthplace of the Amazon River. Tonight, meet the new passengers who have signed on for the four-night trip, as you start your journey together along the Marañon River.
By skiff, explore the black waters of the Yanallpa River, disembarking to walk deep into the Amazonian rainforest. Later, board the skiffs again to cruise along the El Dorado River for a dusk excursion in search of exotic nocturnal wildlife.
An early start will bring many rewards with it: a full day excursion by skiff along the Pacaya River, going deeper into pristine landscapes where you will spot great egret, Capuchin monkeys and Taricaya turtles. After lunch, attend a paiche fishing demonstration, the second largest river fish in the world. In the afternoon, venture out by skiffs on the Ucayali River alongside the banana boats transporting their jungle products to the port of Requena. Keeping an eye out for pink river dolphins!
Choose to go jungle walking, canoeing, kayaking or swimming on the black waters of the Yarapa River in the morning. Visit a remote Amazonian village in the afternoon. This evening, before dinner, passengers and guides will gather to introduce you to some of the crew members whom you may not have met, working "behind the scenes" to ensure your seamless experience aboard the Aria Amazon.
At the Bellavista Nanay morning market along the Nanay River, sample exotic snacks such as the Amazon caterpillars, which that are a delicacy. Return to the Aria for breakfast and to pack up. Before saying goodbye, make one last memorable stop at the Manatee Rescue Center, a very special kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees. Also, visit the San Juan craft market en route to the airport. Lunch or box lunch will be provided, depending on the exact departure flight time, which may vary.
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