Sailing down the upper Peruvian Amazon aboard a top-of-the-line luxury cruise is one of those travel experiences you dream about. The sounds and sightings of exotic wildlife follow you with every bend in the river, while sunrise and sunset take on new meaning against the backdrop of the lush rainforest and the muddy waters of the Amazon’s waterways. If you’re hoping to see as much of the Peruvian Amazon as possible in three or four days, then an Amazon river cruise may be the right jungle adventure for your personalized Peru tour.
But, what can expect aboard a luxury Amazon cruise liner? We’ll walk you through a typical day aboard an Amazon riverboat and what it’s like to sail, not simply lodge, in the lungs of the world.
The Essential Details
Many Amazon river cruises start in the jungle town of Iquitos, but set sail in the port city of Nauta, roughly a two-hour journey by private vehicle from Iquitos. The length of your Amazon cruise will determine how much of the wildlife-rich Pacaya Samiria Reserve you explore, as well as which waterways your floating Amazon lodge will meander down and which jungle excursions you’ll be experiencing (all included, of course!) For a good sampling of possible itineraries, check out the three or four-day itineraries Delfin regularly delivers to their passengers.
A Day in the Life of an Amazon Cruiser
06:00 Sunrise
Amazon, Sunrise
You will want to tear yourself out of the deep sleep the smooth Amazon riverways lulled you into for a peek at an Amazon sunrise. The best part is that you don’t even have to leave your cabin. Just draw back the curtains and take it all in from the comfort of your cozy bed as the sky explodes into color just beyond your floor-to-ceiling windows.
08:00 Breakfast
Breakfast in The Amazon
Mealtime aboard a luxury Amazon cruise is something you won’t ever want to skip. The ingredients are sourced from the Amazon Rainforest that surrounds you, meaning your meals are always fresh and usually a bit exotic. Breakfast is no exception. Load up your plate at the buffet with fried green plantains, yucca, and local sausages while you wait for your poached eggs or pancakes to finish cooking. Wash it all down with an exotic fruit juice.
10:00 AM Activity
Amazon Jungle itinerary
After breakfast, it’s time for an adventure on land or by skiff, following jungle trails and narrow waterways your floating home just can’t reach. How does swimming with pink dolphins sound? Or a canopy walk along 25-meter-tall platforms high up in the wildlife-rich treetops? No, maybe it’s piranha fishing that’s on your Amazon Jungle itinerary today. However you venture off ship with your private naturalist guide is sure to be an epic experience full of exotic wildlife encounters.
12:00 Lunch
Lunch
Back aboard the riverboat for lunch, the chalkboard in the dining room reads what appetizers, mains, and desserts are being dished up today. You go with the heart of palm soufflé to start, followed by an elegantly presented plate of grilled chicken alongside a bed of creamed purple potatoes, and a white cacao mousse for dessert.
15:00 PM Activity
Jungle Activities
With lunch behind you, it’s time to ready yourself for your afternoon jungle activity. On the agenda today is kayaking the Amazon’s tributaries in a native 16” river kayak. Excited though you are, you just can’t wrap your mind around how anything can beat yesterday’s adventure: your visit to a native Amazonian village where you met some of the Ribereno community and participated in some of their day-to-day activities.
18:00 Sunset
Amazon, Sunset
Grab a seat on the ship’s sundeck for what’s sure to be an unforgettable sunset over the river with a pre-dinner cocktail in hand. The bartender recommended the pisco sour so you went for it. As you sip the tangy sweet Peruvian concoction, the live music begins and a reel of your day’s rainforest adventures plays through your head.
19:00 Dinner
Dinner at The Amazon
Come dinnertime, you’re hungry for the three-course menu du jour. You go with the spicy ceviche entrée, the paiche and grilled vegetables main (a dish the maître’s pointed you to for a taste of local fish), and rice pudding with purple corn compote for dessert. What a day it’s been and what a meal to close it out with.
Live the Amazon River Cruise Experience For Yourself
Not mentioned in your fictitious day-in-life were the early morning and after-dark jungle excursions you can take when the jungle’s at its most alive. Or the specific breadth of wildlife you’ll spot by ship, on foot, and while paddling the tributaries and jungle lagoons by kayak. That we’ll leave for you to experience firsthand. We can’t give it all away after all!
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