Expedition Overview
Expedition Overview
- Explore the amazing biodiversity of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve with our team of naturalists, and encounter rare pink dolphins, sloths, howler monkeys, giant lily pads, and an astounding variety of birdlife.
- Learn from a National Geographic-Lindblad certified photo instructor, who travels with us aboard the Delfin II riverboat.
- Glide into the Amazonian backwaters by kayak or skiff for an up close look at the intricacies of this rainforest ecosystem.
- Meet the ribereños, indigenous people who live along the river’s edge, and get a glimpse into their traditions and way of life.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Voyage to the headwaters of the mighty Amazon in the heart of Peru’s northern rain forest aboard the elegant riverboat Delfin II. Slip through an intricate network of jungle waterways in a skiff in search of a variety of birds, as well as caimans, tamarins, and sloths. Skim past massive lily pads, peer up at towering ceiba trees, and witness glorious sunsets on the still waters of the Amazon basin.
This trip is operated in collaboration with Lindblad Expeditions.
Arrive in Lima in the late evening and transfer to our hotel.
After breakfast, fly to Iquitos and continue overland to the riverside village of Nauta where the Delfin II awaits. Settle into your cabin, and gather for a welcome dinner of Peruvian cuisine onboard. Tonight, step out on deck to gaze at the magnificent Amazon night sky.
Delfin II
Spend this week exploring the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a pristine swath of jungle stretching more than five million acres and harboring some of the Amazon's most fascinating flora and fauna. The reserve is bordered by the Marañón and the Ucayali, two powerful rivers that converge to create the famed Amazon, which floods annually with nutrient-rich waters. Pacaya Samiria’s “Mirrored Forest” is created by the glassy reflections of the reserve’s waterways during flood season.
Explore this remarkable wilderness on daily excursions by skiff, kayak, and—when the water level permits—hikes on dry land. Skim past giant lily pads afloat on black-water lakes, and venture into the rain forest on narrow tributaries. Spot sloths and monkeys, including saddleback tamarins, noisy howlers, and shaggy-tailed monk saki monkeys. Watch for an astounding variety of birds, from tanagers and hummingbirds to parrots and endangered scarlet macaws. In the waterways, look for signs of the massive paiche fish, the Amazon’s largest; rare pink dolphins; and indigenous piranhas.
Season permitting, seek out Victoria amazonica, a giant water lily that grows in small lagoons. Go on a bird-watching hike, listening for the vocal oropendola and looking for its telltale yellow tail. Listen to the symphony of animals calling out across the treetops at sunset, and explore the forest in a skiff as night falls, searching for caimans, frogs, fishing bats, and other nocturnal creatures. Get to know the ribereños who live on the riverbanks at the reserve's edge. Hear about their age-old traditions, watch them make jewelry and other handicrafts, and learn how subsistence farmers cultivate wild plants and trees to earn income. Discover edible fruits hidden in the jungle and learn about the medicinal qualities of indigenous plants. Here, a local nonprofit is working to improve livelihoods in the surrounding communities with the support of the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund. Learn about their ongoing projects, including a women’s health initiative and a sustainable farming program.
Delphin II
Disembark in Nauta, stopping at the Amazon Rescue Center on the drive to Iquitos. Fly to Lima, where we visit Museo Larco and celebrate with a farewell dinner. After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Lima for your flight home.