The M/V Aqua Vessel   The M/V Aqua is the first luxury vessel ever to cruise the northern Amazon. Its 12 large guest suites, including four 180° panoramic master suites, feature en suite sitting areas and large panoramic windows. Each of the tastefully decorated, air-conditioned suites measures between 230 & 240 square feet and are designed by noted Peruvian architect Jordi Puig. Four suites can be interconnected to cater for families. The public areas comprise a dining room, indoor lounge on the observation deck and an outdoor lounge. The ship also has a small boutique.

Sample Three-Night Itinerary Dry Season (June-November)

Day 1: Saturday - Iquitos/Amazon River Arrival from Lima at Iquitos International Airport and transfer to Iquitos´ main wharf and board the M/V Aqua. Set sail towards the Yanayacu River, deep in the heart of Amazonia. Over the next seven days sail along the two largest tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. Safety Drill on the top deck followed by a brief talk about life on board, where you will go and what you will see on this Amazon voyage. Dinner and overnight. (D)

Day 2: Sunday - Amazon/Tahuayo/Rivers and Charo Lake Early rise to catch the sun on the river followed by breakfast. On board an excursion skiff sail from the Amazon through the Huaysi short-cut canal to explore the Tahuayo black water river. (Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots and drinking water available on board the skiffs). See occasional fishermen in dug-out canoes. Possible sightings of terns, orioles, blackbirds, black collared hawks, monkeys, and sloths. Upon arrival at Charo Lake, try your hand at piranha fishing. Return to the M/V Aqua for lunch. Afternoon outing to the Yacapana Islands the natural habitat of iguanas. At sunset, see gray and pink freshwater dolphins. Return to main vessel and continue upstream towards the headwaters of the Amazon where the Ucayali, Marañon, and the Amazon Rivers merge. Dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Monday- Marañon River/Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (Nauta Caño and Yanayacu-Pucate) After breakfast there are two options:

Option 1: Full-Day Excursion with a Picnic Lunch at Ranger Station 2 Travel by skiff all the way to remote Chingana, a small creek where giant river otters usually nest. See Howler, Capuchin and Tamarin monkeys as well as pink and gray dolphins and a vast variety of birds. Deep in the jungle encounter wildlife and learn about the medical value of jungle plants. See Kapok which are the tallest trees in the Amazon Basin. Picnic lunch at park ranger station and return to vessel.

Option 2: Guided Jungle Walk/Siesta/Monkey and Dolphin Expedition. Morning visit to a sustainable resource management project where villagers plant palms to obtain oil. You may see artificial nests created on the sand to protect turtle eggs. Return to vessel for lunch followed by a siesta. Late afternoon expedition to see freshwater dolphins. Later spot several kinds of primates (among the 13 species of monkeys resident here) and up to two hundred species of birds in the jungle canopy. At dusk watch out for alligators. Return to M/V Aqua.

Dinner after which optional night excursion: on board the skiffs search out caimans, tree boas, tarantulas, and frogs. Return to vessel and sail downstream the Marañon River towards the headwaters of the Amazon. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tuesday - Birthplace of the Amazon/Puerto Miguel Village and Marayali River Sail past the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres at the headwaters of the Amazon basin. Rise early and view the sun rise over the birthplace of the Amazon. The dawn excursion will be accompanied by bird song, as you pass river banks populated by large-billed terns, laughing falcons, gray tanagers, sandpipers, parakeets, the exotic short-tailed parrot, and other birds. Breakfast and then by skiff to Puerto Miguel Village where you can meet local villagers. Return to the vessel for lunch. Disembarkation and transfer to Iquitos airport for flight to Lima. (B,L)

Sample Four-Night Itinerary Dry Season (June-November)

Day 1: Tuesday - Iquitos/Amazon River Arrival from Lima at Iquitos International Airport and transfer through the Peruvian countryside to the small village of Nauta and board the M/V Aqua. Over the next seven days sail along the two largest tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. Safety Drill on the top deck followed by a brief talk about life on board, where you will go and what you will on this Amazon voyage. Dinner and overnight. (D)

Day 2: Wednesday - Ucayali River/Yanallpa Area After breakfast jungle walk to Yanallpa Lake in search of the bizarre-looking hoatzin birds which live in huge colonies at this strange Jurassic Park-like lake. Return for lunch. Afternoon cruise the majestic Ucayali River to see fishermen who will demonstrate their skills and show their catch. See rafts, loaded with hundreds of bananas en route to market. Dinner then night trip to Sapote River to see several types of caiman, members of the alligator family. Return to vessel and sail upstream on the Puinahua River. (B.L,D)

Day 3: Thursday - Puinahua River/Hatum Posa Lake and Pacaya River After breakfast, jungle walk near Hatum Posa village to see subsistence farming. Deep in the primary forest, see the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle. Lunch on board. Late afternoon trip along the Pacaya River from Ranger Station No. 1 towards Yanayacu Lake to see saki, capuchin and the easy-to-spot heavy howler monkeys. As the sun sets, hear the loud, ferocious sounding warning signals made by howler monkeys marking their territories. At nightfall, hear other nocturnal animals send their shrill calls across the tree tops. Return to the M/V Aqua for dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Friday - Puinahua/Pacaya and Sapote Rivers In the bright morning light, see parrots, macaws, toucans, and many different types of monkeys. Visit the dolphin feeding spots along Yanayacu Lake. Set sail towards Iquitos. After lunch Sapote river fishing trip. Return to the vessel for farewell dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Saturday - Arrive in Iquitos City/Check-Out and disembark at the main wharf/City Tour and transfer to the airport After breakfast optional skiff trip along the Amazon for a last chance to photograph the wildlife of the jungle. Light lunch. Disembark Iquitos city tour and visit to San Juan Amazonian Indian Market. Transfer to airport for flight to Lima. (B,L)

Sample Seven-Night Itinerary Dry Season (June-November)

A combination of both itineraries above.

Sample Three-Night Itinerary Flooded Season (December – May)

Day 1: Saturday - Iquitos/Amazon River Arrival from Lima at Iquitos International Airport and transfer to Iquitos´ main wharf and board the M/V Aqua. Set sail towards the Yanayacu River, deep in the heart of Amazonia. Over the next seven days sail along the two largest tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. Safety Drill on the top deck followed by a brief talk about life on board, where you will go and what you will see on this Amazon voyage. Dinner and overnight. (D)

Day 2: Sunday - Amazon/Yanayacu River/Corrientes Lakes/Yarapa RiverBreakfast. On board an excursion skiff sail along the Yanayacu River (“Black Water”). (Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots and drinking water available on board the skiffs). Pass by fishermen paddling in their dug-out canoes and the chance to see a variety of wildlife, including terns, orioles, blackbirds, black collared hawks, monkeys, and sloths. Arrival at Corrientes Lake and opportunity for piranha fishing. Return to the M/V Aqua for lunch. Afternoon excursion by skiff to the narrow Yarapa River to spot squirrel monkeys, herons, egrets, and the unusual horned screamer. At sunset experience the sounds of diurnal creatures marking their territory. At nightfall, seek night wildlife—nighthawks, frogs, opossums, tarantulas, and caimans. Dinner and overnight whilst the vessel makes its way upstream to the birthplace of the Amazon. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Monday - Marañon River/Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (Nauta Caño and Yanayacu-Pucate) After breakfast there are two options:

Option 1: Full-Day Excursion with a Picnic Lunch at Ranger Station 2 Travel by skiff all the way to remote Chingana, a small creek where giant river otters usually nest. See Howler, Capuchin and Tamarin monkeys as well as pink and gray dolphins and a vast variety of birds. Deep in the jungle encounter wildlife and learn about the medical value of jungle plants. See Kapok which are the tallest trees in the Amazon Basin. Picnic lunch at park ranger station and return to vessel.

Option 2: Guided Jungle Walk/Siesta/Monkey and Dolphin Expedition. Morning visit to a sustainable resource management project where villagers plant palms to obtain oil. You may see artificial nests created on the sand to protect turtle eggs. Return to vessel for lunch followed by siesta. Late afternoon expedition to see freshwater dolphins. Later spot several kinds of primates (among the 13 species of monkeys resident here) and up to two hundred species of birds in the jungle canopy. At dusk seek out alligators. Return to M/V Aqua for dinner. Optional night excursion: on board the skiffs search out caimans, tree boas, tarantulas, and frogs. Return to vessel and sail downstream the Marañon River towards the headwaters of the Amazon. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tuesday - Birthplace of the Amazon/Puerto Miguel Village/Marayali River Sail past the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres at the headwaters of the Amazon basin. Rise early and view the sun rise over the birthplace of the Amazon. The dawn excursion will be accompanied by bird song, as you pass river banks populated by large-billed terns, laughing falcons, gray tanagers, sandpipers, parakeets, the exotic short-tailed parrot, and other birds. Breakfast and then by skiff to Puerto Miguel Village where you can meet local villagers. Return to the vessel. After lunch disembark and transfer from Nauta, through the Peruvian countryside to Iquitos airport for flight to Lima. (B,L)

Sample Four-Night Itinerary Flooded Season (December – May)

Day 1: Tuesday - Arrival/Nauta/Embarkation/Marañon River Arrival from Lima at Iquitos International Airport and transfer through the Peruvian countryside to the small village of Nauta to board the M/V Aqua. Over the next seven days sail along the two largest tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. Safety Drill on the top deck followed by a brief talk about life on board, where you will go and what you will see on this Amazon voyage. Dinner and overnight. (D)

Day 2: Wednesday - Ucayali/Yanallpa/Dorado Rivers/Pacaya Samiria National Reserve After breakfast, explore an amazing black water stream, part of the vast Amazon flooded forest. Explore a “gallery forest,” with its narrow vegetation, creating a tunnel of leaves in which it is easy to spot parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys. Return to vessel for lunch. Afternoon magical journey through the “Mirrored Forest” to see towering trees reflected in the black water river and chance to spot parrots, blue & yellow macaws, and a great variety of primates and sloths. Return to vessel and en route see caimans and frogs and fishing bats. Dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Thursday - Puinahua River/Hatum Posa Lake/Pacaya River Early morning visit to Hatum Posa Lake and encounter several kinds of monkeys and many types of birds, including terns, neo-tropic cormorants, egrets, herons, hawks and horned screamers. The skiff will enter other black water lakes in the flooded forest. Return for breakfast. Jungle walk near Hatum Posa village to see subsistence farming. Deep in the primary forest, see the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle. Lunch on board. Late afternoon trip along the Pacaya River from Ranger Station No. 1 towards Yanayacu Lake to see saki, capuchin and the easy-to-spot heavy howler monkeys. As the sun sets, hear the loud, ferocious sounding warning signals made by howler monkeys marking their territories. At nightfall hear other nocturnal animals send their shrill calls across the tree tops. Return to the M/V Aqua for dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Friday - Puinahua/Pacaya Rivers and Carocurahuayte Lake At sunrise, see parrots, macaws, toucans, and many different types of monkeys. Visit a dolphin feeding spot and enjoy a ‘packed´ breakfast. Set sail towards Iquitos. After lunch Carocurahuayte Lake fishing Trip Return to the vessel for farewell dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Saturday - Arrival in Iquitos/Check Out and disembark at the main wharf/City Tour/Transfer to the airport After breakfast optional skiff trip along the Amazon for a last chance to photograph the wildlife of the jungle. Light Lunch. Disembark and Iquitos city tour and visit to San Juan Amazonian Indian Market. Transfer to airport for flight to Lima. (B,L)

Sample Seven-Night Itinerary Flooded Season (December – May)

A combination of both itineraries above.