Amazon River

Day 2 — Lima/Iquitos/Amazon Rain Forest
Fly to Iquitos today and continue overland to the riverside village of Nauta, where the elegant Delfin II awaits. Settle into your cabin and gather for a welcome dinner of fine Peruvian cuisine on board. Tonight, step out on deck to gaze at the magnificent Amazon night sky. Delfin II (B,L,D)

Days 3 through 8 — Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
Spend this week exploring the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a pristine swath of jungle stretching more than five million square acres that harbors some of the Amazon's most fascinating flora and fauna. Bordered by the Marañón and the Ucayali, two powerful rivers that converge to create the Amazon, the reserve floods annually with nutrient-rich waters. It is known locally as the Mirrored Forest for the reflections created by its glassy water.

Set out into this remarkable wilderness on daily excursions by skiff; kayak; and when the water level permits, hikes on terra firma. Skim past giant lily pads afloat on black-water lakes, and venture deep into the rain forest on narrow tributaries. Spot sloths and monkeys, including variably colored saddleback tamarins, noisy howlers, and shaggy-tailed monk saki monkeys. Watch for an outstanding variety of birds, from tanagers and hummingbirds to parrots and endangered scarlet macaws. In the river, look for massive paiche fish, the Amazon's largest; rare pink dolphins; and the infamous piranhas, an important food source for the local people.

Enjoy an opportunity to swim in a lake in the reserve's interior. Seek out the Victoria amazonica, a beautiful giant water lily that grows in small lagoons. Go on a birdwatching hike, listening for the vocal oropendola and then looking for its telltale yellow tail. Watch the sun set and listen to a cacophonous symphony of nocturnal animals calling out across the treetops. Then slip through the forest in a skiff as night falls, using a spotlight to find caimans, frogs, fishing bats, and other night creatures.

Pay a visit to one of the communities on the edge of the reserve and get to know the ribereños, those who live on the riverbanks, and their age-old traditions. Meet local women and children, and watch them make jewelry and other handicrafts. Hear about how local subsistence farmers cultivate wild plants and trees to earn income. Hear about how the locals find edible fruits and indigenous plants with medicinal properties hidden deep in the jungle. Delfin II (B,L,D daily)

Day 9 — Nauta/Iquitos/Lima
Disembark in Nauta after lunch and return to Iquitos overland by bus. Visit the Jenaro Herrera Research Center to learn about its manatee rehabilitation efforts. Enjoy local, tropical fruit ice cream this afternoon, before taking a late afternoon flight to Lima. Miraflores Park Hotel (B,L,)

Day 10 — Lima/U.S.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)

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