PERU 2026 : Amazon Cruise Part 1

Monday 23 September

We flew from Lima to Iquitos, pop 500 000, in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. This is the largest city in the world without road access. You can only get here by plane or boat. We took the only road; 2hrs to Nauta to board our boat. 

The Amazon Aria is luxurious; the rooms have floor to ceiling windows. 

The meals are all Peruvian cuisine of exceptional quality.

The Pisco Sours delicious.

Tuesday 24 September

We take skiffs (tender boats) for all our excursions.

The cruise isn't full, so Fred, Neil and I have our own boat with skipper, naturalist and deck hand.

This is wonderful because the guides are happy to focus on the birding for us. And the birding is fantastic.

The are 680 species in this area of the Amazon. It's the height of the rainy season so 95% of the Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria is underwater. 

Our first sunrise excursion is 6 to 7am. After breakfast we head out again. Apart from birds we look for different monkey species in the channels and creeks off the main river. In the afternoon we visit a very isolated village.

The river is very quiet with only a couple of ferries or barges a day going by. 

There is some time every day to relax in your room or in the lounge deck with never-ending vistas passing by.

Peru 2026 : Lima

Friday 20 to Sunday 22 February

An early flight from Montevideo to Lima and we were at the Hotel Antigua Miraflores before noon; enjoying our first Pisco Sour in the bar while waiting to check in.

We met Fred in the lobby and headed straight out to Barranco. Uber is wonderful in Lima; fast, cheap and convenient with no language barrier. Lima is a coastal city that somehow hasn't managed to capitalize on its beach location at all. The upmarket suburbs of Miraflores and Barranco are perched on ugly cliffs with limited access down to the shore.

Strolling around Barranco was underwhelming as was our visit to the MAC art museum.

Lima is the food capital of South America and we had a fabulous dinner at Tanta by chef Gaston Acurio in Miraflores.

Local favourites made posh.

Causas is a layered potato salad. Salchipapa is chorizo and yellow potatoes. And of course, Cerviche; the national dish.

On Saturday we went to Old Lima city.

The touristy parts are safe and patrolled by police but you do know when you've reached the no-go zone. 

Historic Hotel Maury is the place to go for the original Pisco Sour. 

Historic Resaurante Cordano served the worst coffee ever but we found good coffee at artisanal Sunqu.

Maido Restaurant was crowned best restaurant in the world for 2025/26.

We spoilt ourselves with the full 12 course tasting and wine pairing. The food was spectacular. The whole experience was just amazing.

Sunday was our rest day. We spent the afternoon strolling through Miraflores. Icecream at Helarte.

Piscos at Republica del Pisco.
A Chifa is a Peruvian style Chinese Restaurant. Brought to South America as mine workers, Chinese descendants make up about 3% of the Peruvian population.

Everyone in Lima loves Chifa. Kion is an upmarket Chifa chain.

We enjoyed the wonton soup and fried rice.

Then we were back at Republica del Pisco for live Latin music.