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.