(4 days, 3 nights)

Day 1:
Flight to Iquitos. Reception and transfer to the dock. Board the M/V Rio Amazonas. Built in Edinburgh in 1896 and used originally to haul rubber down the Amazon, the cruiser was completely refurbished in 1994 and again upgraded in 2001. Carrying 44 passengers in 21 air-conditioned cabins on an itinerary which explores life on the Amazon. There is an open-air lounge and air conditioned dining room and ample deck area with chairs and hammocks for a leisurely look at life on the river. Down river cruises operate from Iquitos, Peru to Leticia, Colombia & Tabatinga, Brazil departing on Sundays and arriving on Wednesdays. While sailing down the Amazon River, you will be able to appreciate the varied and beautiful landscapes along the river. Afternoon stop at Yanamono to visit a sugar cane rum still, then a short walk at Chamaleon Island to observe water lilies.

Day 2:
Early wake up call for morning bird watching at the Ampiyacu River. Visit the Bora and Huitoto villages. Later, stop at the town of Pevas, the oldest Peruvian town on the Amazon. In the afternoon, a jungle hike through the dense rain forest at the Shishita River with opportunities to view wildlife.

Day 3:
Morning jungle walk and visit to Paranaquiro village followed by a piranha fishing expedition on a small black water lake. In the afternoon a brief visit to the village of Caballococha. After sunset, cross the lake to look for the caiman in the reedy shallows and listen to the sounds of the rain forest.

Day 4:
Early morning arrival in Santa Rosa Island, Peru, opposite to Leticia/Tabatinga cities. Transfer to the airport in Leticia for the flight to Iquitos and then Lima.


(You may extend the Amazon river cruise by a few days or enjoy the wonderful across-the-continent trip to Belen in Brazil, on the Atlantic coast - ask for further details).