Sailing on a 5-day luxury Amazon cruise in Peru unveils the wonders of the rainforest in total comfort. On board the sophisticated Aqua Nera, guests enjoy the ideal balance between raw adventure and world-class hospitality. Routes adapt seamlessly to the river level, operating two seasonal itineraries throughout the year: high-water months let skiffs slide deeper into narrow tributaries near the canopy, whereas low-water months reveal forest trails and offer prime piranha fishing.
The itinerary is tailored for immersive discovery, bringing travelers close to iconic wildlife like pink dolphins, sloths, and monkeys. Skiff safaris navigate the black waters of the Marañón and Yanayacu-Pucate rivers, complemented by piranha fishing, canoeing, kayaking, jungle walks, and bike rides. The journey also features cultural visits to river communities and a stop at the Manatee Rescue Center.
After excursions, return to river-view suites with panoramic windows facing the water. Onboard social spaces invite relaxation, from the top-deck plunge pool, spa, and gym to elegant lounges and a screening room. Every moment is supported by an attentive 40-person staff, including dedicated naturalist guides.
Full itinerary: sunrise birdwatching, skiff safaris on the Marañón and Yanayacu-Pucate rivers, a full day on the Samiria River, piranha fishing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, jungle walks, bike rides, village visits, Belén or the Nauta market, and the Manatee Rescue Center.
20 river-view Design Suites of 30 m² (322 sq ft) on a 62 m ship for just 40 guests, with a plunge pool, spa, gym, and screening room.
A full day inside the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve on the black waters of the Samiria River, with a picnic lunch in the forest, in both seasons.
Pink river dolphins, sloths, monkeys, and parrots by skiff, plus piranha fishing on every itinerary.
Bike rides along the riverbanks, from Puerto Prado to Santa Cruz village, and in Pacaya-Samiria in high water.
Excursions led by four local naturalist guides who speak English and Spanish, in skiffs of up to 10 guests with a guide and a pilot.
All-inclusive experience: shared airport transfers on the recommended flights, 4 nights in a suite, every meal and house drink, all excursions, the Pacaya-Samiria entrance fee, Wi-Fi, laundry, and naturalist guides.
Please note: This itinerary outlines planned activities. Daily routes and excursions are adjusted by the captain and guides based on weather and river levels, with details confirmed each evening. Low-water routes operate around Nauta, while high-water trips end in Iquitos. Schedules for Days 1 and 3 are identical in all seasons.
Itinerary
Day 1
Iquitos Airport / Transfer to Nauta / Embarkation
ArrivalIquitos Airport (IQT) · Recommended flight lands at 1:30 PM
TransferIquitos → Nauta · ~2h · Box lunch on the way
Embarkation4:30 PM · Nauta private wharf
The crew meets you at Iquitos International Airport, a city you can reach only by air or by river. The shared transfer drives south to the port of Nauta, about 2 hours away, with a light box lunch on the way.
Board at 4:30 PM and settle into your suite. The naturalist guides introduce themselves, the crew runs a short safety drill, and dinner is the first Amazonian menu of the cruise. That first night you sleep on the Marañón River, one of the two rivers that form the Amazon.
Weather permitting, there may be a short excursion before boarding. Wonderful start for your luxury Amazon cruise in Peru!
Meals included: Lunch / Dinner
Day 2
Marañón River / Yanayacu-Pucate River / Skiff Safaris
Sunrise birdwatchingMarañón River · By skiff
Skiff excursionsYanayacu-Pucate River · Morning and evening
Night outingNocturnal wildlife · Stargazing (high water)
The day starts at sunrise with birdwatching on the Marañón River. In high water, you then visit an Amazonian village to meet the ribereños, the river people, and watch the harvest of the aguaje palm. Later, explore the Yanayacu-Pucate River and ride a bike along its banks in Pacaya-Samiria. Keep your eyes on the water for possible sights of river dolphins!
After lunch, an optional session with a Kukama Kukamiria healer shares the local way of connecting with nature. In the evening, the skiffs go out on the Yanayaquillo River for stargazing and nocturnal wildlife.
In low water, the morning skiff excursion looks for sloths, great egrets, parrots, and taricaya turtles. Later, explore the Yanayacu-Pucate River for piranha fishing, followed by a night outing in search of nocturnal wildlife.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 3
Samiria River / Full Day in Pacaya-Samiria / Picnic Lunch
Full daySamiria River · Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
Piranha fishingBlack waters of the Samiria
ChooseCanoeing · Kayaking · Swimming · Jungle walk
Leave early by skiff for the Samiria River, deep inside the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, one of the largest protected areas of the Peruvian Amazon.
The day mixes fishing in the black waters with a choice of canoeing, kayaking, swimming, or a jungle walk inside the reserve. Lunch is a picnic in the forest. On the way back to the Marañón in the afternoon, the skiff slows down for pink river dolphins.
Meals included: Breakfast / Picnic lunch / Dinner
Day 4
Jungle Walk or Amazon River / Bike Ride to Santa Cruz
Bike ridePuerto Prado → Santa Cruz village · Along the riverbank
Beekeeper visitSan Francisco community (low water)
In high water, morning excursions head out by skiff onto the dark waters of the Nauta Caño River. You can also ride a bike along the riverbank from Puerto Prado to Santa Cruz village. In the afternoon, a guided jungle walk explores the layers of the forest, looking out for medicinal trees, insects, and poison dart frogs.
In low water, the morning excursion goes out on the Pahuachiro River. After breakfast, visit Puerto Prado village with a bike ride to Santa Cruz village or a beekeeper in the community of San Francisco. Later, a boat ride takes you out onto the Amazon River.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 5
Belén or Nauta Market / Manatee Rescue Center / Iquitos Airport
Morning visitBelén floating district (high water) · Nauta market (low water)
In high water, the cruise ends in Iquitos. A guided morning visit takes you to Belén, the floating district of Iquitos, for a look at daily life on the river. Return on board for breakfast and leave the ship at 9 AM at the main port of Iquitos.
In low water, visit the local market in Nauta, with the produce of the region and snacks to try. Return for breakfast and leave the ship at 9 AM at the Nauta wharf, about 1h40 from the airport.
In both seasons, the luxury Amazon cruise in Peru stops at the Manatee Rescue Center, where orphaned Amazonian manatees are cared for until they can return to the wild. The shared transfer drops you at Iquitos Airport 2 hours before the recommended flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
What is Included
Round-trip shared transfer (Iquitos Airport ⇌ the ship, on the recommended flights)
4-night stay aboard a 20-suite luxury river ship, in a Design Suite on the First or Second Deck
Meals as listed in the itinerary
Drinks (house wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks)
Entrance fee to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
Bicycles for the bike rides in the program
High-speed Wi-Fi (Starlink satellite)
Laundry and pressing service
Onboard talks and evening entertainment
Rubber boots and hooded rain ponchos (also in children’s sizes), sunscreen and insect repellent on board, and a water bottle for each guest
Porters at the airport and the pier
Guided tours (skiff excursions, birdwatching, piranha fishing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, jungle walks, bike rides, village visits, Belén or the Nauta market, and the Manatee Rescue Center)
English- and Spanish-speaking local naturalist guides, shared, with up to 10 guests per skiff
Not included
Flight tickets
Private transfers, for guests not on the recommended flights or leaving the ship early
Visas
Spa treatments
Boutique purchases
Spirits and cocktails beyond the house wine and beer (corkage of US$ 30 per bottle for your own alcohol)
Tips for the guides and crew
A guide in another language (German, French, Italian, Japanese, or Chinese)
Satellite phone calls
Travel insurance
Aqua Nera
Measuring 62.4 m (205 ft) in length and equipped with onboard stabilizers, the Aqua Nera offers an exceptionally smooth journey along calm river routes, establishing itself as one of the top luxury Amazon cruises in Peru. The vessel hosts up to 40 guests.
Inspired by the region’s black-water lagoons, the rubber-boom epoch, and Peruvian, Spanish, and Portuguese heritage, the ship’s indoor spaces feature diverse amenities. Guests can unwind between outings in the dining room, lounges, top-deck plunge pool, spa, gym, cinema room, or games room with a billiard table.
A professional 40-person staff (including four expert naturalist guides, a paramedic, and a cruise director) ensures attentive care onboard. For river excursions, four low-emission aluminum skiffs carry small groups of up to 10 travelers, each accompanied by a dedicated guide and pilot.
Design Suites
Spanning 30 m² (322 sq ft), all 20 Design Suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river, complete with a cozy sofa or daybed for watching the passing rainforest. The ten suites on the First Deck and ten on the Second Deck share identical layouts; upper-deck suites carry a slight premium due to their proximity to the ship’s social lounge areas.
Every suite comes equipped with air-conditioning, flexible king or twin bedding, a hair dryer, an electronic safe, and fine bath toiletries. Accommodating up to three guests (utilizing a convertible sofa bed, subject to availability), the accommodations also offer four pairs of interconnecting suites ideal for families traveling together.
Every meal on this luxury Amazon cruise in Peru follows a Peruvian-continental menu created by a celebrated Peruvian chef, a pioneer of rainforest-to-table cooking whose restaurants rank among Latin America’s 50 best. Next to Peruvian classics such as ceviche, guests can enjoy dishes like plantain and yucca gnocchi, escolar in ají panca adobo, and grilled paiche with huatia potatoes.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the dining room on the Second Deck, with a picnic lunch in the forest on Day 3 and a box lunch on the Day 1 transfer.
House wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks are included; spirits and cocktails are charged at the end. The legal drinking age on board is 18.
Dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-sodium, or food allergies, can be accommodated: tell us when you book, at least 30 days before the cruise. Do not drink the tap water; refill your bottle at the water stations on board.
FAQ
Reviews
“Amazing cruise. Enjoyed the wild nature, I saw pink river dolphins, sloths (including a mother and baby!), caimans, anacondas, monkeys, and countless beautiful birds. We also had fun activities, like fishing, swimming in the amazon river, canoeing, visiting to the local village and fun breakfast / drinks on the skiff! But what made this trip truly special was the people. There were also many moments when the crew went above and beyond in small ways — helping with special food requests, accommodating unexpected situations, and simply remembering little things. I also appreciated how flexible and human the service felt. The entire crew member genuinely wanted guests to have a good experience. They even celebrated mid-autumn festival for me & other fellow asian passengers by making mooncake for us! They truly researched the recipe!! The Amazon gave me extraordinary wildlife and scenery, but this cruise gave me days full of human connection, kindness, laughter, and little acts of generosity. Thank you to the entire team for making this journey so memorable. Special shout out to my amazing guides: Juan, Roland, Neycer, Raul who made my experience in the wild so incredible and to Ivana & Shadia - the amazing manager ladies on the board”
— Julie Z
“My wife and I (Mid 50s – English speaking from USA) took a 4 night cruise in August from Iquitos. The ship is beautiful and the Amazon is amazing to visit. What set our time apart from other experiences, however, was the staff. From the moment we arrived at the Iquitos airport they took care of every detail without us ever having to ask. We had a lovely lunch on the water in Iquitos before traveling to meet the ship in Nauta. During the bus ride to get to the boat and then whenever on daily excursions on their skiff boats they were always offering cold towels from a cooler, drinks, binoculars to borrow, or anything else you might think of needing. Lunch from the skiff boats one day was a fabulous experience. When arriving back to the ship from an excursion we were each day greeted by staff with a tasty concoction to cool us down. Our cabin was cleaned multiple times a day. Excursions were excellent and we found them all to be quite genuine. You can’t fake fishing for piranhas (catch and release) which was fun (and successful), dolphins (gray and pink) jumping from the river, or sloths at the treetops. We also sighted many types of birds, caiman, and monkeys. They tried hard to locate an anaconda, but we didn’t find one. The guides (Aldo, Vladamir, Neycer, and Juan Luis) were the absolute best and made the trip all the more special with their knowledge, professionalism, safety, and friendliness. Robinson, Allen, and the rest of the wait staff provided top level service in the dining room with a prepared menu, but always offering options if you were not satisfied with the planned menu. Guest to staff ratio appeared to be about 1.5/1.0 allowing for an extreme level of attention. Ivanna, the cruise director, was always around making sure everything ran perfectly smooth even going into the kitchen to lend a hand to the rest of the staff as needed (as any top-notch leader would do). Not an inexpensive adventure, but worth every penny for an experience of a lifetime. Book it!”
— William M
“Our first cruise- we booked the excursion down the Amazon river leaving from Iquitos. It was spectacular. We are not normally cruise people, but I do believe this is the best way to have a condensed, luxury experience on Amazon. There were 27 passengers on our boat. The staff were the utmost professionals. The daily programs were varied and exciting, including daily boat trips to observe various parts of the Amazon river wildlife. There was also fishing for piranhas and a jungle trek, which was awesome. I am a treadmill runner and used the gym facilities on the boat every day. The meals were fantastic. We had daily massages, which were also excellent.”
— Rachel
“We had high expectations for this cruise and honestly, it exceeded them! From getting off the plane, they had everything planned and well thought through. Their staff are some of the most knowledgeable, helpful and kind people. The numerous daily excursions were so much fun and we couldn't have asked for anything more. The food was delicious and the rooms were beautiful, especially with the big glass windows. When you're chilling in the room but getting to watch the Amazon River/Rainforest, it's pretty amazing. We got to see Pink Dolphins, Sloths, Anaconda, many beautiful birds, Caymans, Iguanas and more. It's expensive but you do get your money's worth. Well done, keep it up. My wife and I had the best time!”
— JL K
“My husband and I were incredibly impressed by the level of service, professionalism and warmth shown by the entire staff on the ship. Our cabin was absolutely beautiful, the food was wonderful and had an impressive emphasis on local resources and cuisine, and our guides were intelligent, kind and shared a genuine love of nature and the Amazon. We truly could not have asked for a better four days! We travel extensively and the quality of the service was truly something special. We highly recommend including this cruise on your Peru itinerary!”
— Amy K
“We've traveled and cruised extensively so we think it is quite significant for us to say that this cruise was one of the best if not the best cruising experience we’ve ever had. The daily expeditions with our knowledgeable guides Alex, Julio, Marcos, and Billy, were a true immersion into the rainforest. The skiff would meander around the jungle looking and finding sloths, monkeys, snakes, macaus, tucans, tarantulas, and more and more animals and they would work hard to get you the best view from every possible angle. After these amazing expeditions, all you had to look forward to was returning to the boat to sit down to some of the best meals I have ever had. Every single dish was exquisite. From breakfast to lunch to dinner to every snack. The food was absolutely amazing. The service was impeccable. The wait staff, Harvey, Marinho, Carlos, accompanied by the world’s greatest bartender Robinson, were attentive to every single detail at all times. Finally this was all being coordinated by our cruise directors Jhuliana and Fiorella who were incredibly welcoming. You might notice I remember all the staff names and that’s because they all remembered ours. Everywhere we went we were greeted by our names. My favorite was having breakfast and lunch out on the river. When we were told our meals were to be served on the river, I imagined being handed a brown bag w muffin inside. Nope. We were served a full mean with glassware and silverware and mixed drinks and fruits and delicious dessert. None of us know what heaven is really like but I sure hope it includes a recurring cruise like this one. The boat was beyond beautiful and the room exceeds the expectations from the online photos.”
— C M
“The boat is in clean, fresh condition. The on-boat experience is simply beautiful, with very good staff service, room cleaning (a few times a day), with great guides. The food and bar is also very good, with excellent service. There is a small but functional exercise room. Wifi spotty as you can imagine for the region. The daily experiences of vising tributaries and the jungle walk were very good, and not so repetitive. We did a four day tour which felt right. I imagine a 7 day tour might get repetitive. As a keen birder, I felt that by day 4, we had covered most of the bird species in the region, for the season. I have been on 6 safaris to Africa, and this one on the Amazon felt similar, but brought the obvious new unique experience of this great region. Highly recommended for those who like such (luxury, nurtured) adventures. A unique experience well worth the effort to get to Iquitos, Peru”
— John H
“I cruised along the Amazon. The level of service and luxury is quite astonishing especially for a small riverboat. There is nothing the crew won't do to make your happy. Cruise director Fiorella was so considerate and thoughtful that it almost brought tears to my eyes. I am an older person traveling alone and the entire crew made sure I had friends and company every minute (until I got to know the lovely passengers on board). My guides, Alex and Juan-Louis, were very informative and besides the wonderful narrative, made sure we were safe and comfortable at all times. They told us stories about their own families and the personal touch made this trip all the more special.”
— Marian T
“I just finished a four night tour. To say that the boat, crew, food and tours exceeded my expectations is and understatement. I have never experienced the level of service I had on this boat. It was Four Seasons on the water maybe even better?”
— Errol H
“I had the great pleasure of cruising on this ship. The pictures and video do not do this beauty of a ship justice. Gorgeous and I can't think of a better home base from which to explore the Amazon. From the moment they grabbed my luggage to the time we were back in Iquitos, the crew was on top of it and always there to help with whatever you may need. The ship and her crew exceeded every expectation.”
