Day 1 | Saturday
You'll be picked up at the airport and brought to the DoubleTree by Hilton Iquitos hotel where you'll enjoy a delicious lunch before being transferred by private vehicle to the main dock of the city of Iquitos to board the cruise ship.
The staff will show you to your suite, which will be equipped with comfortable beds, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton sheets, cotton bathrobes, air conditioning, and a private bathroom with a shower and amenities.
Before setting sail, the bartender will serve you a cocktail prepared with local fruit and pisco, the most popular liquor in Peru. You can sip it while enjoying 360° views from the observation deck or a panoramic view from the indoor or outdoor lounge.
After setting sail, the naturalist guides will offer an overview of the travel itinerary, including activities, routes, information about wildlife and vegetation, geographical and historical context, as well as other useful info. If you have any doubts or concerns, the guides are always available to answer your questions.
You'll then enjoy the welcome dinner. Start your journey by sampling the selected wines and dining Peruvian cuisine with an Amazon flare. There are many options on the menu, including vegetarian alternatives. Please let them know in advance if you have any special dietary needs.
After dinner, you’ll be able to take in stunning views of the starry night sky while you start your journey to the depth of the Amazon rainforest.
Day 2 | Sunday
Before breakfast, you’ll go out for a boating expedition on the Amazon River to explore the local flora and fauna. When you get back, enjoy the breakfast buffet, which offers a daily selection of traditional dishes, Peruvian specialties, freshly baked goods, and a range of freshly squeezed juices.
After breakfast, you'll head out to see the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañón rivers, which give rise to the Amazon River. Here you'll observe pink and gray river dolphins.
You'll go back to the boat for lunch by midday and then have time to rest. Make sure you attend the talk about the source of the Amazon and the hydrography of the river so that you'll be up to speed for the walk to Puerto Prado, where you'll see the "Victoria Regias", the largest water lily in the world.
You'll then head back to the boat for dinner and live music. After dinner, you'll enjoy a nighttime outing in search of caimans, tarantulas, frogs, and other nocturnal species.
Day 3 | Monday
Breakfast and outing on a skiff to different lakes and lagoons, until you reach the Japanese Lagoon. There, you'll enjoy a picnic and one of the best conserved and protected areas of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. It's also a popular spot to view pink river dolphins from the skiff.
Before heading back to the Zafiro, you'll take a trip to the Yanaquillo. Once you're back on the cruise ship, you'll get ready to go kayaking and take a dip in the black waters.
Head back for lunch aboard the Zafiro. Before starting the afternoon activity, the guides will give a talk about the Amazon philosophy.
Afterward, you'll take a walk through the rainforest overhanging bridges, where you can admire the riches of the rainforest from the treetops.
Once you're back on the Zafiro, the bartender will give a demonstration of how to make Peruvian cocktails, and you'll then enjoy live music while you await the gala dinner with the captain.
Day 4 | Tuesday
Breakfast and a visit the community of San Regis, where you'll learn about the local people's way of life and traditions. You'll also learn about their ancestral traditions from the community's shaman. With the guides as interpreters, you'll be able to ask questions about spiritual connections and curing the soul.
You'll then continue the ceremony by planting a tree as a positive contribution to the environment. There, you'll also see a market set up by women from the community to sell their handmade crafts.
Head back for lunch aboard the Zafiro. After resting, the guides will tell you about the myths and legends of the Amazon.
In the afternoon, you'll head out on a skiff to the Shiriyacu stream. Then, you'll enjoy the stunning colors of the sunset. Back on the Zafiro, you'll have some time to relax and enjoy live music before the presentation by the crew and farewell dinner.
Day 5 | Wednesday
Before breakfast, you'll visit Nauta, the second most important city in the region. Upon arriving, you'll take a motorcycle taxi to the local market where you'll see what business in the city is like firsthand.
Visit to the Sapi Sapi Lagoon, an arapaima hatchery. This is the second-largest freshwater fish in the world. Discover a new habitat, surrounded by fruit trees. You'll also see Arrau turtles, butterflies, and different species of birds and fish that call this lagoon home. After, you'll head back to the Zafiro for breakfast.
After breakfast, you'll begin disembarking. On the way to the airport, you'll stop by the Amazon Rescue Center (CREA), where biologists and volunteers take care of manatees – an endangered species – rescued by the authorities. You'll see how the manatees are cared for and prepped for reinsertion into their natural habitat. You'll also get to see other animals that have been rescued from attempts to turn them into pets and other dangerous situations. Afterward, you’ll be transferred to the airport.
Each day you may experience up to two of these sessions.
- Yoga & Mindfulness sessions
- Vinyasa Yoga sessions: it is a dynamic practice that seeks to coordinate the movement of dance and breathing, channeling energy to create harmony and vitality.·
- Restorative Yoga Sessions: seek deep relaxation at a physical, mental and emotional level through the asana posture and another stretching. This activity is recommended when you have time for greater relaxation and less activity.·
- Nidra Yoga Session: it is an ancient meditation technique from India. It is based on sleep meditation that allows deep relaxation until reaching a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep.·
- Mantra Meditations: This practice seeks to relax the body and mind. This activity can be repeated several times during your stay on board.·
- Connection Circle Ceremony: As the wrap-up activity for this whole trip experience, this ceremony will give passengers the unique opportunity of opening their hearts and letting energies flow through emotions.
Ornella Puccio, professional instructor of Yoga and meditation, will be in charge of guiding all our visitors through this immersive experience navigating the waters of the mighty Amazon River. Ornella is certified by the Abhijna yoga school in Kerala, India, where she acquired important knowledge to develop different yoga and mindfulness techniques. She has dedicated herself to the delivery of workshops for adolescents, adults, and companies, but in recent years, she has joined her efforts in the personal and spiritual empowerment of women. She is the founder of Personal Yoga, a center where various workshops are held for the growth of your inner self, Trekking & Yoga retreats on the coast, highlands, and jungle
