COMFORTABLE AMAZON CRUISE MV LA PERLA: Sunday to Wednesday

Seasons: High water season (Rainy) From November to May Low water season (Dry) From June to October

La Perla, Spanish for the Pearl, is one of the latest comfort cruise options for guests heading to the Peruvian Amazon, and despite its name, is a great, affordable, cost-effective option. Leave the modern world behind you and begin a journey of discovery into one of the world’s most remote regions.
Built to be as comfortable as possible, while still offering a perfect interaction with nature: the Perla’s shallow draught allows visits to locations inaccessible to many other boats; and the outboard powered skiffs that she carries are used for trips in lagoons, narrow channels, creeks and flooded forest.
The latest addition to a fleet of riverboats, you can expect a comparable service from her highly trained naturalist guides and dedicated crew who provide a first class service with a personal touch. The vessel was once a missionary medical boat, now swapping the religious path for that of tourism, and offers quirky accommodation with great service for an Amazon River vessel in the Comfort class.
The amenities include delicious international and local cuisine, great social areas including an Observation Deck with sunbeds and hammocks to unwind on to the rear, and a choice of interior and exterior lounges to unwind in. There are a range of cabins available differing in size and bed configurations, but all are air-conditioned cabins with hot water in their private bathrooms. The Superior Cabins can be configured for triple occupancy, and the two Amazonian View Cabins are interconnectable and share a balcony, ideal for families or groups of friends.
The Perla operates 4 and 7-day itineraries to Pacaya-Samiria – an area unrivaled for wildlife – allowing you to explore deep into the heart of the rainforest, with exciting activities such as swimming with pink dolphins and a Canopy Walk tour (River Marañon itineraries only).

Day 01 SUNDAY: LIMA – IQUITOS – NAUTA- AMAZON RIVER-ORIGIN OF THE AMAZON – YANAYACU YACAPANA

The guides will be expecting your arrival at the Iquitos airport with a sign for your transfer to Nauta to board the cruise M/V La Perla. As you enter into your cabin, which will be full equipped with everything you need, you will feel how this lifetime trip is about to start. The navigation will initiate in the Marañon River to the confluences of the Marañon and Ucayali rivers where the majestic Amazon begins. We suggest to take a time to go to the observation deck and enjoy the amazing panoramic view, the guides will be explaining the story of the Amazon’s origin.

During the next days, you will be navigating through the Marañon and Ucayali rivers, then through the Amazon and its amazing confluences full of wildlife. After getting familiar with your new environment, you will be invited to the dining room for lunch, where you will experiment our exquisite regional gastronomy, a delicious flavor celebration. Later, our guides will provide a general briefing about the trip itinerary, activities, routes, wildlife and vegetation. Our guides will be attentive to help you with any question you might have.

After lunch on board, you will have an afternoon-night excursion for searching wildlife in the communal reserve of Yanayacu de Yacapana. During the excursion, you will observe the biggest water plant in the World (Victorias Regias), birds, lizards, sloths, beautiful pink dolphins and other animals. At the end of the night, the guides will use the lanterns to locate caimans, owls and capybaras. Upon returning, a reception with live music by the Ship Band awaits for you to enjoy the local music followed by a welcome dinner. Once dinner is finished, the guides will invite you to a lecture about the Amazon origins.

Day 02 MONDAY: AMAZON RIVER-YARAPA RIVER-UCAYALI RIVER-VISTA ALEGRE-YANAYACU DE YACAPANA- YARAPA

Early call in the morning with serenade to enjoy the beautiful sunrise from the Amazon River. A small trek will take place to observe the birds of the communal reserve Yanayacu de Yacapana, sunrise is the best time of the day for bird sightseeing. This morning we will also be observing macaws, sloths, monkeys, toucans, trogons, quetzals, parrots among others. We will return to have a delicious breakfast as the ship sails to the Ucayali. Later, there will be a morning excursion to explore the tributaries rivers, like the Yarapa where you can observe a variety of reptiles as iguanas, sloths and others. We will be back to the ship to enjoy our delicious lunch and breath the purest air ever. In the afternoon, there will be a retelling on the geographical orientation and the species that we have been observing throughout the day with our guides. We will visit the butterfly farm project of Vista Alegre, where you will learn about the Amazon butterflies and their importance in the jungle. You will be amazed of the relevance they have. You will be back on board for dinner and for enjoying live music. You can’t miss this! A chilling and really interesting excursion will be offered at night, which is based on the search of caymans, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, anacondas, nocturnal monkeys among others. If you don’t want to participate, you can rest upon the moonlight enjoying the nature sounds and drinking Pisco Sour on board.

Day 03 TUESDAY: YARAPA RIVER- PIRANHA CREEK- UCAYALI RIVER- MARANON RIVER- PACAYA SAMIRIA NATURAL RESERVE

This morning we get ready to navigate through the black waters of the Yarapa River, where we will have an unforgettable experience in the search of wildlife, enjoying the amazing landscape of the jungle. Finishing the excursion, a delicious breakfast will be served on board. We will continue sailing through the paths of the Ucayali upon the high confluence of the Marañon river, until arrive to Piranha Creek. One of the first tributaries of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. This morning there will be a boat excursion to explore Piranha creek. This area is great for the piranha fishing. Once the excursion is finished we will return to the ship to have lunch on board.

Later, there will be a trekking tour in the jungle, where we will learn about medicinal plants. We will be looking for exotic insects of the Amazon like tarantulas, frogs, spiders and a multitude of species never seen before. Before returning to the ship, our naturalists will teach us about basic survival in the jungle. Back on board you will be welcomed with live music. Then, you will enjoy an exquisite dinner, it’s time to relax and appreciate the beauty of the Peruvian Amazon.

Day 04 WEDNESDAY: PACAYA SAMIRIA NATURAL RESERVE- MARANON RIVER

After enjoying your last breakfast on board. We will proceed with the transfer by bus from the city of Nauta to Iquitos. We will have a stop in the Rescue Center Amazon – Manatee (ACOBIA), where you will be able to see and feed this beautiful animal. Then, you will have a brief visit to the city of Iquitos to observe the famous houses of the rubber boom, Fierro’s house, and Belen market.

NOTE. – The itineraries are subject to change due to weather conditions at certain times of the year. The water levels of the rivers also vary from time to time, as well as the hours of sailing. Excursions may be modified at the discretion of the crew. Visits to the local villages are carefully planned to avoid a negative impact in their cultural identity.