Amazon Riverboat Adventure In Depth – 9 Days
| Duration | 9 Days / 8 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | Peru |
| Price From | $2,060 USD per person |
| Tour Style | River Cruise, Wildlife Safari, Small Group |
| Data Source | TourRadar 2026 — G Adventures (4.8★, 64 reviews) |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Lima
Arrive in Lima, Peru’s vibrant capital. Transfer to your hotel in Miraflores. Evening orientation meeting with your CEO (Chief Experience Officer). Welcome dinner at a cevicheria in Barranco, Lima’s bohemian district. Overnight in Lima.
Day 2: Lima to Iquitos — Amazon Gateway
Morning flight to Iquitos, the world’s largest city inaccessible by road and the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. Transfer through the bustling city to the port. Board the Amatista, your home for the next 6 nights — a traditional Amazon riverboat with air-conditioned cabins, a dining room, and an observation deck. Settle into your cabin as the boat departs up the Amazon River. Evening briefing on river life and wildlife spotting. Overnight aboard the Amatista.
Day 3: Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
Enter the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru’s largest protected area spanning over 2 million hectares of flooded forest. Morning skiff excursion into narrow tributaries to spot pink river dolphins (bufeo colorado), sloths hanging from cecropia trees, and troops of squirrel monkeys. Afternoon jungle walk with a naturalist guide — learn about medicinal plants, spot poison dart frogs, and listen for howler monkeys echoing through the canopy. Evening caiman spotting by flashlight. Overnight aboard the Amatista.
Day 4: Indigenous Community & Piranha Fishing
Morning visit to a ribereño (river people) community to learn about life along the Amazon. See traditional fishing techniques, cassava processing, and meet local artisans. Afternoon piranha fishing excursion — these red-bellied predators put up a surprisingly feisty fight! Your catch becomes part of tonight’s dinner. Evening jungle walk to observe nocturnal wildlife including tarantulas, tree frogs, and night monkeys. Overnight aboard the Amatista.
Day 5: Amazon River Exploration
Full day exploring deeper into the reserve. Morning birdwatching — Pacaya-Samiria is home to over 450 bird species including macaws, toucans, hoatzins, and the prehistoric-looking horned screamer. Afternoon skiff ride through submerged forests (varzea) to spot giant river otters and the elusive black caiman. Learn survival skills from your guide: build a water filter from jungle materials and identify edible plants. Overnight aboard the Amatista.
Day 6: Remote Jungle Trek
Full-day trek into primary rainforest with an expert naturalist guide. Your local guide, raised in the Amazon, will share generations of jungle knowledge. Spot giant kapok trees towering over the canopy, strangler figs embracing their host trees, and brilliant blue morpho butterflies. Learn how indigenous communities use over 2,000 rainforest plants for medicine, food, and building materials. Overnight aboard the Amatista.
Day 7: Nauta & Return to Iquitos
Morning visit to the town of Nauta, where the Maranon and Ucayali Rivers meet to form the Amazon River. Visit the local market to see exotic Amazonian fruits like camu camu, aguaje, and copoazu. Afternoon disembark and transfer back to Iquitos. Visit the Belen floating market — an entire neighborhood built on rafts on the Amazon. Farewell dinner at a floating restaurant on the Itaya River. Overnight in Iquitos.
Day 8: Iquitos to Lima
Morning flight back to Lima. Afternoon guided tour of Lima’s historic center (UNESCO World Heritage): the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral, and the San Francisco Monastery with its famous catacombs containing the bones of 25,000 people. Farewell dinner in the trendy Barranco district. Overnight in Lima.
Day 9: Lima Departure
Morning at leisure — last chance to explore Lima’s cafes and galleries. Transfer to Jorge Chavez International Airport for departure. Leave Peru with unforgettable memories of the Amazon’s incredible biodiversity.
What’s Included
• 8 nights accommodation (2 nights Lima hotel, 6 nights aboard Amatista riverboat)
• Daily meals aboard the riverboat
• G Adventures CEO (guide) throughout
• Naturalist guide in Amazon
• Daily skiff excursions & jungle walks
• Indigenous community visit
• Piranha fishing & caiman spotting
• Lima to Iquitos roundtrip flights
• Lima city tour
• Airport transfers
What’s Excluded
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Meals in Lima
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tips & personal expenses
