Start: day 1 at 9:00 am in meeting point in Iquitos.
End: day 11 at 5:00 pm in hotel or airport of Iquitos.
Day 1: Nanay – Monkey Island – Eco Lodge.
We will depart early in the morning for the port of Nanay, where the river of the same name meets the Amazon River. We will sail for around 2 hours and get our first look at the wildlife here. We will visit Monkey Island in the afternoon, where we will be able to see and interact with different monkey species. We might also see other animals such as caimans, turtles, toucans, and macaws.
After this, we will take the boat to a place where we might get to see pink river dolphins. If we’re lucky, we might even get a chance to swim with them in the Amazon River. At night, we will take a hike to observe and listen to the nighttime nature here. We will stay at the lodge.
Day 2: Palo Alto.
We will get up early to go on a 30- to 45-minute hike to Palo Alto. This lookout point is a tower with 3 different levels at 5, 10, and 15 meters of height (16, 33, and 49 feet approx.). This will allow us to get different views of the surrounding jungle. In the afternoon, we will be able to either go hiking, canoeing, or fishing, depending on what the people in the group would like to do. At night, we will go for a hike where we will be able to spot different species that come out after the sun goes down, and then we will sleep at the campsite set up at the Palo Alto Lookout Point.
Day 3: Nanay – Barrio Belén – Nauta – Pacaya Samiria.
We will eat breakfast early to then depart the lodge for the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. We will go through the city of Iquitos to get there. We will reach the port of Nanay, where we will embark on a canoe trip through the floating market of the Barrio Belén. We will be able to see the largest water plant in the world along the way, the Victoria amazonica.
After having lunch in Iquitos, we will take our transportation to the city of Nauta. From here, we will take a boat upriver and pass by the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañón Rivers. We will be able to see different animal species during the boat trip, and our guide will share information with us about them and we can also take pictures.
After sundown, we will go for a canoe trip to see caimans and learn more about these reptiles. Then, we will go to the campsite to sleep in our tents and get ready for the following day.
Day 4: La Libertad – Arequipa Community.
We will depart early in the morning by boat from La Libertad. We will sail upriver in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve to reach the Arequipa community, where we will go through a traveler check point. We will set up today's camp here in this community and we will eat lunch. We will see different bird species on the trip, which we will be able to identify thanks to our guide's explanation.
After sundown, we will take the canoe on the river to spot caimans. Then, we will return to camp to eat dinner and go to sleep in the tents.
Day 5: Marañón River – Shansho Cocha.
After eating breakfast early in the morning, we will sail on the Marañón River to our next campsite. This journey will take approximately 3 hours to get to the Shansho Cocha area. Just like on the other days, we will see a variety of wildlife on the river and in the surrounding trees along the way. We will arrive at the planned spot and set up our camp.
After lunch, we will have an afternoon of fishing for piranhas and other fish found here. Then, we will return to camp to have dinner. After this, we will go on a nighttime hike to spot some species that come out at this time. Afterwards, we will return to camp to sleep in our tents.
Day 6: Boat Ride – Pacaya-Samiria Reserve.
We will start the day early with a boat ride to get to another campsite. We will continue seeing different wildlife and plants along the way until reaching the campsite. We will set up our tents here and have lunch. In the afternoon, we will go on a hike through the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, where we will continue identifying animal species, as well as the insects that can be found here. We will also visit some lagoons located in the surrounding areas until dinnertime. Then, we will designate some time for a nighttime hike to spot animal species that come out after the sun goes down. Afterwards, we will go to the campsite to sleep in our tents and restore our energy for the following day.
Day 7: Veinte de Enero – Yanta Lake.
We will eat breakfast early to then go to the Veinte de Enero area, where we will be able to continue to observe the wildlife here. We will also identify different plants that are found in this region of the Amazon. Next, we will visit Yanta Lake, where there is a variety of palm trees and wildlife in general. Here we will have the chance to choose an activity, such as a hike, canoe trip, fishing for piranhas, identifying plants, or just taking a dip in the lagoon to cool off.
After eating lunch around noon, we will have the afternoon free until dinnertime. Next, just like on the other days, we will go on a nighttime hike to spot some nocturnal species of the Peruvian jungle. Then, we will return to camp to sleep in our tents.
Day 8: Sacarita de Yarina – Nature Walk.
After eating breakfast early in the morning, we will continue on our journey in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve to the Sacarita de Yarina area. Here we will be able to observe various reptiles in their natural habitat. If we’re lucky, we will be able to see pink river dolphins and giant river otters on the boat rides. Then, we will arrive at the place where we will set up camp and have lunch.
In the afternoon, we will go on a nature walk where we will be able to see the wildlife and plants here, as well as observe the changes in color of the tropical jungle at sundown.
At night, we will have dinner while our guide tells us about the following day's activities. We will also go for a nighttime boat ride where we will have the chance to hear different species. Afterwards, we will return to camp to sleep in our tents.
Day 9: Yanaquillo Creek – Identifying Trees.
We will get up early to eat breakfast and take the boat downriver. We will see different birds along the way that begin to emerge from their nests at this time of the day. Then, we will go to the Yanaquillo Creek, where we will be able to see squirrel monkeys and sloths, among other species. We will also make a stop to see some trees, such as the ceiba, capirona, and capinurí trees, just to name a few. We will stop at noon to each lunch and then will have the rest of the afternoon free.
At night and after dinner, we will go for a nighttime boat ride to look for different nocturnal animal species. We will also get the chance to hear the sounds of the jungle at this time of the night. Then, we will go back to our tents to go to sleep.
Day 10: Guaya Lagoon.
We will eat breakfast early to start the boat trip to Guaya Lagoon, where we will be able to see pink river dolphins and tariyaca turtles. We will also go for a canoe trip to see different monkey species. Then, we will make a stop to observe trees before lunch. After a free afternoon, we will have dinner and go for a walk to spot nocturnal reptiles, mammals, and insects. Afterwards, we will return to camp to go to sleep.
Day 11: Pacaya-Samiria – Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon.
We will eat breakfast very early in the morning to start our last hike in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. After this, we will return to camp to have lunch and pack up our gear to start the trip back to the city of Iquitos. We will make a stop along the way back at the Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon (IIAP), a manatee and river dolphin protection center. Then, we will arrive at Iquitos, where we will drop you off at your hotel or at the airport if you have a flight on the same day the activity ends.
