Pure Amazon Itinerary LWS 7N

Pure Amazon
Low water season:
seven-night cruise

PURE AMAZON

| Low water season: seven-night cruise

8 DAYS, 7 NIGHTS

Covering 60 per cent of the country, Peru’s vast
tranche of the Amazon Basin is a magnet for nature
lovers. Explore its glassy backwaters, lush islands
and deep jungle aboard A&K Sanctuary’s new stateof-the-art riverboat, Pure Amazon, accommodating
a maximum of 22 passengers in just 12 superbly
appointed cabins and suites. In the low-water season
(approximately June to November), birders and nature
enthusiasts venture into the habitat of some of the
rarest and most iconic species on Earth, while visits
to communities of ribereños, or river people, provide
insight into local culture and village life. Whenever
you visit, this untouched wilderness is alive with
biodiversity, from sloths and monkeys to caimans,
turtles and pink river dolphins.

HIGHLIGHTS
Drift by skiff through a lost world
where waterlilies grow up to 10
feet wide
Visit the bustling market in Nauta,
learning about local goods and
produce
Go birding at dawn at Nauta Caño,
a wildlife-rich creek where two
rivers meet
Swim and go kayaking in the calm
blackwater of the Samiria River
Meet local ribereños (river people)
and learn about their sustainable
way of life
Seek out nocturnal species by
spotlight on a skiff expedition
after dark

AIRPORT
ROAD TRANSFER

P ERU

PLACES OF INTEREST

Iquitos

PURE AMAZON ROUTE

RIO AMAZONAS

4

Rio Tahuayo

Yanayacu Yacapana
RIO MARAÑON

7
Rio Samiria

Yanayaquillo

Nauta

6

Yanayacu Nauta
Pucate Caño

2
PACAYA- SAMI R I A
N ATIO N AL RES E RVE

Canal Puinahua
Rio Pacaya

RIO UCAYALI

1 5
Yarapa
Yucuruchi

3

Lago Clavero

BR AZIL

PURE AMAZON

| Low water season: seven-night cruise

Day 1 – Saturday
A warm welcome in Nauta
Your gateway to Amazonia is the port city of Iquitos – the
largest mainland metropolis in the world that can only be
reached by air and river, not by road. From there it is a 1 hour
45-minute drive with your guide to Nauta, a remote town on the
banks of the Marañón River, where you are welcomed aboard
Pure Amazon, an A&K Sanctuary. Once checked in, relax in the
Jungle Lounge as you are briefed about the next day’s activities
and, time and energy levels permitting, dine in the restaurant
on innovative dishes prepared by talented onboard chefs.
Overnight, the boat cruises to Lake Clavero.

Day 2 – Sunday
Learn about life on the lake – and swim or kayak
in its tranquil waters
If you wish, set out at sunrise on a birdwatching adventure
by skiff on Lake Clavero – a tranquil oxbow lake of dizzying
biodiversity. After breakfast, spend the morning in a lakeside
village where traditional Amazonian life and culture prevail.
Talk to members of the community about subsistence farming
and how they adapt to seasonal flooding. Watch as ribereños
(river people) navigate the lake and surrounding tributaries in
dugout canoes.
In the afternoon, when the heat of the day subsides, go for a
paddle yourself in a modern-day double kayak, cool down with
a refreshing swim in the lake’s calm waters, or try your hand at
fishing. In the evening, relive the day’s adventures with a catchup in the Jungle Lounge, followed by a gourmet dinner. As you
sleep, Pure Amazon cruises upriver to Yucuruchi.

PURE AMAZON

| Low water season: seven-night cruise

Day 3 – Monday
Spot birds, caimans, bats, piranhas and giant
waterlilies in Yucuruchi

Day 4 – Tuesday
Awake on the River Amazon, then explore
by skiff – and on a jungle walk

Again, opt for a birding excursion at sunrise if you wish – this
time in Yucuruchi, a photogenic region humming with life,
from scarlet macaws darting through the forest canopy to pink
river dolphins breaking the surface of the Ucayali River. This is
the perfect place to hone your photographic skills and, if you
are lucky, you may come across Victoria regia (also known as
Victoria amazonica), a giant waterlily with leaves up to 10 feet
in diameter which covers vast areas of the river’s surface. After
breakfast onboard Pure Amazon, explore by skiff as your guide
sheds light on its flora and fauna.

For the first and only time on this voyage, Pure Amazon cruises
the broad expanse of river that gave it its name. In the early
morning, board your skiff for an adventure on the Yanayacu
Yacapana River. Learn about the fascinating plants that live
here, and how numerous animals depend on them. Your next
tributary of interest is the Tahuayo River, which runs through a
biodiverse protected area known as the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo
Regional Conservation Area. Look out for a thrilling number of
birds and primates on a skiff excursion, then on a jungle walk
led by your expert guide, or kayak in the calm blackwater.
Return to Pure Amazon for the nightly debrief, followed by
dinner in its elegant, open-plan restaurant. Overnight, the
riverboat returns to the port of Nauta where you first embarked
but have yet to explore.

After lunch, try fishing for piranhas, catfish and other species
(releasing any you catch) on the Yarapa River. In the late
afternoon, embark on a night safari by skiff and watch – and
listen – as day turns to night. After dusk, your guide will deploy
spotlights to search for nocturnal animals such as caimans,
bats and night herons in the darkness. Added atmosphere is
provided by the “jungle orchestra of the night”, the unforgettable
soundtrack provided by frogs, insects and other animals. After
dinner, Pure Amazon continues north along the awe-inspiring
River Amazon itself to the next untouched tributary.

PURE AMAZON

| Low water season: seven-night cruise

Day 5 – Wednesday
Get a flavor of Amazonian life, food and crafts at
Nauta market

Day 6 – Thursday
Birding before breakfast, fishing in the morning,
kayaking in the afternoon

After a leisurely breakfast onboard Pure Amazon, set off with
your guides and other guests to explore Nauta, a remote town
on the banks of the Marañón River. Visit the market and check
out typical produce such as rainforest fruits and river fish, as
well as local crafts. In the afternoon, explore the waters around
Nauta by skiff and get a glimpse of nature.

Early risers can set out at sunrise on a birding trip by skiff in the
area around Nauta Caño, a creek known for its wildlife, dense
vegetation and mirror-like “blackwater. In this hotspot for earlymorning bird activity, you might spot black-collared hawks,
flamboyantly colored tanagers and oropendolas – large birds
with a long tail which is at least partially bright yellow.

After your adventure, return to the comfort of Pure Amazon
and enjoy time onboard. Unwind with a soothing spa treatment
or soak in the jacuzzi on the sun deck, all while watching
the river scenery drift by. In the evening, gather in the Jungle
Lounge for a briefing with your guides before sitting down for
a delicious dinner.

After breakfast onboard Pure Amazon, set off by skiff and head
to Yanayacu Pucate – one of the most beautiful tributaries
in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, an 8,000-square-mile
protected area. Camera at the ready, look out for wildlife
which might include squirrel monkeys, tamarins (another small
primate) and iguanas – a type of lizard. Or try your hand at
fishing for piranhas on a catch-and-release basis.
After lunch, there are opportunities to paddle along the stream in
a double, sit-on kayak or swim in calm blackwater with little or
no current. In the late afternoon board a skiff to observe wildlife
pointed out by your guide, starting in daylight and ending
in darkness. When the light fades, spot the reflective eyes of
caimans glowing in the beam of a spotlight, or check out night
monkeys and insects. End your evening with a recap of today’s
highlights and a look ahead to the following day, followed by
dinner and, weather permitting, stargazing before bed.

PURE AMAZON

| Low water season: seven-night cruise

Day 7 – Friday
Meet the “river people” of Nueva Arica village

Day 8 – Saturday
Your Amazonian adventure ends

Leave Pure Amazon early to visit Nueva Arica – a welcoming
riverside village where water levels vary by 30 feet depending on
the season. Meet local people, learn how they adapt to life in the
low- and high-water seasons, visit their homes and see how A&K
Philanthropy is supporting them in the innovative use of forest
resources to derive a sustainable income. There are opportunities,
too, for kayaking and swimming in calm blackwater with little
or no current

After a final breakfast onboard Pure Amazon as it returns
to Nauta, disembark and relax in a comfortable vehicle en
route to Formabiap, an educational project supported by A&K
Philanthropy. There, around 200 young people from indigenous
communities study to become teachers – honing their skills in
both Spanish and their local language. After a musical welcome,
learn aboutworldview (cosmovisión) in the central maloca,
and participate in a spiritual cleansing session with an elder,
then listen to a presentation on the use of medicinal plants.
Afterwards you are transferred to your hotel in Iquitos, or
the airport.

In the afternoon, set out on a guided walk to the Samiria River,
known as “the jungle mirror” because its smooth blackwater
reflects the forest and sky all around it. On the way, your wildlife
guide spots and shows you not just A-lister sloths, monkeys and
birds but fascinating flora and smaller animals such as frogs, ants,
spiders and other insects. Afterwards, return to Pure Amazon
for your nightly debrief and a celebratory farewell dinner.

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