Zafiro Amazon – Sample

Cruises

SUMMARY

5 Days

Peru, Amazon

The Zafiro Amazon cruise is a state-of-the-art luxury vessel that sails along the Peruvian Amazon, exploring the beautiful Amazon, the Marañón and Ucayali rivers and their tributaries. The Pacaya Samiria Reserve will be the perfect scenario for a trip into the most exotic areas nature has to offer. As you enter the world’s largest flooded forest, admire the extraordinary wildlife of the Amazon. See hundreds of colourful exotic birds, have a close-up view of the pink dolphins and take nocturnal wildlife safaris. A visit to the amazonian villages will allow you to interact and learn from the Amazonian people.

This small cruise has some remarkable standout features, almost too many to name, but include both exercise and massage rooms. There is an outdoor Jacuzzi on the Observation Deck as well as sun loungers and bar lounge. The ZafiroAmazon cruise is ideal for families as her First Deck Suites can fit a roll-away bed suitable for children younger than 12. Four suites also interconnect, and the remarkable Zafiro Suite also has a sofa bed big enough for an adult. Her 19 spacious suites feature air-conditioning, ensuite bathrooms and magnificent views from floor to ceiling windows. Furthermore, cabins on the Second Deck have private balconies too.

The Zafiro operates fixed 3-night, 4-night and 7-night itineraries. The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve – an area unrivalled for wildlife – allowing you to explore deep into the heart of the rainforest. The 8-day departures are a combination of the 5-day and 4-day itineraries in that order.

HIGHLIGHTS

There are private balconies on Upper Deck
Famous Piranha fishing
Swim close to the unique Pink River dolphin
Explore the Amazon in depth on board of the skiffs
Zafiro Suite has 180° floor-to-ceiling windows
Zafiro has a stylish design & modern facilities

ITINERARY

Day 1 Iquitos/Cruise

Upon arrival at Iquitos, you will be transferred to the main pier to board the Zafiro. After getting settled into your cabin, the ship will begin navigating. Enjoy a cocktail in the bar and the breathtaking view from our indoor and outdoor lounge. You’ll have a meeting where they will explain the program of the journey, the activities, and route. Guides will talk about the important moments during the expedition and the particularities of life, wildlife and landscape of the area. Later, enjoy a welcome dinner.

Day 2 Amazon/Iquitos

After breakfast travel onboard skiffs to Yukama, a native reserve with around 17 black water lakes. It has abundant wildlife and is home to the indigenous communities of Ayacucho and San Juan. Here, you can see different species of birds and monkeys and learn more about nature.
Discover a flooded forest that covers five million acres at the headway of the Amazon bordering the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. Then, travel in the skiffs to the place where the rivers meet—forming the Amazon River. The diversity of species that inhabit this area is immense: long beak swallows, laughing hawks, grey tangaras, correlimos, parakeets, and many more species of birds. Explore the first river in the reserve of Pacaya Samiria, the Lake of Pirañas, in search of wildlife. Return to Zafiro for lunch; guides will give a lecture on the ideology and beliefs of the Amazonian people.
After lunch, discover the ‘jungle of mirrors’ and sharpen your senses on how to locate toucans, parrots, macaws, iguanas, sloths, and monkeys in the treetops. Return to the Zafiro where you can enjoy the colours of the sunset over the waters.
As the night falls, you will have the opportunity to take a boat ride to enjoy the constellations while simultaneously looking for caimans, tarantulas and boas.

Day 3 Amazon/Iquitos

At dawn, you will have the opportunity to go exploring several lakes and lagoons on skiffs. You will later have breakfast while enjoying one of the best-preserved and protected areas of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve, an area popular for dolphin watching.
Return to Zafiro for lunch and some rest. In the afternoon you can swim next to the unique pink river dolphins. Later the guides will give a lecture on the hydrography of the rivers and the Amazon jungle.
At sunset take a short walk on the hanging bridges and through the forest while observing its abundance of colourful birds. After embarking on an incredible experience with the shaman, participate in the tree planting ceremony.
Tonight you can take an excursion on the Tiger River towards Nahuapa. The Tiger River is one of the most important ramifications that flow towards the Marañón River. It has hundreds of small rivers flowing towards it. Explore the Nahuapa, one of those small rivers, in search of alligators, snakes, tarantulas, nocturnal monkeys and birds.

Day 4 Amazon/Iquitos

Today you will have breakfast onboard the boats, before navigating the Samiria River into the deep jungle. Discover the abundant wildlife that inhabits it: yellow and blue macaws, toucans, parasol birds, monkeys, capybaras, and more.
Return to Zafiro for lunch and another lecture. Guides will explain the origin of the name ‘Amazonas’ and will talk about the flora and fauna that inhabit it.
After lunch, visit the San Martin community of Tipishca Kukama on the banks of the river. Meet the genuine and welcoming inhabitants of this Amazonian community through your guides, who will be the interpreters. You’ll have the opportunity to buy handicrafts made by these same inhabitants.
Navigate to a century-old lake that is home to an abundant supply of fish, including piranha and catfish. Birds in the lake are plentiful. The lake also attracts many species such as yellow and blue macaws, chiricotes, tiger herons, black wattles, Pygmy and Amazonian pejerreyes. You may even see hoatzins, red-capped cardinals and ringed pejerreyes.
Enjoy a concert of live music aboard the Zafiro and a typical Peruvian dinner.

Day 5 Iquitos

Before breakfast you will have the opportunity to go bird watching. Following the coastline, you will be able to see the many species of monkeys and birds, including terns, neotropical cormorants, garzetas, herons, hawks and, the famous hoatzin.
Begin your expedition fishing for piranha in the Shiriyacu stream. Then, visit the local shaman and learn about the medicine of the Amazon and the ancestral traditions. You will have the opportunity to ask the questions to the shaman.
Return to Zafiro for an early lunch and then disembark and travel from Nauta to Iquitos, passing through the Manatee Rescue Centre. You will have the opportunity to meet baby manatees and learn about these wonderful and docile creatures and why they are on the list of endangered species. Later, transfer to the airport for your ongoing flight.