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Sail into the Amazon’s cathedral of green
There’s a pulse to the Amazon, an undercurrent. Inky waters backed by layers of green forest. Wild bird calls fill the air. A leafy branch shakes to reveal a troop of clamoring monkeys. The river water levels can rise by feet overnight, creating new networks of tributaries in what used to be only forest. With nimble, custom-made skiffs we explore this flooded forest, venturing into places no human has seen. With the exquisite Delfin II as your base camp, you’ll discover the pristine upper reaches of the legendary Amazon in style.
Spend a full day exploring the fabled Machu Picchu archaeological site with hand-picked guides
Discover the cobbled lanes and monuments of Cusco, imperial capital of the Inca
Journey to Iquitos and the Amazon for a five-day voyage aboard the 28-guest Delfin II riverboat, venturing out daily in nimble skiffs and kayaks to explore tributaries brimming with wildlife
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
From
$4,947
Prices are per person
Highlights
Amazon
Peru
New
Upper Amazon: A River Expedition 6-Day
Duration
6 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
From
$4,947
Top Highlights
Explore the seasonally flooded forest of Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve at the headwaters of the Amazon with a team of experienced naturalists
Meet the welcoming ribereños, natives of the reserve, and learn about their ways of life along the river
Watch for elusive Amazon wildlife like pink river dolphins, monk saki monkeys, and piranhas, while getting photo tips from a National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Certified Photo Instructor
Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria Reserve is the largest protected seasonal flood forest in South America. The legendary river provides sustenance and utility for the communities who live along the banks and fosters a staggering level of biodiversity. The exquisite 28-guest Delfin II is perfect for our daily explorations; it'sdesigned for the river environment and to keep you connected to it.
Delfin II is a most gracious and lovely river ship. Spacious and clad in gleaming hardwood, she is both modern and authentically of the Amazon. Her public spaces are beautifully appointed—with tropical flowers and native handicraft decorative details.
The Best Time to Visit the Amazon: High Season Vs. Low Season
The Amazon, the “King of All Rivers,” supports the world’s most biodiverse rainforest. All life along it adapts to its seasonal fluctuations. What are these river fluctuations in this seasonally flooded forest, and when should you go?
When you explore the Upper Amazon aboard Delfin II, you'll experience spectacular wildlife, top-notch accommodations, and unparalleled expertise from our team of naturalists.
6 Fascinating Birds to Find on an Amazon River Expedition
Exploring the Amazon’s Pacaya Samiria Natural Reserve has an uncanny way of inspiring travelers who’ve never gone bird-watching before to start scanning the trees and the sky for the most stunning, elusive, eccentric birds. Here are a few to look out for on your adventure.
Sail in tropical style & comfort with a small band of explorers. Delfin II accommodates just 28 guests in 14 beautifully appointed outside suites. This stately riverboat redefines modern elegance. Airy open spaces are detailed with clean lines in tropical hardwoods.
Any given visit to the many small and medium-sized streams, known locally as 'caños,' is simply fascinating! This morning we spotted many colorful bird species: woodpeckers, tanagers, cotingas, jacamars, and kingfishers.
Carlos Romero, Expedition Leader, January 27, 2022
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades. Go with an expedition leader, naturalists, and local experts on birding, history, and more.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the conductors of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition experience for our guests.
Every Amazon expedition offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
Most of the naturalists were born in towns along the riverbanks and educated in schools in Iquitos. Each hand-picked guide is specially trained before joining the Lindblad expedition team. All are fluent in English, and their personal knowledge, gained from village elders, along with their scientific training makes for fascinating storytelling, as authentic as it is well informed.
Colombian filmmaker and photographer Federico Pardo specializes in natural history, environmental, and human stories. He received a National Geographic grant in 2019 for his Vanishing Primates project, and garnered two Emmy awards—one with National Geographic's “Untamed Americas” and another with Univision's “The Amazon: A Paradise for Sale.”
Wildlife photojournalist, filmmaker, and field biologist Tim Laman uses his cameras as tools for telling the stories of rare and endangered wildlife and revealing some of Earth's wildest places. He has published more than 20 feature stories in National Geographic magazine and worked on films for the National Geographic Channel, BBC, and Netflix. Tim's work has garnered numerous awards, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016.
Ami Vitale is a National Geographic Explorer, photographer and filmmaker, as well as an ambassador for Nikon. She is also the founder and executive director of the women-led nonprofit Vital Impacts, which supports humanitarian projects around the world.
Praises to the chef and his crew for the best Lindblad foods so far. Wow! I loved the use of local fruits, etc., and special sauces. Keep the chef. He is excellent and we are foodies.
Kay G.
Making a Difference
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in the Amazon currently support our regional partner, Minga Peru, in its efforts to promote sustainable change for indigenous women and their communities.
Tamandua! The cry went out from our naturalist Jorge early this morning on our skiff ride on Belluda Creek. We craned our necks and adjusted our viewpoints to see this arboreal anteater as it quietly went about the business of gathering its breakfast. Finally, it stepped into a clearing on a branch right over our heads! He seemed to be posing for our cameras, so we quickly took many images for posterity. Tamandua paparazzi! After being delayed for a short time due to a torrential downpour, we set out in our skiffs once again to explore the Dorado River — this time into the darkness of night! Our intended quarries were the wily caimans on the river; their positions in the complete darkness were revealed by the shining of their eyes under our strong spotlights. These youngsters allowed us to get right next to them as they floated on vegetation, just waiting to strike at a fish or other prey!
Today we had an exciting pre-breakfast excursion, just next to our ship at the entrance of Clavero Lake. Squirrel monkeys by the dozens were feeding in the cecropia trees, and during our skiff ride we encountered more than 50 species of birds! Later we crossed the lake and entered a passageway which, after many good wildlife encounters, deposited us upstream in the Ucayali River, where Delfin II was waiting for us. In the afternoon we explored again, this time by both kayaks and skiffs.
What a beautiful morning! It had rained for most of the night, but amazingly we didn’t experience a drop of water falling from the sky all day! Birds of all shapes and colors greeted us on our skiff ride this morning, with monkeys adding to the cacophony of sounds. After breakfast we hiked on Terra Firma, one of just a few places that we can walk on relatively dry ground. We met with Shaman Carola, who taught us about the plants and herbs she uses to treat everything from arthritis to diabetes to hair loss. Carola has served 9 communities along the Marañon River, treating young and old alike. Our afternoon skiff ride gave us good looks at saddle-back tamarin monkeys, chirping and playing among the dense foliage. Again the birds were on display, showing off their opulent plumage. Our skiff encountered a parrot snake just as the sun was setting, though how our driver Primo was able to spot it in the water hyacinths is beyond me!
Waking up early to explore by skiff is never a bad idea in the Amazon; the wildlife is active, the light is always interesting, and the freshness and crispness of the air is incomparable! Today we went exploring before breakfast, and found our first interesting birds of the trip and even some mammals. After breakfast, we went for our first hike in the jungle. Back onboard we took the opportunity to learn from our naturalists during the hottest part of the day, while gently sailing up the Marañón River and enjoying pink river dolphins along the way. In the late afternoon we readied ourselves and headed out for more adventures — just a taste of what this week is going to be!
Leaving Delfin II at 06:00 for our morning skiff ride, we explored the Yarapa River and monkeys were everywhere! We saw common wooly monkeys, monk saki monkeys, and common squirrel monkeys. We weren’t monkeying around! In addition to the monkeys there were woodpeckers galore! We photographed crimson-crested, yellow-tufted, and cream-colored woodpeckers as they were busily hammering away at trees and termite nests. Our afternoon was spent at Amazonas Village getting an introduction to life along the river. We enjoyed demonstrations of food preparation, basketmaking with palm fibers, and hand-dying with local plants to give the baskets vibrant colors. We also had an introduction to Minga Peru, a group serving 40 different communities in this area. Our evening was topped off with a toast to the beginning of the actual Amazon River, where the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers converge. Salud!
FAQs
FAQs and key information
From climate conditions, to electrical outlets, to packing the right footwear, find answers to the questions Expedition Specialists get most often.