Start: day 1 at 9:00 am at meeting point in Iquitos.
End: day 5 at 5:00 pm in hotel or airport of Iquitos.
Day 1: Iquitos – Nauta – Pacaya-Samiria Campsite.
We will gather in our meeting point to depart from the city of Iquitos for Nauta on a 2.5-hour trip. Next, we will take a boat upstream and arrive at the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañón Rivers. Then, we will go to the town of La Libertad. Make sure to keep an eye out during the boat trip, because you could spot caimans, turtles, and different types of birds.
In the afternoon, we will go to a special place to see pink river dolphins, and we will even have a chance to swim there too. Then, we will pass through the control point for travelers to reach the Arequipa community, where we will set up our first campsite. We will go on an excursion to search for caiman in the afternoon. We will then return to camp to spend the first night in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, where we will sleep in our tents.
Day 2: Marañón River – Fishing for Piranhas – Pacaya-Samiria Campsite.
We will have breakfast very early in the morning to then start the boat trip down the Marañón River, which will last approximately 3 hours. During the trip, we will get the chance to see different species that live on the banks of the river, such as caimans and turtles, as well as birds that we can spot in the trees. We will arrive at our next campsite in the Shansho Cocha area.
After setting up camp, we will eat lunch amidst the surrounding landscape of rivers and large trees. We will go fishing for piranhas and other fish species in the river during the afternoon. Then, we will return to camp to eat dinner. After this, we will go for a walk to spot some nocturnal species and listen to the nighttime sounds of the jungle. We will go to sleep in our tents when we get back from the outing.
Day 3: Veinte de Enero – Yanta Lake – Nighttime Hike.
Just like on previous days, we will eat breakfast and then take a boat on the river to the next campsite in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. We will reach the Veinte de Enero area, where we will be able to spot a number of animals that live here. We will also learn about different Amazonian plants, and will visit Yanta Lake and its diverse surrounding landscape. Here we will have the chance to choose an activity, such as hiking, canoeing, fishing for piranhas, identifying plants, or just taking a refreshing dip in the lagoon.
We will eat lunch around noon and then rest and restore our energy after the activities and trips. We will then have the rest of the afternoon free until dinnertime. After dinner, we will go for a hike to spot some nocturnal species in the jungle. Then, we will go to our tents to sleep.
Day 4: Birdwatching – Yanaquillo Creek.
We will eat breakfast early in the morning and then start our trip downriver. We will see different bird species along the way, such as cotingas, macaws, and parrots, just to name a few. Then, we will reach 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 the giant Ceiba trees and different macaw species.
We will eat lunch at noon and then will have the rest of the afternoon free to rest. At night, we will have dinner and then we can go on a nighttime hike.
Day 5: Pacaya-Samiria Excursion – Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon – Iquitos.
We will eat breakfast very early in the morning to embark upon our last excursion in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. After this, we will return to the campsite to have lunch and pack up our gear. Then, we will start the boat trip back to Iquitos, and along the way we will catch our last glimpse of the river and surrounding landscape. We will then make a stop at the Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon (IIAP). Here we will be able to see manatees and river dolphins of the Amazon that are undergoing a rehabilitation cycle to be able to return to their natural environment. Next, we will return to Iquitos, where we will take you back to your hotel or drop you off at the airport if you have a flight on the same day that the activity ends.
