itinerary

Day 1. Iquitos / Nauta / Pacaya Samiria (L-D)

Our personal will meet and greet you at the Iquitos Airport from where you will be transferred to the city or pick up to the hotel. Along the way you will briefly sightsee the tourist highlights of Iquitos, this representative Peruvian jungle town that on the 19th Century turned from a small outpost to the most important port city in the Amazon basin, acquiring an outstanding cosmopolitan status during the so called "Rubber boom".

In Iquitos you will be first introduced to your naturalist guide and then transferred overland to Nauta where you will board the boat that will take you to the Tambo Amazonico Lodge.

Transfer to the town of Nauta some 62 miles distant from Iquitos driving on the new Iquitos-Nauta Road. The overland route goes through many different ecosystems, such as the Quistococha National Tourist Park dense humid forest and the Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve varillal and chamisal brushwood and white-sand forest, favorite birdwatching spot and home of some endemic species.

After an approximately 2 hour drive you will reach Nauta, a small and picturesque town on the banks of the Maranon River. You may have a few minutes to take a walk in town before boarding the boat to the Yarapa River (Pacaya-Samiria Outer Zone). Lunch.
Sail up the Maranon River. The Maranon that in conjunction with the Ucayali form the mighty Amazon River, has its origin 1 000 Miles back in the heights of the Department of Huanuco. It was through this waterway that much of the Peruvian Amazon region was explored and colonized since the 16-Century when the Spanish conquistadors searched for "the country were everything is gold". Currently the Maranon is the way to meet another kind of immeasurable wealth, one of Peru's largest natural reserves.

Boat trip from Nauta takes about 2-hours-and-thirty minutes to reach Pacaya-Samiria's inner zone in the Yanayacu-Pucate River Basin (112 miles SW of Iquitos). The trip will prove to be interesting from the start with beautiful sight unveiling to your eyes. The endless vegetation, the blue sky with unusual shaped clouds blend harmoniously with the chocolate-color waters of the river; swarms of parrots, macaws and egrets flying from one side of the river to the other, up-ahead a pink flash on the water reveals the presence of a "bufeo" or dolphin challenging boatmen to come closer for a quick better view.

Entering the Pacaya-Samiria.Nat'l Reserve. Sail on the Yanayacu-Pucate River and immediately notice the water color change; rivers and oxbow lakes in the reserve are dark almost black-colored, limpid and still, thus having an image reflex effect that reproduces the beautiful surroundings as if it were a mirror. There will be a brief stop to register in the Santo Domingo ranger station. A few minutes later the boat will proceed to the camping-site following the course of the Yanayacu-Pucate.

Camping near the Arequipa community. Approximately one hour boating time inside the reserve, tents will be lifted on the river shore. While our staff gets everything ready for a most gratifying rest and meal, you could take pictures of the impressive scenery or perhaps visit the nearby village and get to know its inhabitants. Our expert cook will have a tasty dinner ready when you cone back to the camp.

Comments with your guide about the day experiences. Overnight in safe and comfortable tent, very often under a star-lit sky that seems to inspire sounds made by jungle creatures.
 
Day 2. Pacaya Samiria (B-LD)

If you get up very early in the morning you will be delighted to watch the birds as they leave their nests to search for food in or around the river.

After a hearty breakfast, the journey continues with greater chances to see wildlife as you sail deeper in the reserve.

Our destination is Shansho Cocha, an oxbow lake an hour-and-a-half trip away from camping site. On the way delightful sights will reveal the uniqueness of this place; some of the highlights of these surroundings are the giant Lupuna (Ceiba pentandra), Capirona, and Capinurí (Heliocostilis scabra) trees and eye-catching birds as the Toucan (Pteroglossus sp.), the Red Macaw (Ara macao), the Blue-and-Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna), the Great Egret (Egreta alba) and the Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona).  When you arrive in Shansho Cocha you will spot for the Hoatzin or "Shansho" (Opysthocomus hoazin), a bird with pre-historic features that nestles and feeds on the shores of this lake. Return to the campsite and lunch. After a brief time to rest, the boat trip proceeds on the Yanaquillo Creek where it is possible to find squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis), saddle back tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) y perezosos (Bradypus variegatus). Return to camping site and dinner. Overnight.

Day 3. Pacaya Samiria (B-L-D)

Breakfast. Morning boat or canoe trip to Japon Creek and Yanta Lake where besides birdwatching you will also have a time for fishing. Among the fish species found in the reserve we can name; piranha (Serrasalmus sp.), "sábalo" (Brycun americus), sardina (Triportheus sp.), among others.


Lunch. Canoe ride to enjoy more of the exceptional natural scenery of the reserve. Late in the afternoon it is a good time to photograph birds that return to their nests for the night. Dinner and last comments with your guide about your experience in the reserve. Overnight.

Day 4. Pacaya Samiria (B-L-D)

Early morning breakfast and afterwards campsite moves to another location (Sacarita de Yarina) two-hour boat trip deeper inside the reserve. During the trip you could spot the graceful pink dolphins (Inia geoffrenssis) and the "taricayas", local name for the yellow-spotted river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis). You could also have the chance of seeing the elusive giant river otters (Ptenerura brasiliensis), skillful swimmers and fishers. Arrive to destination and camp installed.
Lunch on the edge of the river overlooking at the beautiful scenery.
Walk around the camp to discover this area's exquisite flora and fauna. See the wonderful color changes of the rainforest at sunset.
Dinner and comments with your guide regarding next day programmed activities.
Overnight.

Day 5. Pacaya Samiria / Nauta / Iquitos (B-L)      

Breakfast and last chance to take pictures in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. After our personnel has packed away all the camping gear, the return trip begins heading back towards Nauta down the Maranon River. An automobile or bus will take you to Iquitos and our personnel where our personnel will transfer you to your hotel or to the airport if you have a programmed return flight to Lima.

                                                                             HAVE A NICE TRIP    ENJOY IT!

* The order of some activities may vary due to operational or weather conditions.