Live
as the river people do, in thatched open-air
buildings along a small Amazon tributary,
one of the best places for seeing wildlife
in the Iquitos area, and the only place
to view life in the treetops from a fantastic
canopy walkway, accessible to everyone,
with no need for specialized climbing gear.
Spend two nights at innovative Explorama
Lodge, and two nights on comfortable mattresses
under mosquito netting on an open-air platform
at Expornapo Camp, very primitive but ideal
for the adventurer in search of a pure
Amazon experience.
DAY 1: LIMA/IQUITOS/AMAZON
JUNGLE
Transfer to the airport and jet to Iquitos, where the Ucayall and Maranon
Rivers meet to form the mighty Amazon. A scenic cruise takes you to your
lodge on the Amazon tributary of Yanamono, to begin your exploration
of deep jungle terrain and indigenous tribes who preserve their traditional
ways of life. Begin with a hike or canoe trip through low-lying forest
full of butterflies and bird life, chattering monkeys, and subtle finds
like odd little insects and flowers. At day’s end, relax in the
lounge where local musicians often perform; or invite your guides to
come sit and share their stories of forest legends and lore. EXPLORAMA
LODGE (L,D)
DAY 2: AMAZON JUNGLE - CAMP
Peru’s Amazon is believed the most biodiverse of the entire Amazon
region. Today you depart by canoe 50 miles further down river to one
of the most pristine of these habitats, a 4200-acre jungle preserve with
the highest known density of bird life in the world. Though your daily
program is subject to change due to trail and river conditions, your
camp on the Napo River will provide access to exciting adventures that
only the Amazon can offer. Begin at RENUPERU Ethnobotonical Garden, gaining
fascinating new insight into the uses of rain forest plants both in modern
pharmacology and in the traditional remedies of the local shaman. Tonight,
venture out by canoe on Sucusari stream to look for caimans by searchlight
and enjoy the night sounds and stars of the southern sky. EXPLORNAPO
CAMP (B,L,D)
DAY 3: AMAZON JUNGLE - CAMP
Today’s hike on the Canopy Walkway will be a highlight of your
travels, offering up-close viewing of parts of the forest rarely seen
by man. Walk between the trees on a 1500-foot network of suspended bridges
reaching up to 115 feet above ground. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking
perspectives of scores or tropical bird species, and perhaps even sloths,
marmosets, monkeys, and other treetop life. Return to camp for lunch
before heading into the Amazon backwaters on a boat trip deep into primeval
forest. Search for animals behind the “green curtain” on
a Napo tributary, try your hand at pole fishing in the river, or even
take a refreshing dip in the clear dark waters. EXPLORNAPO CAMP (B,L,D)
DAY 4: AMAZON JUNGLE
Rise early for a morning expedition to Amazon lakes and jungle trails.
Canoe to a black water oxbow lake covered with giant Victoria Regia water
lilies big enough to support a small child; search for odd Hoatzin birds
swimming clumsily on the lake; pass the town of Francisco de Orellana,
where a statue commemorates the first European to set eyes on the Amazon
in 1542. Arrive at your lodge for dinner and overnight. EXPLORAMA LODGE
(B,L,D)
DAY 5: AMAZON JUNGLE/IQUITOS/LIMA
Take a final walk in the calm jungle morning, along the river to a Yagua
Indian village, where you may shop or barter for their unique handicrafts
and jewelry, see the rum “factory”, and visit the American
doctor at her river clinic. This afternoon, fly from Iquitos to Lima,
where your luxury hotel is a welcome sight. ROYAL PARK (B)
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