Day 1 - Depart U.S. for Lima, Peru

Fly to Lima and transfer to your hotel in the upscale Miraflores neighborhood. Enjoy time to relax and settle in before meeting your fellow travelers at a welcome reception and dinner. (R,D)

Day 2 - Lima

After breakfast at the hotel, travel into the historic heart of Lima for a guided walking tour of this World Heritage site. Founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima was known as the City of Kings and was the most important city in Spain’s South American empire for some 300 years. View the historic buildings on the Plaza Mayor and visit the beautiful Convent of San Francisco and its haunting catacombs. Meander through the magical Casa Aliaga, a colonial home still occupied by the descendants of the original 16th-century owners. Sit down to a lunch of Peruvian specialties in the lush gardens of the Museo Larco, housed in an 18th-century mansion. Then take a guided tour of the museum’s renowned collection of pre-Columbian art and artifacts. Gather this evening for an exclusive dinner at Casa Garcia Alvarado, a private home that has been designated a National Historical Building. Tour the stunning property and dine with one of the owners while enjoying music by local musicians. (B,L,R,D)

Day 3 - Lima

Spend the morning exploring the bohemian Barranco neighborhood, a 19th-century beach town filled with street art, museums, cafés, and stately summer homes.  See the district’s famous Bridge of Sighs, and visit the Jade Rivera Museum, dedicated to Peru’s most celebrated muralist. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy the remainder of the day to explore Lima as you wish. (B,L)

Day 4 - Iquitos/Nauta

Transfer to the airport this morning and board a flight to Iquitos, a port city during the Spanish colonial era and now gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. On a drive through this bustling city, see colorful auto rickshaws and elegant 19th-century mansions financed by the rubber boom. Travel through the jungle to the town of Nauta, perched on the banks of the Marañon River. Along the way, enjoy a picnic lunch while witnessing scenes of everyday life in the “terra firma” forest—where the jungle floor is not flooded. Settle into your suite aboard the lovely Delfin III, and enjoy an introduction to the flora, fauna, and indigenous cultures of the Amazon by your naturalist guide as you set sail. Watch the sun set over the rainforest and enjoy a dinner of local specialties tonight. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Amazon River Basin

After breakfast, climb into skiffs for a morning excursion on the Samiria River and its winding tributaries. In the thick forests at the water’s edge, watch and listen for capybaras and squirrel monkeys as well as scarlet macaws, toucans, and umbrellabirds. With luck, you may catch a glimpse of a pink dolphin or a river otter swimming in the water, or a prehistoric-looking hoatzin roosting on a branch just above the river. After lunch on board, head into the forest to discover the medicinal uses of native plants on a nature walk that includes a canopy walk. The indigenous people of the Amazon use more than 1,000 species that cure or prevent illness and injury. Tonight, enjoy a lecture by your expert and dinner, then soak up the enchantment of the jungle after dark on a nighttime river safari, searching out caimans and other nocturnal creatures. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Amazon River Basin

Venture into one of the most pristine areas of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a protected area of flooded forests that harbors extraordinary biodiversity. Follow the Yanayacu and Pucate Rivers to small streams and lagoons, on the lookout for wildlife with a naturalist guide. You may choose to kayak the placid waterways and you may have the opportunity to swim with pink dolphins. Pay a visit to a traditional river community to meet the ribereños (villagers) and learn about their everyday life. After lunch and a discussion about modern-day Peru, set out on foot on jungle trails to discover the plant and animal life of the terra firma forest. Here you may spot poison dart frogs, rainbow boas, and perhaps the elusive two-toed sloth. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - Amazon River Basin

Glide along quiet waterways this morning, discovering hawks, herons, and monkeys along the edges of hidden lagoons. Pass timeless villages where the riberenõs go about their daily activities, and try your hand at fishing for piranhas, an important food source for forest communities. Return to the Delfin III for lunch and a lecture by your expert. This afternoon, cruise to the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon Rivers, known by many as the headwaters of the Amazon River. Toast your Amazon voyage at a festive farewell reception and dinner on board this evening. (B,L,R,D)

Days 8 and 9 – Nauta/Iquitos/Lima

Disembark after breakfast and visit the Manatee Rescue Center to learn about efforts to protect this vulnerable species that is native to the Amazon. Observe manatees up close and see other rescued animals, including howler monkeys, sea turtles, and macaws. Continue to Iquitos for your flight to Lima and check in to day rooms at a conveniently located hotel upon arrival. Late this evening, board your overnight flight home. (B,L)