The key moments
- Heritage & Historic Charm: Exceptional nights at the Casa Morey in Iquitos, a beautifully restored riverside hotel full of character, dating from the flourishing rubber era.
- Iconic Wildlife Watching: A magical encounter with Amazon pink river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) at the mouth of the river, plus close-up sightings of sloths, monkeys, caimans, and the tiny pygmy marmoset.
- River Immersion & Varied Activities: A balanced mix of fast-boat rides, peaceful canoe drifts with the current, and guided walks deep in the forest.
- Magical Night Safaris: Evening boat outings after sunset to spot nocturnal wildlife (caimans, tree boas, night birds) under a spectacular starry Amazonian sky.
- Authentic Community Encounter: A warm stop in the riverside village of San Juan de Yanayacu to discover daily life, local initiatives, and handmade crafts.
- Botanical Know-How & Nature: Educational hikes exploring the jungle’s medicinal and useful plants, guided by a passionate local expert.
Detailed itinerary
The Amazon Adventure from Iquitos
Day 1: Flight Lima – Iquitos & Historic Charm
Your trip begins with a flight from Lima to Iquitos, the great gateway to the Peruvian Amazon, accessible only by air or by river. On arrival, you’ll settle into the Casa Morey, a magnificent historic hotel dating from the golden age of rubber, located on the riverbank. Spend the end of the day soaking up the city’s unique atmosphere and resting before your immersion into the forest.
Day 2: On the Way to Muyuna Lodge & First Contact with the Jungle
After a good breakfast at the Casa Morey, you’ll head to the Iquitos dock to board a fast boat. You’ll travel for about three hours, heading up the Amazon and then the Yanayacu River to reach Muyuna Lodge. Once settled into your stilted bungalow, your first excursion begins at 3:00 PM under the guidance of your guide. You’ll head out by boat to a nearby lake to admire the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies and try your hand at traditional piranha fishing.
Day 3: Exploring the Yanayacu, Immersion in San Juan Village & Canoeing
Departure is at 7:20 AM by boat, into a very narrow secondary branch of the Yanayacu River, still navigable before the seasonal drop in water levels. Here you’ll spot sloths, several families of monkeys, caiman lizards, and numerous tropical birds. On the way back, you’ll stop at the small riverside village of San Juan de Yanayacu to discover local life, chat with residents, and see handmade crafts made by the village women. In the afternoon, a silent ride in a traditional paddle canoe takes you back through the flooded forest, before returning to the lodge just ahead of the late-afternoon rain.
Day 4: Expedition on the Yarapa River & the Magic of the Amazon Night
Departure at 8:00 AM for a full day of exploration along the Yarapa River, a very wild, overgrown waterway where your guide sometimes has to clear the way with a machete. After wildlife spotting and some casual fishing, you’ll share a barbecue lunch at a simple riverside camp before heading back to the lodge around 3:00 PM. In the evening, after dinner, you’ll head out again for an hour-long boat ride to look for nocturnal animals under a spectacular starry sky, punctuated by distant flashes of lightning.
Day 5: Drifting Along the Sloth Territory
In the morning, another boat outing takes you up the Yanayacu River. You’ll then board canoes to gently drift with the current back to the lodge. The complete silence of the canoes provides ideal conditions for observing, up close, the sloths hanging in the canopy of this preserved area.
Day 6: Botany, Micro-Fauna & an Exclusive Night Safari
This day is dedicated to a walk along the forest trails with your guide, Melissa. She’ll introduce you to the richness of the jungle’s medicinal and useful plants, as well as an impressive array of micro-fauna: striking 2-cm bullet ants, leaf-cutter ants, squirrel monkeys, and the tiny pygmy marmoset, the smallest monkey in the world. Once night falls, one last evening outing on the river offers wonderful moments spotting caimans, the great potoo, bats, and a tree boa.
Day 7: A Magical Encounter with Pink Dolphins & Return to Iquitos
This is the highlight of your stay: you’ll sail to the point where the Yanayacu River meets the Amazon. Near a river island, you’ll witness the unforgettable sight of several groups of pink dolphins surfacing right beside your boat. After one last meal at the lodge, you’ll begin the journey back to Iquitos, combining a one-hour boat ride to San Joaquín with a two-hour bus trip. You’ll happily return to the comfort of the Casa Morey for your last night.
Day 8: Iquitos – Return Flight to Lima
The end of your stay in the Amazon. After one last breakfast at the Casa Morey and depending on your flight time, you’ll transfer to Iquitos airport for your return flight to Lima, marking the end of this beautiful Amazon adventure.
Budget
What’s included:
- Accommodation
- Transportation: All ground and water transfers from Iquitos (round-trip bus and fast boat to the lodge).
- Activities & Visits: All excursions, botanical walks, and night safaris mentioned in the itinerary.
- Taxes & Entrance Fees: Entry fees and permits for the reserve and wildlife-viewing areas.
What’s not included:
- Flights: Domestic flights (Lima – Iquitos – Lima) and international flights.
- Drinks: Alcoholic beverages, sodas, and personal drinks at the lodge or the Casa Morey.
- Personal Expenses & Optional Items:
- Purchases of local crafts (particularly in San Juan village).
- Tips for guides, boat captains, and lodge/hotel staff.
- Personal travel insurance (repatriation, cancellation, health).
- Anything not explicitly listed under « What’s included. »
