4-Day Aria Amazon Cruise in Peru from Iquitos
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TripsPeruIquitos

4-Day Aria Amazon Cruise in Peru from Iquitos

Amazon
3 Nights·4 Days
IquitosRiver CruisesFamily Adventures

Overview

Embarking on the 4-day Aria Amazon Cruise offers an immersive luxury journey into the heart of the Peruvian rainforest. Starting from Iquitos, you’ll navigate the Marañón, Ucayali, and Amazon rivers, venturing deep into the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Surrounded by lush palm forests and mirror-like black waters, guests encounter wild pink dolphins, sloths, and exotic birds in their natural habitat.

The river’s water levels shape the itinerary, offering two distinct seasonal perspectives. The high-water season (November–June) floods the forest, allowing tours through the canopy for close-up wildlife sightings, while the low-water season (July–October) exposes trails for jungle walks and piranha fishing. Throughout the trip, guests enjoy a diverse range of activities, including birdwatching, kayaking, night outings, and visits to local communities.

The Aria Amazon ship serves as a sophisticated sanctuary in the jungle, accommodating just 32 guests across 16 river-view suites. Outfitted with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, elegant lounges, an observation deck, and an outdoor jacuzzi, the ship guarantees complete comfort and exclusivity.

  • Full itinerary: skiff excursions on the Amazon, Marañón, and Ucayali rivers and their black-water tributaries; birdwatching at dawn; piranha fishing; kayaking; canoeing and swimming; jungle walks; village visits; night wildlife outings; Nauta market; Manatee Rescue Center.
  • Look for pink river dolphins, sloths, monkeys, parrots, hawks, and egrets from 10-guest skiffs with a naturalist guide and a pilot.
  • Explore the black waters of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, home to aguaje palm forests, poison dart frogs, and medicinal trees.
  • Sleep in a 23 m² river-view suite on a 16-suite ship with a jacuzzi, lounges, an observation deck, a massage room, and a gym.
  • Activities guided by English-speaking local naturalists, born and raised in the Peruvian Amazon.
  • All-inclusive experience: shared transfers from Iquitos airport, 3 nights aboard, all meals and soft drinks, every excursion and its equipment, the Pacaya-Samiria entrance fee, naturalist guides, and Wi-Fi.

  • Please note: This is a sample itinerary. The captain and the guides adjust each day’s excursions for weather, river level, and wildlife behavior. Activities change according to the season (high water and low water).

Itinerary

Day 1

Iquitos Airport / Transfer to Nauta / Embarkation on the Aria Amazon Cruise

  • ArrivalIquitos International Airport (IQT) · Recommended flight from Lima lands at 1:30 PM
  • TransferIquitos → Nauta · ~2h · Box lunch on the way
  • EmbarkationAria Amazon Cruise · 4:30 PM at the private wharf in Nauta

Meet the Aria Amazon team at the Iquitos Airport. A shared vehicle drives you about 2 hours to the river port of Nauta, with a box lunch on the way. Weather permitting, the day may include a first excursion before boarding.

Embarkation is at 4:30 PM. On board, settle into your suite before a short safety drill and an introduction to the naturalist guides who will lead every excursion. The ship then heads onto the Marañón River for the night.

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

Aerial view of the Aria Amazon cruise ship navigating a wide dark-water river past dense rainforest and a narrow jungle tributary in Peru
A well-appointed cabin on the Aria Amazon cruise features a double bed with tropical print pillows, a woven fan resting on the bed runner, warm wall sconces, an open en-suite bathroom with a wood-panelled vanity, and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over a wide river at dusk.
The Aria Amazon cruise ship glowing with warm interior lights reflects on the calm dark waters of the river at dusk, with a forested bank silhouetted against a deep blue sky

Day 2

Skiff Excursions / Birdwatching / Black-Water Lakes / Night Wildlife

  • Early startWake-up call around 5 AM for the dawn excursion
  • Skiff excursionsWith a naturalist guide · About 3–4 hours each
  • Night outingNocturnal wildlife and stargazing

High water (November to June)

The day starts with birdwatching on the Amazon River. After breakfast, the skiffs follow the Yanayacu Yacapana River, a tributary of the Amazon, looking for parrots, hawks, monkeys, and sloths in the flooded forest. In the evening, a wildlife outing on the black waters of the Nauta Caño River ends under the stars.

Low water (July to October)

A dawn search along the Ucayali River for parrots, egrets, hawks, and monkeys. Later, choose between piranha fishing, canoeing, kayaking, or a swim in the Clavero Lake, or visit a village to meet the ribereños, the river people of the Peruvian Amazon. After dinner, an easy walk through the floodplain forest of San José de Paranapura.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A small motorized skiff carrying a naturalist guide and several guests navigates through a dense carpet of aquatic plants on an aria amazon cruise excursion, with tall rainforest trees lining the bank under bright midday sun
A three-toed sloth clinging to a cecropia tree branch against a clear blue sky, spotted during an aria amazon cruise excursion
Guests on an aria amazon cruise skiff scan the flooded forest canopy with binoculars while a naturalist guide points out wildlife along a narrow jungle waterway, with a second skiff of passengers visible behind
A black-collared hawk with rich rufous plumage and a pale face perches on a mossy tree branch during an aria amazon cruise wildlife excursion, surrounded by dense green forest canopy
Staff aboard the Aria Amazon cruise serve a spread of traditional Amazonian dishes on wooden trays between two skiffs moored at a dense rainforest riverbank, with guests seated and crew in white uniforms presenting food wrapped in banana leaves
A naturalist guide with binoculars points up into the rainforest canopy during an Aria Amazon cruise excursion, while a group of guests in sun hats and UV shirts look upward with curiosity
A small skiff carrying several passengers crosses a wide river at sunset during an Aria Amazon cruise, with a rose-pink sky reflected on the glassy water and a distant forested horizon
A naturalist guide on an aria amazon cruise skiff points toward the riverbank while three guests in life vests scan the water, one using binoculars, on a wide hazy river

Day 3

Pacaya-Samiria / Piranha Fishing / Village Visit / Jungle Walk

  • Jungle walkMedicinal trees, insects and poison dart frogs
  • Piranha fishingFrom the skiffs, with the guides
  • Village visitAguaje palm harvesting demonstration (high water)

High water (November to June)

The skiffs enter the Yanayacu Pucate River near the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Fish for piranhas, then visit a riverside village where families show how they harvest the aguaje palm fruit. Canoeing and swimming in the black water come next, with an eye out for pink river dolphins. After lunch, a jungle walk looks for medicinal trees, insects, and poison dart frogs.

Low water (July to October)

Enjoy a morning excursion on the Amazon River, then the Tahuayo River, while the guides tell stories of the region. After lunch, a jungle walk in the San Pedro or Puerto Prado forest. At dusk, the skiffs go back out on the Amazon for nocturnal wildlife.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A group of guests in red life vests paddling tandem kayaks along a narrow, vegetation-lined river channel during an Aria Amazon cruise excursion, with dense tropical forest closing in on both banks
A smiling traveler holds up a small piranha on a line during an aria amazon cruise excursion, while a laughing local guide looks on from the skiff, dense green jungle in the background
A group of guests aboard the Nera III skiff on the aria amazon cruise, drifting through a narrow black-water channel lined with dense tropical forest, some standing with fishing rods and others seated at the bow
Guests on an aria amazon cruise climb wooden riverside steps toward a thatched-roof village building, while two motorized skiffs wait at the water's edge beneath coconut palms
Aerial view of two motorized skiffs navigating a narrow dark-water river channel flanked by dense tropical forest canopy on an Aria Amazon cruise excursion
A small group of travelers in hats and field clothing gaze up at a massive ancient rainforest tree during an Aria Amazon cruise jungle walk, surrounded by palms, vines, and dappled green light

Day 4

Nauta Market / Manatee Rescue Center / Transfer to Iquitos Airport

  • Guided visitNauta local market · Breakfast and disembarkation at 9 AM
  • Manatee Rescue CenterOrphaned Amazonian manatees in rehabilitation
  • TransferNauta → Iquitos airport · 1h40 · Drop-off 2h before the flight to Lima

The last morning starts on land, with a guided walk through the market of Nauta to see the produce of the Peruvian Amazon. Return to the ship for breakfast and disembark at 9 AM.

On the drive back to Iquitos, stop at the Manatee Rescue Center, where orphaned Amazonian manatees are cared for until they can return to the wild. Your Amazon river cruise in Peru ends at Iquitos Airport two hours before the early-afternoon flight to Lima.

Staying on in Iquitos? The shared transfer can drop you at your hotel in the city instead.

Meals included: Breakfast

Silhouette of a person seated in a long wooden canoe on a wide river at sunset, with the sun low on the horizon, dramatic storm clouds lit in deep orange and gold, and a dark tree line reflected on the calm water — a quiet moment on an aria amazon cruise.
A vendor at the Nauta market arranges large piles of dried and salted fish across a busy open-air stall, with other vendors and shoppers visible in the background — a stop on the aria amazon cruise itinerary
Aerial view of the Aria Amazon cruise ship navigating a wide river in Peru, with warm wood-paneled suites, a teal canopy over the open deck, and a small skiff alongside

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Iquitos Airport ⇌ Nauta port), shared, when you fly on the recommended flights
  • 3-night stay aboard the Aria Amazon in a river-view Design Suite
  • Meals (full board, Day 1 lunch to Day 4 breakfast)
  • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Entrance fee to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
  • High-speed Wi-Fi on board (Starlink)
  • Onboard lectures and evening entertainment
  • Rubber boots, hooded rain ponchos, sunscreen and insect repellent to use on board, and a refillable water bottle
  • Porters at the airport and the pier
  • Guided tours (skiff excursions, birdwatching, piranha fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, jungle walks, a village visit, night wildlife outings, Nauta market, and the Manatee Rescue Center), with all equipment
  • English- and Spanish-speaking naturalist guides, shared with the other guests on board

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Private transfers, if you arrive after the recommended flight or leave the ship early
  • Alcoholic drinks (own bottles allowed, USD 30 corkage per bottle)
  • Massages and boutique purchases
  • Tips for guides and crew
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Visas and airport departure taxes
  • Laundry service
  • Satellite phone calls
  • Extra-language guide
  • Extra nights caused by flight cancellations

FAQ

Reviews

“Our trip was beyond all expectations. The crew was remarkable: helpful, knowledgeable, fun to be with, they became a part of our family and we loved all of them. I’ve traveled a lot and this was tops.”

— Jacquie B

“Overall, we had a very enjoyable experience aboard Aria Amazon. While it wasn't our favorite expedition cruise we've ever taken, it was a memorable way to experience one of the world's most fascinating ecosystems. Our trip got off to a bit of a rough start. The arrival and guest greeting process felt somewhat disorganized and lacked the warm, polished welcome we'd expected from a luxury cruise. Fortunately, once we settled in, the crew found their stride, and the service throughout the rest of the voyage was attentive, friendly, and professional. The guides were knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about the Amazon. Their ability to spot wildlife that most of us would have completely missed was remarkable, and we learned a tremendous amount about the region's plants, animals, and culture. The skiff excursions were well organized and gave us opportunities to see monkeys, birds, sloths, dolphins, and countless other species. The ship itself is beautiful, with comfortable cabins, inviting common areas, and excellent food throughout the cruise. The staff worked hard to ensure everyone was comfortable, and by the end of the trip, we truly appreciated their hospitality. That said, we discovered that an Amazon river cruise simply isn't our favorite style of travel. While the rainforest is undeniably impressive, many of the daily excursions have a similar rhythm, and after several days they began to feel somewhat repetitive. That's more a reflection of our personal travel preferences than anything Aria Amazon did wrong. If experiencing the Amazon is on your bucket list, Aria Amazon is an excellent choice. The ship is luxurious, the guides are outstanding, and the crew delivers a very high-quality experience. We're glad we did it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to travelers looking for a comfortable, immersive introduction to one of the world's most remarkable natural environments.”

— Carlsonfamilytravels

“I had an amazing Amazon cruise—everything was perfect! The food was delicious, the jungle exploration was unforgettable, and we saw incredible wildlife. The crew was friendly, responsive, and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend this unique experience!”

— Ginta Amerika

“Our experience was fantastic. Our cruise on the Aria Amazon boat was truly an adventure. All the naturalist guides, staff, food and cabin were amazing.”

— diane K

“This trip was unforgettable. We took a three day trip on the Amazon River on the Aria. The boat is gorgeous, spotless, and the service impeccable, not to mention the food. Aside from the accommodations, the guides are very knowledgeable and so courteous that they learned all our names from the first day. The everyday activities were varied and wonderful: from watching all types of animals and birds (which the guides were experts at spotting) to breakfast and afternoon drinks on the water. I recommend this trip 100%.”

— Virginia

“We had such a lovely time! Food and service were amazing, excursions were so much fun and informative. They guides really knew their stuff! Rooms were spacious and comfortable!”

— Paige T

“The Aria (Amazon) cruise was an amazing experience and the excursions provided everything we expected with sightings of dolphins, monkeys, sloths, snakes, and so many more! The food and service was top notch. Would recommend it to anyone!”

— Neal L

“Recent trip on Aria Amazon was incredible. The service was above and beyond at all times. The food/dining blew me away. Beautiful and educational. A great way to experience the Amazon. Attention to detail was perfect. It has an old world feel with all the modern conveniences one would expect with Aria.”

— Departure32758353433

“I want to begin by thanking this incredible crew for their passion and dedication, which was both noticeable and exceptional. We spent three unforgettable nights at Aria, and I would travel halfway around the world again to relive the experience. The daily symphony of the morning birds was my favorite part, and connecting with the local people in the heart of the Amazon truly touched my heart. Special thanks to(Jordano and Roland) for making this trip unforgettable, along with the entire wonderful and dedicated crew. Thank you guys, sending lots of love to you from the other half of the world see you next year 🥰”

— Tema K

“The staff on this Amazon cruise was excellent. The kitchen staff and chef were top notch and were even able to accommodate my gluten allergy without a problem. The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful and also a lot of fun! Special Kudos to guides George and Roland! The experience could not have been better!”

— cjholaday

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$ 3,860/ per person