AMAZON EXPEDITION VOYAGE
A cultural tour of Peru

Since the mid 1500’s, when Spenish conquistador Francisco de Orellana explored the entire length of it in search of “El Dorado”, the fabled source of Inca gold, to the lat 1900’s, when French marine biologist Jacque Coustau, aboard the Calypsso, revealed its rich natural history to the world, navigating on the mighty and mysterious Amazon River has been alluring dream for explorers and travelers alike. Today you may discover Earth’s greatest widerness aboard the DELFIN classic Amazon riverboat on a 4, 5 or 8 day expedition voyage.

DAY 1 (Friday) ARRIVAL TO IQUITOS
(5:30p.m- 8:00p.m)
Soon after your arrive at Francisco Secada Viñeta, Iquitos International Airport, you will be taken by bus to the hand made traditional wooden canoe boats to “ISLACOCHA”, your floating VIP Lounge & Embarkation Port, only 5- minutes away from the airport through the shallow waters of the Itaya River. Once on ISLACOCHA, you will be hosted and checked-in by friendly local staff while enjoying with a cool exotic drink.
Once the check-in process is completed, you will board the “DELFIN” where you will be personally assisted by the experienced crew, and set in an all wooden hand made first class cabins furnished with comfortable orthopedic mattresses, all prime high-quality pure natural cotton fibers sheets, pillows and robes, silent A/C split system units meant to keep you cool during our journey at your own set-up temperature and private bathrooms of fine wooden furnishings and hot shower heads Spanish type.

6:30 pm Happy Hour
Just before dusk, while the “DELFIN” starts its journey into the Rainforest, cruising up the Amazon River, you will enjoy a breath taking Amazonian Sunset view from the comfort of our Third Deck (Top Observation Deck) while our experienced Barman and staff provide you with a wide variety of drinks and cocktails including the finest and most famous Peruvian traditional cocktail called “Pisco Sour”, made out of “Pisco”, a genuinely Peruvian grape-based liquor made from more than four different kinds of grapes grown on the south Pacific coastal valleys of Peru. Fine cigars will be also available.

7:45 pm Dinner
We will calm your first night appetite, serving dinner at our cozy dining room located at the backside of the ship.
Mainly due to its wide cultural diversity, Peruvian cuisine is considered as one of the best cuisines in the world, making Peru one of the most attractive culinary destinations. This is why, we at the “Delfín” besides taking you to your first Rainforest adventure, all our food & beverage service is Gourmet. You will also have a unique culinary experience, enjoying the best of the Amazonian Peruvian cuisine with dishes cooked in different styles and seasoned with the widest variety of herbs and spices, as well as Amazonian exotic fruits rich in color and taste, all delicately prepared onboard by our highly qualified Chefs and kitchen staff who will spoil you during your whole journey. For those who are on a diet or are allergic to certain ingredients, the kitchen will also consider a specially prepared alternative menu, always gourmet style.

9:30 pm Briefing and Relax Time
On the Third Deck (Top Observation Deck), with the use of charts and short videos displayed on our flat plasma screen, our Guides will conduct a brief orientation, outlining details of your journey, including references to the itinerary, places you will visit, animal wildlife and flora, you will be in form as well, of the historical and geographical background of the Amazonian Basin.
Finally, under the beauty of an Amazonian Night filled with hundreds of stars or perhaps a full moon and the sweet gentle breeze of the rainforest, our multi talented staff would briefly entertain the rest of your evening with a little live music while you enjoy a cool after dinner drink and a fine cigar, both served by our experienced barman.

DAY 2 (Saturday) AMAZON, TAHUAYO AND YANAYACU RIVER
6:30 am Breakfast – Buffet
Served as usual at our dinning room located at the backside of the vessel, where every morning our kitchen staff will welcome you with delicious food and freshly squeezed fruit juices for a good and happy morning start.

7:30 am Tahuayo river expedition
We will board our two well equipped and comfortable excursion skiffs and take you for your first adventure: exploring the Tahuayo “black river water” and lakes around (life preservers, ponchos and rubber boots will be available for you when boarding) as we cruise this river exploring its rich wilderness habitat, great variety of birds, such as terns, oreos, black birds, wattled jacanas as well as monkeys, sloth and black collared hawk, share this lush environment with us. We will get to a beautiful lagoon called Charo where we will have our first fishing activity, Amazonian typical fishing rods and plenty of bait will be provided to catch some fish, the target will be piranhas, these small carnivorous fish have a fearsome reputation but locals considered them a good source of food.

11:00 am Back to the Vessel
We will continue cruising upstream the Amazon River.

1:00 pm Lunch
Continue enjoying our special food service and unique culinary recipes with several choices of light dishes, just perfect for a noon munch in the middle of the Amazonian Rainforest.

4:00 pm Yanayacu River Excursion
This afternoon we will be cruising in our comfortable skiffs to go exploring along Yanayacu black river waters, while we are exploring we will obviously find sloth, egrets, hawks, terns, horned screamers, parrots and squirrel monkeys. Once is dark enough you will continue enjoying listening the second shift Amazonian rainforest symphony afterward, we will start turning on the spot light torch to go in search of potoos, night jars, tarantulas, caymans, frogs and other night creatures while we are obviously heading back to the vessel.

7:30 pm Back to the vessel and Happy Hour
We will start cruising upstream heading for the formation of the Amazon River and then upstream the Marañon River. As we cruise, up on the Third Deck (Top Observation Deck), our skilled Barman will be waiting for you to quencher your thirst with all different kinds of cool soft and/or mixed drinks too, including the traditionally known Peruvian “Pisco Sour”. A fine selection of wines and cigars will be also available together with snacks.

8:00 pm Dinner
After dinner, our friendly staff will serve coffee, drinks, cigars and play some live music for you on the Third Deck (Top Observation Deck).

DAY 3 (Sunday) AMAZON AND YARAPA RIVER
7:00 a.m. Breakfast - Buffet

8:00 am Yarapa River Exploration And Puerto Miguel Village
Taking our skiffs we will stop at Puerto Miguel Native Village to let you have a first hand experience of interaction with local villagers from this remote part of the world. You will have the chance to acknowledge their culture, traditions and folklore. Here, it will be possible for you to purchase some of the handcrafted works they manufacture for self-subsistence. Right after this village visit we will start exploring this narrow river to let you experience the abundant and spectacular deep rainforest wilderness including: squirrel monkeys, herons, egrets and the unusual horned screamers which are easily spotted as we go upstream.
We will have the opportunity to swim in a beautiful lagoon called “Uvos” while spotting pink dolphins.

11:00 am Back to the boat. We will start sailing downstream to the formation of the Amazon River.

1:00 pm Lunch

4:30 pm Dolphin sighting and Sunset at the formation of the Amazon River.
On board of our skiffs we will go straight to the formation of the Amazon River, (union of Ucayali and Marañon Rivers) to let you experience one of the most spectacular Amazonian sunset, at this site you will be watching two different kinds of fresh water dolphins, grey and pink dancing and swimming around the skiff, while you are enjoying a drink you will be amazed by the beautiful colors from this important place until the stars begin to shine.

7:00 pm Back to the boat
We will start sailing upstream Marañon River.

8:00 pm Dinner
You will continue enjoying our special food service attention at our cozy dining room. After dinner, our experienced barman will serve a coffee service on the Third Deck.

DAY 4 (Monday) MARAÑON RIVER /NAUTA CAÑO CREEK (THIS PLACE IS PART OF THE PACAYA SAMIRIA NATURAL RESERVE)

7:00 am Breakfast - Buffet

8:30 am Nauta Caño Creek (part of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve)
We will start this morning exploring this amazing creek, going in search of wildlife: Parrots, macaws, squirrel monkeys, iguanas and many other species of animals are easily spotted in this beautiful area. Icy towels will be provided on the way back to the ship to relieve you from the Amazonian jungle morning heat, while you will be observing the most beautiful landscape in the world.

11:00 am Back to the Vessel
Once on board, we will start cruising downstream the Marañon River towards Nauta Town.

12:00 noon Lunch
Served as usual at our cozy dining room, last meal of the program, after that we will be ready to disembark from the vessel at Nauta City.

1:30 pm Disembarking at Nauta City and Transport to the Airport.
Assisted by our guides you will be taken on our skiffs to the port of Nauta City, where a comfortable air conditioned bus will be waiting for you to transport for about 1 _ hour in a distance of 95 Kms to Francisco Secada Iquitos International Airport, where you will board your flight back to Lima which departs approximately at 5:30pm.

* Please be advised that this part of the Amazonian rainforest is called by scientists “flood plain” or “seasonally flooded forest”, due to the enormous concentration of water, the highest in the world. All activities above mentioned are subject to meteorological conditions (rains, mist and low or high water levels). Low water season (also called dry season) June to November. High water season (rainy season) December to May. The difference between low and high water level season here in Peru is approximately 10 meters. A longer program of 5 days or 8 days are also available upon request.

Departure Dates

2008 English Speaking Departures Every Friday

Inclusions

Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Four days/three nights on board the DELFIN. Meals as indicated in the itinerary All ground transfers mentioned. National park fees. All excursión during the cruise with bilingual guides. Any airfares & departure taxes. Insurance & visa fees. Visa fees Tips & Gratuities Drink/beverages

Tour Price

We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.

Departure Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement 2008 US $ 1395 • CA $ 1395 N/a

Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour

Canada - West Coast CA $ 1200 USA - West Coast US $ 1200 Canada - East Coast CA $ 1000 USA - East Coast US $ 1000

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 14 participants.

Notes

Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.