The Spondias Amazon Cruise - 5 Days

We’ll wake early in the morning to see the Amazon as it comes to life, while looking for a pretty spot to enjoy a picnic breakfast. Then we’ll head out on a fishing trip – but this is no ordinary angling! We’ll be fishing for one of the Amazon’s most notorious residents, the piranha! Piranhas aren’t too picky about what they eat, so drawing them to the bait isn’t too hard – but getting them out of the water is not so easy, as they certainly don’t appreciate being on the end of a line. While we’re fishing, there’s a good chance that we’ll see grey and pink river dolphins.
We’ll return to the Spondias for lunch and afterwards, we’ll head out in our kayaks into the National Reserve to explore a wonderful jungle creek. Here we’ll see many colorful species of birds, huge trees, monkeys, and local river people as they head out in their own wooden canoes and small boats. As you paddle, this is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself directly in the rainforest!

We’ll explore the reserve until the sun sets, and then continue in the boats to see the jungle at night. After dark, the rainforest presents a whole different experience, with a cacophony of strange calls and howls and shrieks. We’ll be on the lookout for bats, night birds, frogs, caimans, poison frogs, and a vast number of other nocturnal species. Using our flashlights, we’ll try to catch the telltale red reflection in the eyes of caiman as they sit on the riverbank or swim with their heads just above the water. 

After breakfast we’ll head to Nauta Caño Creek by skiff and set out in our kayaks. This area is perfect for bird watching, and we should see a variety of other animals as we paddle through the tributaries. Afterwards we’ll stop to visit a small and traditional river village where you will see how the people live in harmony with the jungle. You’ll also see the various techniques the locals employ for fishing, hunting, farming, and other activities.  

After lunch on board the Spondias, we’ll continue to explore the area in our river skiff. As we go, we’ll keep our eyes peeled, watching both the water and the riverbanks for signs of monkeys, sloths, and a variety of birds. If we’re lucky, we might even see some river otters.

After dark we’ll have a nighttime walk in the jungle, hiking for about two hours in search of nocturnal creatures, including poison frogs, insects, and bats. 

We’ll have another tasty breakfast as we navigate to a special spot: the confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers, which is generally considered to be the start of the Amazon River proper. On the way, we will hopefully see more grey and pink river dolphins.  

As we continue to navigate, your expert jungle guide will give a fascinating presentation about the Amazon, including indigenous tribes, modern-day exploration, the culture of the region and the wealth of flora and fauna.  

Later, we’ll take a walk along the banks of the Ucayali River to explore the Yucuruchi region of the Amazon. Here we can see the magnificent Victoria Regia, the largest water lily in the world. As we explore the riverbank, your guide will point out unique species of medicinal plants, orchids, bromeliads, different insects, and other flora and fauna of the area. Later we’ll return to our Spondias River Boat for a gourmet dinner. 

Sadly, today is our final day. We’ll head back towards the port in Nauta, and after our breakfast aboard,  it will be time to disembark. We will then take you back to Iquitos, where we’ll drop you off at the airport or at your hotel.