Small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations reports that sales of its Amazon programs have doubled since 2012. In response it has added to www.adventuresmithexplorations.com a dedicated Amazon trips section that showcases its cruise and lodge options in the rainforests of Peru, Ecuador and Brazil.
The Anakonda
The company has also expanded its inventory of itineraries utilizing purpose-built, small expedition boats in this region.
“Because our experts travel to the Amazon frequently, we have the most up-to-date information so that we can match our clients with the best Amazon cruise for their interests, ability and budget,” notes Todd Smith, AdventureSmith Explorations president/founder.
Following are thumbnail sketches of Amazon riverboats and itineraries. All rates quoted are per person, double occupancy inclusive of all land excursions with professional guides, meals and use of on-vessel facilities. These river cruises access remote tributaries often free of lodges and signs of human life, providing minute-by-minute immersion into the flora and fauna and wildlife of the region.
Ecuador: The 40-guest Anakonda with wood-paneled and glass exterior is crafted in timeless riverboat style but with the space and comforts sought by modern adventurers. Built in 2013, it is the only luxury ship in this region. It offers three spacious decks with ample room in the lounge, outdoor patio, forward salons and a huge observation deck. Well-appointed staterooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and a large bathroom with massage shower. The suites are even larger with a balcony and Jacuzzi tub. Itineraries of four, five and eight days are from $1,600. Among the highlights is a village-hosted lunch deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world.
Peru: AdventureSmith Expeditions’ cruises in Peru begin and end in Iquitos. Last year the 31-guest Amatista was refurbished and now offers more affordable four and six-day cruises from $1,550. The cruise begins near the border with Brazil and Columbia in Iquitos, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and the gateway to one of world’s most remote and extraordinary tropical environments. Two thirds of the world’s plants and animal species make their home in this region, as well as many more that are yet to be discovered. This cruise accesses the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, one of the last accessible tropical rainforests in the world. The Reserve has an area of 2.08 million hectares, which represents a 1.5 percent of the total land area of the country and is the largest of Peru’s protected natural areas.
Renovated in 2014, the 14-suite Delfin II is one of the most sought-after cruise vessels in Peru, frequently chartered by Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic for a unique 10 day expedition Exploring Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria Reserve that brings their unique style of intellectual exploration with on-board experts from National Geographic. Other four and five-day cruises from $2,300 are year-round. Throughout the ship is artwork from Peru’s leading contemporary artists. (Art may be purchased and shipped home.) A massage room and exercise room both offer wall-to-wall windows for enjoying ever-changing landscapes. Some of the spacious suites can be interconnected to accommodate families.
Luxurious all-suite, 32-guest Aria built in 2011 with Jacuzzi and exercise room offers year-round itineraries of four, five and eight days from $3,315 for the journey into the region defined by three powerful Amazon tributaries: the Marañón, the Ucayali and the Puinahua. Aria’s ambiance is that of a first-class jungle lodge, with oversized staterooms that accommodate linen-swathed twin beds converting to California king beds. Guests dine on fine china. Executive chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, one of Lima’s culinary stars, has created a menu that draws on both Peruvian and European influence. Wine is included with meals, providing the opportunity to experience a range of the finest South American vintages.
Aria’s sister ship is 24-guest Aqua, a luxury floating hotel, offers four, five and eight-day cruises year round from $3,165. This riverboat accesses via small launches remote estuaries in the Peruvian rainforest and the Reserve.
Brazil: In 2014 AdventureSmith Explorations added the 18-guest Tucano, a motor yacht operating out of Manaus, Brazil. This is the only vessel that explores far into the world’s largest Amazon reserve and the only expedition cruise in a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, the Central Amazon Conservation Complex. Five- and eight-day cruises are from $1,800. Venturing far up the Rio Negro immerses guests in abundant wildlife. At Encontra das Aguas guests witness the meeting of the waters of the world’s two largest rivers: the light-colored Amazon River and the dark Rio Negro, waters that don’t readily mix but flow side by side for many miles.
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