Amazon Riverboat Exploration

ITINERARY

Research Summary

Yavari River and Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Samaria River, Loreto, Peru — The vast Amazonian forests of northeastern Peru are home to a wide diversity of wildlife including pink river dolphins and caimans. Macaws fly through the canopy and uakari monkeys abound among the trees. Manatees and rare giant river otters are seen area lakes and rivers.

In this isolated region, scientists Dr. Richard Bodmer, Tula Fang, and Pablo Puertas are conducting a survey of the area’s biodiversity to develop regional conservation strategies and for the wildlife and local people. Illegal logging, the pet trade, and hunting have decimated wildlife in other areas of the Amazon, lending urgency to the conservation of these reserves.

About the Research Site

The Amazon rainforests overflow with an astonding diversity of plant and animals. You’ll share thisenvironment with beautiful birds, flowers, and monkeys, aboard a riverboat.

You’ll have the opportunity to interact with indigenous people that the research team has formed relationships with over the past 16 years. These people accommodate visitors with openness and friendliness.

Accommodations

The Ayapua riverboat is a restored 33-meter, three-deck boat. It has a library, eight double cabins, and one triple cabin. Each cabin is air-conditioned and has a private bathroom with shower. Towels and toiletries are provided; cabins and toilets are cleaned daily and laundry is done every few days.

Cuisine

After mornings and afternoons working in the forest, head to the air-conditioned dining room for local delicacies and familiar offerings like freshly-caught fish. Coffee and afternoon tea are served, and beverages are available on the upper deck.