Operated by National Trust Tours, the Amazon Voyage explores more than 600 miles of the pristine habitats, rainforest, people, and wildlife of the upper Amazon River aboard La Estrella Amazonica, a luxury riverboat built to optimize the cruising experience. With expert naturalist guides, uncover the living labyrinth that spans 4,200 miles across South America and is home to more than 1,300 species of birds, 40,000 plant species, and the vibrant Ribereño people and culture.

La Estrella Amazonica
Travelers will explore the upper Amazon aboard the custom-built La Estrella Amazonica, a riverboat boasting luxurious and safe accommodations in spacious cabins. All cabins are air-conditioned and boast private balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows, affording constant views of the rainforest. The riverboat features exceptional public spaces, including the Amazon’s largest open-air observation deck, a modern lecture room, fitness room, and a classic dining room serving local specialties and International favorites.

Highlights

• Visit to Ranger Station #2 used for scientific study
• Guided tours, lectures, and field interpretations by native naturalists and an experienced expedition leaders
• Wildlife excursions on land and by skiff in three habitats: varzea, igapó, and palm flooded forest
• Piranha fishing
• Pre-dawn birding
• Visits to local villages, including the indigenous Ribereño community, and schools
• Nighttime skiff rides and rainforest walks
• Cooking demonstrations
• Blessing ceremony with a local Shaman
• Tours of colonial Lima and Iquitos

Study Leader Information
Expert naturalist guides will accompany the Amazon Voyage to ensure an authentic, educational, and fun expedition. Guides are hand-selected, highly-trained, and educated natives, each passionate about their country and culture.

Tour Itinerary
Day 1 - Friday - Lima
Fly independently to Lima, Peru and spend the night at the Swissôtel.
Day 2 - Saturday - Lima / Iquitos / Embark Riverboat / Amazon River
Explore the historic city of Lima with visits to the Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, and the monastery and catacombs of the Iglesia de San Francisco before flying over the Andes to Iquitos where travelers will board La Estrella Amazonica. As the riverboat cruises along the Amazon River, toward the merging of the Marañón and Ucayali Rivers, enjoy stargazing and storytelling with the local guides.
Day 3 - Sunday - Origin of the Amazon River / Río Ucayali
Wake to the ever-changing landscape of the jungle and prepare for the first excursion at the origin of this mighty river. Aboard stable excursion boats, guides will navigate to habitations of marsh birds such as oriole blackbirds, green ibis, and yellow-headed caracaras and venture into the flooded varzea in search of a variety of birds, giant water lilies, monkeys, and sloths.
Day 4 - Monday - Río Ucayali / Pacaya - Samiria Reserve
Explore this tangled realm of forest, rivers, and lagoons on foot and aboard excursion boats, looking for pink dolphins and wading birds. The naturalists will share local lore and explain how pink river dolphins use sound to hunt. Monk saki and squirrel monkeys can also be found in this area.
Day 5 - Tuesday - Río Pacaya / Pacaya - Samiria Reserve
After a relaxing breakfast along the blackwater Sapote Creek, delve deeper into the mysterious wetland while the riverboat continues to the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. At night, board excursion boats and walk in the rainforest for a chance to find caimans, capybaras, common potoos, frogs, and nocturnal wildlife.
Day 6 - Wednesday Río Pacaya / Pacaya - Samiria Reserve
Once reaching the depths of the reserve, travelers can hike through the igapó, a seasonally flooded forest. Periodically throughout the year, guests may even release turtle hatchlings. The afternoon excursion will search for scarlet macaws, hoatzins, black-collared hawks, and red howler monkeys.
Day 7 - Thursday Río Ucayali / Pacaya-Samiria Reserve
Learn about the lives of the Ribereño people with a visit to a village perched on the riverbanks. Stroll through their gardens learning about medicinal plants from the village shaman, visit a school, or join in a game of soccer. Depending on the villages visited during the voyage, visitors may also have the opportunity to see a water treatment tower. The clean drinking water provided by these towers is having an enormous positive health impact in remote river villages.
Day 8 - Friday - Amazon River
Enjoy an early morning birdwatching excursion along the Yarapa River. After breakfast, fish for piranha in Ubos Lake. Back aboard the ship, take advantage of the open-air top deck by learning to make Peruvian dishes or enjoying a lecture. After dark, float peacefully and listen to the symphony of sound from the forest.
Day 9 - Saturday - Iquitos / Lima
Disembark the La Estrella Amazonica in Iquitos and enjoy a tour of this frontier city. Visit the Las Malvinas urban garden project, which provides environmental education to a local school. Dayrooms are available in Iquitos before flying back to Lima and connect with overnight flights home.
Day 10 - Sunday
Arrive in the US.

Tour Dates
December 20-29, 2013
December 27 - January 5, 2014
January 17-26, 2014
January 24 - February 2, 2014
January 31 - February 9, 2014
February 7-16 , 2014
February 14-23 , 2014
February 21-23 , 2014
February 28 - March 9, 2014
March 7-16 , 2014
March 14-23, 2014
March 28 - April 6, 2014
April 4-13, 2014
April 11-20, 2014
April 18-27, 2014
April 25 - May 4, 2014
May 2-11, 2014
May 9-18, 2014
May 16-25, 2014
May 30 - June 8, 2014
June 6-15, 2014
June 13-22, 2014
June 20-29, 2014
June 27 - July 6, 2014

Special Offer!
Mention Historic Hotels of America when booking your tour and receive three $100 gift certificates, each good toward a $100 refund when you book through HistoricHotels.org and stay for at least two-nights at a Historic Hotels of America hotel.*

Reservations
To book a tour please contact our tour VIP desk at +1 202 772 8000 or scalhoun@historichotels.org.

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*Maximum of one $100 certificate may be claimed for a refund with a minimum two night stay booked through HistoricHotels.org following the return of your tour and completion of your hotel stay. The refund will be issued within 45 days of the completion of your stay upon submitting a Great Experiences & Tours $100 refund application. Refund application must be submitted with a copy of your hotel folio receipt, the original confirmation number from your booking on HistoricHotels.org, and the Certificate number issued to you for booking your tour through Historic Hotels of America. Certificates issued are a promotion only valid toward future reservations made through HistoricHotels.org and do not have any cash value. One certificate may be used per room per two night or longer stay at the same hotel. Eligible rates include rates publicly available at time of booking. Reduced rates, rooms included in another travel or tour package, employee rates, advance purchase rates, and certain last minute sale rates are not eligible for this promotion.