Moving through the Amazon by small river boat has been the best method of travel long before tourists started coming to the area, though the number of “luxury” riverboats on the various rivers and tributaries of the Amazon has definitely increased in the last five years. I’d love to do a trip that focuses on searching for jaguars, like those from Wildlife Worldwide, a super high-end cruise with a tour like Delfin Amazon Cruises, or even a trip focused on scuba diving with anacondas (not everyone’s cup of tea, understandably).
Photo: Uniworld River Cruises
But if we’re trying to be at all realistic, the best choice is probably a cruise via the Aria Amazon. You can book it through various travel agencies and companies, but one of note is Uniworld River Cruises, which bundle the cruise with guided travel to other places I’d love to see in South America. And while I’m not naive enough to think visiting the Amazon has no impact, I always prefer to travel with companies that acknowledge that impact and spend real resources on trying to increase the positive impact travel can have on the world.
I’d probably start the trip with the optional four-day pre-trip in Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls, as I’ve never been to either, and the included luxury Belmond hotels look dreamy. However, the river cruise meeting point is in Lima, Peru, with embarkation happening in Iquitos, Peru. For the next seven days, it’s an adventure through the Amazon, with included activities ranging from kayaking and paddling to nocturnal wildlife watching, visits to small communities in the Amazon, jungle walks, and even learning to fish for piranha. Lodging is aboard the Aria Amazon, a high-end ship for 32 people that has an onboard hot tub and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows so you still have views, even when you also want privacy.
As if a week on the Amazon wasn’t awesome enough, you can also add on a few days in the area. I’ve never been to Machu Picchu, so I’d probably make it easy and have the company organize a few days extra for me in the Sacred Valley. Uniworld has a combined tour that includes guided visits to the archaeological site and time in the Sacred Valley, though I could also be tempted to stay a few nights at the Sacred Valley’s hanging SkyLodge Adventure Suites (accessible only by a via ferrata) or maybe even tie it in with an extended hiking trip through the country’s mountains and valleys.
