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Glimpse into the Secrets of the Amazon on a River Cruise
Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief
Country: Brazil 
The Experience
As the bow of the river boat cuts gently through the water, you might have a hard time placing that those waters are actually that of the largest, most feral waterway in the world, The Amazon River. Locked between the Ucayali River and the Maranon River, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve forms the mouth of the Amazon River. As one of the largest protected areas in Peru, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve cradles abundant eco-diversity in its lush rainforest canopy.
One of the biggest lures of an Amazon River cruise, aside from the convenience of a mobile luxury location amidst wilderness, is the wildlife. Spanning over 6,475,000 sq. km, the Amazon Basin represents 54% of all remaining rainforest on the planet. Although it is sparsely populated by humans, it is teeming with Amazon River wildlife. Home to tens of thousands of plants, over 2,000 birds and mammals, and crawling with some 2.5 million insect species, adventurers partaking in an Amazon River cruise must be comfortable being in the heart of a habitat home to anaconda and jaguars, some of the deadliest and most frightening creatures in the world. Despite the creepy crawly factor, the Amazon Rainforest will enchant you with rare looks at species like the pink and gray river dolphins, brilliant macaws, sloths, and howler monkeys.
Journeying deeper into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, exploration isn't limited to the river boat. Hikes and smaller guided boat tours get you up close and personal with the Amazon River wildlife. Here expert guides will teach you about the symbiotic relationships between plants and animals, and of life on the Amazon River. The diversity of plant life in the Amazon Rainforest is the highest anywhere in world, some experts speculate that a square kilometer can hold some 75,000 types of trees and over 150,000 species of plant life.
Exploring Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is like entering another world. But if your going to explore the Amazon River, there's no better way than a river boat cruise that can make you feel right at home in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.
One of the biggest lures of an Amazon River cruise, aside from the convenience of a mobile luxury location amidst wilderness, is the wildlife. Spanning over 6,475,000 sq. km, the Amazon Basin represents 54% of all remaining rainforest on the planet. Although it is sparsely populated by humans, it is teeming with Amazon River wildlife. Home to tens of thousands of plants, over 2,000 birds and mammals, and crawling with some 2.5 million insect species, adventurers partaking in an Amazon River cruise must be comfortable being in the heart of a habitat home to anaconda and jaguars, some of the deadliest and most frightening creatures in the world. Despite the creepy crawly factor, the Amazon Rainforest will enchant you with rare looks at species like the pink and gray river dolphins, brilliant macaws, sloths, and howler monkeys.
Journeying deeper into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, exploration isn't limited to the river boat. Hikes and smaller guided boat tours get you up close and personal with the Amazon River wildlife. Here expert guides will teach you about the symbiotic relationships between plants and animals, and of life on the Amazon River. The diversity of plant life in the Amazon Rainforest is the highest anywhere in world, some experts speculate that a square kilometer can hold some 75,000 types of trees and over 150,000 species of plant life.
Exploring Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is like entering another world. But if your going to explore the Amazon River, there's no better way than a river boat cruise that can make you feel right at home in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.
When to Go to Amazon River Cruise
The best time to take an Amazon River boat cruise is during the dry season, May through October. Although some providers operate year round, parts of the jungle can get washed out and make exploration harder.
Odds n' Ends
Iquitos in Peru is the jumping off point for exploring Pacaya Samiria National Reserve and the Amazon River. The only way into Iquitos is by air or boat, most visitors fly from Lima into Iquitos.
Want a Guide?
- Brazil Amazon Cruise - GAPAdventures.com
- What better way to see the Amazon…than from the Amazon? Board your own floating, moving hotel, and cruise the world's largest river system with ease.
More Experiences Nearby
- Tread the Trails of Huascarán National Park, Peru
- Are you ready to be impressed by 340,000 hectares of mountainous terrain in Huascaran National Park? For over six decades people have been travelling to Peru’s northern mountain range to enjoy mountaineering, trekking, mountain-biking and mountain adventures. The best time to enjoy this region of Peru is in July when the summer sun is bright, warming the terrain by day. While in transit, take time to acquaint yourself with some of the rare animals of the region, including the spectacled bear and Andean condor. Arriving in the Peruvian city of Huaraz, your first stop after securing a hotel in Huraz ...428 miles away.
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Books and DVDs
- Smithsonian Atlas Of Amazon (Hardcover)
- The Atlas of the Amazon is the best comprehensive view of the many different natural and social aspects that emcompass the Amazon river basin. It does a thorough job of describing the natural environment and the differences between sub-regions.
- Tree of Rivers: The Story of the Amazon
- The Amazon, 3rd: Travel Guide
Elsewhere on the Web
- Amazonian Rainforest - Answers.com
- The Amazon Rainforest begins from the eastern edge of the Andes. It is the largest rainforest in the world and is of great ecological significance, as its biomass is capable of absorbing enormous amounts of carbon dioxide.
- Amazon, River/Forest - New7Wonders.com
- The Amazon Rainforest, also known as Amazonia, the Amazon jungle or the Amazon Basin, encompasses seven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), though the forest itself occupies some 5.5 million square kilometers (1.4 billion acres), located within nine nations.
- AmazonRainforest.org
- The Amazon River is the largest and longer river in the world; it's also the main artery of the whole Amazon rainforest system and washes most of the villages and towns in the region.
Media References
- Introduction to Amazon Basin - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- Nearly two-thirds of Peru is Amazon rainforest, which thrives with some of the richest biodiversity on the planet. Covering 6,475,000 sq. km
- In Depth The Amazon in Danger - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- Could the vast Amazon rainforest disappear from the face of the Earth during our lifetimes? Some scientists now maintain that the forest itself -- not to mention the many thousands of plant, animal, bird, and insect species that call it home -- is in imminent danger of extinction.
- Peru's Amazon wild side - WalesOnline.co.uk (newspaper)
- “Just listen,” says our guide. “Listen to the peace and quiet.” Our boat has ground to a halt in a semi-prehistoric setting on the surface of the Sapote tributary of the Amazon, a riot of greenery and dark waters all around us.
- Amazon River - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
- An astronaut's photo from 2008 shows the lower Amazon and several tributaries in flood. Each year, this mighty South American river swells with rain and meltwater from the Andes.
- Lost City of the Amazon - Facts to Know - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
- Some authorities believe that the river was named after the Amazons, women warriors of Greek mythology who were thought to reside in the region. Other scholars insist that the name is derived from the Native American word amassona, meaning "boat destroyer."
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