Abercrombie & Kent’s Pure Amazon River Cruise

After a few days exploring Lima, Peru’s capital, take a two-hour flight to Iquitos, situated on the Amazon River in the north of the country, then shuttle buses for another two-hour journey – a drive to the town of Nauta, on the Marañon River – and finally reach the Holy Grail – Pure Amazon, the new river cruise from Abercrombie & Kent.

After being outfitted with lifejackets and mud boots, board skiffs for the brief ride across the river to the boat. A guide may shine a flashlight on some bats in the quickly darkening twilight, while the crew prepares a song-and-dance welcome complete with cocktails to lift everyone’s spirits. 

There are just 12 suites onboard the Pure Amazon river cruise, accommodating no more than 22 guests and attended by 22 crew members. Suite feel spacious, one type featuring large picture windows and queen-sized beds (they can also be sold as triples). At first glance, it looks like any luxury hotel room, but details reveal just how painstakingly local the materials were. Woven Amazonian reeds cover the ceiling, and the cotton on the bed linens was also from Peru. 

Bath amenities are scented with lemon verbena, eucalyptus, and other fragrant botanicals. 

At dinner each evening, a central table artfully displays the ingredients used in that night’s meal. Local grains and legumes, beans, rice, and local peppers and fruits figure heavily into the cuisine, as did river-caught fish such as doncella, a pink-fleshed Amazonian catfish that was served in a memorable crudo, or paíche, a human-sized fish (some weigh up to 400 pounds) prized among local populations because of its massive yield. Other local specialties include roasted plantain and lomo saltado, a beef-and-french-fry stir fry introduced by Chinese expats. 

Five-course dinners include three starters served to the whole table, followed by a choice between two main dishes (typically one meat and one seafood; vegetarians can also be accommodated upon request), and dessert. Wine pairings are included with the meals, and most alcoholic beverages (outside of some premium selections) are included in the fare. Breakfasts and lunches are buffet-style. 

On a four-night sailing, explore areas of the Marañon, Ucayali, and Amazon rivers. When the Marañon and Ucayali merge, they form the Amazon until the Brazilian border. In Brazil, the river is known as the Solimões River until Manaus, when Brazil considers it the Amazon. Once firmly in Peru – well-sated and well-rested – it’s and early wake up call the next morning for an excursion onto the river. 

Over the next several days, a similar pattern emerges: an early risers skiff ride for those interested (a favorite because of the comfortable cooler temperatures), followed by breakfast, another excursion, lunch, another excursion, recap, then dinner. On the skiff rides, carry the Leica binoculars provided in-room for use, personalized water bottles, filled from the dispensers onboard, and bug spray or sunscreen, which is also provided. There are lockers for each guest outside the boat’s air conditioning, so guests needn’t fuss with life jackets in their suites and can keep their camera lenses from fogging between the air-conditioned interiors and the steamy heat of the river. 

Piranha fishing with strips of raw beef from the boat’s kitchen is another popular activity. Once the bait drops in the water, it gets swarmed almost immediately. A guide demonstrates how to jerk the line quickly to one side to hook the fish; otherwise, they make quick work of the bait. Once successful, the guide holds up the piranha to show us the rows of razor-sharp teeth. 

“It’s ok,” he says, tossing the fish back into the water, “They only have a memory of three seconds. By the time they’re back in the water, they’ve forgotten they’ve ever been hooked.”

Guests can also swim in a natural lake formed by changes in the river’s flow, or go kayaking in the afternoon sun. Throughout the trips in the skiff, keep a lookout for wildlife. Here, you must actively seek out wildlife along the riverbanks, except for the pink dolphins, which are famous in this part of the Amazon. Encounter both pink and gray dolphins playing in the river on nearly every excursion, but their peeks above the water are brief and without pattern, so a constant lookout is necessary.

In addition to the dolphins, other wildlife visible include three-toed sloths, wild macaws and toucans, eagles, a delightful bird known as the horned screamer, egrets, frogs, owls, and monkeys. A night excursion to find capybaras is also offered, along with daytime jungle walks with a naturalist and evening stargazing on the top deck (weather permitting). 

Although the skiffs were comfortable, with high-backed single-seats and plenty of space, you can indulge in the signature massage from the ship’s masseuse, who has a small treatment room on the top deck – which also features a small library and games room, a bar & lounge, and an outdoor whirlpool with refreshingly lukewarm water, an antidote to the sweltering stillness of the afternoon. 

On other excursions, walk through villages to learn about village life and purchase local handiworks, like cleverly woven animal figures and handmade jewelry.

While waiting for your return flight from Iquitos, you may visit Formabiap, a local project supported in part by A&K Philanthropy. Formabiap is a school that trains teachers in the region’s Indigenous languages so they can formalize language education and help preserve the languages spoken in this region of the Amazon, while also providing practical education to residents in remote villages. 

The Takeaway

Overall, Pure Amazon has combined the best of Abercrombie & Kent’s Sanctuary line of wilderness lodges and of Ecoventura, A&K’s Galápagos cruise company. The operation feels very similar to that onboard Ecoventura, with anticipatory service (the staff memorizes drink preferences almost immediately) and an ever-present onboard concierge who seemed to anticipate guests’ needs before guests realized them. 

Pure Amazon offers 3-, 4-, and 7-night itineraries from $5,475 per person in double suites. There are two single suites onboard, offering solo travelers accommodation at the same fare as passengers sharing a double, without any single supplement. 

Fares include airport meet-and-greets with shared transfer to Nauta, all onboard lectures and naturalist-led expeditions, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve entrance fees, onboard laundry, WiFi, and minibars, which are replenished daily. Recommended gratuities are also not included, and can be charged to onboard accounts at the end of the cruise.

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.

Contact My Journey Begins Travel to plan and book your trip to Brazil and Peru to enjoy Abercrombie & Kent’s Pure Amazon River Cruise.