10 Day Amazon Premium Cruise

welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador! Arrive at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), where your driver will be meeting you to transfer you to your accommodation. The entire city of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing at an altitude of 9,350ft (2,850m). It welcomes visitors with its picturesque plazas situated between mountain peaks. The city has an abundance of market stands, shamanistic healers, and fourth-generation hat makers, as well as a vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene which we encourage to explore.

Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Wyndham UIO and/or similar
Meals: -/-/-

Our adventure starts in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. We will take a 30-minute flight from Quito to the Amazonian city of Coca. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer to the dock and hop onto our motorized canoe for a 90-minute journey down the river, soaking in the beauty of the Amazon until we reach the Anakonda Amazon Cruise, where a warm welcome awaits us. Onboard the Anakonda, expert local naturalist guides will join us to provide a brief, informative introduction to the Ecuadorian Amazon. Afterward, guests will have the chance to explore our cruise ship and enjoy the rainforest landscape as we glide down the Napo River. Following a delicious dinner, we’ll embark on a nighttime forest walk to listen to the sounds of the rainforest and observe the nocturnal wildlife.

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

In the morning, we’ll explore the lower part of the Napo River, where we’ll spot various bird species such as eagles, oropendolas, and the renowned woodpeckers. Later in the afternoon, we’ll venture to Yasuni National Park, renowned as one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and the habitat of the legendary pink dolphin. This presents an ideal opportunity to engage in our pink dolphin conservation program, which we’re actively involved in alongside the Martinica community in the Cocaya area. Together, we provide a safe environment for these dolphins to thrive and feed without the threat of hunting. Additionally, we’ll have the chance to learn traditional cassava bread preparation from the Secoyas people, a minority ancestral culture living near Yasuni.

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

We’ll kick off the day with a visit to an authentic Kichwa family residing along the banks of the Napo River. Here, we’ll directly engage with members of the local community to learn about their lifestyle. Next, we’ll hop aboard the Anakonda and engage in a cooking class led by our expert chef, who will guide us in preparing exquisite traditional Ecuadorian dishes. Guests can also partake in traditional handicrafts or relax in the open-air hot tub while soaking in the magnificent Amazon environment. Alternatively, they can savor cocktails at our Bar and Lounge or indulge in nighttime stargazing from our Observation Deck. For our more active guests, there will be opportunities to explore nature in the area via kayak.

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

We kick off the day with a visit to an observation tower constructed within a giant millenary kapok tree. Here, guests can marvel at the breathtaking 360° view from the top, gazing out over the treetops of the forest canopy and taking in the immense expanse of the Amazon. In the afternoon, we’ll venture into the primary forest to discover the various plant and wildlife species endemic to this ecosystem. Among them, we may encounter the peculiar and distinctive bird known as the hoatzin, or locally referred to as the “stinkbird.”

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

We’ll start the day kayaking on the Indillama River, one of the Napo River tributaries that leads to Yasuni National Park. Kayaks offer comfort, smoothness, and silence, making them perfect for wildlife spotting. Additionally, we can use canoes to explore further and seek out even more wildlife. Following an adventurous day, guests can enjoy the magical view under the stars from our observation deck. For those feeling more energetic, there’s the option to unwind with a night walk through the jungle, searching for nocturnal creatures.

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

We will travel downstream to the Pañayacu River delta, where we will embark on a canoe trip to Pañacocha Lake (“Piranha Lagoon” in the native Kichwa language), an ecosystem flooded by blackwater river water. The surrounding protected rainforest is home to primates and birds and is the perfect habitat for piranhas, the Paíche or pirarucu (one of the world’s largest freshwater fish), the white caiman, and hundreds of other aquatic animals. The surrounding protected rainforest is home to primates and various bird species, which we will be able to spot during a walk with our guides. We will then recharge our energy with an Amazon-style barbeque at a community camp, and after a short rest, we will take part in aquatic activities such as kayaking and/or swimming. Back on board the Anakonda, we will build on what we learned with an interesting talk about the region given by our guides

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

Early in the morning, we’ll embark on our motorized canoes to witness one of the most incredible spectacles on this side of the Western Amazon – the renowned parrot clay licks. This exceptional location, rich in minerals, attracts hundreds of vibrant parrots, parakeets, and Amazon birds, gathering here to consume the clay, which aids in their digestion. In the afternoon, we’ll pay a visit to the Kichwa women’s community project. Here, we’ll delve into the indigenous lifestyle along the Napo River, learning about their ancestral culture and community. Guests will have the opportunity to support the community by purchasing handicrafts, local products, and souvenirs, as well as participating in the Charapas Turtle Conservation initiative that we collaborate on with the community.

Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Anakonda Amazon Cruise
Meals: B/L/D

This marks the conclusion of our adventure! Before bidding farewell, we’ll relish our return to Puerto Providencia, where we’ll disembark from the Anakonda Amazon Cruise and travel back to the city of Coca via motorized canoe. From Coca, you’ll catch your flight back to Quito.

Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Wyndham UIO and/or similar
Meals: -/-/-

At the scheduled time for your international flight home, private transportation will pick you up from your hotel to transfer you to Quito airport.

Overnight: N/A
Suggested Hotel: N/A
Meals: B/-