4 days from £2390pp plus international flights.
This is your chance to explore upper Napo River, Ecuador's primary Amazon tributary. You have 3 days in this remote and fascinating region, discovering its ecosystems, coming face to face with its wildlife and meeting indigenous peoples, all from the comfort of your own cruise boat.
From the moment you board, you'll be immersed in the rich Amazon world, as the boat departs on its downstream cruise. Your guide will brief you on upcoming activities and, wasting no time, on your first evening you'll head out into the forest searching for nocturnal creatures. On subsequent days you'll be paddling through piranha-filled waters by canoe, following walking trails deep into the rainforest, watching as hundreds of parrots gather to eat clay from the riverbanks and spending time with members of a local community. It's a rich and varied holiday, which manages to pack a lot into a relatively short amount of time.
In between activities and excursions, you'll have the run of the ship. You can sit and browse through natural history books and chat with other passengers as you enjoy a drink from the bar or enjoy some quiet downtime in your cabin, watching the scenery through the large picture windows. Sun lovers will relish the chance to top up their tans on the sundeck, while others laze in the shade. Meals are sociable affairs with freshly cooked food being served either indoor or out on the deck.
There are 2 boats operating this itinerary, MV Anakonda and MV Manatee. The Anakonda is a luxury vessel and operates the Sunday departures, while Manatee operates the Friday departures. The Anakonda cruise starts from £2765 per person and the Manatee cruise starts from £2291 per person.
Please note that the itinerary outlined is quoted as a guide and that, due to technical and operational factors it may need to be altered at short notice.
Your flight from Quito arrives in Coca airport, where you'll be met and transferred to the Rio Napo port. From here you will travel downstream by motorised canoe for about 90 minutes, arriving at your Amazon boat. Soon after you've boarded, the boat will begin the cruise downstream. Sitting on the sundeck or in the lounge you'll get some wonderful views of the scenery and wildlife. You'll dine on board and then have an opportunity for an exciting night walk in the forest with your guide, exploring the wonders of the nocturnal world. Dinner
After breakfast on board you'll be taken to a forest community, where you'll have time to meet the local people and learn about their day-to-day lives and to buy some local handicrafts and souvenirs. Later you'll travel to the parrot clay licks, to witness hundreds of birds gather to feed on the mineral-rich clay. After lunch you can explore a jungle trail and visit the water museum, which has information about the wildlife found in this region. If conditions allow, you can paddle downstream back to the Napo, looking for some of the creatures you have been learning about. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Guide price from (pp sharing): £2390 (ex. international flights) Price notes: 2019 guide price pp sharing on a set departure: Manatee from £2390. Anakonda from £2880. Includes: Return flights from Quito to Coca; return transfers by road and motorised canoe from Coca to the Amazon cruise boat; 3 nights accommodation on board; all meals during the cruise; visits and activities with a certified naturalist guide as per the itinerary; unlimited water, tea and coffee on board and community fees Excludes: International flights and taxes; entrance fees to Yasuni National Park and the parrot clay lick; drinks; Wi-Fi internet access; tips; personal expenses; visas; travel insurance Getting there: You will need return flights to Quito. As a guide return flights from London to Quito will start from around £900 per person, depending on season and availability. We will be happy to look into flights for you. Departure dates: This holiday departs on selected Sundays and Fridays |
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Time: GMT -5 hours
Flight time: There is an international airport at Quito and at Guayaquil. KLM and Iberia have routes via Europe to both cities. The flying time is about 14 hours. It is also possible to fly via America.
Language: Spanish is Ecuador's official language.
Visas: Not required for British travellers. Other nationalities should obtain advice from their embassy.
Health: There are no compulsory vaccinations, except yellow fever if visiting the rainforest. Malaria prophylactics are also recommended in the rainforest.