The Pacaya–Samiria National Reserve is a pristine swath of jungle stretching more than five million acres, and harboring some of the Amazon’s most diverse flora and fauna.
This riverine region floods its banks, carves new tributaries, and then retreats to reveal inviting forest clearings and beaches—all in response to Andean snows. The Peruvian Amazon also offers an unexpected highlight: time with the ribereños (traditional river people).
The drama of the passing scenes. The thrill of the invisible. There’s a sense of enchantment about being out on the Amazon, cruising clear water, stained black with tannins mirroring the sky. A source of life and wonder, the river is also a thoroughfare, with a passing fisherman in a carved dugout, a larger canoe with children on their way to school, and trees so close in these headwaters that you can reach out and touch them.
Actively explore it. Go on one or more outings each day following the lead of a naturalist. Hike, kayak, and explore via three nimble skiffs, custom-made to venture into the flooded forest where wildlife thrives. Eagle-eyed skiff drivers help us develop our jungle eyes—to find the elusive species that make the Amazon so fascinating. We might see pink and grey dolphins feeding while chattering terns dive for prey they’ve chased to the surface. Or in the brown-water tributaries, spot common squirrel monkeys, a yellow-handed titi; or perhaps a small group of shy monk saki monkeys will show themselves. Or find myriad bird species—like the motmot, striated herons, blue-and-yellow, and scarlet macaws, along with diverse kingfishers, flycatchers, weaverbirds, and more. And once the night curtain drops on a spectacular sunset, a symphony
begins, more sonically lush and dense than the world’s finest concert halls could contain.
Meet empowered local artisans and communities
You have the chance to visit and support indigenous women who have developed a sustainable living creating beautiful handcrafts. See firsthand how Minga Peru, with the support of Lindblad-National Geographic travelers like you, has developed a network of local women leaders,
known as promotoras, to empower their communities along the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. Minga developed a successful radio program that broadcasts stories on the production and marketing of handcrafts, leading to more sustainable living for countless artisans across the Marañón, Ampiyacu and Tahuayo rivers. Minga invites only Lindblad-National Geographic guests into these communities, giving you a highly personal opportunity to talk to these women and their families and gain a deeper understanding of their day-to-day lives, and how their work has changed their fates.
