JACK HANNA'S "INTO THE WILD" TAKES VIEWERS INTO THE REMOTE PERUVIAN AMAZON IN 2011

20/01/2011

Starting Feb. 21, 2011, Jack Hanna's "Into the Wild" will begin airing a series of episodes filmed in Peru showcasing the country's rich Amazonian wildlife offerings. Filmed on board the M/V Aqua , the series of episodes will air on various networks across the country and will feature pink dolphins, Amazonian manatees, rare river otters and other exotic fauna and flora found in the remote Peruvian Amazon. The three-episode series on Peru was filmed this past fall with Jack Hanna and his crew traveling to and exploring the Peruvian Amazon by land and river.

While filming on board the M/V Aqua vessel, Jack and crew explored the Pacaya Samiria Reserve - one of the most remote areas of the Amazon only seen by a handful of tourists each year. Giant water lilies, sloth, howler monkeys and flirty pink dolphin were some of the wildlife highlights of their excursions into the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. In addition to this, Jack and crew also visited the Manatee and Dolphin Rescue Center in Iquitos. Here, the group observed first-hand while biologists and volunteers cared for endangered Amazon manatees and dolphins.

Jack Hanna's "Into the Wild" is set to be one of the most dynamic and in depth views into the Peruvian Amazon's wildlife experiences and tourism offerings. For more information on Jack Hanna, "Into the Wild" and air dates in your city, visit www.jhitw.com.

AQUA EXPEDITIONS' NEW AMAZON CRUISE
DOCK LOUNGE IN NAUTA

17/12/2010

We are proud to announce that we have opened our brand-new lounge in Nauta on a tributary of the Amazon to offer greater comfort to our guests boarding the M/V Aqua, and in the spring, our new boat the MV Aria.

Our open-air lounge situated at the edge of the river was designed by Jordi Puig, who also designed the Aqua Expeditions' vessels. Most of the furniture is tailor-made including the wood sink made out of one piece of locally sourced pumaquirowood. The lounge includes a refreshment area, relaxing cushioned chairs and bathroom facilities. In addition to using it for embarking and disembarking passengers, we plan to use the facility for special group functions. 

AQUA EXPEDITIONS' NEW CRUISE SHIP,
M/V ARIA, TO LAUNCH IN APRIL 2011 

27/07/2010

The M/V Aria features 16 specially designed cabins with floor to ceiling picture windows, a fully air-conditioned top deck with Observation Lounge as well as the Aqua Expeditions' signature Amazon Grill with award-winning Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino.

In addition to these amenities, the M/V Aria will also boast an exercise room and an outdoor Jacuzzi with Sun Deck, a unique addition to accommodate the discerning and fitness conscious traveler.
"We are thrilled to announce the launch of the world's second five-star luxury vessel to sail the Amazon," says Galli-Zugaro. "The M/V Aria will provide the ever-growing number of travelers who wish to explore one of the world's last great wilderness areas with a one-of-a-kind travel experience."
The boat's itineraries will vary from those of its sister ship, the M/V Aqua, but will also explore remote areas of the Amazon River. The 24-crew member M/V Aria is staffed with four world-class nature guides and will also include an Amazon Wildlife reference library and air-conditioned multimedia room.

Aqua Expeditions Added to Travel+Leisure World's Best Awards Survey 2010

01/08/2010

Aqua Expeditions, Peru’s first five-star luxury cruise company that ventures through rarely seen areas of the Peruvian Amazon, has been added to the prestigious Travel+Leisure World’s Best Awards Survey for 2010.

Each year, readers of Travel+Leisure, the top travel magazine in the US, choose from among the world’s top hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines, airlines, travel companies and destinations, to determine the winners of the World’s Best Awards. This is the first year that Aqua Expeditions--which launched its flagship vessel, the M/V Aqua, on the Peruvian Amazon in 2008—will be included on the prestigious readers’ ballots.

Readers who cast votes in the readers’ poll at www.tlworldsbest.com through March 31, 2010, will also be entered to win a $10,000 dream trip to the destination of their choice. Results of the survey will be announced in the January 2011 issue of Travel+Leisure magazine.

Aqua Expeditions Appoints Juan Díaz Alván Community Outreach Manager
11/02/2009

Aqua Expeditions has a strong commitment to identifying and helping to meet the needs of local communities in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, where it operates its luxury vessel, the M/V Aqua. To underscore that commitment, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Francesco Galli-Zugaro recently appointed Juan Díaz Alván to the newly created position of Community Outreach Manager.
“I am delighted to welcome Mr. Díaz Alván into the Aqua Expeditions family,” Galli-Zugaro noted. “His very important role will be to help identify the specific needs of the communities in Pacaya Samiria, and to help us implement plans to provide meaningful assistance.”
Galli-Zugaro noted that this is just one part of an overall sustainability project that the company conducts in the areas of Amazonia where the M/V Aqua takes its passengers.
Mr. Díaz Alván is a biologist who specializes both in working with communities in protected areas, as well as in the study of Amazon birds. He will manage relationship-building between Aqua Expeditions and the local riverside communities, and will also work with the leadership of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve and other institutions related to tourism and environmental conservation in Amazonia. He is a graduate of Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (UNAP). 
 

Reaching Out to Fourteen Communities
11/02/2009

“One of our company’s key goals is to have a positive social impact on the some 14 Amazon communities that are touched by the M/V Aqua,” Galli-Zugaro explained. “We want that impact to include environmental conservation and protection of natural resources. That means we need to find environmentally friendly ways for these people to earn their livings.”
Mr. Díaz Alván will help in such areas as consulting regarding the manufacture of handicrafts; the importance of conserving key natural resources to support tourism; and the implementation of Community First Aid Centers. He will also coordinate assistance from the M/V Aqua’s paramedics, when certain health problems arise in the communities visited. In addition, he will implement specific environmental changes, including the use of garbage cans, especially for plastic items that might otherwise land in the river, and the collection of used batteries, which can seriously contaminate the water.
Aqua Expeditions is also a pioneer in establishing a Memorandum of Understanding, regarding cooperation with the chief of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. This agreement also helps support conservation of natural resources among the communities in the buffer area near the reserve, along the Marañón, Ucayali, and Amazon rivers.