We were in New York last week to celebrate our launch to the US specialized media on March 11th at Per Se, known as the best restaurant in the city. We introduced our new luxury vessel navigating the Amazon in conjunction with our friends from Inkaterra who were presenting their new properties in Cusco and Lake Titicaca. This seemed like the perfect match and created a lot of expectations among the most recognized journalists. Pisco sours and hors d'oeuvres were passed at the lounge while waiting for all of our guests. After that, a succulent three-course lunch was served while the new ventures were presented to the avid media. The surprise of the afternoon, an splendid gift featuring a 4-night program on the M/V Aqua, overnight at Inkaterra's Cusco and Machu Picchu properties, plus round trip airfare from NY to Peru destinations for two people, courtesy of LAN, who supported us as their Preferred Partners. During last week, we also visited our main clients in New York and Chicago to tell them more about the M/V Aqua. It was a successful journey!

Last Friday we were in Iquitos celebrating the launch of the M/V Aqua with our fellow partners from the main Peruvian tour operators and media. And we wanted to share our experience with you.


Our Amazon Journey... We took a flight from Lima and arrived to Iquitos' airport around 6am. Our naturalists welcomed us and took us to our vans with A/C where we comfortably started our journey to the wharf. How impressive to finally see the M/V Aqua on the river and the radiant sun behind it. The awaiting crew welcomed us aboard and showed us the way to the outdoor lounge where we enjoyed a refreshing camu camu fruit juice. Francesco, our proud CEO who was already on board with his family after an incredible 7-night voyage, greeted everyone and shared with the group the birth process of this venture. After that, Francesco and Karla, our Cruise Director, showed us the entire vessel. Everybody was fascinated to see that it looked even better than the pictures on our website. Then, we passed to the dining room to enjoy a delicious breakfast featuring papaya and watermelon juice, selection of eggs - any style, local sausage and bacon, variety of pastries, etc. while watching the scenery through the panoramic windows that wrapped almost the entire room.


A nice surprise to come, we were all assigned suites to freshen up. Some of us decided to stay on the outdoor lounge to chat and we were lucky enough to see pink dolphins swimming around the vessel. We then boarded the skiffs and started our short expedition on the Yanayacu River. Flycatchers, owls, iguanas and monkeys around the scene were inviting us to stay longer. Back to the vessel and to our rooms, most of us could not resist the Peruvian cotton sheets and took a little nap after watching the Amazon River through our 4-meter wide window. Finally, a feast for the senses: buffet lunch with oriental dishes paired with exquisite wine and our crew's private concert of Peruvian songs.

After a lovely journey we were sad to leave but happy to have spent a day among friends on the first luxury vessel on the Amazon.


Dalia & Sofia - Marketing and Sales - Aqua Expeditions

You've always dreamed of journeying along the Amazon, but you're not sure which season is the best season to visit. There is a simple answer . . . both seasons offer rich rewards . . . fabulous sites . . . amazing opportunities to view plant and animal life . . . and hot weather and some rainy days.


ABOUT THE FLOODED SEASON: Our flooded season runs from December through April--summer and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. It is our cooler and wet season, but keep in mind that we get only a little more than half (60%) of our total rainfall during the flooded season, and that it is hot in the Amazon any time of year. There are great benefits to traveling at this time of year. Perhaps most important, the rivers and streams are about 23 feet higher, meaning that every river, creek and lake is navigable. Also, that extra 23 feet puts travelers much closer to the jungle canopy, where monkeys play and our beautiful Amazon birds like to roost. Increased navigability by water has the flip side that areas to walk and hike are sometimes limited at this time, and if we do find usable hiking trails there will be more mosquitoes than in the dry season. Fishing is more limited during these months too, but you still have close to a 50% chance to get out your rod and reel and make a catch.


ABOUT THE DRY SEASON: The Dry Season in Amazonia coincides with our winter in the Southern Hemisphere (from June to November). This is the warmer season, with temperature averaging 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and, despite its name, the dry season still gets some heavy rains. A key difference is that trails and jungle paths that are flooded from December to May are now easily accessible, allowing groups to explore deep in the jungle (accompanied by fewer mosquitoes than during the flooded season). The flip side of that, however, is that water levels are lower, which means that some of the creeks and lakes that we visit during the flooded season are inaccessible. However, during these months fishing is 100 percent guaranteed . . . you even stand a fair chance to catch a piranha. And while the lower river levels mean that you are farther from the birds that roost in the jungle canopy, you will have the change to see dozens of species of migratory birds in flight.