11 Day Pacaya Samiria Camping Tour - Iquitos, Peru

• Get up to $90 cash back per person when you book with us to use on day tours before or after your trip
• Private airport transfers
• All local transportation 
• Meals (drinks are not included in the food package)
• All equipment: rubber boots, fishing poles, first aid, etc.
• Professional bilingual guide (English & Spanish)
• All entrance fees
• Fully guided jungle tours
• Chance to see and interact with dolphins, turtles, otters, manatees and more
• All camping equipment (tents, cooking supplies, etc.)

This 11 Day and 10 Night Peru jungle camping tour into the Pacaya Samiria Reserve will take travellers very deep into one of the largest, most diverse natural areas in the world. This tour is only for adventurous travellers who are ready to fully immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the Amazon rainforest. On this tour, you will travel up the Marañon river, where you will have the opportunity to see a very private, untouched part of the Amazon rainforest that most non-locals don’t get to experience.

This Pacaya Samiria camping tour includes some incredible activities including freshwater dolphin spotting, a nighttime caiman excursion, rainforest camping, canoeing, fishing, plenty of animal observation excursions, rainforest trekking, and more. You will also get to visit with native Amazonian tribes to truly understand the area's culture.

Where we visit:

Day 1 - Port town of Nanay

This morning starts with a departure from Iquitos City. You will travel via auto to the port town of Nanay (Bellavista), where the Rio Nanay meets the Rio Amazonas. After departing by boat, you will travel downriver 70km (about 2 hours). During the riverboat trip, you may see caimans, turtles, herons, pink river dolphins, snakes, and many other species of flora/fauna along the riverbank.

Next up is a visit to Monkey Island – a small island about 15 minutes away from the Maniti Lodge. Monkey Island is home to an abundance of monkeys and other creatures. You will get to visit the island and interact with all the creatures that inhabit it, including sloths, goeldi’s monkeys, tamarin monkeys, capuchin monkeys, yellow-handed titi monkeys, masked titi monkeys, cebidae monkeys, wooly monkeys, squirrel monkeys, spider monkeys, South American coati monkeys, and many more! But monkeys aren't' all that live on this island. You will also see and get to touch large anacondas and boas (if you dare!). You can also interact with the very unique and rare Amazonian mata-mata turtle. You may also spot alligators, turtles, toucans, macaws and parrots.

After your time at Monkey Island, you will head to camp for a dolphin watching session. You'll get the opportunity to see pink freshwater dolphins up-close, and may even have a chance to swim with them on the main Amazon River! In the evening, you will go on a nocturnal nature hike to look for lizards, snakes, spiders, monkeys and all sorts of other species. Your night will end with dinner before you sleep at Maniti Lodge.

Day 2 - Palo Alto

Day 2 starts with a morning jungle hike (30-45 minutes) to "Palo Alto" Mirador, a unique and private viewing platform with 3 different observation deck levels. Here, you will enjoy a birds-eye view of the lowland Peruvian Amazon from 5, 10 or 15m above the ground. You will spend the night at this spot, allowing for excellent opportunities to observe various species of wildlife in their natural habitat.

During the day, explore the area and enjoy all the activities available there, including hiking, a canoe ride in the lagoon or fishing. In the evening, you and your group will go on a night time nature walk to search for reptiles, spiders and monkeys. Then, make your way back to the top observation deck of Palo Alto where you will be sleeping under the stars in either a tent or hammock.

Day 3 - Pacaya Samiria Reserve

Wake up and eat breakfast before departing Palo Alto and heading to Pacaya Samiria Reserve. You will be passing through Iquitos on the way. Upon arrival at Iquitos (Port of Nanay), you will visit the floating market and neighbourhood of Belen via a private canoe ride along the Itaya River. You will also visit the largest aquatic plant in the world (Victoria Regia), which is located on the outskirts of the market.

Eat lunch in Iquitos before saying goodbye to the city and continuing to Nauta in a private vehicle. Once there, you will transport up the river in a motorboat, where you will have the great possibility of seeing caimans, turtles, herons, pink river dolphins, snakes, and many other species of flora/fauna along the riverbank. You will pass the spectacular meeting of two major rivers (Ucayali & Marañon) that come together to form the Amazon River, before arriving at the small pueblo of La Libertad. 

In the afternoon, enjoy a dolphin-watching session. If you are lucky, you may also have the chance to swim with these pink freshwater dolphins. Afterwards, head to camp for dinner. After sunset, you will be led on an excursion via canoe to spot and catch caiman. There will be plenty of opportunities to hold and take photos of these scaly creatures. You will spend the night in tents in the Pacaya Samiria Reserve.

Day 4 - Arequipa Community

Start the morning with a departure from La Libertad in private motorboat. You will travel up the river into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. On the way, you will get to observe a diverse array of birds including egrets, hawks, horned screamers, jacanas, parrots, and parakeets. It is also possible to see the Amazon River dolphins. Be sure to bring your ID, as passenger identification is required at the reserve’s entrance check-point. Once you pass that point, you will arrive into the Arequipa community, eat lunch and set up camp.

After sunset, you will go on an excursion via canoe to spot and catch even more caiman. Return to camp for dinner before heading to bed.

Day 5 - Shansho Cocha Lake

Breakfast will be served early before you depart the campsite. You will cruise the Rio Marañon for about 3 hours before reaching the Shansho Cocha Lake area. During the riverboat trip, you are likely to see primates, reptiles, turtles, birds, pink river dolphins and many other species of plants and animals.

Arrive at your campsite, set up camp and then enjoy a much-deserved lunch. You are sure to notice upon arrival that the waters of the rivers are a striking black colour, which very clearly reflect the sky, clouds, vegetation, and huge trees. It's almost like looking into a mirror, which is why the Pacaya Samiria is many times referred to as the “jungle of the mirrors”. In the afternoon, go fishing for piranha, peacock bass and other species of fish in the reserve. Then. you will return to camp to have dinner.

After dinner, you will go on a night time nature walk where you may spot lizards, snakes, spiders, monkeys. Then head back to camp to sleep. 

Day 6 - Rio Yanayacu

Pack up your things and travel upriver into the National Reserve via Rio Marañon. You will enter the Rio Yanayacu (close to pueblo Viente de Enero) with a high chance of seeing primates, reptiles, turtles, birds, pink river dolphins along the way.

Arrive at your campsite to set up and eat lunch. Then, you will take a jungle hike through the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. You will have the unique opportunity to see a vast number of primates, reptiles, turtles, birds, pink river dolphins, butterflies, and all sorts of other wildlife as they interact in their natural habitat. You will also learn about various types of Amazonian plants including (but not limited to) the Ayahuasca Vine (Banisteriopsis caapi), Cats Claw Vine (Uncaria tomentosa), Victoria Amazonica, Ceiba Tree, Sensitive Plant (mimosa pudica).

You will also visit some lagoons in the reserve today. They are home to an abundance of palms and other large trees as well as a beautiful landscape. At the lagoon, you can participate in a variety of activities dependent on the desires of the group. Options include trekking, canoeing, fishing, plant identification, animal spotting or maybe just relaxing with a nice cool swim in one of the lagoons.

Head back to camp for dinner, then take a night excursion by boat to search for the various species of nocturnal animals that live in the area. This will also allow for the enjoyable opportunity to hear the symphony of sounds that comes from the forest at night. You will stay overnight at Pacaya Samiria Reserve.

Day 7 - Viente de Enero

Start the day with an early morning breakfast followed by a jungle expedition to the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. You will travel around the area of Viente de Enero, where we will have the unique opportunity to see all sorts of native wildlife including water and land creatures plus a range of plants.

Next is a visit to Japon Creek & Yanta Lake in the reserve. Both of these spots are beautiful and diverse. While there, you will get to participate in activities of your choosing, from hiking to canoe rides to swimming or walking around until it's time for lunch. After that, you can go back to playing and exploring for the rest of the afternoon. Your night will end with dinner back at camp and a guided night time nature walk. 

Day 8 - Sacarita de Yarina

After breakfast, it's time for another jungle expedition to the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. This time, you will explore the area of Sacarita de Yarina. This area is known for its elusive giant river otters (Ptenerura brasiliensis). If you're lucky, you may get to spot these skillful swimmers and fishers.

Around midday, you will arrive at your camping destination. Enjoy a relaxing lunch on the edge of the river as you overlook the beautiful scenery. Take some time to walk around the camp to discover this area’s exquisite flora and fauna. Then, get ready to witness the awe-inspiring colour changes of the rainforest at sunset. Eat dinner as your guide explains what activities are planned for the following day. Then, they will guide you on a night excursion by boat to search for nocturnal animals that inhabit this area.

Day 9 - Iquitos City

On day 9, early morning breakfast will be served followed by a morning departure by boat. You will begin to make your way back in the direction of Iquitos city. Watch birds as they leave their nests to find their food on the river. Some that you might spot include cotingas, macaws, parrots and Harpy (Harpia harpyja). Take an excursion to Yanaquillo Creek to spot squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis), saddleback tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) and sloths (Bradypus variegatus).

You will get a chance to stop and see the giant Lupuna (Ceiba pentandra), Capirona, and Capinurí (Heliocóstilis scabra) trees as well as eye-catching birds as the Toucan (Pteroglossus), the Red Macaw (Ara macao), the Blue-and-Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna), the Great Egret (Egreta alba) and the Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona). You will get a break for lunch at midday and arrive at your campsite at night, in time for dinner.

After dinner, take a night excursion by boat to search for animals and enjoy the sounds of the rainforest before returning to camp for the night.

Day 10 - Laguna Guaya

Start your day with an early breakfast before departing your campsite by boat. Your next stop will be Laguna Guaya, where you will be able to see to spot graceful pink dolphins (Inia geoffrensis), “taricayas” which is a local name given to the yellow-spotted river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis), and usually giant river otters (Pteronura brasiliensis). Then it's time for a canoe ride at Yanayacu Pucate to spot squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis), saddleback tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis), sloths (Bradypus variegatus) and other types of monkeys.

You will have time to stop and spot all the large trees and colourful birds of the region, as well as to have a leisurely break for lunch. Continue on your canoe tour until it's time for dinner. After, you will go on one last night time nature walk to see what types of species can be found. Then, stay overnight in tents at the reserve.

Day 11 

Start your last day with breakfast, then prepare for your last excursion into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. After the morning excursion, you will return back to camp to have lunch and pack your belongings. Once packed, make your way back to the city of Iquitos. During the riverboat trip back to Iquitos, you will have one last chance to look for caimans, turtles, herons, pink river dolphins, snakes and the other creatures you've come to know on your trip. 

Once back in Iquito, visit IIAP (Instituto de Investigación de la Amazonía Peruana), where you will be able to visit with manatees and freshwater dolphins that have been rescued from the Amazon and are being rehabilitated. Then, you will be transported via a private vehicle to the airport or your hotel of choice. 

This day is 11 days and 10 nights. It departs from Iquitos City daily at 9am and returns at 5pm on the final day of the tour.

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