Five Best Luxury Amazon River Cruises Peru

Our experts at Totally Latin America are often asked to advise on the best luxury Amazon River Cruises in Peru. Visitors come to Iquitos city in Northern Peru to explore one of world’s most amazing ecosystems. The region truly unparalleled upon this earth with myriad beauteous rivers, creeks, trails and rainforest immensities. Amazon cruises are a popular choice but which vessel, which cruise and when should you visit? Together let’s explore and find the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru.

Cruise vessels typically offer 3-, 4- and 7-night itineraries, with the most popular options being the 3- and 4-night stays. Almost all cruises visit the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. This vast natural wilderness, aside the immense Amazon River, lies at the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañón rivers near Nauta and Iquitos in Northern Peru. Here you can witness the immense biodiversity of over 965 types of flora and 1000 species of fauna over 8,000 square miles. The region is readily accessed by daily flights from Lima which take about 1h 45m.

The creation of the very best Amazon experience is a melange of destination, route, staff, guides and people you meet along the way. All the cruises we recommend, ubiquitously meeting and exceeding all the above.  Our cruises offer guides with expert knowledge of flora, fauna and the history of the region, which serves to demarcate, good and truly exceptional Amazon experiences.

1. Delfin I Amazon Cruise

The Delfin I is assuredly one of the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru. This vessel is the ultimate in refined low key Amazon River cruise boats in Peru. The ships has a capacity of just 8 – 12 passengers, over 4 cabins. Personalised attention being assured with 12 crew and 1 naturalist guide. All cabins are spacious and very well appointed with panoramic terraces, floor to ceiling windows and cabin service furnished thrice daily. There are two 360 sq. ft. Deluxe Master Suite Cabins (Delfin and Morpho) located on the Main Deck. Both have a private terrace of 320 square feet including cold water Jacuzzi baths, these whirlpool baths are only available in these cabins.

On the Upper Deck Master Suite Cabins (Anaconda and Iguana) are 340 square feet and have 320 square foot private terraces. The Upper Deck also holds the dining room and above that the Observation Deck has a superb lounge area and bar. All cabins have facility to add a folding bed for a third passenger.

The Delfin I cruise comes in 3- or 4-night offerings. The routings vary somewhat dependent on the month of travel. High water season is scheduled November to May and low water across June to October. It is recommended that guests venture out to the wilds. On daily excursions one can embrace a kaleidoscope of experiences, including kayaking in the hidden creeks, piranha fishing, birdwatching, jungle trail walks, visits to local communities and so very much more. One of the highlights unique to this cruise is to take the canopy walk across the treetops of the Amazon!

The Delfin I offers seclusion and serenity above all else. This is practically the only cruise where you could charter the boat for your extended family to enjoy the ultimate Amazon River experience. It surely ranks as a prime contender of the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru.

2. Aqua Nera Amazon Cruise

The Aqua Nera is the newest luxury cruise vessel on the Amazon, having been inaugurated in 2021. The ship has a capacity of 40 passengers across 10 First Deck Design Suites and 10 Second Deck Design Suites, all are a fine 323 sq. ft. in area. All cabins boast California King size beds or twin bed configuration, in addition to additional sofa beds which can facilitate a third passenger. The vessel has 4 sets of interconnecting cabins which makes for ideal extended family cruise options: combinations of cabins 105 & 107, 106 & 108, 205 & 207 and 206 with 208. All cabins come draped with a fine level of fitment and floor to ceiling panoramic windows.

Ship amenities include two bars, indoor and al fresco restaurants, two cinemas, two lounges, games room, library, plunge pool, sun deck, observations deck, gym and spa facilities. The crew consists of 40 well trained staff in addition to 4 naturalist guides. This ensures a ratio of 10: 1 passengers to guide which is excellent. The cruise, in addition to the usual kayaking and hiking, also provide bicycles for some added trail adventures.

World renowned Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino provides the inspiration for Amazonian flavoured foods on this great voyage of discovery. The cruise duration options are nights of 3 (Discovery), 4 (Explorer) or 7 (Expedition). The itineraries change slightly across, November to May low water season and June to October for high water. The main difference of the 7 day cruise is that it originates and returns directly to Iquitos. This gives further time on the river as other cruises begin further down river at Nauta (1 ½ hours from Iquitos by road). Our recommendation is the 4-night Explorer cruise which centers on the Ucayali River and tributaries. It allows a great balance in time on a great vessel combined with all the fun of exploring the Amazon. Activities include piranha fishing, pink dolphin watching, trekking and kayaking. Keep a watchful eye for yellow head turtles, caimans, toucans, macaws and Amazon monkeys.

The very finest modern amenities, attentive staff and fresh design serve to elevate the Aqua Nera to the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru.

3. Aqua Aria Amazon Cruise

The Aqua Aria Amazon built in 2010, accommodates 32 passengers on two decks across 16 river-facing Design suite cabins. All have 250 square feet each deck; 4 of the cabins can be converted into 2 interconnecting suites measuring 46.4 square meters / 500 square feet. Cabins can adapt to twin beds or a California King-size. Additional accommodation is available for one child in each cabin. Four can be interconnected for families: 103 can connect to 105; 104 can connect to 106. Air conditioning enhances your stay and there is a pleasant en suite sitting area and panoramic windows to enjoy the amazing backdrop of the Amazon gliding by.

On board facilities include bar/ lounge, dining room, boutique shop, outdoor jacuzzi, gym, massage room and complimentary 24-hour room service. There is no Wi-Fi on board, but a satellite phone is available at additional cost. The Aqua Aria Amazon crew has 27 dedicated staff and 4 enthusiastic English-speaking naturalist guides to share expert knowledge on your explorations. Two aluminium skiff boats are used for river and jungle explorations with a max of 8 passengers and guide per boat. In addition, there are options for cycling, kayaking, swimming and fishing en route.

We recommend the Aqua Aria Amazon 7-night Amazon Expedition cruise. It encompasses a fine voyage along the Puinahua, Ucayali and Marañon rivers. The longer routes offers opportunity to discover and explore a number of secluded and less visited black water lakes, teeming with aquatic and shoreline wildlife.  Be sure to watch for the playful Pink Dolphins, discover giant water lilies, poison dart frogs, medicinal trees and savour the opportunity on the El Dorado River of a dusk excursion in search of exotic nocturnal wildlife. This 7 night Aqua Aria Amazon Expedition cruise offers an in depth discovery of the Amazon of Peru. It unreservedly deserves the accolade as one of the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru.

4. Delfin III Amazon Cruise

The Delfin III is a large vessel with a capacity of 46 passengers. The cabin offerings are categorised as; 1 Owner’s Suite, 2 Corner Suites, 10 Upper Deck Suites and 9 Main Deck Suites. The Owner’s Suite is 597 sq. ft, Corner Suite 270 sq. ft. and Upper and Main Deck Suites at 236 sq. ft. The crew consists of 29 staff and 3 naturalist guides. The Delfin III may not be in the territory of the Delfin I or the Aqua Nera in the terms of facilities and very high-end service, but it offers very good value. Fine tours, excellent food and great guides, albeit with a ratio of about 10 -15 passengers per guide on a busier ship. The vessel itself is modern and the preferential Owners Suite and Corner Suite offer exceptional vistas as the Amazon floats by your quarters. The Owners Suite includes one complimentary half hour spa treatment per guest, minibar, scented bath upon request and complimentary laundry. Onboard facilities for all guests include indoor and outdoor top deck lounges, bar, sun deck with plunge pool, gym and massage room.

The Delfin III Amazon cruise comes in 3- or 4-night offerings, again with slight changes dependent on the month of travel. High water season is used from November to May and low water season across June to October. You can anticipate a host of beguiling adventures of kayaking, fishing, jungle trail walks, paddleboarding, birdwatching and Pink Dolphin watching in addition to the amazing Night Safari. Keep alert to spot the black caimans, bats, frogs, and other nocturnal creatures that abound in this pristine environment.

The excellent pricing of this vessel allows a luxury cruise to become accessible to travelers that otherwise may have settled on a lodge stay. For that reason, the Delfin III is elevated to one of the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru. A comprehensive review of this Delfin III vessel can be found here.

5. Zafiro Amazon Cruise

The Zafiro luxury Amazon cruise boat accommodates up to 40 guests aboard. There are 19 cabins across two levels of accommodation. All suites are air conditioned. Eight suites located on the second deck offer a private balcony The Zafiro Suite has 477 sq. ft. of space and is located on this second deck. This ultimate suite aboard the Zafiro has 180-degree panoramic windows and boasts a bathtub and private balcony. The succeeding rank is Master Suite which are located on the first deck and provide 90-degree windows at the bow of the ship. They are 278 sq. ft. in dimension. Finally, the 16 standard Suites are spread across the two accommodation desks. An additional bed is available per cabin, also interconnecting cabins exist on the First Deck. For those with mobility issues there is a fully accessible suite available. The vessel also has a fully equipped exercise room, massage rooms, and an Observation Deck with lounge bar and outdoor whirlpool bath.

Cruise options are 3, 4 or 7 nights and offer a plethora of wildlife including species such as Pink Amazon Dolphin, myriad butterflies, Howler Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, sloth, colourful frogs, toucan, macaw, caiman, hoatzin, etc. Meet the ribereños (river) people and Huaysi community that inhabit the region and discover how they cultivate their local environment. Select cruises with Totally Latin America also can include a visit a local shaman who shares the secret properties of the medicinal plants of Amazonia. We recommend the 7-night cruise for maximum cultural immersion. Opportunity to explore people and place serves to elevate the Zafiro Amazon cruise to one of the five best luxury Amazon River cruises Peru.

Best Time to Visit the Amazon River in Peru

The Amazon is a year-round destination across both a low water (dry) and a high water (wet) season.  The low water season lasts roughly from June to November and the high water is considered December through May. Rainfall is endemic to the rainforest and it receives 12 feet per year! This causes the water levels to fluctuate in excess of 20 feet and so the opportunities to adventure change too. In low water (dry) season mosquitoes are less prevalent. The jungle trails also dry up and so encourage increased adventures on foot as the waters have receded. The flip side is that access by boat is more restricted. The dry months also see increased migratory bird activity, including colourful Macaws, fishing is popular too across these months. In the high water (wet) season the skiff boats can access deeper into the jungle. This allows great opportunity to see turtles, caimans, monkeys, birds.

In essence, every month affords opportunity to see a huge diversity of flora and fauna. The difference is how and where they are viewed, by boat or on foot. Rest assured our local naturalist guides have a lifetime of experience in finding the very best locations for your Amazon surprises!

Important Note:

All Amazon cruise itineraries are subject to change without notice due to season, weather and at the discretion of the cruise captain.

Which is the Best Luxury Amazon River Cruise in Peru?

There is no one size fits all answer to this question, but we can offer some guidance. The routings and destinations of cruises are, more or less, similar across all cruise lines. How you come to see the wildlife and learn of its significance will vary on your choice of boat. All told for a pure luxury offering then the Delfin I or the Aqua Nera come to mind. The Aqua Nera wins on depth of experience as it has the 8-day offerings. The Delfin I wins on a premium product with exclusivity. It also presents added chance to chat to the guide on excursions and aboard the boat. This can be a great learning experience. The Aqua Aria Amazon, before the arrival of the Nera, was in the top two but now has been replaced. It continues to deliver a super service in luxury and would come in a close third place.

For an all-round cruise that costs less but still gives a great experience the Delfin III is a wonderful contender. It is not a super luxury boat yet meets expectations in all of the main requirements of excursions, accommodations, food and service. The Zafiro comes a close second in being a bit more luxurious than the Delfin III but also a bit more costly. In a direct comparison of these two, Delfin III would be our choice. Interested in other luxury tours in Peru? Browse our luxury Peru tours here.

Contact Us

Totally Latin America offer expert knowledge, superb rates and select access to the very best luxury Amazon cruises and Machu Picchu vacations. Contact Us Today to begin your very own voyage of a lifetime.