Explore El Dorado and the
Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve

Full itinerary of El Dorado in the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve

1

Day 1: Iquitos – Nauta – start Pacaya Samiria Amazon Tour at 8:00 a.m.

We depart from Iquitos towards the town of Nauta, at the entrance of the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve. The picturesque ride through the country side and past several small villages and fruit plantations takes around 1h30 min. After arriving in Nauta you will step in a local motor canoe which brings you to the first park rangers control post of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve (PV1 Santa Domingo, or Yana Yacu Pucata). After showing your passports and our license, we navigate around 25 more minutes until we arrive at the Community of Buenos Aires, where we will spend the night in rustic cabañas.
After lunch at the community, we will navigate another 25 min. to reach the Huaylla Lake. This lake and its surroundings make a good spot to a great variety of birds, including: herons, horned screamers, shanshos, etc. There is also a good possibility to see the grey and pink fresh water dolphins, endemic to this area.
Dinner is at the Buenos Aires community and in the evening you can participate in a night-walk to observe the wildlife that wakes up when the sun goes down. This wildlife includes many colorful insects, reptiles, tarantulas and maybe even some small mammals.

2

Day 2: Buenos Aires – Pacaya Samiria Amazon – Yarina camping

After breakfast we have a long day of travelling ahead, navigating the Yarina River deeper and deeper into the Pacaya Samiria Reserve and the mystical Amazon Rainforest! Lunch will be a picnic on the shores of the river. Depending on the current it will take 7 to 8 hours before arriving at our new campsite in Yarina.
Camping deep in the rainforest where only very few tourists pass by, will increase our chances to spot wildlife. After setting up our camp and having dinner, we will make a short walk through the surrounding. During this walk we have a good chance to spot capybaras, deer, night monkeys and more.

3

Day 3: Yarina Camping and excursions in Pacaya Samiria

After breakfast at our campsite we start hiking into the primary rainforest. While our guide explains us more about the trees, the plants, their medical benefits and surviving in the jungle, you will have to keep your eyes and ears open, to be able to spot various species of wildlife on the ground, in the bush and high in the treetops!
In the afternoon we will go fishing and have a chance to catch piranhas and other fish. It is also possible to spot otters, since these waters are home to a view families of the giant otter.
In the evening we will either go for a walk or an excursion by canoe, in search of caimans and other wildlife.

4

Day 4: Yarina – PV 2 Chingana

In the morning we will make a hike along one of the trails that we haven’t explored yet, this will give us a bigger change for spotting a variety of wildlife.
After lunch we continue to navigate deeper into the rainforest. Our final destination is the second ranger checkpoint (PV 2) at Chingana. The area of Chingana is well known for its abundant flora and fauna and provides a special place to camp!

5

Day 5: Chingana wildlife tour

Today we will make different hikes through the surrounding of Chingana. Our guide will explain more about the flora around us, which includes many species of orchids. He will also help us to look for slots, big caimans, anacondas, different monkey species and many different bird species. In this area it also is quite possible to spot an ocelot, or maybe even a puma!
In the evening we will either walk through the surrounding, or take a short boat tour, to be able to spot nocturnal wildlife, including big rodents, caimans and wild cats. Tonight we will camp at the same spot as last night.

6

Day 6: Chingana – Esperanza

After breakfast we will navigate for about 2 hours until we reach the community of Esperanza. This time we will have to travel slow, because the river gets smaller and there is also a good chance to spot wildlife on the shores of the river. This wildlife can include capybaras, deer, monkeys and maybe even a thirsty jaguar! The waters itself are home to caiman and paiches, which belong to the biggest fresh water fish in the world.
Arriving at Esperanza you are arriving into the Golden Area, the surroundings of Laguna El Dorado! This is an area with amazing flora and fauna and a great spot to spot different species of wildlife! After exploring the area, we will camp at the boundaries of this special place!

7

Day 7: Esperanza - hearth of the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve!

Today we slowly navigate 2 more hours, to reach the final destination of this unique tour into the Amazon, Laguna El Dorado, The Golden Lake! This special lake is the source of 4 important rivers in the Amazon Reserve; the Yanayacu, Pucate, Pacaya and Samiria Rivers. The lake also provides a rich feeding ground for many species of wildlife, which makes it one of the best spots in the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve to spot wildlife!
For our own safety, to protect us against the bigger wildlife, we will sleep tonight in a basic community shelter on higher grounds, not far from Laguna El Dorado. The shelter has basic amenities as beds, shared bathroom and dining room, all protected with plastic mesh. The shelter is administrated by a governmental institution that is in charge of protecting the nature reserves in Peru.

8

Day 8: Pacaya Samiria Community shelter – Yarina

After breakfast we navigate slowely in about 6 hours back to the community of Yarina. It is important to keep your eyes open and keep scanning the shores and bushes along the river for wildlife, because this area is full of life!
Tonight we will sleep in the house of a local farmer.

9

Day 9: Yarina – Buenos Aires

Today we continue to navigate the Yarina River back to the community of Buenos Aires. It will take us around 6 hours and after a late lunch you have time to relax and/ or explore the surrounding on your own.

10

Day 10: Buenos Aires – Nauta – Iquitos

After our last breakfast in the Amazon, we prepare to navigate back to Nauta. From Nauta we drive back to Iquitos, where we will arrive around 14:00 h. After arriving in Iquitos we will either bring you to the airport or your hotel.
End of our services.

Inclusive in this Amazon Tour and recommended to bring:

This tour in the Amazon is inclusive: 
–    Meals during the tour, 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 9 dinners
–    Entrance fee to the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve
–    Entrance fees to the communities
–    Lodging in rural households/ shelters and/ or tents
–    A very experienced nature guide, with basic level of English
–    Airport transfers booking
–    Excursions and community visits as written in the itinerary, unless local circumstances obligate us to make adjustments
–    Learning more about medicinal plants and survival techniques in the Amazon.
–    We have included a 15 US$ fee to be able to buy a new pair of rubber boots/ wellies in Iquitos, the max. size is 44.

This Amazon Tour is exclusive:
–    Flight tickets
–    Overnight in Iquitos (before and/ or after the tour)
–    A travel insurance (for your own safety). We obligate our clients to take out a travel insurance  for this tour
–    Everything that isn’t included in the tour itinerary above and mentioned in the ‘inclusive section’ of this tour
–    (Soft) drinks, cigarettes and alcohol
–    Tips when the service is good

Ask your local health department about (obligated) vaccinations.

What to Bring min. into the Amazon for this tour:
– Good binoculars
– Camera gear (with extra batteries and protection against humidity)
– Tight-weave, light colored, long cotton pants
– Long sleeved, tight-weave, light colored cotton shirts
– Ankle-high hiking boots and sneakers
– Cotton socks (long enough to put them over your pants)
– Flashlight, or better a head light, with batteries
– Sunblock lotion
– Sunglasses
– Broad-brimmed hat or cap
– Rain suit or poncho
– Insect repellent
– Small denomination bills (Soles)
– Small day (back)pack
– Rubber boots? (Are provided, but big sizes might be difficult)
– Passport + copy