Aqua Nera: Cruise the Peruvian Amazon in Style
Days 4, 5 & 8 | From: $4,500/per person
The Aqua Nera was designed for Aqua Expeditions by award-winning architect Noor Design who drew inspiration from the peaceful blackwater lagoons and tributaries of the Mirrored Forest in the Peruvian Amazon. The Aqua Nera offers luxury cruise expeditions on the Amazon river. This river cruise ship has 20 spacious, air-conditioned suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, accommodating a maximum of 40 passengers. Amenities include an indoor lounge, outdoor lounge with pool, fitness center, observation deck, and a dining area featuring gourmet Peruvian cuisine.
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Vessel Information
Accommodations
The vessel has 20 spacious and luxuriously-appointed 322 square feet (30 sq m) Design Suites and two 644 sq ft (60 sq m) interconnecting suites.
All suites have California King size beds with twin bed configuration available. They also all have private bathrooms, air conditioning, river-facing panoramic windows, and en suite sitting area.
Yacht Specifications
Year operational: 2020
Type of Vessel: River Expedition Vessel
Length: 205 feet (62.4 meters)
Maximum Width: 38 feet (11.5 meters)
Draft: 5 feet (1.5 meters)
Passenger Capacity: 40
Cruising Speed: Average 12 knots
Engines: 2 x Caterpillars, Tier 3 Emission compliant

Itineraries & Pricing
4 Night High Water Itinerary
Day 1 Tuesday Arrive to Iquitos / Begin the Cruise
Upon arrival to Iquitos you will be met at the airport and then be taken to lunch at a local restaurant or will have a box lunch en route (depending on the flight arrival time). In the afternoon, we will set off on your first skiff excursion to visit the birthplace of the Amazon. At 6:00 p.m. you will board the Aria. Following a routine safety drill and introduction to the naturalist guides, you will gather for innovative Amazonian cuisine created by our Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top ranked dining experiences.
Day 2 Wednesday Yanallpa River / Dorado River
By skiff, you will explore the black waters of the Yanallpa River, disembarking to walk deep into the Amazonian rain forest. Later, you will board the skiffs again to cruise along the El Dorado River for a dusk excursion in search of exotic nocturnal wildlife and with extraordinary stargazing.
Day 3 Thursday Pacaya River / Ucayali River / Tapiche River
The rewards of an early start are plentiful. Today you will start with a picnic breakfast accompanied by a jungle symphony and fishing along the black waters of the Pacaya River. After lunch, you will venture out by skiffs on the Ucayali River alongside the banana boats transporting their jungle products to the port of Requena Keep an eye out for pink river dolphins. At night you can focus the hi-tech telescope on the night sky to identify the planets and constellations.
Day 4 Friday Clavero or Yarapa River / Amazon River
Today you can choose to go jungle walking, canoeing, kayaking or swimming on the black water of the Yarapa or Clavero Rivers. Later you will visit a remote Amazonia village in the afternoon. This evening before dinner, will be introduced to some of the crewmembers whom you may not have met, working “behind the scenes” to ensure your countless exceptional experiences aboard the Aria.
Day 5 Saturday Manatee Rescue Center / Return to Lima
At the Bellavista Nanay you will visit a morning market along the Nanay River so that you can sample exotic snacks from the Peruvian Amazon like ‘Suri’ – Amazon caterpillars that are considered especially appetizing. After returning to the Aria for breakfast you can pack up. Before saying goodbye, you will make one last stop at the Manatee Rescue Center, a very special kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees. You will also visit San Juan craft market en route to the airport. Lunch or box lunch will be provided, depending on the exact departure flight time, which may vary. Other local activities may be included as well, according to the flight schedule.
3 Night High Water Itinerary
Day 1 Saturday Arrive to Iquitos / Begin the Cruise
Upon arrival to Iquitos you will be met at the airport and then be taken to lunch at a local restaurant or will have a box lunch en route (depending on the flight arrival time). The afternoon continues with an introduction to this historic city and the opportunity to meet an indigenous Amazon community. At 6:00 p.m. you will board the Aria. Following a routine safety drill and introduction to the naturalist guides, you will gather for innovative Amazonian cuisine created by our Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top ranked dining experiences.
Day 2 Sunday Amazon River / Yarapa River / Nauto Caño
Aboard one of the comfortable skiffs, you will set sail from the Amazon River to the Yarapa River. Keep your binoculars ready to spot tropical songbirds, black collared hawks and sloths. From there you will go fishing for Amazonia’s notoriously ferocious piranhas while the naturalist guides share stories of Lake Moringo. As the sun sets, you head off on an evening wildlife excursion with extraordinary stargazing on the black waters of Nauta Caño.
Day 3 Monday Marañon Creek / Suspended Bridges / Yanayacu-Pucate
Today you will awake at sunrise to explore a ‘lost river’ along the Marañon River. After breakfast, you will take a jungle walk across suspended bridges deep into the high Amazon rainforest. Later, you can swim, canoe or kayak in the Yanayacu-Pucate River as you look for legendary pink river dolphins. At night, you can focus the hi-tech telescope on the night sky to identify the planets and constellations. Before dinner, you will meet some of the crewmembers whom you may not have met, working “behind the scenes” to ensure your countless exceptional experiences aboard the Aria.
Day 4 Tuesday Nauta / Manatee Rescue Center / Airport
This morning, you will visit the local market with your guides who can help you identify the daily Amazonian catch and the variety of fruits and vegetables. Later, you return to the Aria for breakfast and to pack up. Before saying goodbye, you will visit the Manatee Rescue Center, a kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees to rescue and rehabilitate before being released back into the wild. You will also visit San Juan craft market en route to the airport. Lunch or a boxed lunch will be provided, depending on the exact departure flight time, which may vary. Other local activities may be included as well, according to the flight schedule.
4 Night Low Water Itinerary
Day 1 Tuesday Arrive to Iquitos / Begin the Cruise
Upon arrival to Iquitos you will be met at the airport and then be taken to lunch at a local restaurant or will have a box lunch en route (depending on the flight arrival time). In the afternoon, we will set off on your first skiff excursion to visit the birthplace of the Amazon. At 6:00 p.m. you will board the Aria. Following a routine safety drill and introduction to the naturalist guides, you will gather for innovative Amazonian cuisine created by our Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top ranked dining experiences.
Day 2 Wednesday Ucayali River / Pacaya River
Boarding the skiffs, you start the day like Amazon River dwellers, cruising along the Ucayali River. As these farmers and fishermen go about their business, you will search for pink river dolphins in these pristine waters. Later in the day, you return to the skiffs, to ride along the black waters of the Pacaya River at dusk, searching for the mysterious wildlife that come out after dark while looking up for extraordinary stargazing.
Day 3 Thursday Pacaya River / Ucayali River / Tapiche River
The rewards of an early start are plentiful. Today you will start with a picnic breakfast accompanied by a jungle symphony and fishing along the black waters of the Pacaya River. After lunch, you will venture out by skiffs on the Ucayali River alongside the banana boats transporting their jungle products to the port of Requena Keep an eye out for pink river dolphins.
Day 4 Friday Clavero Lake / San Jose Flooded Forest
Today you can choose to go jungle walking, canoeing, kayaking or swimming on the black water of the Yarapa or Clavero Rivers. Come afternoon, you can take a short jungle walk in the San Jose flooded forest and see the unforgettable giant water lilies. This evening before dinner, we will gather to introduce you to some of the crewmembers whom you may not have met, working “behind the scenes” to ensure your countless exceptional experiences aboard the Aria.
Day 5 Saturday Manatee Rescue Center / Return to Lima
This morning, you will visit the local market with your guides who can help you identify the daily Amazonian catch and the variety of fruits and vegetables. Later, you return to the Aria for breakfast and to pack up. Before saying goodbye, you will visit the Manatee Rescue Center, a kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees to rescue and rehabilitate before being released back into the wild. You will also visit San Juan craft market en route to the airport. Lunch or a boxed lunch will be provided, depending on the exact departure flight time, which may vary. Other local activities may be included as well, according to the flight schedule.
3 Night Low Water Itinerary
Day 1 Saturday Arrive to Iquitos / Begin the Cruise
Upon arrival to Iquitos you will be met at the airport and then be taken to lunch at a local restaurant or will have a box lunch en route (depending on the flight arrival time). In the afternoon, we will set off on your first skiff excursion to visit the birthplace of the Amazon. At 6:00 p.m. you will board the Aria. Following a routine safety drill and introduction to the naturalist guides, you will gather for innovative Amazonian cuisine created by our Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is the one of Lima’s top ranked dining experiences.
Day 2 Sunday Yanayacu Pucate River / Marañon River
You begin today’s adventure near the main entrance of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, cruising along the Yanayacu Pucate River in the comfort of a state-of-the-art skiff. Here you can kayak, canoe or swim in these unspoiled black waters, keeping eyes peeled for the Amazon’s legendary pink dolphins. In the afternoon, you will visit a remote village along the Marañon River to learn about traditional customs. In the night you can focus the hi-tech telescope on the night sky to identify the planets and constellations.
Day 3 Monday Samira River / Nauta Caño or Amazonian Natural Park
You will set off on the skiffs for an excursion along the Samiria River with optional fishing. Listen carefully to the after-lunch flora and fauna lecture, then venture out for a thrilling jungle walk across suspended bridges deep in the high Amazon rainforest. On your return in the evening, enjoy the jungle symphony and extraordinary stargazing on local boats along the “Enchanted Lake”. This evening before dinner, you will be introduced to some of the crewmembers whom you may not have met, working “behind the scenes” to ensure your countless exceptional experiences aboard the Aria.
Day 4 Tuesday Nauta / Manatee Rescue Center / Airport
This morning, you will visit the local market with your guides who can help you identify the daily Amazonian catch and the variety of fruits and vegetables. Later, you return to the Aria for breakfast and to pack up. Before saying goodbye, you will visit the Manatee Rescue Center, a kind of animal orphanage for Amazonian manatees to rescue and rehabilitate before being released back into the wild. You will also visit San Juan craft market en route to the airport. Lunch or a boxed lunch will be provided, depending on the exact departure flight time, which may vary. Other local activities may be included as well, according to the flight schedule.
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Pricing
3 Night Trip Departures: Saturday to Tuesday
4 Night Trip Departures: Tuesday to Saturday
7 Night (4 Night + 3 Night Itinerary) Trip Departures: Saturday to Saturday
2023 Cruise Rates:
Cabin Type: | 4 day/3 night: | 5 day/4 night: | 8 day/7 night: |
First Deck Suite | $4,500/person | $6,000/person | $10,500/person |
Second Deck Suite | $4,800/person | $6,400/person | $11,200/person |
Children 7-11 years old receive a 20% discount.
Single supplement is +25%.
Charters: from $153,000 (3 night), $205,000 (4 night), $359,000 (7 night)
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