High in the Peruvian Andes the trickle begins, gathering speed as it draws strength from more than 1,000 tributaries. The stream flows east, across Brazil, growing wider, growing deeper until, thousands of miles downstream, the now-massive river pushes millions of gallons of fresh water one hundred miles out into the Atlantic.

This is the Amazon: the river that holds up to a quarter of all the water running on the surface of the earth. Four thousand miles long, with perhaps a million living species in its embrace, the Amazon is a world unto itself-a vast kingdom of flowing water and jungle forest with a unique and fascinating population of plants, birds, fish and animals. Science has yet to catalog some 85% of the species here, and knowledge races against the forces of civilization which inexorably cut their way into the heart of the Amazonian forest.

There's no better way to explore the Amazon than aboard ship, and no better ship for the journey than the agile and intrepid Explorer With a naturalist at your side and a Zodiac to take you down dozens of tiny tributaries to hidden villages, pristine islands and jungle clearings, you'll seek out the treasures hidden behind the rainforest's "green wall." Then, back on board, after a shower and a cool drink, recap the day's explorations with your guide and enjoy a leisurely dinner as the stars bloom in the tropical sky.

Whether you choose our shorter Upper Amazon itinerary or travel right across the continent on The River Sea (both offered this year as spring and fall departures), the Amazon is a destination that will relax you, astonish you, educate and invigorate you, all in equal parts. Its immensity and exuberant life are impossible to imagine-and its touching fragility is difficult to accept.

We hope you'll join us on an unforgettable Amazon adventure in 1997. Geoffrey and Jorie Kent

The Amazon with A & K

Belem, Brazil June, 1996

In 1997, Abercrombie & Kent's expedition cruise vessel Explorer embarks on two Amazon itineraries. Our Upper Amazon adventure sails along the twisting waters of the western Amazon, from the frontier town of Iquitos, Peru to Manaus, Brazil, once the richest city in the world. Or book your passage on The River Sea, travelling right across the continent through 2,000 miles of riverine rainforest from the Atlantic Ocean at Belem, Brazil to Iquitos, Peru.	Our guides draw us deep into the Amazon world.
Both itineraries travel on board A&K's own Explorer, an expeditionary vessel designed for intrepid exploration in the far corners of the world.
Just The Right Size - And The Right Atmosphere "Simply the best" vessel for an Amazon expedition, the 100-passenger Explorer is small enough to maneuver narrow channels and backwaters, but large enough to offer comfortable air-conditioned accom modations and spacious public areas. After a day of adventure, you'll return to your ship to enjoy the informal, relaxing atmosphere our passengers value so highly, with like-minded company, excellent continental cuisine and time to pursue your own special interests.
See The Amazon From An Expert's Point Of View Lecturer/guides accompany us on board, sharing their experience and knowledge and creating an atmosphere of discovery that draws every passenger deep into the Amazon world. With their guidance we'll explore local history, watch riverine wildlife and examine the influence of industrial life on a remote and fragile environment. They'll also interpret the cultural heritage of the people we meet, introduce us to the ancient dances and stories woven into the daily life of local communities, and guide us to markets where jewehy, masks, wood callings and baskets are for sale.
Explore The Wild On Zodiac Expeditions Our experts accompany us on Zodiac expeditions and ashore, to assist in the identification of the dolphins, caimans, piranhas, parrots, butterflies, sloths, tree frogs and monkeys which inhabit "the enchanted canopy" around us.
Adventure All Along The Amazon Our comprehensive River Sea itinerary begins in Belem, Brazil, at the mouth of the great river, and ascends the Amazon as far as any expeditionary vessel can go-more than 2,000 miles to Iquitos in Peru. And all our Amazon programs explore small, unspoiled, seldom-visited settlements as well as stately port cities built with the fortunes of the bygone rubber trade.
Until you see it for yourself, you simply won't believe the immensity, beauty and poignant fragility of the Amazon. These tours promise to be a remarkably enriching and fulfilling personal adventure, in a destination unlike any other. Join us on the adventure of a lifetime as we explore the fascinating Amazon.

Catalysts For Discovery: Your Expert Guides

The quality of the Explorer's lecturer/guides sets this ship apart from all others.

Our travellers tell us that one outstanding benefit of travel on board the Explorer is the extraordinary caliber of the ship's lecturer/guides. Simply put, the quality of our Amazon lecture team sets these tours apart from all others.
At introductory briefings, on Zodiac expeditions and sightseeing tours, and back on board as the events of the day are reviewed over drinks and dinner, every traveller has an opportunity to interact with the botanists, anthropologists and zoologists who travel with us. Joining us throughout the season are experts the caliber of:
Moacir Fortes Pereira (known as "Mo") was born on the banks of the upper Amazon and learned English from American missionaries while teaching them Portuguese. Mo first sailed aboard the Explorer in 1971 and continues to be a much sought-after native guide and expert in caboclo lore.	Mo Pereira
Dr. John Harwood studied botany and microbiology at London University and worked in Swaziland, France, Burundi and the U.S. before moving to his present home in Manaus. He worked for the Brazilian govemment's National Institute for Amazonian Research for eight years before embarking on a new career as a naturalist and lecturer.
John Lenanton has taught Plant Sciences for the past 25 years and has frequently visited the American Tropics: the countries of Central America, Venezuela, Ecuador and Brazil. The purpose of his travels has always been related to collecting, or field observations, of native and cultivated plants.
Suzana Machado D'Oliveir-a was born and raised in Brazil and has worked at sea for many years as an expedition leader, naturalist and historian. Her main interest is in the cultures and peoples that she encounters during her travels.	Suzana D'Oliverira
Dr. Bob Meade has worked as geologist and hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey since 1957. Since 1974 he has studied the waters, sediments, and aquatic life of large rivers, including the Amazon, Orinoco, Yangtze and Mississippi. He is the author of nearly a hundred scientific publications.
Claudia Roedel is a Brazilian biologist, formerly associated with INPA. During that time she worked mainly with terrestrial vertebrates. For the last six years she has been lecturing and guiding nature tours, first on riverboats on the Amazon, later on expedition cruise ships around the world.
Kim Robertson has been a naturalist and lecturer aboard the Explorer since 1992 and has worked extensively throughout the polar regions and the tropics studying marine mammals. She is an avid birder and accomplished wildlife artist.
Ignacio Rojas is a tropical biologist who has worked as a volunteer assistant researcher at INPA, studying lizard ecology, caimans and aquatic food webs. He has also participated in several scientific expeditions around the Amazon basin.
Charley Wheatley is a marine biologist, oceanographer and research diver, as well as an internationally published photographer. His scientific interests have taken him to all seven continents, and he has been an integral part of the Erplorer team since 1987.
Peter Zika has travelled to the Amazon basin for the last six years to study the co-evolution of its fascinating plants and animals. He has frequently served as botanist, ornithologist or ecologist on natural history tours.	Peter Zika
Captain Leif Skog became involved in expedition cr-uising in the late 1970s, after serving as an officer on commercial vessels for some of Scandinavia's largest shipping companies. He has sailed to many of the most remote comers of the world, in Antarctica's Peninsula and Ross seas, in South Pacific and Indian Ocean atolls and along the Amazon. Captain Skog's seamanship has earned him the respect of passengers and crew alike, and he is also well known as a consultant for the reconstruction of speciality cruise ships.
Captain Uli Demel has truly risen from the bottom to the top of his sea-going profession: he left a career as a naval architect to sign on, at the relatively late age of 33, as a deck hand aboard cargo and container ships. He rose quickly, however, through the ranks to become Captain of the Explorer in 1992. At sea for an average of eight months a year, Uli spends his annual four months on land in and around Adendorf in his home country of Germany, hiking, camping and visiting with "landlubber" friends and family.	Captian Uli Demel (second from left) and his officers.

An Explorer adventure is always a journey of discovery - for everyone involved.

The River Sea

A 2,000 milejourney up theamazon, on a program designed to make the most of the safe, dependable and flexible capabilities ofour "little redship." On this comprehensive tour of one of the worlds most exotic and important ecosystems, you'll meet Ticuna, Bora and Huitoto Indians, spot to cans and sleeping sloths, and, if you're lucky, catch a glimpse of the rare rose-colored dolphins native only to the Amazon.

Cruising through the famous "Wedding of the waters" a five-mile-wide junction of the Rio Negro and the coffee-colored Solimoes rivers.

Depart USA

Arrive Belem, Brazil

Although particulars vary by departure date, The River Sea begins with a flight to Belem, with overnight accommodations and sightseeing on some dates.

Belem

The Lower Amazon, Brazil

The Explorer awaits at Belem's docks, which once loaded thousands of tons of rubber for the markets of the 19th century. We board this morning, with time to settle into our cabins before the Explorer sails west into the heart of the continent. Our briefing and lecture series begins today as we thread through the Narrows near Belem (where our compact size and shallow draft are a real advantage in channels as small as a hundred feet across), then sail out into the widest part of the river, cruising close to one bank for the best views of the rainforest's "green wall" and using our Zodiacs to explore threadlike tributaries and otherwise unreachable villages.

Each day may find us taking leisurely nature walks, fishing from the Zodiacs for piranha and catfish, or swimming in the gentle current of an Amazonian stream. On daily early-morning or late-afternoon excursions, our ornithologists, botanists, zoologists and naturalists reveal a world of rare plants, animals and birds. With luck, we may spot the freshwater dolphins native only to these waters.

We'll also explore small villages and experience traditional customs, visiting with local cabocio people, half-Portuguese, half-Indian. They build their houses on stilts over the water, surrounded by greenery alive with monkeys, sloths and parrots.

Our daily itineraries, dictated by river tides and water conditions, will be determined by the captain and expedition leader. Stops may include:

Rio Pucurui, a tributary known for good birding and botanizing. Our ornithologist will help us spot the red-billed toucan, orange-fronted yellow finch and the green ibis.
Tucumanduba a village is a point at which to anchor for a Zodiac expedition to a terra firma forest, or a hike up the hill for jungle vistas.	Our zodiacs take us into narrow tributaries for a closehand look at rainforest plants, animals and birds.
Rio Curua offers good birding at the entrance to this Amazon tributary, or we can patrol by Zodiac for dolphin.
Alter do Chao, "the altar of earth," is a charming white-sand beach on the Rio Tapajos. Enjoy a swim or tour the small village and taste guarana, a popular drink made from caffeine-rich seeds. A nearby grove of rubber trees prompts a discussion of the trade which once brought wealth to the Amazon basin and may do so again.
Lago Carauacu, a beautiful Clearwater lake, is home to two species of freshwater dolphins: small grey tucuxi and pink boto, which can grow to eight feet in length.
Furo do Moura is a small village, whose welcoming people give us a glimpse of local family life and customs.
Manaus, Brazil
Suddenly our watery pathway splits into two colors: along a five-mile-wide junction, the dark Rio Negro and the coffee-colored Solimoes River run side by side in the famous "Wedding of the Waters." This is our introduction to Manaus, for a brief moment at the tum of the century, the richest city in the world. Swollen with rubber profits, Manaus was a boom town with its own palatial Opera House and an unquenchable thirst for French champagne and Brussels lace. We dock this morning to spend the day exploring a remarkable port city a thousand miles from the sea.
Cruising the Upper Amazon, Brazil
Manaus is about half-way up the navigable length of the Amazon. As we continue upriver, the Amazon narrows, bringing its banks closer to our decks. Our captain and expedition leader plan our daily landings, with stops that may include:
Rio Badajos, a tributary we'll explore in our Zodiacs with our guides, searching for rare forest birds and the charming Victoria amazonica waterlily, one of the world's largest flowers and a rare botanical species.
Cuxui Muni, a traditional village whose manioc and bean fields we'll visit to learn about local farming methods. Three-toed sloths live in the forest nearby; we may spot one sleeping in the trees.
Lago Uara offers an opportunity to explore an Amazon lake. We anchor at the lake mouth and embark in our Zodiacs for jungle walks and fishing expeditions. If conditions are right we may view game in the nighttime jungle, filled with the calls of wild birds and mammals. The eyes of caimans may shine in our flashlight beams.
Rio Jutai is a pristine stretch of river ideal for swimming, fishing and birding. We may spot a caiman as twilight darkens.
Vendaval is inhabited by the Ticuna Indians, who welcome our visits. Village crafts include paddles, spears and necklaces.
Tabatinga, Brazil - Leticia, Colombia
After leaving Brazil at Tabatinga, we land at Colombia's only Amazon port. Here we tour a bustling market town, known for the colorful handicrafts of the Ticuna and Yagua Indians who live nearby.
Pevas, Peru
We visit Huitoto and Bora Indian villages, where we may be able to see traditional dances.
Iquitos, Peru-Lima-Miami
Today we sail into our final port, Iquitos. This is Peru's most remote frontier, the region which vanquished the gold-seeking conquistadors in the16th century and defeated Christian missionaries in the 17th and 18th. Iquitos succumbed, however, to the influence of rubber dollars - this is another example of a boom town past its heyday but with the old days of wealth and extravagance still evident. Here we say goodbye to our ship's staff and crew as we disembark this morning for our flight to Lima and further connections bound for Miami.	Local caboclo people live in the midst of exuberant Amazon life.
Extend Your Trip
The spectacular Incan ruins of Machu Picchu make a convenient pre- or post- cruise extension to The River Sea.

The Upper Amazon

This shorter tour highlights the upper stretch of the Amazon, between Iquitos and Manaus. Here the river is narrower, bringing the world of the tropical jungle closer to our decks as we sail, Jungle walks, Zodiac expeditions and visits to Indian villages bring this fascinating environment even closer yet.

Our "go everywhere" Zodiacs bring us close to the life of the river.

Depart USA-Arrive Lima, Peru

Although particulars vary by departure date, The Upper Amazon begins with an ovemight flight to Lima, Peru. From Lima, we transfer to Iquitos to join the Explorer for a late evening departure and our first night on board.

Pevas, Peru

Here, where the twisting Amazon has backed itself into dozens of green-lined channels and tiny streams, we skirt the banks with their overhanging trees and listen to the sounds of the teeming rainforest. Stopping to visit Huitoto and Bora Indian villages, we may have a chance to view traditional dances.

Leticia, Colombia-Tabatinga, Brazil

We visit Leticia, a bustling Colombian port town known for the colorful handicrafts of the Ticuna and Yagua Indians who live nearby. Later, we cross the border into Brazil at Tabatinga.

Cruising the Upper Amazon, Brazil

As we continue our Amazon adventure downriver, our watery highway brings us close to the everyday life of the river, as our ship threads its way among fishermen, river buses and children paddling tiny canoes. Travelling at leisure at the direction of our captain and expedition leader, we take advantage of the best available options for wildlife viewing and village visits. We are likely to enjoy intriguing stops such as:

Vendaval is inhabited by Ticuna Indians who welcome our visits. These villagers produce finely detailed handicrafts, including paddles, spears and necklaces.	Our day-to-day itinerary, dictated by river tides and water conditions, is plotted by our Captain and officers.
Rio Jutai, a pristine stretch of river ideal for swimming, fishing and birding. We may spot caiman as twilight darkens.
Lago Uara, an Amazon lake which we'll explore in our Zodiacs and on jungle walks and fishing expeditions. We may go game viewing tonight-the nighttime jungle is filled with the calls of wild birds and mammals. The eyes of caimans may shine in our flashlight beams.
Cuxui Muni is a traditional village in which we'll learn about local farming methods for manioc and beans. The nearby jungle often harbors three-toed sloths - we may spot one sleeping in the trees.
Rio Badajos, a tributary we'll explore in our Zodiacs with our guides, searching for rare forest birds and the charming Victoria amazonica waterlily, one of the world's largest flowers and a rare botanical species.
Manaus, Brazil
Arriving near Manaus, on the junction of the Amazon and Rio Negro rivers, our watery pathway suddenly splits into two colors: a five-mile-wide junction, the dark Rio Negro and the.coffee-colored Solimoes River run side by side in the famous "Wedding of the Waters." This is our introduction to Manaus, for a brief moment the richest city in the world, swollen with the profits of the rubber barons who supplied the tum-of- the-century demand for auto tires. Here we disembark to enjoy a tour of Manaus with lunch, before boarding a midafternoon flight to Miami with homebound connections to follow.
Extend Your Trip
The spectacular Incan ruins of Machu Picchu make a convenient pre- or post- cruise extension to The Upper Amazon.

"The forrest of the Amazons is not merely trees and shrubs...it is another element. The mind sees this forest better than the eye."-H.M. Tomlinson, 1912

After an exciting day of adventure, we return to our ship for a comfortable cruise to a new destination.

The River Sea Itinerary

The Upper Amazon Itinerary

Machu Picchu

Pre- or Post- Cruise Extension: 6 Days

Pricing

Cabin Information

Call Now To Book Your Vacation 215-483-3080

Back to Signature Travel