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May 1–13, 2017
Haimark Amazon Discovery
13-day Peruvian adventure including an Amazon River cruise and culminating with a comprehensive Machu Picchu experience. It's the perfect combination of inspiring places and rich history in the comfort of an all-gay environment
Few things have the power to put us in our place like a total immersion in nature. And few countries have the staggering breadth of natural diversity that exists along the Amazon. Peru is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world offering a unique combination of nature, wildlife, archeology and cultural heritage.
Brand g Vacations is pleased to introduce our fourth Amazon Discovery Expedition travel program in 2017. Operated aboard the Amazon Discovery, our land/cruise program offers some of the most spacious accommodations along the Amazon River. A smartly designed, 44-passenger, colonial-style vessel, The Amazon Discovery provides the ultimate in comfort, with five-star amenities. Our custom designed shore excursion program provides authentic, educational, and culturally-enriching encounters daily.
Few trips offer as rich an experience of Peru's diverse natural and cultural treasures. Our luxury riverboat takes you deep into the rain forest within the Amazon Basin. Home to a staggering array of wildlife, the Peruvian Amazon boasts nearly a thousand species of birds alone. After disembarkation, we will continue on to the Sacred Valley near the Inca capitol of Cusco. From here, we board a train for a scenic journey to Machu Picchu, the mystical stone city built by the Incas in the 15th century.
It's the perfect combination of inspiring places and rich history in the comfort of an all-gay environment.
The Ship
Brand g Vacations has chartered Haimark's Amazon Discovery. While cruising the Amazon, you will explore one of the largest expanses of tropical rainforest in the wolrd. Smartly designed, this vessel provides the ultimate in comfort, with five-star amenities.
Relax
• All suite accommodations • Floor-to-ceiling windows in every suite • Tropical flowers & fruit upon arrival • Soft, luxurious spa robes & slippers • Natural, therapeutic bath amenities • Fine cotton bed linens & pillow menu • Individual climate control; in-room safe • Makeup mirror, hair dryer, iPhone dock • Generous closet & under-bed storage
Indulge
• 44 guests pampered by 29 crew • Expert naturalists travel with the ship • Spa services with signature treatments • Daily enrichment & nightly entertainment • Daily housekeeping; nightly turndown • The services of a cruise director throughout • Transfers to/from Iquitos Airport (IQT)
Refresh
• All meals included • Welcome reception onboard the ship • Farewell dinner at Al Frio y al Fuego, the floating restaurant in Iquitos • Complimentary coffee, tea, water, soft drinks, local beer and pisco-based cocktails • Free flow house wine at dinner • In-suite bottled mineral water and ice
Explore
• Daily excursions led by expert naturalists • Amiable, English-speaking local guides • Deluxe, 15-person skiff excursion boats • Water resistant boots for wet landings • State-of-the-art portable listening devices • Refreshments on longer excursions?
Accommodations
Accommodations on board the Amazon Discovery provide all the comforts and conveniences of a five-star hotel, without denying you the thrills of complete immersion in the rain-forest experience. Spacious, well-appointed suites offer individual climate control, daily housekeeping with turn-down service, the finest bed linens and duvets, luxuriously soft robes and slippers, all natural therapeutic bath amenities, copious amounts of storage space, and much more.
Travel Itinerary
Day 1 - Monday, May 1, 2017
Arrive in Lima, Peru
Arrive the Jorge Chavez International Airport, where you will be greeted by a Brand G representative and transferred to the centrally located Hilton Lima Miraflores.
 Day 2 - Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Lima, Peru
Enjoy a panoramic drive through Miraflores and San Isidro and to see the sites of "Parque de los Enamorados" (Lover's Park), and enjoy a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. Continue to the historic center of Lima, a UNESCO world heritage site, where you will see the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the Archbishop's Palace, and City Hall. Visit the Church and Convent of the San Francisco Monastery, the most significant religious site in Lima, which provides insight into life during Spanish colonial times, and the catacombs, which served as a burial ground until 1808. Continue to the Cathedral which houses the remains of Francisco Pizarro, the founder of Lima. After an included lunch, enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
Meals included: B, L
Day 3 - Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Lima / Iquitos / Embark Ship
 After breakfast, fly from Lima to Iquitos, where you will be met by our local guides and transported to Nauta, the oldest city in the department of Loreto, which lies between Iquitos and the Marañon River. Here, with the help of our experienced crew, you will embark the Amazon Discovery.
Meals included: B, L, D, Welcome Reception
Day 4 - Thursday, May 4, 2017
Monkey Island - Bora Community
 After breakfast, we will board the Amazon Discovery's skiffs and set off to meet with conservationists who are working to save monkeys that were orphaned or captured for trade. As you come ashore, you'll be greeted by the mischievous local residents and Gilberto, the lead conservationist, who will describe the process of taking in sick and malnourished monkeys and preparing them for return to their natural habitat. Back on board, we'll enjoy lunch and relaxing free time as we cruise to the Momon tributary and our next adventure, a visit to the village of the Bora people who maintain many of their original beliefs and customs. After coming ashore, we will meet members of the Bora community, visit their ceremonial lodge (maloca), and witness an exhilarating, stick-thumping, traditional dance performance.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 5 - Friday, May 5, 2017
Tahuayo River / Yarapa River
 This morning, we will cruise the Tahuayo River, a tributary of the Amazon, to a favorite feeding spot of the Pink River Dolphin. Also known as the boto, these intelligent creatures are the largest freshwater dolphins in the world. In addition to their pink color, they boast un-fused neck vertebrae that allow them to turn their heads up to 180 degrees, enabling maneuverability among the underwater tree trunks of the rainforest. The Tahuayo is one of several "black water" rivers we will encounter on our journey. It gets its color from tannins that leach into the water from the rich forest soil. After greeting the pink dolphins, you'll have the chance to go for a swim in this unique environment. Back on board, we'll enjoy lunch while we cruise to the Yarapa River. Then go ashore for a walk on the terra firma (un-flooded forest). Your naturalist guide will explain the layers of the jungle, point out tropical flowers growing wild on the shores of creeks, epiphytes such as orchids and mosses, as well as small monkeys, birds, butterflies, and green iguanas.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 6 - Saturday, May 6, 2017
Amazon Headwaters / San Francisco Village
 This morning we will awaken in an historic place, the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers, where the mighty Amazon River is born. Before the heat of the day, we'll set off on short skiff ride to Piranha Caño (or Marayali Caño) to catch the early morning activity of the local wildlife. After breakfast, we'll cruise to San Francisco Village, where our ship will be met by the local children of the Shipibo community. Accompanied by an expert guide and interpreter, we will have the unique opportunity to visit their homes and school and peruse their embroidery and beadwork. After lunch on board, we're off again on a hike into one of the most biologically diverse rainforests on earth, where canopy trees, such as the Kapok (ceiba pentandra) reach up to 55 meters (180 feet) in height. During our walk, a naturalist guide will provide insights into rare medicinal plants and exotic birds such as the bluish-fronted jacamar, collared trogons, and red-capped cardinals.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 7 - Sunday, May 7, 2017
Pacaya Samiria Reserve / Nauta Caño Night Excursion
 This morning, we'll begin with a skiff excursion into the pure, black waters of the Yana Yacu Pucate River (a protected area within the Pacaya Samiria Reserve). Here, you'll see brilliant parrots, hummingbirds, hawks, and "laughing" falcons. Spot pink and grey dolphins swimming below and red howler monkeys in the canopy above. Zoom-in on exotic spiders, dragonflies, butterflies, and tarantulas. Perhaps even catch glimpses of the endangered charapa turtle, spider monkey, giant river otter, or red macaw. The largest wildlife preserve in Peru, Pacaya Samiria boasts more than five million acres of rich biodiversity. Throughout the day, expert naturalist guides will assist you in identifying flora and fauna from more than 527 species of birds, 102 mammals, 69 reptiles, 58 amphibians, nearly 300 varieties of fish, 1024 species of wild and cultivated plants, and innumerable classes of insects. After lunch, we'll cruise quietly near the shores of Nauta Caño watching the marshes, streams, and oxbows for wild life. Then, we'll board our skiffs and set off for a hidden lake and an exhilarating piranha fishing adventure. There are over 25 different species of piranhas in the Amazon River Basin, including black-, white-, and red-bellied piranhas. During the rainy season, the river floods the forest with more than three feet of water. This attracts piranhas and other fish who come to feed on the low-hanging flowers, fruits, and skins of flooded trees. As the sun sinks lower in the sky, and the jungle comes alive again with a cacophony of sound, you'll witness for yourself why Nauta Caño is known as the "mirrored forest." After dark, we'll embark on a night safari with powerful spotlights to help us see herons, spectacled owls, exotic frogs, tree boas, fish bats, and caimans. Back on board, we'll toast a spectacular day over another delicious evening meal and indulge in late night star gazing with our onboard telescopes.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 8 - Monday, May 8, 2017
Santa Ana Village / Iquitos
 This morning, after a light breakfast, we'll cruise up another tributary to visit the local community of Santa Ana Village. Here, we'll be treated to an enchanting dance performance by the children, with music provided by the parents. After the show, we'll have a chance to shop their arts and crafts market. Back on the ship, we'll enjoy a relaxing afternoon of scenic cruising as we return to the city of Iquitos. In port, a special farewell dinner experience awaits at Al Frio y al Fuego, a floating gourmet restaurant and one of the city's cherished jewels. Here, you'll dine on the local cuisine of Chef Carlos Sebastiani while you savor stunning views of Iquitos at sunset.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 9 - Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Amazon River - Yarapa River - Disembarkation - Sacred Valley
 Following breakfast, we will disembark at our port in Nauta, where a motorcoach will be waiting to return you to Iquitos. En route, we will make a short stop at the Manatee Rescue Center in Iquitos. After our visit, you will transfer to the airport for your flights to Cusco and transfer to the tranquil Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 10 - Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Sacred Valley (Urubamba)
 Urubamba Valley is located in the Andes close to the Inca capital of Cusco, and below the ancient sacred city of Machu Picchu. Begin the day with a drive through the town of Maras to the Saltpans, which have existed since Pre-Incan times. Continue to the town of Ollantaytambo with its huge Incan fortress rising from the edge of town. After lunch continue to Urubamba for a visit to the Pablo Seminario Ceramic workshop. Pablo and his wife have developed a technique of ceramics which reflects the ancient Peruvian culture. Pablo has exhibits of his artwork in the Pre Columbian museum in Cusco and also the Field Museum in Chicago.
Meals included: B, L
Day 11 - Thursday, May 11, 2017
Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu
 After breakfast, board the train in Ollantaytambo for the scenic journey to Aguas Calientes, the starting point for the tour of Machu Picchu, the "Lost City of the Incas." A local expert will guide you through the marvelous citadel, the main plaza, the royal quarters, and the Temple of Three Windows before checking into the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel.
Meals included: B, L, D
Day 12 - Friday, May 12, 2017
Machu Picchu / Cusco
 Your morning is free to explore Machu Picchu on your own. This afternoon, return to Ollantaytambo by train, and transfer to Cusco. Arrive at Cusco's Plaza de Armas central square for a visit to the Cathedral, one of the most imposing structures in the city. The Cathedral houses an important collection of gold and silver work from the colonial period as well as a beautiful collection of oil on canvas. Continue with a visit to the Koricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo. The Convent was built on the Koricancha (site of gold) the most important temple dedicated to the worship of the sun by the ancient Incans. At the end of the afternoon, check-in to the Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel in Cusco and enjoy your evening at leisure.
Meals included: B, L
Day 11 - Saturday, May 13, 2017
Cusco / Departure
After a morning at leisure to explore the city, enjoy a Farewell Lunch before your return flights home.
Meals included: B, L
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