A&K's Pure Amazon Begins Peruvian Riverboat Cruises

Published on Nov 6, 2025, 2:36 pm CST

4 min read

Key points

Abercrombie & Kent's 22-passenger Pure Amazon is now sailing in Peru
Three-, four-, and seven-night itineraries reach Pacaya-Samiria Reserve
Programs include wildlife viewing, kayaking and guided piranha fishing
Onboard dining features five-course tasting menus with Latin American wines
Partnerships add community visits and bio-business project tours

Impact

Itinerary Choice: Pick three, four, or seven nights depending on depth of Pacaya-Samiria exploration
Booking Window: Popular dates are limited on 22-guest sailings, secure cabins well in advance
Community Etiquette: Follow guide briefings during village visits and avoid gifting without coordination
Packing & Gear: Light, breathable layers and rain protection recommended, binoculars provided on many sailings
Environmental Practices: Low-level lighting and small-group operations help reduce wildlife disturbance

Abercrombie & Kent has launched its first South American riverboat, Pure Amazon, with regular departures into the Peruvian Amazon. The 22-guest vessel is operating three, four, and seven-night itineraries that navigate deep into Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in Peru's Loreto region. For travelers, the draw is intimate access to flooded-forest wildlife with naturalist guides, paired with a notably elevated onboard program, from guided skiff outings and kayaking to nightly five-course tasting menus and a focused Latin American wine list. Recent inspections and first-sail reviews confirm operations in the second half of 2025, with departures now selling across multiple lengths.

A&K's new riverboat in the heart of Pacaya-Samiria

Pure Amazon marks A&K's expansion of its Sanctuary portfolio beyond Africa and Egypt to the Amazon Basin. Cabins are configured for just 22 guests, creating a high guide-to-guest ratio and allowing the boat to work into narrow tributaries where wildlife viewing is strongest. Itineraries center on Pacaya-Samiria, a protected area of roughly 20,800 square kilometers, about 8,000 square miles, known for river dolphins, macaws, caimans, and seasonal mirror-calm waterways. The reserve's scale and biodiversity are a primary reason the program focuses here, with skiff launches timed for dawn and dusk wildlife activity.

What travelers can expect onboard and ashore

Daily plans combine skiff safaris, guided hikes when water levels permit, kayaking, and, on select outings, piranha fishing under naturalist supervision. Evenings emphasize cuisine and regionally anchored cocktails that nod to staples like pisco, alongside tasting-menu pairings. The ship uses low-level exterior lighting to reduce impacts on nocturnal fauna, an important detail in a habitat where night activity is intense. Early third-party reviews from the first season highlight the balance of comfort with authentic field time in the reserve.

Community partnerships and educational visits

A&K has framed the program around community alliances, including work with Indigenous partners on "bio-business" initiatives such as honey and natural-fiber production, and guided visits that explain how these projects support livelihoods while conserving forest resources. Sailings also include a stop at Formabiap, the Bilingual Teacher Training Program for the Peruvian Amazon, where guests learn about intercultural education for future teachers from several Indigenous nations. These elements are designed to add context to the ecosystem travelers are entering and to formalize interactions that respect local priorities.

How it works

Amazon river cruising in Peru typically embarks near Iquitos, with transfers by road to Nauta for boarding. Small-vessel draft and flexible skiff operations allow access to black-water lakes and seasonally flooded forest that larger craft cannot reach. Because Pacaya-Samiria is a protected area, itineraries adapt to water levels and wildlife conditions, and guides set strict protocols on distance, noise, and lights. Official park literature underscores the reserve's biodiversity significance, which is why operators emphasize small groups, trained naturalists, and limited-impact practices.

Latest developments

A&K previewed Pure Amazon ahead of the 2025 launch window, then moved into regular departures mid-year. As of October and November 2025, product pages and independent coverage show three, four, and seven-night sailings live with pricing, dates, and sample day-by-day plans that include Pacaya-Samiria skiff sessions and return logistics via Iquitos. Travelers considering 2026 should track release calendars for peak-water and low-water seasons, which shape shore access and wildlife patterns.

Analysis

For luxury travelers who want substantive time in a protected Amazon ecosystem, Pure Amazon expands the very limited set of true small-ship options in Peru. Capacity is the gating factor, with only 22 berths, so pricing and availability are sensitive to seasonality and group blocks. The differentiators here are a high service ratio, a culinary program that treats dinner as a marquee event, and structured community engagement built with regional partners rather than casual drop-ins. If you value quieter wildlife encounters, choose shoulder dates when visitor volume is lighter, and consider the seven-night plan for deeper range into the reserve. Always plan with flexibility, since water levels can shift boarding and landing plans by day.

Final thoughts

A&K's Pure Amazon adds a credible, small-footprint luxury option to Peru's Amazon, pairing Pacaya-Samiria access with a tightly run onboard experience. For travelers comparing riverboats, the combination of size, guiding, and community partnerships makes this a strong entry, especially if you want an itinerary that stays focused on the reserve.