Anakonda River Cruises
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Combine a rare opportunity for cruising in Ecuador’s Amazon with a night under the dense canopy. An optional addition which we recommend highly is extending your stay to add a night in tents in the rainforest and an evening spent huddled around the fire in one of the world’s most remote locations.
Luxury Travel Specialist
Cost Per Night : £ £ £ £
Perfect For : Families & Couples
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Venture deeper into dense thickets of rainforest inhabited by the world’s most colourful species and important indigenous cultures.
Access deeper parts of Ecuador’s Amazon, uncover wildlife and cultures seen by only a few, and go on a journey in the company of unrivalled understanding and expertise.
Embark on an unique way to explore beautiful Ecuador
Anakonda Amazon Cruises was founded by Raul Garcia, who has explored these territories for over 40 years and wants to introduce visitors to a world that is completely out of the ordinary. This is a family-owned venture with the sole purpose of bringing light to the wonderful wildlife of the Amazon at maximum biodiversity.
Anakonda Amazon Cruises operate two impressive vessels, Anakonda and Manatee, and this is the only cruise operator in Ecuadorian Amazonia. Journeys depart from a remote dock, accessed by a motorised canoe from Coca, and the tours range from four to eight days.
Expect to uncover four protected rainforest areas on the eight-day itinerary. Yasuni, Cuyabeno Reserve, Limoncocha, and Panacocha Biological Corridor are rarely visited by other tourists, and experiences of nature and the local communities are unparalleled.
Floor to ceiling windows with views of the passing river and verdant rainforest make an early morning rise far from difficult on-board. Explore the Napo River as no others have seen it, and spot eagles, oropendolas and celebrated woodpeckers flying towards the canopies that fringe the water’s edge.
Get involved with pink dolphin conservation projects, and meet with the communities in the area that provide a safe haven where they can live and feed without the risk of being poached. Take off for the day on a non-motorised canoe to meander through the flooded forests or trek on paths towards towering canopy towers or clay licks abundant with species.
An extensive menu of cultural and wildlife-viewing opportunities is joined by unparalleled luxury on board. Sink into the vibrations of rainforest life, and relax in the evenings with drinks or a recline in the jacuzzi out on deck.
The Vessel
Anakonda is the larger of the vessels, with 18 cabins, and the Manatee has 14, split between Superior and Deluxe Suites with French or private balconies. Purpose-built design with shallow hulls and a draft of only 1 metre for smooth sailing in lower water levels.
Facilities
Both boats feature spacious indoor seating areas with panoramic views and a sundeck with a jacuzzi and sun loungers. Each also has two motorised launches with four-stroke low-emission engines and constant radio comms, as well as single and double kayaks. Both ships have WiFi, however, due to remoteness, satellite internet is only available in certain zones and during certain times.
Dining
Fully inclusive of all food and drink. Extensive a la carte menu, using traditional recipes and local ingredients. There is an onboard restaurant and bar, as well as al-fresco dining options out on deck for sunset. The trained chefs take traditional cuisine from all over the world and adapt it using fresh and local ingredients. Enjoy quinoa risotto or fish prepared in coconut sauce. All dietary needs will be catered for with advanced notice.
How this cruise makes your trip more responsible
At Wayfairer, we promote sustainable and positive tourism to all our clients who choose to travel with us. This means that all stays actively benefit the countries we visit, and experiences give back to the wildlife and communities we interact with. We only partner with lodges, hotels and tour operators in Ecuador who share our ethos.
The Garcias are an Ecuadorian family who owns and run Anakonda and Manatee and has worked for decades to perfect a sustainable, community-involved tourism project as economically viable and as an alternative to the oil industry. As a young man in 1977, Raul joined this operation, and in exploring these areas, he became closer to the region’s ancestral communities. Closest to the river live the Kichwas; to the north, the Cofanes and Sionas. Further south reside the Huaoranis in Yasuni and the Secoyas near the borders of Peru. He has grown a spectacularly productive relationship with these communities, who today welcome visitors into their homes and want to teach us about their culture and integral connection to the ecosystem in the Amazon.
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