Amazon River Source to Sea

Arequipa · Peru

Expedition Grade60 daysSouth America~£5,000 est.

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Overview

From a trickle of meltwater below Nevado Mismi in the Peruvian Andes to a delta that pushes fresh water a hundred miles into the Atlantic, following the Amazon from source to sea is the definitive river expedition. It breaks into three acts: the alpine headwaters above Arequipa; the Apurimac's committing whitewater canyons, where a packraft and serious river judgement (or a rafting outfitter) are mandatory; and the immense navigable lowlands, riding cargo boats in a hammock from Iquitos -- the world's largest city with no road access -- through Brazil to Belem and Marajo Island. Pink river dolphins surface beside the hull most days; caiman eyes shine in your torch beam at night. Budget two months minimum and 5,000 pounds upward excluding flights, with malaria prophylaxis, a water filter and a satellite communicator non-negotiable. May to August catches the Andean dry season and falling water downstream. The real skill is patience: boats leave when full, not when scheduled -- treat timetables as fiction and the hammock deck as home.