4 days · 3 nights
Samiria, Heart of the Reserve
Up the Samiria river to Tacshacocha and Ungurahui, with a stop at the community of San Martín de Tipishca.
Samiria riverSan MartínTacshacocha
Cocha El Dorado Tour: 3 Days / 2 Nights in Pacaya Samiria
El Dorado: Refuge of Legends
A direct route to Cocha El Dorado. Two nights at the Cantagallo camp exploring one of the richest oxbow lakes in the whole reserve.
Duration3 days · 2 nights
Starting pointPick-up in Iquitos · boarding in Nauta
DifficultyModerate
HighlightCantagallo camp
Full itinerary
El Dorado: Refuge of Legends itinerary, hour by hour
If you have only a few days but want to get far, this is the package. Intense navigation on the first day so you can spend both nights beside Cocha El Dorado.
Day one
- 06:00Pick-up of passengers in the city of Iquitos.
- 06:30Departure to the city of Nauta by road.
- 08:00Arrival in Nauta. Welcome and breakfast at a local restaurant.
- 09:00Boarding a speedboat towards the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (Yanayacu Pucate sector).
- 10:00Arrival at PV01 Yanayacu. Entry registration, briefing about the reserve and its rules of conduct.
- 11:00Cruising the Yanayacu river, watching pink dolphins, Amazonian birds and other animals that live in the region.
- 13:00Lunch on board, with regional options while we continue our journey.
- 15:00Arrival at Cocha El Dorado, at the Cantagallo camp, surrounded by natural scenery.
- 16:00Boat ride on the lake, where you can observe several wildlife species such as birds, monkeys and reptiles in their natural habitat.
- 18:00Free time to rest and relax, enjoying the peaceful surroundings of the camp.
- 19:00Dinner with typical Amazonian dishes.
- 20:30Night boat ride to watch the stars, nocturnal birds, caimans and night monkeys, a unique experience in the rainforest under the moonlight.
- 22:30Return to the camp to spend the night and rest.
Day two
- 07:00Breakfast at the camp.
- 08:30Boat ride across the whole of Cocha El Dorado, exploring its calm waters surrounded by lush biodiversity. Along the way, visitors can observe dolphins, native birds, paiche, monkeys, sloths and other species in their natural habitat.
- 15:00Lunch at the camp.
- 16:00Demonstration fishing, where participants can try to catch species such as piranha, paco and sabalo, in an authentic rainforest experience.
- 18:00Free time to rest or enjoy the natural scenery around the camp.
- 19:00Dinner.
- 20:30Night boat ride, watching nocturnal birds, enjoying the starry sky and spotting caimans and night monkeys in a magical, mysterious setting.
- 22:30Overnight stay at the camp.
Day three
- 07:00Breakfast.
- 09:00Return to the city of Nauta. Along the way you can observe the local flora and fauna, including birds, dolphins and other animals of the rainforest.
- 12:00Lunch on board.
- 15:00Arrival at PV01 Yanayacu for the checkpoint.
- 17:00Arrival in Nauta.
- 19:30Arrival in Iquitos, ending the day back in the city.
What's included
- Pick-up in Iquitos and road transfer Iquitos – Nauta – Iquitos.
- Speedboat trip to Cocha El Dorado and registration at PV01 Yanayacu.
- 2 nights at the Cantagallo camp.
- Meals as per the itinerary, from breakfast on day 1 to lunch on board on day 3.
- Boat rides on Cocha El Dorado, night boat rides and a fishing demonstration.
- Guide throughout the program.
Start: pick-up in Iquitos at 06:00. End: arrival in Iquitos at 19:30 on day 3.
About wildlife sightings
Wildlife sightings are influenced by several factors, such as weather conditions, the natural cycles of each species and other unpredictable events, so seeing every species described here cannot be guaranteed.
Gallery
El Dorado: Refuge of Legends photos
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