Itinerary
Air Journey will welcome you at the Galaxy FBO at Palm Beach International Airport for a briefing before embarking on the first leg of our Journey.
Our flight takes us to Liberia, Costa Rica (there will be a technical stop in Key West). Upon arrival, we will transfer to the Four Seasons Papagayo Resort. Spilling down a coastal hillside to an isthmus of golden sand, Four Seasons offers two unspoiled beaches, an indigenous spa, championship golf and the magic of the tropical dry forest.
We'll meet for a welcome cocktail before dinner.
Sometimes the best way to see the forest is from above and that's what we'll do on the Witch's Rock Canopy Tour. We'll harness up and slide along a series of zip lines suspended above valleys and amid treetops for an exhilarating experience. Wildlife along the route includes tree frogs, vine snakes, howler monkeys and hundreds of bird species.
Fly to Bogota. Known for its rich culture and magnificent location within the Andes, Bogota is a city with many different personalities. Visitors will find a very distinctive experience with combinations of new and old, calm and vibrant. Encounter both plazas and churches centuries old, surrounded by a modern towering metropolis bringing the two worlds together.
We'll visit the Golf Museum to view it's extraordinary selection of pre-Hispanic gold work collection (the largest in the world), the main square "Plaza de Bolivar" to see the Prime Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the National Capitol, the Mayor's Office and the Justice Palace and enjoy a walk through the well-preserved historical colonial quarter of La Candelaria to appreciate the colonial architecture and the district's varied attractions such as the Colon Theater, the Chorro de Quevedo and the Eje Ambiental. A visit to Monserrate Top (10,341' above sea level and accessible by cable car or funicular) provides a breathtaking view of the city below.
Fly to Iquitos situated on the banks of the Amazon River in the heart of the northern Peruvian Amazon region. Transfer to Iquitos' Main Wharf where the M/V Aria awaits you. Once onboard, you will appreciate the low-key luxury atmosphere of the M/V Aria. Enjoy the view from the Upper Deck as we leave Iquitos behind. Over the next three days, you will also sail along some of the largest tributaries of the Amazon, as well as the mighty Amazon itself. You are embarking on a magnificent adventure to places visited by only a very few.
Amazon River Cruise
The 147-foot-long, M/V Aria is the ultimate luxury cruise ship on the northern Amazon River in Peru. Launched in April 2011 it offers an extraordinary level of comfort for its guests with 16 specially designed cabins with floor-to-ceiling picture windows, a fully air-conditioned top deck with observation lounge as well as the Aqua Expeditions' signature Amazon Grill with award-winning Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. With a crew of 24, the M/V Aria is staffed with four world-class nature guides and also includes an Amazon wildlife reference library and air-conditioned multimedia room.
Includes all meals while onboard, all excursions and all beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic except premium brands)
This morning we will explore the Yacapana Isles ("the Isle of the Iguana") to view these reptiles that inhabit the area. You'll have an opportunity to join your Naturalist for some piranha fishing.
Later in the afternoon an excursion down the Yarapa River offers an opportunity to view and photograph the gray and pink freshwater dolphins found in the Amazon. After the sun sets and the jungle becomes dark, caiman, frogs and other jungle nightlife begin to appear.
This morning we will visit the seasonally flooded forest of Yanallpa in search of various types of monkeys, sloths, and other wildlife.
Later in the afternoon, we'll take an excursion along the Ucayali River to view different types of freshwater dolphin including the rare pink dolphins. This is also a good opportunity to observe some of the jungle bird species including the beautiful macaws. View nocturnal wildlife on the Dorado River as we head back to the M/V for dinner.
Rise early to view one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the sun rise over the birthplace of the Amazon River (where the union of the Ucayali and the Maranon form the world's greatest waterway).
After lunch (onboard), we will disembark and visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees that conservation authorities have seized from local people, including fisherman. Biologists will give a presentation about the project and its efforts to help these helpless mammals. You will also see how the manatees are cared for and are prepared for re-introduction into their natural habitat.
Fly to Juliaca where we will transfer to Puno (12,500' above sea level) - gateway to wondrous Lake Titicaca and its unique inhabited islands. The lake is South America's largest and the world's highest navigable body of water.
Long considered a sacred place among indigenous Andean peoples, those who live on and around the lake believe that powerful spirits live in the lake's depths.
We'll visit the archaeological center of Sillustani to observe impressive funeral tombs belonging to the Kolla culture (1200 - 1450 AD). Their noble class (Caciques, priests) was buried in funeral towers called chullpas. Their corpses were previously mummified and placed in fetus position together with some of their belongings, such as gold and silver objects, jewelry, ceramics, and food.
Today is at leisure to relax or explore on your own. An optional tour is available to the floating islands of Uros for a brief visit before continuing by boat to Taquile Island - a fascinating island of stunningly beautiful landscapes and friendly people - to visit archaeological remains belonging to the Tiahuanaco and Inca Culture and the local market.
Fly to Uyuni. The Luna Salada Hotel is extraordinary because it is constructed of salt blocks in the Uyuni salt flats.
Explore the beautiful Salar de Uyuni (white desert) - the world's largest salt flat at 4,085 square miles. It's estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt (less than 25,000 tons is extracted annually).
Today we will fly to Asuncion. The Granados Park Hotel is ideally situated in the Old Town of Asuncion City close to the Government Palace, the Independence House, The Cathedral Chapter, The Heroe's Burial Plot, and The Cathedral while offering a magnificent view from its terrace of the Asuncion Bay and the Paraguay River.
Today a city tour provides a picturesque combination of modern and colonial architecture. We'll visit downtown and residential areas such as The House of Independence, the Cathedral of Asuncion, the Government Palace, the Railway Station (visiting the oldest steam locomotive in South America), the National Heroe's Mausoleum (where the remains of the greatest heroes of Paraguay history are resting), the Avenida Mariscal Lopez (Avenue of the Embassies), and the popular market of La Recova.
Fly to Mendoza - the center of Argentina's wine country. The Park Hyatt offers stunning views of the Mendoza vineyards, the Andes mountain range and the renowned Aconcagua Mountain.
We will visit some of the local wineries as we learn about tasting, harvesting, winemaking process and history of the viticulture in Mendoza while sampling excellent wines.
Today is at leisure to relax and explore the surrounding area on your own.
Today we will fly to Montevideo, Uruguay's capital and a charming, cosmopolitan city. Estancia Vik Jose Ignacio sits on 4,000 acres in the rolling countryside of Jose Ignacio, Uruguay.
Take a half-day tour to explore the local area and learn more about the history and culture.
Today we will fly to Florianopolis. Situated on a private peninsula, Ponto dos Ganchos is one of Brazil's most exclusive beach resorts. A ridge of Atlantic rainforest runs down to the water, where three tiny islands horseshoe around a sandy bay. A thatched restaurant idles ten feet from the beach, but paddle across to one of the islands and you find a bar that's illuminated by torches at night.
Today is at your leisure to relax or explore on your own.
Late in the afternoon we will board a speedboat for a visit to Ganchos Bay – known for its calm and clean waters. Legend has it that Captain Hook frequented the bay (Ganchos means hooks in Portuguese) but it is much more likely that the name alludes to the fact that the bay itself is hook-shaped. The tour will take us by beaches of Canto dos Ganchos, Calheiros, Ganchos do Meio and Ganchos de Fora. You’ll be in the bay when the sun sets, providing a spectacle of rare beauty.
Today is at leisure to relax and explore this beautiful area on your own. Optional tour and acitvities (boating, kayaking, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, paragliding, golf, horseback riding, etc.) are available.
Today we will fly to Petropolis. Known as Cidade Imperial (the Imperial City), Petropolis is a premier mountain resort city offering lovely tree-lined streets, palaces, mansions, and museums that can be comfortably explored on foot or by horse and buggy.
Today is at leisure to relax or explore on your own.
There is no shortage of activities which range from a dip in the pool, to a massage room, a dry sauna, a clay tennis court, a weight-training room, horseback riding, a home theater, a library and preparing your own recipe in the Gourmet Kitchen, where you will be provided with the ingredients you require.
Today we will fly to Sao Luis, where we will stay at the Pestana Sao Luis Resort Hotel located at “Calhau” beach. There will be a technical stop in Salvador de Bahia.
Fly to Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana. Cayenne is the site where most of the geosynchronous satellites are launched.
Today we will visit Devil’s Island - perhaps the most infamous prison in human history and the most dreaded prison in the world. Located about seven miles off the coast of French Guiana, it on is the smallest of the Three Isles of Salvation. Explore the island with its prison cells, barracks, and beaches, and view the sharks in the waters surrounding Devil's Island.
After lunch, we’ll head to the Salvation Islands, used by Guiana Space Center for studying space launches, for a visit to the Space Center. On October 21, 2011 two Galileo IOV-1 & IOV-2 satellites were launched using a Soyuz-ST rocket, in the "first Russian Soyuz vehicle ever launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana”.
Today we will fly to Barbados. Our hotel is Sandy Lane. Its legendary style makes it one of the most prestigious hotels in the world.
Today is at your leisure to relax on the spectacular white sand beach or to explore on your own.
Optional activities include golf, kayaking, banana boat rides, and deep sea fishing. All non-motorized water sports are complimentary.
The end of the voyage is within reach! As you look back at the past thirty days, you will realize that you have completed an accomplishment of a lifetime. Not only will you have circumnavigated an entire continent, but you will also have experienced the magnificence of three ancient cultures and seen countless world wonders--all the while enjoying great accommodations and leaving the bureaucratic details to Air Journey.
After a most extraordinary and unique lifetime adventure, we will make our way back to the US, leaving Barbados for Florida. There will be a technical stop in Borinquen to refuel and clear US customs.