ROmance VOYAGES takes you down the exotic Amazon River for 4 days and three nights of awesome natural beauty. Start your 7 night journey in Lima. Explore the vast history and modern pulse of this very metropolitan city.

After two nights in Lima, we fly to Iquitos, the remote yet surprisingly gay friendly city in the rainforest. Enjoy one night exploring Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest. The next day we board m/v Delfin II for an amazing three night sailing on the Amazon.

The Delfin II is a floating 5-star hotel with modern amenities you would find at the most posh hotel. Veteran guides take you where few have gone before. You will be some of the few people in the world to visit the remote Pacaya Samiria Reserve, five million acres of protected, floodest forest.

You will see the amazing exotic flora and fauna of the most pristine rainforest on earth: monkeys, alligators, giant lily-pads, baby caimans, anacondas, boas, gray and pink river dolphins and a mind-boggling assortment of exotic birds. The natural beauty of the Amazon River is unequaled anywhere in the world.

Throughout, gourmet chefs translate an exotic blend of Peruvian, Brazilian, and Colombian food with influences from the Andes and the Pacific Coast into works of modern culinary artistry. Dining aboard the Delfin II is an amazing experience.

Day 1 - October 6, Wednesday
USA (Europe)/ Lima
Depart USA, or Europe - Hotel Thunderbird Principal - Lima
Meal:

Day 2 - October 7, Thursday
Lima
Arrive and check into Hotel Thunderbird Principal.
Meal:

Arrive and check into Hotel Thunderbird Principal in Lima's chic and elegant Miraflores district.

Day 3 - October 8, Friday
Lima
Lima City Tour-Afternoon at Leisure
Meal: B

After breakfast, we get acquainted with Peru's Capital City, its 2000 years of history. Tour Lima's historical center, a Unesco World Heritage Site including the main square with its Spanish Colonial and Beaux Art architecture. Make note of the elaborately carved wooden balconies hanging perilously from the stone facades; these are a signature of Lima. Lima is truly one of South America's most elegant and European cities.

Travel on to the Larco Museum. Founded in 1926, the museum showcases remarkable collection of Peruvian Pre-Columbian history. The gallery provides a chronologically accurate overview on 3000 years of Peruvian history and traces the development of Peruvian pre-Columbian civilization. Housed in a unique vice-royal mansion of the 18th century built over a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid, it is surrounded by beautiful manicured gardens and outdoor sculpture. The collection of gold and silver from ancient Peru and the famous erotic archaeological collection make it one of the most visited Peruvian museums. You can also visit the open storage area. Inside find a staggering 45,000 classified archaeological objects. The museums masterpieces are considered worldwide icons of Pre-Columbian art and have traveled to the world's leading museums.

Finally, we visit Casa Luna, a private home with an extensive ceramic, gold and silver collection of pre-Columbian art, modern Peruvian art and everything in between. The owners will take through this fantastic collections as well as their vast collection of Nativity scenes. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.

Day 4 - October 9, Saturday
Lima / Iquitos
Check out and transfer to the airport for our flight to Iquitos. We overnight in Iquitos.
Meal: B

After breakfast, we check out and transfer to the airport for our flight to Iquitos. During the middle of the 18th century, Iquitos was founded and served as a mission for Jesuit priests from Spain. The pearl of Iquitos, the Plaza de Armas, has been a very important landmark for many years. The square lies just a block to the west of the Amazonian riverfront and the pedestrian area, the Malecon Maldonado. With the exploding rubber trade towards the end of the 19th century, Iquitos experienced a great influx of wealth and opulence. This was reflected when rubber barons began to construct some magnificent colonial mansions. One landmark building with an especially interesting past is the Iron House (Casa de Fierro), which dates from the end of the 19th century and was designed by Gustave Eiffel.

Iquitos is Peru's quintessential jungle town and, at nearly half a million inhabitants, is probably the largest city in the world that is accessible only by air or river. Iquitos is the capital of Loreto region and is located downstream from the confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali rivers, where the Amazon River originates. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.

Day 5 - October 10, Sunday
Iquitos / Nauta
After breakfast, we checkout and travel 1.5 hours north to Nauta and board the Delfin II. Evening briefing on the ship's itinerary for the cruise.
Meal: B, D

After breakfast, we checkout and travel via coach about 1.5 hours north to Nauta and board the Delfin II. After our coach ride, we board traditional wooden canoe boats to "Islacocha", the floating VIP lounge where Delfin II's staff will assist with check in and enjoy a cool and exotic drink. This will be your first taste of true Amazonian wilderness.

Once checked-in we board the Delfin II and staff will escort you to your cabin. We will enjoy the afternoon onboard taking in the sights and sounds of the rainforest. Delfin II sets sail at dusk. Enjoy a cocktail as you take in your first breathtaking Amazonian sunset.

Next is dinner, served in the elegant yet cozy aft dining room. Peruvian cuisine is considered as one of the finest cuisines in the world. Delfin II's fine chefs take local fresh ingredients and create a unique culinary experience that one would never expect this deep in the wilderness. After dinner, our onboard guides will brief you on tomorrow's activities. End your first Amazonian evening relaxing under a star-lit sky.

Day 6 - October 11, Monday
Amazon River
Tamishi Yacu Creek and Tahuayo River expedition
Meal: B, L, D

Start your first morning with a fabulous breakfast. Enjoy the aroma of fresh coffee as you browse a buffet of exotic local fruits and juices and all the American comfort foods you are used to. After breakfast we begin the Tamishi Yacu Creek Expedition. This will be our first in-depth tour of this rainforest wilderness. Board your skiff and begin a trek on this small tributary of the Amazon.

It is known as a "black water" river; a deep, slow-moving channel that flows through forested swamps and wetlands. As vegetation decays in the water, tannins are leached out, resulting in transparent, acidic water that is darkly stained, resembling tea or coffee. Most major blackwater rivers are in the Amazon River system and the Southern United States.

Along the way, guides will be showing you the vast variety of wildlife. Birds such as Terns, Oriole, Blackbirds, Black Collared Hawk, and King Fisher's are active in the morning as they search for sustenance in the dense vegetation. Then we are off to a secluded lagoon to view even more birds and wildlife.

Arriving back at the Delfin II we cruise upstream on the Amazon River. Relax on the observation deck and watch the jungle pass as you enjoy a cool refreshing cocktail, before lunch. Our menu will feature local fresh fish and delicacies, all prepared with Amazonian flair.

This afternoon, we are off to the Tahuayo River. We will explore a rich wilderness habitat dotted with small native villages. We will have a chance to visit one of these outposts to learn more learn more about the native's wisdom and spirituality. We return for an evening aboard Delfin II. Dusk is the ideal times to observe even more wildlife.

As night falls, jungle sounds will resonate as our guides point out the nocturnal Common Potoos, Nightjars, Fishing Bats, and Frogcatchers. After dinner, enjoy a breezy Amazonian night on the observation deck.

Day 7 - October 12, Tuesday
Amazon River
Yana Yacu River Excursion and and Dolphin exploration
Meal: B, L, D

After breakfast we begin our Yana Yacu River Excursion view wild Amazonian fauna such as Tanagers, Parrots, Egrets, Three Toe Sloths, and Squirrel Monkeys. Board your skiff, to tour the river and its vast marshes. In the tree-tops find pairs of Wattled Jacanas producing a deep, throaty gulping sound as they survey the floating vegetation and lily pads for tasty morsels. The river also supports Herons, Hummingbirds, and Brown Throated Three Toe Sloths. This species is especially fond of this moist lowland forest. They are often seen in the Cecropia trees along this river. They are docile yet very active during the day and cohabitate with large noisy troops of Squirrel Monkeys, whose black snout and white face and ears make them quite unique.

We will have our first fishing activity here in the lagoons. Our prey will be the legendary Piranha. Delfin II supplies rods, reels, and plenty of bait. These fearsome fish are considered a valuable food source for the locals. Away from the piranha, we will find the perfect spot for a swim so bring your bathing suit.

After lunch we search for the elusive fresh water Pink River Dolphin as we approach the confluence of two powerful tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon River. These medium sized, long snouted dolphins have little or no dorsal fin and are really pink. We are in their feeding grounds so chances are we will find many of these playful creatures along with Gray Amazon Dolphins. Greys are much like the sea dolphins only smaller, with a distinctive triangular dorsal fin.

We will enjoy the sunset in this picturesque setting as the sky and stars come to life. Then it's back to Delfin II for our farewell dinner.

Day 8 - October 13, Wednesday
Amazon River /Nauta / Iquitos / Lima / Home
Yarapa River Exploration and Puerto Miguel Village Visit
Meal: B, L

Start your morning aboard a skiff sailing toward the village of Puerto Miguel. Here you will meet local villagers and learn of their culture, traditions, and folklore. We will visit one of the villager's homes and see how they live a simple lifestyle coexisting with nature. There will be a chance to shop for local handcrafts here as well.

After this village visit, we will start exploring the narrow Yarapa River and its abundant rainforest wildlife including Squirrel and Capuchin Monkeys, Herons, Egrets, and lazing on the tree branches are green Iguanas with their prominent head crest and throat fan. We come to a beautiful lagoon called "Uvos" named after a fruit that grows wild along its shores. Here too, we will see more Pink River Dolphins searching for lunch. The surrounding forest host amazing flora as well: epiphytical bromeliads, orchids, and numerous rare species of plants and trees.

Then it's back to the Delfin II and a relaxing sail downstream on the Amazon River. We will collect our belongings and pack before lunch. Once we finish our last Amazonian lunch and say our farewells to new friends, we board our skiffs for Nauta. Once in Nauta, we board coaches for our trip to Iquitos airport and then on to Lima and the Home.

Please note that this is not a full ship charter and not necessarily a completely gay sailing but any adventurer that wants to see this part of the world in this style has got to be cool!