andBeyond built its name on safari: small lodges, expert guides and a hard line on conservation across Africa, Asia and South America. Its next launch floats. andBeyond Amazon Explorer is a 74-metre river expedition ship for no more than 32 guests. She sails into Peru’s Pacaya Samiria National Reserve from December 2026, and the company confirmed the date on 2 September.
The logic is pure safari. Fifteen suites, small skiffs instead of game-drive vehicles, naturalist guides, night outings and village visits, all built around one of the largest protected areas in the Peruvian Amazon. It is a lodge that moves, and it is on sale now with a 20 percent early-booking discount that closes on 31 October.
andBeyond Amazon Explorer: Key Facts
- First departures: December 2026 (early-bird offer covers departures from 15 December 2026)
- Built by: SIMA shipyard, Iquitos, Peru
- Size: 74 metres (242 ft), five decks
- Guests: 32 maximum
- Suites: 15 — 12 Luxury, 2 Superior and 1 Deluxe (80 sqm with a private balcony and separate sitting area); interleading suites for families
- Onboard: Explorer Centre, River Retreat, wellness centre, gym, media room, sundeck with a splash pool, shop and Pisco Bar
- Journeys: 3, 4 and 7 nights, starting in Iquitos with transfer to Nauta for embarkation
- Included: all meals, selected drinks, guided excursions, community visits, limited laundry, Starlink internet, emergency evacuation insurance and SWAROVSKI OPTIK binoculars in every suite
- Fares: from US$5,190 per person sharing, per cruise
A Lodge on the Water
The ship was built in Iquitos, at the SIMA yard, and designed by yacht architect Ken Freivokh with interiors by Adriana Hoyos. The interiors draw on the Kené patterns of the Shipibo-Conibo people. The Deluxe Suite covers 80 square metres with its own balcony, and interleading suites let families travel together. The public spaces read like a lodge’s. The Explorer Centre and River Retreat do the work of a safari camp’s library and deck, the Pisco Bar that of its boma.
What You Actually Do
Days are built around guided skiff excursions, kayaking, rainforest walks, night outings and visits to river communities. Itineraries shift with the high- and low-water seasons, which change the Amazon landscape completely. The binoculars in every suite tell you where the emphasis lies: birds, primates, river dolphins and the reserve itself, rather than ports. Divers should note there is no scuba, and the release does not mention swimming or snorkelling in the river either.
Why It Matters
The Peruvian Amazon already has a small luxury river fleet, but a safari operator arriving with its own ship is a different kind of entrant. andBeyond’s guiding and conservation reputation was earned on land. If it transfers to the river, this becomes the Amazon trip for travellers who judge a wildlife holiday by the quality of the guide rather than the thread count. At 32 guests, it is also small enough that every skiff outing stays intimate.
The Lens I’m Reading This Through
The closest thing I have done to this is a week in the Galapagos on Ecoventura’s Theory, one of three 20-guest yachts. I gave it 4.5/5 for outstanding food, guides and service. The one thing that kept it from perfect was a programme at the mercy of the weather. That trip taught me that on a small expedition ship, the naturalists are the product, and the four-excursion days are what you remember. andBeyond’s pitch is the same one. The difference is a river instead of an ocean, which means calmer water and a very different kind of wildlife watching.
Prices and How to Book
andBeyond lists fares from US$5,190 per person sharing, per cruise, in a Luxury Suite, from US$6,900 in a Superior Suite and from US$10,710 in the Deluxe Suite. The early-bird offer takes 20 percent off 3-, 4- and 7-night journeys for bookings made by 31 October 2026, for departures between 15 December 2026 and 30 June 2027. Flights to Iquitos are not included. andBeyond Amazon Explorer is bookable through andBeyond and luxury travel specialists.
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This preview is based on official announcements — I haven’t sailed aboard andBeyond Amazon Explorer yet. Read more about how I review or visit my Work With Me page.
