Travel With Me!

Iquitos, Peru & Amazon River Adventure

10‑Day Expedition — Mission, Wildlife & Cultural Immersion

Expedition Overview

Dates

May 2026

Arrival: May 23rd • Departure: June 1st

Total Base Cost (10 Days)

$2,000

Plus flight to/from Lima

Inclusions

Flights (LIM to IQT), Hotel, Meals*

*Meals not included on mission days/Iquitos free days.

Note: Price may vary slightly (will be finalized by January 1st) and does not include single occupancy, souvenirs, some meals, or alcoholic drinks anywhere.

The Adventure in Two Phases

1. You Will be free to live anywhere in the world and enjoy your life with safety, no-holds-barred.

All I ever wanted to do was travel....but I had to work to save money and time off. Ugh!!! I knew there had to be a way. I finally figured it out and now I travel for much longer stays, often years. You can too, if you follow the steps in my book. I've saved you the trouble of figuring it out on your own.

2. You will be able to explore, experience, thrive, grow NOW, knocking out the challenges life throws at you as you go!

Not much holds me back now that I've learned the secrets of solo travel. I've experienced the highs of exploring new places, the victories of accomplishing things I never imagined I would or could, and I'm so much better equipped to handle whatever life throws at me. Imagine yourself going wherever you want and staying as long as you want. See yourself being, doing and achieving and filled with wonder as you travel and grow. Follow my steps and you, too, will begin to thrive.

Phase 1: Mission First (May 23rd - 27th)

Important: No smoking or alcohol during mission activities.

We will all meet at the airport in Lima on May 23rd. Most flights arrive close to midnight. We will stay in a hotel at the airport and fly to Iquitos early in the day on the 24th. In Iquitos, we will check things out and have a meal together and stay overnight at the Poseidon Guest House.

  • The morning of the 25th we will board a boat and go down the Amazon to the town of Lazan where we will purchase food to be distributed to villages. We will spend the night in a hotel there and head out by boat the next morning to our first village.

  • We will take some balls along so we can play games with the kids. We can distribute bags of food to families and ask them how we can pray for them. Then we head back via boat to Lazan where we will spend another night in our hotel.

  • The morning of the 26th we will head back out to visit another village and do very similar things, returning in the evening to our hotel.

  • The morning of the 27th we will all boat back to Iquitos.

  • We will overnight in Iquitos, likely at the Poseidon Guest House.

Phase 2: Iquitos & Amazon Adventure (May 28th - 31st)

This segment includes meals, equipment, and higher‑comfort lodging at Grand Amazon Lodge.

Day 1 – Jump into Adventure

◉ Arrival – Flight arrival between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm for pick up at Iquitos airport, or at 10:00 am from your Iquitos Hotel by one of our friendly and experienced guides that is dedicated to you and will modify the itinerary to your ability and interests.

◉ Scenic Drive for an hour and a half down the Iquitos–Nauta Carretera in a private van, passing by small villages and luscious Amazon Rainforest habitat along the way.

◉ Dock our Private Boat from San Joaquin de Amaguas and travel down the Amazon River for an hour to reach our lodge.

◉ Arrive at Grand Amazon Lodge and be welcomed to the lodge by a local jungle fruit juice while being shown your private bungalow. (Depending on time, lunch may be served during your trip or after at the lodge.)

◉ Afternoon Boat Ride to Muena and Sapote Lakes, full of large trees, sometimes dolphins, and a lot of wildlife along the edges. Sapote lake is one of the largest lakes and aids in dragon fish breeding.

◉ Your first Dinner at the lodge, cooked by our awesome chef.

◉ Night Hiking Excursion to see nocturnal animals such as caimans, bats, frogs, or maybe even a pygmy owl.

◉ Restful Sleep to recover from your flight and adventurous travels.

Day 2 – A Full Day of Activity

◉ Breakfast at the lodge
◉ Hike the Ceiba Trail, named after one of the large trees in the Amazon jungle
◉ Search for over ten species of monkeys, specifically looking for the Howler Monkey
◉ Observe several of the region’s 600+ bird species, including the green-backed trogon known for its unique color
◉ Return to the lodge for lunch
◉ Boat ride up the Yanayacu River toward Ayacucho Tipishca
◉ Short walk to search for the Hoatzin, known as the “dinosaur bird” because of its clawed wings
◉ Reboard the boat, then take a short walk to view the Victoria Amazonica, the world’s largest lily pads
◉ Yanayacu wildlife excursion as you head back to the lodge to search for animals preparing for the night
◉ Enjoy an Amazonian dinner at the lodge
◉ Night boat excursion to observe caimans (similar to crocodiles), bats, nocturnal birds, and capybara — the world’s largest rodent
◉ Head to bed — you deserve a restful sleep!

Day 3 – Another Full Day of Discovery

◉ Breakfast at the lodge
◉ Hike one of the seven trails available in the area
◉ Choose from activities such as canoeing, fishing, swimming with dolphins, hiking another trail, or sailing one of the nearby lagoons
◉ Learn about medicinal and industrial plants, and look for the smallest monkeys — the pygmy marmoset — or search for capuchins
◉ Discover more of the 600+ bird species in the region, including mini toucans and green parrots
◉ Return to the lodge for lunch
◉ Take a boat ride to one of the seven lakes around the lodge
◉ Choose from a variety of additional activities or explore new areas to spot more wildlife
◉ Visit the Amazonian village of San Juan de Yanayacu
◉ Enjoy a Yanayacu Excursion as you head back to the lodge and search for animals preparing for the night
◉ Enjoy an Amazonian dinner at the lodge
◉ Night boat excursion to observe caimans (similar to crocodiles), bats, nocturnal birds, and capybara — the world’s largest rodent
◉ Head to bed — you deserve a restful sleep!

Day 4 – One Last Adventure

◉ Breakfast at the lodge, and make sure you are packed and ready for departure
◉ Boat deep into the Yanayacu River, named after its black-water color, in search of squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, capuchins, saki monkeys, or any of the other ten monkey species in the area
◉ Spot additional wildlife, such as the horned screamer, wattled jacana, or cocoi heron along the way
◉ Depending on your flight time, enjoy a quick lunch at the lodge
◉ Depart the lodge and say one last goodbye to the staff — your Amazon family
◉ Head back to Iquitos; as you travel along the tributary and rejoin the Amazon River, you may even receive a send-off from pink and gray river dolphins
◉ Farewells — offer your final thanks and goodbyes to your guide
◉ Catch your flight home, carrying a new memory — or if you’re staying a few more days in Iquitos, we will get you to your hotel

Remember, these itineraries are only samples to give you an idea of what you can expect. Since you will have a private guide, every activity, adventure, and day can be completely customized to your interests and activity level.
Feel free to contact me for more information!

Fly Home

On May 31st or June 1st you are free to fly home or to wherever you choose, on your own, of course.

Everyone is required to submit a medical clearance form. When you email me to let me know you are interested in going, I will send you the medical form, which you will need to fill out and send back to me.

Please NOTE: We are going to a 3rd-world country. There will likely not be electricity in the villages on the missions portion of our adventure; hence, you will NOT be able to refrigerate any insulin or other medications.

Feel free to take water purification tablets; however, we plan to purchase jugs of water to take with us in our boat to the villages.

You will need a mosquito net. You can buy these for your head and for your bed on Amazon.com.

Wear clothes suitable for hot and humid weather. We are going to the jungle. I will send you a packing list.

The boats we will take for the mission portion of the trip will require you to board from a muddy bank. There will not be a convenient loading platform. You must be able to climb down the bank, swing your leg over the boat, and pull yourself in.

Once we are in Iquitos for the Amazon Adventure portion of our trip, accommodations and equipment will be nicer.

Wear comfortable footwear that you don’t mind getting wet or dirty. I suggest plastic slip-ons for the mud that you can easily slip off. This will help you keep your feet dry and clean.

Trip to Peru May 2026 (February 15, 2026 deadline)

“An illuminating and inspirational guide to help you launch your solo travel adventures.”

—Myles McDowell

Airline Pilot

“Kathy has given us not just the how but some really good whys we should take a solo voyage. Her advice, experience and practical tips, provide a great roadmap. Whether you hunger to adventure across the world or just seek some solitude for making decisions, her guide is an invaluable resource. ”

—Rebekah Lynn Adams

12 time AFS host parent and world travel enthusiast

“Kathy's book is a treasure trove of information for the would be traveler. Not only does she include helpful tips regarding planning, packing and safety, but she provides inspiration to get up off the couch and go see the world! Much of her advice applies to those traveling both solo and in groups. Highly recommended!”

—Cindy Gilbert

Owner Harvest View Stables