Cruises on the Amazon are a great option for those who are lured to the romance of traveling by boat on the world’s largest river and want to travel in relative comfort. The boats bear an uncanny resemblance to Mississippi paddleboats without the paddle, and come in varying degrees of luxury and price.

The most popular trips are upriver to the Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria, where passengers disembark for walks into the jungle and village visits. The smaller boats can enter shallow rivers where more wildlife can be seen. It is hard to see much wildlife from a boat deck, apart from dolphins and birds.

Here are links to a few of the recommended agencies in the Iquitos area.

• GreenTracks
• Dawn On the Amazon
• Jungle Expeditions