T+L’s Ship Review of Pure Amazon, From Tour Operator Abercrombie & Kent

“In the wild, anything can happen,” says Robinson Rodriguez, one of our group’s five experts. We boarded our first Asf (a small, flat bottle boat). Pure Amazona riverboat by luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent. And he is not wrong.

As I learned on a four-night cruise on the backwaters of the Pacia-Sumeria National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon, nature takes center stage. That said, it’s not as in-your-face as a wildlife adventure like spotting Africa’s big game. While I watched the royal pink dolphins for the next couple of days on this nice excursion, most of what we saw (or in some cases, just heard) were birds, including kingfishers, orioles, macaws, and black-collared hawks.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s hanging out with scarlet piranhas (I caught two!), swimming in a freshwater lagoon, or hiking through dense forest—I look forward to returning to the comfort of the 158-foot-long. Pure Amazon. With 10 suites and two single cabins, it accommodates a maximum of 22 guests and has a great crew-to-guest ratio. After my first morning coffee order, my cappuccino arrived as usual as soon as I sat down, and a staff was always on hand to make sure I was kitted out with the right gear to get around. A five-course dinner in the chic dining room, prepared with local ingredients and enhanced by an expert wine pairing, felt like the right way to end each day.

Abercrombie & Kent’s commitment to highlighting talented women added an admirable layer of learning. The ship, clad in Shehuaco, an Amazonian hardwood, was designed by Milan-based architect Adriana Granato, who serves as artistic director of A&K Travel Group. He worked with Peruvian-born artist Silvana Pestana to create the stunning pieces of art displayed throughout the ship. Operations Manager Angela Rodriguez was responsible for most hiring and onboard service decisions.

Another such advocate is Helen Arevalo, the only female certified naturalist working in Peru’s Amazon cruise industry. She grew up in a small nearby village called Nueva Esperanza (“New Hope”) and fell in love with the unique ecosystem of the Amazon. “Since I grew up in the woods, it’s like a little paradise for me,” she says. After spending four days with him and his colleagues, I couldn’t be more pleased.

Finally, during our last full day on the river, we saw three sloths—including a mother and her cub—and a troop of over 100 squirrel monkeys. It was the cherry on top of a remarkable journey.

This extraordinary river cruise sailed in September 2025, and I was among the first to experience it. Here is my detailed review Pure Amazonincluding where it is and what guests should expect.

Staterooms

Pure Amazon Features include 12 suites and two single cabins (an advantage for solo travelers, as they don’t have to pay the same supplement). At approximately 27,270 square feet, my second-floor suite was spacious and intuitively designed. The queen-sized bed, covered in 350 thread count, locally produced Peruvian Pima cotton, felt like sleeping on a cloud. The roof is covered with woven heads that grow in the Amazon, adding to the organic feel of the design. I found the sage green chaise longue, set against a wall of windows, a quiet place to read. There are two sets of interconnecting cabins for families traveling together.

My ensuite bathroom, decorated with textured, green and white subway tiles, includes a floor-to-ceiling window for an amazing amount of storage and a substantial shower with rattan-fronted cabinets and drawers. It was stocked with Pure AmazonAmenities, branded amenities, and a delightfully powerful JVD hairdryer scented with eucalyptus, chacha inchi, and lemon verbena by Ecuador-based manufacturer Amenigraph, as well as plush towels, and a delightfully powerful JVD hair dryer. Guests should note how remote the trip is: while bathrooms are supplied with dental, shaving, sewing, and vanity kits, more specialized items (such as feminine hygiene products) may not be available.

The minibar is replenished several times daily and is stocked with pure and sparkling water, sodas, and Peruvian beer, as well as a Nespresso machine with Peruvian organic espresso beans and chai tea from La Fidelia. Each stateroom has a media reader (including a large tablet) with information on the yacht’s offerings as well as international newspapers and magazines. Travel + Leisure), and a dozen films. It was a nice touch in lieu of television.

If you have a strong preference for your view while docked, know that portside cabins often face the shore (and thus get more privacy if you like to open your windows), while starboard cabins primarily face the river.

Like the rest Pure Amazon Experience, cabin service is top notch, with room freshening three times a day. My favorite element: The turndown service includes a truffle from Peruvian chocolatier Futima Carranza..

Eating and drinking

Food on board Pure Amazon Really adds to the experience – not just because it’s impeccably finished but because it adds to the sense of space. At each meal in the dining room, the team showcases the local ingredients featured in the dishes, inviting guests to ask questions and even taste them. I encountered yucca, chirpita peppers, camo camo, and macambo beans. It was exciting to enter the dining room and expect to learn something new.

Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, but often with a build-your-eyes element. For example, at breakfast, fresh fruit, yogurt, homemade granola, and an array of dishes that run the gamut from Western to local (eggs and omelets are made to order).Juanan Amazonian tamil that uses rice instead of corn, was a perennial favorite). Lunches are varied: one day a chef was whipping up pasta with a variety of sauces and proteins, another offering ceviche infused with ginger. Leche de Tigger And Dansalilaa South American catfish.

Each night, dinner is a five-course affair. The first three courses—an amuse-bouche and two appetizers—are served. Each course is plated on crockery by Vista Allegri Portugal. Garlic shrimp with Peruvian green rice, creamy hearts of palm soup, and beef with creamy lima bean hummus paired with South American wines.

The Riverboat’s main-level Jungle Lounge and third-floor Veranda Lounge both offer cocktails made from 16 wines and more than 40 spirits (including six piscos, perfect for a special pisco sour). I was partial to a Jungle Negroni made with Amazonian gin, Campari, and house-infused cocoa nib vermouth.

Facilities and entertainment

By design, Nature is the star rider Pure Amazon. One afternoon, as I was sipping an espresso through the jungle lounge’s wide windows, a pod of pink dolphins floated alongside the boat and put on a show. To strengthen this connection with the river and its surrounding land and villages, the team of naturalists on board conduct daily talks about conservation, the Amazon’s unique animal species and flora.

The upper-deck map room is stocked with books about the flora and fauna of the Amazon and doubles as a cozy place to read or work. For guests looking to soak up some sun, a large Jacuzzi (large enough to accommodate at least six guests) is flanked by plush lounge chairs. The top deck also includes a small – but well-appointed – workout room with a Technogame Unica weightlifting machine that offers 25 exercises, free weights, yoga mats, and resistance bands, and a smart treadmill and bike. Guests can book one of six massage styles in the ship’s spa room, ranging from a reflexology foot massage ($75 for 40 minutes) to $75 for 40 minutes. Naturalists offer night stargazing sessions, aided by binoculars. One night, thanks to the absence of light pollution, I was able to see the Milky Way, no binoculars needed.

If you consider shopping to be your form of entertainment, you will enjoy the small but well-curated shop. On offer: woven handbags, colorful carved animal figurines, jewelry, pottery, and intricately embroidered women’s clothing from the collective vision of Peruvian design.

Where Pure Amazon Sells

Pure Amazon Available for three, four, and seven-night trips through the rivers, lagoons, and streams of Pakia-Sumeria National Reserve. Guests fly into Aquitaine and drive about two hours to get to Nota. Depending on the duration of the trip, you will experience parts of the Maroon, Yucali, Yokorochi and Amazon rivers.

Beach walk

I loved the fact that there was no one size fits all Pure Amazon. The ship has three available surf boats and three naturists, so guests have plenty of flexibility to go out according to their interests. Usually, there are at least two excursions per day, in addition to other boat activities. Mornings can include spotting colorful birds such as macaws and parakeets, monkeys and sloths, while a pre-sunset boat ride can be a great time to spot pink and gray dolphins in the waves. Twilight’s Asaph Jeonatus, a species of crocodile, can be watched by the caimans.

Abercrombie and Kent have partnered with local villages to allow guests to wander their streets and learn about their culture. Other Ribeiros Maintain forest swaths where A&K naturalists take guests in the wet season (June to November) to see the flora and fauna up close. High water season will mean that, aboard the skiffs, guests are closer to the tree canopy to view the wildlife.

Pure Amazon The mic provides size-appropriate shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, and rain ponchos, along with the gear guests need to bring. In addition, there are two filtering stations for filling water bottles.

Adventurous guests can take part in kayaking or swimming in Clavero Lake and fishing for red-bellied piranhas. It was comforting to know that an on-board paramedic was always available to help in an emergency (fortunately, when the only rescue needed was my sunglasses).

On our way back to Aquitaine for our flight to Lima, we stopped at Farabiap, a school that trains indigenous language teachers. With the support of A&K Philanthropy, the school is helping support the next generation of bilingual teachers, and encouraging them to continue teaching locally.

access

While Pure Amazon There are some limitations for guests with mobility issues due to the size of the vessel and the nature of the excursion. Guest suites are on the second floor, and there is no elevator. Two single cabins on the lower deck may be more attractive to guests with limited mobility. A few steps are also required when getting off one of the Asf boats, although the crew are able to provide additional assistance during the trip as needed.

For those who can only navigate a few steps at a time, an Amazon river cruise can be an ideal way to explore, as many of the excursions – mainly in inflatable boats – don’t require walking.

Pricing

Three-night cruises start at $5,475 per person, four-night cruises start at $7,300, and seven-night cruises start at $12,775. Most visitors choose to spend some time in Lima, either before or after Pure Amazon Trips, and A&K can arrange hotel, tour and restaurant reservations while in Peru’s capital. The company also offers tours to see Machu Picchu and explore more of the Amazon.