Search Icon Search
GBP (£)
  • GBP (£)
  • US DOLLARS ($)
+44 207 384 2332 Plan Your Trip
GBP (£)
  • GBP (£)
  • US DOLLARS ($)
+44 207 384 2332 Plan Your Trip
+44 207 384 2332 Plan your trip
Riverboat
Ecuador

Anakonda River Cruise

Anakonda
Anakonda
Pink river dolphin in the Amazon
JUMP TO
Anakonda sundeck

Highlights of the Anakonda Riverboat

  • An immersive way to explore the Ecuadorian Amazon – Travelling aboard Anakonda allows you to experience far more of the rainforest than a lodge-based stay, reaching remote stretches of the Napo River and its tributaries.
  • Journey into Yasuní National Park – Explore one of the world’s most biodiverse regions with expert naturalist guides, discovering towering rainforest, oxbow lakes and hidden waterways rich in wildlife.
  • Wildlife encounters by canoe and on foot – Daily excursions offer the chance to spot pink river dolphins, giant otters, monkeys, sloths, caiman, macaws, toucans and hundreds of other bird species.
  • Meet indigenous communities – Visit remote Kichwa villages to learn about traditional customs, medicinal plants and the deep connection local people have with the surrounding rainforest.
  • Comfortable accommodation with panoramic river views – Spacious, air-conditioned suites and inviting communal spaces provide a relaxing base between excursions, while large windows keep the rainforest in view throughout your journey.
  • Discover a different Amazon every day – Cruising the Napo River lets you experience an ever-changing landscape without repeatedly packing and unpacking, revealing habitats and wildlife that are inaccessible from a single lodge.
  • Glamping experience – On certain departures, there is an opportunity for you to book a private glamping experience so you can sleep with the sounds of the jungle. A chef from the boat will join you to prepare dinner and breakfast and a guide will help you decipher the noises around the campfire.

Good to know

How to get there

Your journey begins with a 30-minute flight from Quito to Coca (Francisco de Orellana). From the airport, you’ll transfer by road to a private dock on the Napo River, before continuing by motorised canoe to board the Anakonda. Depending on river levels and the cruise itinerary, the transfer from Coca to the ship typically takes around two to three hours, with the entire journey from Quito taking approximately four to five hours.

Are children welcome?

Yes. Anakonda welcomes families, with a recommended minimum age of six years for its Amazon cruises. Several cabins can be configured for families, and children under 12 benefit from reduced rates.

The cruise is best suited to adventurous children who enjoy wildlife and the outdoors. Daily excursions involve motorised canoe trips, rainforest walks and early starts, so families with children aged six and above tend to get the most from the experience.

Giving back

Anakonda operates with a strong focus on responsible tourism, working to minimise its environmental impact while supporting the long-term conservation of the Ecuadorian Amazon. The cruise partners with local communities and employs guides from the region, ensuring that tourism provides meaningful economic benefits alongside authentic cultural experiences.

On board, the vessel follows waste reduction and recycling practices, treats wastewater before discharge and uses strict environmental protocols during excursions to minimise disturbance to wildlife. Guests are encouraged to travel responsibly, with small-group activities designed to protect the fragile rainforest ecosystem while supporting conservation initiatives throughout the Napo River region.

What wildlife might you see here

Cruising the Napo River allows you to explore a wide variety of Amazon habitats, from blackwater creeks and oxbow lakes to flooded forests and the fringes of Yasuní National Park. Wildlife sightings vary throughout the year, but the diversity is remarkable.

You may see:

  • Pink river dolphins surfacing alongside the canoe or the ship.
  • Giant otters hunting in oxbow lakes and quiet lagoons.
  • Monkeys, including squirrel, capuchin, woolly, howler, tamarin and spider monkeys.
  • Three-toed and two-toed sloths resting high in the canopy.
  • Macaws, parrots and parakeets gathering at clay licks or flying overhead.
  • Toucans, hoatzins, kingfishers and herons, along with hundreds of other bird species.
  • Black caiman and spectacled caiman, often seen on evening excursions.
  • Anacondas, occasionally spotted in marshes and flooded forest.
  • Poison dart frogs, tree frogs and colourful reptiles hidden among the vegetation.
  • Butterflies, including brilliant blue morphos, as well as countless insects and orchids.

The region is also home to tapirs, peccaries, ocelots and jaguars, although these are far more elusive and rarely encountered. Even without the larger mammals, the sheer abundance of birdlife, primates and river wildlife makes every excursion feel different.

Why we love an Anakonda River Cruise

There is something wonderfully homely about these cruises. It’s a fmaily run business and that shows through everything they do and especially in their connections to local communities across the region. Life onboard is comfortable, if not luxurious, but the passion for the region shines through everything.

Karen 130 Round
Karen Chapman

Specialises in

Latin America, The Caribbean and Polar Regions
Anakonda

Chat to an expert to start planning your trip

Get in touch with us and one of our travel experts will answer any questions you may have and help create your dream trip.

ENQUIRE
UK: +44 207 384 2332
US: +1 800 409 4233
Caroline Maber
Karen Chapman