Conservation-led luxury travel company andBeyond is promising to offer a completely new way to explore the Amazon with its upcoming ship, Amazon Explorer.
In Sydney last night, aboard the exclusive Mohasuwei superyacht, andBeyond’s Ryan Powell, Chief Operating Officer, and Cliver Rioja, General Manager of Amazon Explorer, provided media with a detailed preview of the vessel, slated to operate its first voyage in just over 12 months time.
Quoting data from Virtuoso Travel Week last month, Powell noted that by 2040, the number of people travelling the globe is estimated to double to in size. While highlighting concerns of overtourism, Powell said “andBeyond’s philosophy has always been about how do we make the table longer, not the fences higher.”
“A core value for andBeyond is care of people, and we know that if we are working with the communities, not for the communities, they tend to take care of the things around them.”
In alignment with this, andBeyond is researching and planning to support various community-led conservation projects in the Amazon, including one aimed at boosting the population of native river turtle species. The company is also looking to establish a scholarship program for local community students, as well as to take part in an initiative to further educational opportunities for indigenous communities living in the area.
Iquitos-based Rioja has guided and worked on the Amazon River for the past 25 years. A lecturer in the US on the Amazon and its wildlife, he now heads the production of andBeyond’s 32-passenger yacht, which was revealed earlier this year.
“We are working on something that is 100% different from normal, common riverboat or cruise ship shaped like a barge. This is more a river expedition yacht. More refined and has a completely different look,” Rioja said.
The yacht is designed with a 1.5 metre flat-bottom draft, making it easier to operate and navigate in high water and low water seasons.
andBeyond Amazon Explorer will also feature solar panels to lower consumption of diesel, while operating a few systems onboard with renewable energy, such as water pump systems, some lighting and communication system.
andBeyond Amazon Explorer will operate from the port city of Iquitos, through the smaller town of Nauta, and into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, located in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, and will offer a selection of 3- and 4-night itineraries, as well as a full 7-night journey.
As another point of difference, itineraries for andBeyond Amazon Explorer are planned to start/finish on Tuesday (other operators commonly turnaround on Saturday), enabling connection to destinations such as the Galapagos and across Peru.
Onboard, the same DNA behind andBeyond’s land-based ultra luxury properites – the design, the materials and look and feel – “will be implanted in our brand-new expedition yacht,” Rioja added.
The ship features 18 cabins and suites, included a dozen luxury suites, two superior suites and one deluxe suite which has a private balcony that spans the full width of the vessel.
“The Amazon is so huge but our mission will be to locate the wildlife, the birdlife and everything that lives there, and Pacaya Samiria, as a protected area, we can ensure that you will see definitely most of the things that you expect to see in a protected environment,” the Peruvian said.
Planned excursions will focus on exploring the river, its tributaries and the surrounding conservation areas. Guests will be able to reach deep into the rainforest using smaller boats known as skiffs or even kayaks. Additional activities will include guided walks, which provide the opportunity to look for sloth, fishing for piranha, birdwatching and even night-time expeditions to search for caiman, bats, frogs, snakes and nocturnal birds.
Guests will also be able to arrange sightseeing flights over Pacaya Samiria National Reserve aboard a Cessna aircraft, as well as flight transfers directly to the yacht.
Futher renders and information on the ship can be viewed in LATTE’s previous coverage here.
Pictured in Sydney yesterday afternoon aboard Mohasuwei, from left are: Ryan Powell, Chief Operating Officer, Sales & Touring, andBeyond; Norman Harper, andBeyond representative in Australia/NZ; and Cliver Rioja, General Manager of Amazon Explorer | Photo: LATTE/Guy Dundas
