&Beyond will launch the Amazon Explorer, a luxury river expedition yacht, on the Peruvian Amazon on 29 September 2026, with the vessel currently under construction at the SIMA Shipyard in Iquitos, Peru.

Amazon Explorer will be the second luxury expedition yacht to join &Beyond’s fleet, with Galapagos Explorer launching in June last year. The biological diversity of the Peruvian Amazon makes it the “ideal destination” for &Beyond, according to Executive Chairman & CEO Joss Kent.

“We believe that it is our duty to protect and preserve the world’s biodiversity hotspots, and this progressively designed new river expedition yacht will allow us to introduce our guests to this incredibly important habitat in a way that is both sensitive and yet truly immersive,” he said.

“We look forward to bringing our trademark brand of hospitality and interpretive guiding to the Peruvian Amazon.”

The &Beyond 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 three and four-night itineraries, as well as a full seven-night itinerary.

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“We have very deliberately chosen this site as our base of operations since the upper reaches of the Amazon River are best suited to the kind of expeditionary cruise that we are planning to provide for our guests,” Kent explained.

“The river here is narrower than further downstream in Brazil and there is less river traffic. We have deliberately designed a yacht that is sleeker and more graceful than most of the other barge-style boats found this far up on the river, but that remains small enough to access the key navigable channels. With the &Beyond Amazon Explorer as a base and using light skiffs for excursions, we are able to curate an intimate river experience that delves deep into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a massive conservation area of five million acres.”

Conceptualised in collaboration with renowned yacht architect Ken Freivokh and Adriana Hoyos Interior Design, the &Beyond Amazon Explorer combines the feel of an ocean-going yacht with a small size. The yacht will offer 12 luxury suites, two superior suites and one deluxe suite, catering to a maximum of 32 guests. Suites will range from 33 square metres (355 square feet) in the luxury category to over 80 square metres (860 square feet) in the deluxe.

The interiors will reflect an “authentic sense of place” inspired by local Shipibo-Conibo culture and featuring touchpoints of local Kené art, with materials and design to reference not just the local culture but also the history, fauna and flora of the yacht’s surroundings.

Other features include a spa and gym, dining spaces which will include an interactive cooking station, an Explorer Centre and a beach club-style River Retreat with pool deck and lounge.Excursions will focus on exploring the river, its tributaries and the surrounding conservation areas, using smaller boats known as skiffs. Other activities will include guided walks and night-time expeditions to discover caiman, bats, frogs, snakes and nocturnal birds.

All expeditions will be led by expert guides, selected for their operational experience and knowledge of the destination. Over the next 18 months, the &Beyond guide training team will work with these individuals to tach them the company’s particular style of guiding.

&Beyond also plans to support various community-led conservation projects, 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 take part in an initiative to further educational opportunities for indigenous communities living in the area.

“With the Amazon known as the lungs of the world and in view of the increasing threats that it is facing, its protection aligns very strongly with our impact initiatives and goals,” Kent said.

“We believe that we can bring tourism to this extraordinary area in a responsible way that highlights its beauty and diversity while still protecting it.”