Expedition Amazon

Seemingly endless, the lush green of the tropical rainforest lines the Amazon, the world’s second-longest river and its richest water source. Large sections of its drainage basin remain unexplored – the last blank spots on our all-too-familiar map. Here the route is the destination. Our guests will discover hidden idylls and marvel at the exotic biodiversity. The team of experts will enhance their experiences with their specialist knowledge on board. Numerous explorations by Zodiac bring our guests to encounters with native people on the river, living in their typical stilt houses.

Narrow side branches lead our guests deep into the jungle – gliding past bromeliads with bright-red flowers as well as passion flowers. Macaws and toucans may suddenly pass by overhead as, with a bit of luck, river dolphins playfully appear in the water. Constant rustling and cracking noises announce the presence of diverse wildlife, and the exotic scent of the plants is sure to captivate the senses. A night-time Zodiac ride is an unforgettable experience as well where our guests watch out for nocturnal animals, such as caymans, revealed in the conical beam of a searchlight. 

Press release >>

​- Award-winning and unrivalled, this route is a pure expedition far into the upper reaches of the Amazon

- Thanks to the extensive experience of all those involved and the manageable ship size and shallow draught of the new expedition ships, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is currently the only international provider whose expedition ships navigate up the Amazon all the way to Iquitos/Peru, 4,000 kilometres / 2,486 miles away. Other cruise operators already turn back in Manaus/Brazil.

- The passage on the “Rio Mar” (sea river), as the locals call it, requires experience and the full skill of the crew. Time and again, challenging changes of direction along the narrow course of the river have to be mastered.

- We can draw on more than 20 years of experience in the area of Amazon expedition cruises, as we also undertook these voyages with our predecessor ships, the former BREMEN and the HANSEATIC.

- These expeditions are still regarded as a highlight in the calendar, as only a two cruises are offered each year, one upstream and one downstream.

- Pure expedition: numerous Zodiac rides take our guests deep into the labyrinth of enchanted tributaries to gain unrivalled insights into exotic flora and fauna, both by day and by night

- Under the competent guidance of a team of experts – including ethnologists, biologists, and botanists – our guests experience the diversity of this unique and sensitive ecosystem at first hand and learn about the complex tensions between the region’s unspoilt nature and global economic interests.

- On board are also locals, known as 'spotters', who know the Amazon like the back of their hand. They recognise the call of the stinkbird and the bubbles of river dolphins. Their eyes see more, their knowledge fascinates. The guests benefit from them, whether on Zodiac excursions or during the precaps and recaps in the HanseAtrium on board.

- People on the river: small settlements provide insights into life against a green jungle backdrop

- More than just a visit: Whether it’s school supplies for children, toothbrushes, or medicine, when our expedition fleet cruises on the Amazon, the locals look forward to the ships bringing rare goods to the remote region. 

• Spectacular routes to remote regions where other ships have to turn back
• Cruises with respect to nature and wildlife and with a small group of no more than 230 guests
• Closer to nature on board thanks to an exceptional amount of open deck space
• Captains and crews with decades of expertise
• See and understand more thanks to teams of experts who accompany the numerous Zodiac rides and landings
• State-of-the-art navigation, positioning and communications systems
• Since 2020, we have been using marine gas oil with a maximum sulphur content of only 0.1 %. By entirely foregoing heavy fuel oil, we are reducing sulphur emissions by 80 % and particulate emission by 30 %.