Sheila Leslie of Henderson, NV took a 7-day Amazon River cruise on La Perla in late July 2026, along with her grandson, Jack and two other senior adults. Here are her thoughts on the experience:
“Hi James -
The trip was fabulous and exceeded all our expectations! We cannot say enough about the La Perla staff from the captain, who was always there to assist us from the skiff onto the boat and answer any questions, to the incredibly well-spoken and bilingual guides, to the Chef and kitchen staff, the skiff drivers, the staff who continually refreshed our rooms whenever we were out — every one of them was incredible.
We were thinking we were going to rough it a bit and we weren't expecting truly hot water or air conditioning that worked well and certainly didn't expect the chefs to provide elevated food day after day.
We were delighted with everything - their friendliness, willingness to answer questions, and their ability to connect with a 9 year old boy and assist us older people without being officious was unexpected.
I've attached some photos we are happy to share. [The banner] photo is from a morning wildlife tour when we encountered this family with essentially a floating fish tank of catfish they were taking down to sell in Iquitos. We went back to the boat and got a bag of day-old breads to gift the family and the guide encouraged Jack to take the bread to the family and get a closer look at their situation.
We also enjoyed all the wildlife we saw and were amazed at how skilled the guides and skiff drivers were at picking out things for us to see and identifying everything.
Our guides educated us about the villages, the ecology, and the wildlife in English and Spanish and were so kind to everyone. They facilitated interaction between different groups of guests and between guests and villagers.
Before the trip I was a bit nervous about getting on and off the skiffs as I have a bit of a balance issue, but they were set up very well with an easy step onto the skiff and a handrail to use to step down into the skiff, and the staff was always there to assist - even making sure there was a "baston" [walking stick] on board I could use when we went hiking or clamoring up a riverbank.
Jack was always up front in our group exploring the jungle and I was very comfortable with that, knowing the guides would look after him.
The hikes we went on were very reasonable with a lot of stops to look for wildlife, have a water break, etc. It was muddy some days and we were happy to take off our shoes as soon as we boarded La Perla. We did not expect the staff to clean and dry them for the next hike, but they did! And every time we went back to our room, it was clean and refreshed with delightful towel animals perched on Jack's bed.
I could go on and on but it's impossible to pick one meal or one side trip that was the best. Everything was five star - from the service on La Perla, to the guides and staff on the skiff tours. We have already recommended this trip to others and expect to continue to do so.
Yes, there were mosquitos, but it was manageable. Yes, it was hot and muggy at times, but again, manageable. And yes, the chigger bites were annoying and itchy for days. But it was worth it to see the juvenile anaconda, the migrating birds, the monkeys, the sloth, the caimans, the coati.
We also enjoyed the visit to the manatee rescue center on the way back to Iquitos. For me personally, that was a highlight and we were happy to contribute our extra soles to the cause.
Jack was the youngest child on the trip but he interacted well with everyone and made friends with the teenagers, playing board games with them in the lounge at night. The atmosphere on the boat felt very safe, with competent staff and a captain who was clearly in charge and knew what he was doing.
Finally, we truly appreciated your assistance, James. Your recommendations for hotel/restaurants in Iquitos helped us find the perfect place for our group to stay (Casa Morey) and you were very efficient in handling the financial arrangements and answering our questions.
This was one of the best travel experiences we've ever had and we wish all the best to La Perla's staff and the villagers we encountered. Thank you.”