Three luxury resort ships for wildlife cruise holidays

Would you like to cut through the Amazon or sail the Mekong river, travelling on a small cruise ship with all the comforts of a luxury boutique hotel and the cuisine of a star chef? Francesco Galli Zugaro has turned this dream into reality with Aqua Expeditions.

The first luxury cruise company in Peru, created in 2008 by the Italian-American businessman, combine the wildlife holiday harmony and the design of comfortable spaces. Its first two ships, Aqua Amazon and Aria Amazon, were joined in 2014 by a third vessel, Aqua Mekong.

But why are they so different from classic cruise ships? First of all their routes are different: their tours allow you to explore the last great unexplored regions, such as wildest and uncontaminated Peru up the Amazon river, and Vietnam and Cambodia as well, along the Mekong river, where hundreds of animals live in an intact ecosystem.

Francesco Galli Zugaro perfected the most unusual routes and demanded vessels that could be really comfortable. Hence he called the Peruvian architect Jordi Puig, who managed to create elegant and cozy spaces, making the most of the square footage available, working in every single detail. Aria Amazon, for instance, is 45-meter long, it has 16 cabins with enchanting floor-to-ceiling windows, and it offers relaxing glass wall common areas that let you enjoy the constantly changing view while sailing.

In the end, as it is a cruise company that wants to be special and different from others, throughout 2016 there will be several departures, in the good company of star chefs David Thompson and Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, who will not only cook but also give cooking lessons and reveal the secrets of their cuisine.

www.aquaexpeditions.com

Opening photo: ONE OF THE VESSEL EQUIPPED DECKS IN PERU. YOU CAN SEE THE FOREGROUND COMFORTABLE RELAXING BEDS FOR THE AQUA AMAZON’S OUTDOOR LOUNGE ROOM