In 1541, the very first Europeans set
out from Quito to explore the dense jungles east of this
ancient Incan capital in search of gold and cinnamon. Neither
the jungle nor the natives ever revealed where the precious
metal of "El Dorado" was to be found, as they
floated for 800 miles down the Napo to come upon what they
thought to be the Atlantic. But it wasn't the Atlantic
- yet. It was the Great Amazon River, fed by over a thousand
tributaries that emptied one third of the Planet's fresh
water into the sea!
Almost 500 years have passed since the discovery of this
magnificent river system that flows through the world's
largest primeval forest, containing 10% of all existing
trees, 70% of all pharmaceutical compounds, and native
Indians that live symbiotically with their unique ecosystem.
This is the habitat of wildlife that is sure to be watching
you - or vice versa - if you are lucky: freshwater dolphins,
500 species of birds, half a dozen species of monkeys,
caimans, tapirs, 2500 species of butterflies.
Today, you can be a temporary guest in
this magical wonderland for young and old. The new Manatee
Amazon Explorer, designed for jungle adventures, yet featuring
the comforts and advantages of modern technology, is the
result of over 20 years of experience in running expeditions.
This riverboat accommodates 30 guests in comfortable cabins
with private bathrooms and running hot water, individual
air conditioning, on board laundry service, large dining
room, inviting bar and lounge area, panoramic terrace,
delicious cuisine and the finest multilingual naturalist
guides, plus the highest safety standards, personable
service and efficiency.
In addition, it is equipped with two powerful 250 HP engines
for a 12 knot output, two 60 kw generators for 110 and
220 V/60 cylces, Furuno GPS, deep sounder, radar, VHF,
HF, satellite phone, video/cable and the highest safety
standards, personable service and efficiency.
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