• The Amazon milky tree frog is just one of thousands of species you may spot on your cruise.Amazon Milky Treefrog image by Reisbegeleider.com from Fotolia.com
  
  The Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world, stretching across Brazil and into Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. On a riverboat cruise, you'll have a front seat view of the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. Cruises on the Amazon offer myriad learning experiences while you're ensconced in comfort on a riverboat.
  
  

Cruise Basics

• Amazon cruises originate in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia. They range from three days to two weeks long. Most cruises are available year-round, and meals are included. River cruise boats are flat bottomed with three or four decks and accommodate 15 to 30 passengers.
  
  Cruises can cost as little as $450 and as much as $3,000 per person, depending on locale and length of stay. Most four-day cruises run between $600 and $900 per person, double occupancy. Voyagers Travel and Adventure Life offer the greatest variety of cruise options.
  
  Voyagers Travel
  
  866-725-3255
  
  amazoncruise.net
  
  Adventure Life
  
  800-344-6118
  
  adventure-life.com
  
  

Accommodations and Meals

• Like most cruises, Amazon riverboat cabins are typically double occupancy, with private toilets for each room. Rooms range from simple to luxurious, and prices will vary accordingly. Boats feature a dining area and an observation area.
  
  Meals are provided throughout the cruise and usually emphasize fish, some of which will be caught while you're on the cruise itself.
  
  

Activities

• Amazon cruises will include time on the main river as well as side trips onto tributaries via canoe. Depending on the cruise package, activities might include hiking into the forest or a visit to a village. Ecological lectures and swimming excursions are also common.
  
  

Gear

• The climate in the Amazon basin is typically warm and steamy (80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit), however, it can get cool at night. You'll need long pants and shirts with sleeves for protection in the jungle. Shorts and T-shirts are fine for the boat, and bathing suits are welcome, and a light jacket is appropriate.
  
  Other essentials include a flashlight, binoculars, sunscreen and good hiking shoes.