A woven bird on a dining table can tell a story about the Amazon. Aboard Delfín Amazon Cruises, these small pieces of craftsmanship connect guests with the women who make them, the plant fibers they work with, and the knowledge passed between generations along the river.
That attention to the people behind the experience is central to Delfín’s 20th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 2006 by Aldo Macchiavello and Lissy Urteaga, the Peruvian company has spent two decades developing river journeys that bring together rainforest exploration, regional cooking, and hospitality shaped by local materials and skills.
For travelers considering a luxury Amazon cruise, the anniversary offers a closer look at what gives a Delfín voyage its character: the scale of the boats, the food served aboard, and the relationships that extend beyond the riverbank.
Small Boats, Close Connections to the Amazon
Delfín’s early ambition was to welcome travelers with the warmth of a family home. Local woods, natural fibers, artwork, and handmade objects established an atmosphere that drew directly from the surrounding region.
While Macchiavello oversaw development of the first vessel, Urteaga explored Pacaya Samiria with the company’s first guide, Adonay Rodríguez. Their trips helped shape itineraries and introduced them to women whose weaving and knowledge of natural dyes would become part of life aboard.
Today, the fleet comprises Delfín I, Delfín II, and Delfín III. With just four suites, Delfín I offers the most intimate setting. Its suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces, keeping the river landscape close throughout the day. Delfín II has 14 suites, while Delfín III, the largest of the three, has 22.
These are boats designed around a relatively small group of guests. Panoramic views and places to sit with the passing scenery are part of the experience, alongside the excursions that take travelers out into the surrounding waterways and forest.
Exploring Pacaya Samiria
Delfín’s journeys explore the Peruvian Amazon and the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a vast landscape of flooded forest and interconnected waterways.
Three- and four-night itineraries offer an introduction to the region, with naturalist-led activities that can include kayaking, daytime walks, fishing, visits to local communities, and night safaris. The appeal lies in experiencing the forest from several perspectives: from the river, on foot, and after dark.
Guides are an important part of that experience, helping guests interpret the plants, wildlife, and river environments around them. Excursions bring a more detailed view of a landscape that can initially seem overwhelming in its scale and richness.
Delfín publishes separate itineraries for high- and low-water seasons. When choosing a departure, it is worth looking at the particular vessel and seasonal program, since river conditions help shape how the region is explored.
Between outings, the boat provides a comfortable base for meals, conversation, and time watching the scenery. For travelers who want an active introduction to the Amazon with a settled place to return to, that rhythm is a significant part of the attraction.
The Women Behind the Woven Details
Some of Delfín’s most distinctive design elements began with a group of six women.
According to the company, those early collaborations developed into a network of hundreds of artisans, with more than eight artisan markets established within the reserve. Makers work with palm fibers and natural colors derived from fruits, leaves, roots, and bark, using techniques grounded in knowledge of local plants.
Their work appears throughout the guest experience. Animals made from chambira fiber and other woven pieces feature in table settings, bringing the makers’ skills into everyday life aboard.
Among the participating groups is Las Achiras of San Francisco, led by Doris Nashnato Maytahuari. Its fiber birds have become a recognizable Delfín detail and have also accompanied the company to international travel gatherings.
The relationships involve both purchasing and opportunities for artisans to sell their work to visitors. They give travelers a way to understand the objects around them through the people and materials behind their creation.
Urteaga, Delfín’s co-founder and creative director, has continued to develop these collaborations through repeated visits and work with the makers. The anniversary places their contribution alongside that of the guides, cooks, and crew.
Amazonian Ingredients at the Table
Food provides another introduction to the region.
Chef Isaac Saavedra, who was born in Iquitos and has worked with Delfín since its early years, has helped shape a culinary approach centered on Amazonian ingredients. Ají charapita, macambo, paiche, and regional herbs feature in the company’s account of his cooking.
For guests, meals offer an opportunity to encounter ingredients and flavors associated with the forest and river. The kitchen extends the day’s exploration, placing regional food knowledge within a carefully prepared dining experience.
Delfín became the first cruise company admitted to Relais & Châteaux in 2017. That milestone brought international recognition to a style of hospitality already rooted in Peruvian design, cooking, and personal service.
Looking Ahead Through BioRest
As Delfín enters its third decade, it is also developing BioRest, a program that combines ecological restoration with traditional knowledge of native plants.
The company describes the work as biocultural restoration: supporting plants alongside the knowledge of how communities use them for food, crafts, medicine, and other purposes. The approach connects environmental work with the skills and livelihoods that have long informed Delfín’s guest experience.
It builds on community initiatives that the company says have included school supplies, healthcare and dental campaigns, and employment maintaining forest trails and guiding visitors.
For travelers, the 20-year story adds context to what they encounter aboard. A meal, an excursion, and a woven table decoration each offer a different introduction to the Amazon—and to the people whose work makes the journey possible.
Explore current vessels and itineraries through Delfín Amazon Cruises. For ideas to extend a wider trip, see DRIFT’s guide to new travel experiences in Peru for 2027.
