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Aqua Expeditions is a pioneer in luxury expedition cruising, combining intimate yachts with immersive exploration in some of the world's most remote destinations. Their fleet of purpose-built river ships and expedition yachts sail the Peruvian Amazon, Mekong River, Indonesian archipelago, Galapagos Islands, East Africa and the Arctic. These voyages appeal to travelers who want nature-forward experiences without sacrificing comfort, personalized service and remarkable dining.
Meet the Aqua Fleet
Founded in 2007, Aqua Expeditions set out with a clear vision: to offer bespoke luxury expeditions in some of the world’s most remote destinations. As the premier luxury river cruise operator in South America, Aqua Expeditions began its journey in the Peruvian Amazon, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, introducing immersive 3-, 4-, and 7-night voyages on the legendary Amazon River. Each sailing combines twice-daily guided excursions with refined accommodations, highly personalized service, and world-class cuisine.
Today, Aqua Expeditions' river fleet explores some of the world's most iconic waterways. Cruise the Amazon River and its tributaries aboard 40-passenger Aqua Nera, or 32-passenger Aria Amazon. Sail the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia aboard 40-passenger Aqua Mekong.
The company's ocean fleet explores the Indonesian archipelago aboard 30-passenger expedition yacht Aqua Blu and the Galapagos aboard 16-passenger luxury superyacht Aqua Mare. In 2026, Aqua expanded into the Arctic Circle, Scottish Isles and East Africa with 30-passenger Aqua Lares, the Arctic's only icebreaker superyacht.
Across every destination, Aqua Expeditions delivers intimate, immersive journeys that reveal the true character of each region—offering guests a deeper sense of place, elevated by the exceptional comfort and personalized service that define small-ship expedition travel.
Aqua Expeditions & AdventureSmith
AdventureSmith founder and president Todd Smith has worked with Aqua Expeditions CEO Francesco Galli Zugaro since Francesco's days working with a boutique adventure cruise operator in the Galapagos Islands. Todd has watched Francesco bring his vision for luxury expedition travel to life, beginning with the launch of Aqua Expeditions in 2007. Since then, AdventureSmith has followed the company's growth as it has expanded from the Peruvian Amazon to some of the world's most remarkable rivers and coastlines. Years of knowing the people behind Aqua Expeditions have given AdventureSmith a deep understanding of the company's approach to luxury expedition travel.
Why Choose Aqua Expeditions
Travelers who appreciate exploring wild places in luxury and style will enjoy a cruise with Aqua Expeditions. Their river and ocean yachts pair spacious accommodations with panoramic views and meticulously personalized service with a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio. Menus showcase locally sourced, regionally inspired cuisine crafted by award-winning chefs, including the first Mexican woman to earn a Michelin star, Chef Karime López. Their high-end ships attract exceptional expedition leaders and our clients often comment on the incredible level of knowledge of Aqua Expeditions’ guides.
Sustainability
Aqua Expeditions pairs destination-specific conservation partnerships with global sustainability initiatives. A few of their partnerships include the Indonesia Manta Project in Indonesia, the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galapagos, and the Fisheries Action Coalition Team in Cambodia. Aqua also works with 4Ocean to help remove plastic pollution from waterways worldwide and follows the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) environmental guidelines for responsible Arctic travel.
