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Delfin Amazon Cruises Releases Its
First-Ever Annual ‘Commitment to the Amazon’ Report
Marking Earth Month with a roadmap for biocultural regeneration
and measurable impact in the Peruvian Amazon

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Iquitos, Peru (February 27, 2026): The accelerating global climate crisis has changed the stakes for conservation in the Amazon, putting the focus on measurable data and tangible, intentional impact. Leading into Earth Month, Delfin Amazon Cruises, the pioneer of luxury river cruising in the Peruvian Amazon, has released its 2025 Commitment to the Amazon Report, its first-ever annual sustainability report. This year, Delfin celebrates 20 years of independent, family-owned operations and collaboration with local communities. The report offers a transparent look back at the brand's operations across its three luxury vessels, the Delfin I, II, and III, providing a data-driven audit of the brand’s footprint on the Amazon’s ecosystem.


At Delfin Amazon Cruises, we believe that luxury is not about excess, but about intention, about choosing to listen, to care, to restore,” said CoFounder Aldo Macchiavello. “Each decision, from the materials we craft to the partnerships we nurture, is guided by a single vision: to leave no trace in our rivers and communities, and to elevate each experience.”


2025 Highlights: A Foundation of Restoration


2025 has marked a new chapter for Delfin with the appointment of Gabriela Orihuela as the brand’s first-ever Head of Sustainability. As a biologist specializing in Amazonian biodiversity, Orihuela spearheaded the movement toward Delfin’s biocultural restoration approach, a regenerative movement that combines biodiversity with the ancestral wisdom of the region. Highlights from their 2025 report include: 


  • Biocultural Restoration Program: Launched in July 2025, this initiative united the communities of San Francisco, Amazonas, and Puerto Prado in voluntary collaboration. To date, over 3,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted, promoting ecological and economic resilience. 


  • Emissions and Carbon Footprint Program: Following the Relais & Chateau framework, Delfin’s Carbon Footprint Program measures and manages greenhouse gas emissions across all operations. This year, this data will be used to complete the footprint analysis, improve energy efficiency, and explore renewable energy integration. 


  • Citizen science participation: Guests aboard the Delfin I, II, and III vessels now participate in biodiversity monitoring, contributing to global data on species and habitat protection. This unique opportunity allows guests to gain a deeper understanding of conservation efforts for the Amazon’s native species.


  • Living culture and community connection: For 20 years, Delfin has fostered a continuous relationship with the Amazon’s local communities, employing a 99% Peruvian team, collaborating with local women’s associations, and sharing the stories of the Amazon through local-led expeditions. In 2025, naturalist guides completed specialized training in environmental education and cultural science, while the crew received certification from Save the Children International, reinforcing a deep commitment to ethics, safety, and community well-being. 


  • Gastronomy and Responsible Sourcing: Delfin’s cuisine celebrates seasonality and ethical sourcing, with 80% of ingredients coming from regional producers in 2025. Looking ahead, the menu will evolve to incorporate native crops harvested from the BioRest regeneration plots.


“In 2025, we strengthened our biocultural regeneration approach through alignment with the twelve commitments of Relais & Châteaux, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, so that every journey gives back to the home that gives us everything,” explained Gabriela Orihuela, Head of Sustainability at Delfin Amazon Cruises. “As we move forward, our focus is now on tangible impact, moving beyond sustainability pledges to prove exactly how our biocultural regeneration model restores the Amazon’s biodiversity and empowers its local communities.”

Looking Ahead: Goals for 2026


Delfin’s focus remains on conserving the biodiversity and honoring the local communities of the Amazon, setting four milestones for the year: 


  • Formalize biodiversity monitoring: Establish standard recording protocols, digital databases, and annual biodiversity reports, in partnership with SERNANP, ProDelphinus, and IIAP.


  • Strengthen carbon management: Conduct annual verification of resource use and environmental indicators to support decarbonization by implementing Relais & Chateaux’s carbon footprint commitments.


  • Expand BioRest: Grow community nurseries, seedbanks, and field schools, to enhance social and ecological resilience. 


  • Reinforce artisan and cultural alliances: Develop fair trade agreements and collaborations with artisans, integrating their work into the guest experience. 


Delfin Amazon Cruises extends its gratitude to the scientists, artisans, partners, travelers, and Delfin’s team that fuel its regenerative mission: to give back more than they take. By choosing to travel with Delfin, guests act as custodians of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Their presence directly supports the 14 local communities, Amazonian artisans, and diverse ecosystems that Delfin proudly sustains through its regenerative travel initiatives. View the full 2025 Commitment to the Amazon Report here


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About Delfin Amazon Cruises: 

Delfin Amazon Cruises was launched in early 2006 by its founder and CEO, Aldo Macchiavello. The company is the culmination of a dream shared with his wife, Lissy Urteaga – to run a boutique travel business that should showcase the natural beauty of their country, Peru. Delfin Amazon Cruises sets the highest standards for impeccable 5-star hospitality, authentic Peruvian design, and superb local cuisine. The Delfin I, II, and III effortlessly combine comfort and grace with the breathtaking wilderness setting of the Amazon. Each vessel thrives in harmony with nature and their panoramic suites and terraces offer guests a special “non-cruise” atmosphere with the opportunity to explore one of the world’s most pristine environments. Deep in the Peruvian Amazon, the boutique luxury vessels take guests on three and four-night itineraries into one of the world’s largest protected flooded forests, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Experienced naturalist guides and experts showcase the immense biodiversity of the area with excursions and activities that include visits to local villages, kayaking, swimming near pink river dolphins, fishing, daytime hiking, and night safaris.


Download ‘Commitment to the Amazon’ Report




For Media Inquiries:

Anna Gilchrist

REYA Communications

Anna@reyacommunications.com

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