Casual & Nauta Caño
>For sure the most exciting find today was the night monkeys. These cute, large-eyed primates are great fun to watch, and it’s reciprocal because as we watch them, they watch us. I’m pretty sure that with their humongous eyes, mostly suited for the night, they see us better than we see them.
Yanayacu, Pucate & Amazon Natural Park
In the afternoon, we explored the trails and suspension bridges of the Amazon Nature Park on foot.
Marañon, Ucayalli, San Francisco
In the afternoon we explored another of the tributaries of the Amazon. As we went by a tiny community called Flor de Castaña, we found out that the water level was a little too high for our skiffs to go under a concrete bridge. We were too far away to turn around, so the only logical thing to do was to ask for help from the friendly local people. They jumped into the front of our skiffs to lower them with their weight, pushed and pulled us through to the other side, then jumped into the water to help the next skiff. The people here in the remote upper Amazon are extremely kind, and we ended back at the ship in time for a wonderful sunset.
Belluda Creek and Dorado River
The skiffs cruised through the narrow stream over the aquatic vegetation. Different species of birds were sighted as we pass next to the forest edge. The air was filled with a mix of bird calls. We all enjoyed what nature had for us.
For the afternoon, we explored Dorado River. At the mouth of this tributary, a small village was settled by “Ribereños.” The kids rapidly shared with us the different species of fishes their parents had caught during the day. Their friendly faces were all captured by our cameras.
Pacaya River and Magdalena Creek
We explored the whole morning and our breakfast was in the great “jungle skiff cafeteria.” Mid-morning, it was getting warm, so we stopped in Yanayacu Lagoon. We participated in the “Pirahna Plunge” to cool ourselves. Many pink dolphins showed up to swim pretty close to us. What a great morning and experience!
In the afternoon, we explored Magdalena Creek. Different species of birds were sighted. One of the best sightings was of the white chested toucan.
It was another great day exploring the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve!
Supay, Iricahua, Yarapa River
On our last day exploring the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, we started by exploring Supay River. We cruised on the skiffs along this river, before breakfast. A cool breeze was felt as we began spotting green iguanas taking advantage of the first sun rays. Different species of birds, such as white-headed marsh tyrants, black-crown night herons and a big flock of migratory purple martins were seen along the marsh area of this small tributary.
Our last skiff ride was done late afternoon along the Yarapa River. Each of our sightings along the river was a small glimpse into the massive biodiversity of the Upper Amazon.
We all gathered at the end of the day, in the lounge, to share our thoughts about our experience we all had exploring this paradise. It was just a life-changing experience!
Our adventure began early morning. At dawn, before breakfast we boarded eagerly onto local watercraft in anticipation to explore a tributary of the Amazon River. The air felt fresh and cool in our faces as we sped into the jungle waterway, and it was not long before our expert naturalist guides began indicating local wildlife to observe and photograph. The skiff drivers negotiated the waters with ease, putting us front and center as possible to pure Amazonian wilderness. Our morning endeavors were followed in turn with a fantastic breakfast aboard Delfin II.
On our second morning of exploration, we visited the called Yanayacu and Pucate Tributaries. Exploring from the vantage of expedition watercraft is truly enjoyable experience! All we need to do is sit back and let the breeze caress our faces while we take in the fantastic scenery. Guides will stop occasionally to point out findings, things and creatures so subtly placed you’d think it impossible for human eyes to detect.
Today we had the special opportunity to visit a small community adjacent to the San Jorge River. It is an eye-opening experience to get to visit the people who live in such remote areas. It is fascinating to see how closely they have learned to live with their environment, and how little they need to be happy. They received us with open arms and big smiles. We got the chance to see their homes, the school, and to learn about what they are doing to improve their living through a local organization called Minga Peru.
The exploration was enjoyed by all, as we were rewarded with sightings of Saddleback tamarins, flocks of blue and yellow macaws, saki monkeys, and many other animal species, which our guests wasted no time capturing on camera.
We loaded the skiff and cruised along the Pacaya River. There was a section of varsea forest very interesting. It was covered with water lilies and different species of water plants. The aquatic birds like wattle jacanas, horned screamers and great egrets were all gathered looking for their meal.
During breakfast Delfin II repositioned next to the mouth of another tributary of the Iricahua River. This narrow river was a highpoint of our expedition. Red and green macaws were seen by our guests and in the company of other characteristic species like blue and yellow macaws, the white-eared jacamar, masked crimson tanagers, and several others.