Today our approach to the Amazon was slightly different than what we would normally do; we did not concentrate our time and attention on the wildlife, but on a different inhabitant of this area; I am talking about the river people, also known as the ribereños.
Our morning visit started shortly after breakfast, visiting a community near the entrance to the Amazon River known as Amazonas. With approximately 400 inhabitants, this small community is thriving to become a true example of well-managed eco-tourism without losing their real identity.
People were waving along the way and informally chatting with our guests about their lives and their daily chores. It was also a very pleasant experience to know a little bit more about their farms also known as chacras. As the morning progressed, we were invited to a gather in the house of one of the “community promoters.” Minga Peru, is a NGO that has been working with communities along the Amazon River dedicated to inform and to empower women to take action as an active and important role in their communities. Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic is nowadays proudly associated with this NGO to provide as much help as we can possibly give, to continue this commendable effort. The community promoters were eloquent and powerful transmitters; they have all received training on workshops and are ready to help women from other communities to also become entrepreneurs in their own villages without being afraid to speak up and to take action.
Having had such a great morning trip, we continued with our afternoon activities and headed to Yarapa River. Wonderful wildlife encounters such as colorful birds and monkeys were among the many memories that now exist in our guests, together with the knowledge that wonderful people also inhabits this true paradise on Earth.
