The Rivers Dorado, Ucayali, and Zapote
Rivers are the lifeline here. Everything is tied to the rivers. The wildlife. The people. The transport of sediment. And us. We are traveling on Delfin II, certainly the most luxurious way to do the Amazon. Traveling around in pure comfort with amazing food is a real treat. The people living along the river use the rivers for many things, including transport and for fishing. The sediment coming down from the Andes is building new land as it erodes other areas, and lays a layer of fine silt that is essential to the agriculture that occurs here. And of course, heading out in the skiffs to explore the smaller tributaries and searching for the wildlife that makes this place so exciting.
Early morning and late afternoon skiff rides showed us the abundant wildlife up close. Cruising up the main river, the Ucayali, brought other discoveries. We pretty much covered it all today with plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, and of course insects as well. Whether it was the Blue-and-Yellow Macaws this morning, or the caimans this afternoon and evening, or even the amazing reflections of the Pied Lapwing, it was another wonderful day along the rivers of the Upper Amazon.
