We disembarked right after breakfast. We were ready to explore Pacaya River and its wonderful forests. As we traveled, our naturalists spotted red howler monkeys and pink river dolphins. To top it all off, we went for a swim in the mirror-like waters of Yanayacu Lagoon. Pink dolphins swam by to check us out.
Magdalena River is a fantastic place to look for wildlife. Its intricate channels, now flooded by the main river, allow us to enter the majestic forest that guards the river. After a great exploration spent observing many birds and mammals, we came back onboard for a drink to celebrate another magical day in the Amazon.
Socrates was raised on Santa Cruz Island located in the heart of Galapagos Archipelago. After a childhood filled with swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing and volunteering in conservation projects, he grew very passionate about the outdoors and the...
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Today we explored Pahuachiro Creek before breakfast, looking for special sightings along the Maranon River. Pahuachiro Creek is a small body of water with beautiful forest on both sides. This area is home to creatures such as yellow-headed caracaras, black-collared hawks, large-billed terns, and some species of monkeys. In the morning after breakfast we explored Casual Rain Forest on the riverbank. As the name suggests, it is a rainforest! It is a vast green jungle with an interesting trail that leads through an amazing collection of giant trees and palms where many types of animals hang out. As we explored the forest, we had an encounter with the master of the jungle! We spotted a red-tailed boa slowly moving among the bushes. Its camouflage is impressive — without the expert eyes of the local guides we would have missed such an event. These forests are so full of life; besides the abundance of trees there are the many creatures here that we saw with our own eyes. On the ground there were snails and tarantulas, and the sounds of many insects that we cannot see due to their camouflage. The Upper Amazon is not only a vast green forest but also home to many human settlements divided into small communities close to the riverbanks. Today we visited Amazonas Community to learn about the local culture and way of life. It was very interesting and exciting to spend some time with the leaders of the community, hearing their stories about education, fishing, and agriculture. It was a very enriching experience for all the visitors. Over the years we have visited different settlements along the rivers of the Upper Amazon, and we have seen how their lives have improved in terms of education, empowerment, and production of fine handicrafts. Today we had an opportunity to buy some souvenirs produced by the women of the community. Their figures and weaving are amazing, very colorful and of good quality. All these items are made from natural palm fibers found in the surrounding forest. It was another amazing day in the heart of the rainforest!
This morning before breakfast we explored Belluda Creek, a tributary of the Ucayali River. The moment we boarded the skiffs we had our first encounter with the wildlife in this area. A few feet from the shore we spotted a green iguana on a small bush, basking in the first sunlight of the morning to warm up and start its day. Shortly afterwards we observed some toucans on a tall tree, singing and flying above us. The shore of the creek was full of wading birds such as great egrets and cocoi herons, the largest in the Upper Amazon. We also observed small herons and egrets all around. The muddy shore was teeming with small flycatchers as well. We spotted a number of kingfisher species, including ringed, Amazon, and green kingfishers. The forest was quiet and cool at this hour, as the sun was rising and shedding its light through the tiny spaces among the trees. However, at the riverside there were plenty of birds just starting their morning activities. After breakfast we explored the forest. Here we went for a walk to discover what was under the big trees and vines and palms. As we walked we observed big nests of army ants; we also learned about the large trees and their medicinal value for the local communities. At the end of the morning walk we started navigation to our next stop: Yarapa Creek in the region of Paranapura, for afternoon activities. This is another great place for bird watching among the surrounding forest and shore grasses. Here we observed a new forest in the process of forming, due to the path of the river and the annual changes to its natural course. In this way lagoons are formed surrounded by forest and swamps, which are the right conditions for the giant lily pads known as Victorias regias! Once we visited the giant lilies, we boarded our fleet of skiffs to search for more forest creatures. Today was amazing from the early morning start with plenty of wildlife sightings, and this afternoon was no exception — we soon encountered a troop of wooly monkeys with a baby! What could be better than that? What an amazing day!
We are exploring the Ucayali River and this morning we ventured into the riverside and surrounding forest. This region is full of life — particularly with an abundance of birds — from the water level to the tops of the tallest trees. We landed at Dorado Beach before breakfast, as we planned a walk for birdwatching and exploration of the sand dunes. As soon as we landed at Dorado Beach we had the feeling of being transported to a desert, with dunes and white sand all around! However just 100 yards away the green grass from the river swamps leads to the endless green of the largest jungle on Earth! The Amazon Rainforest and its diversity of bird species became the highlight of our afternoon outing. This beach is home to flocks of large-billed terns that nest on the sand. They make small pits where they lay their eggs and raise their babies. As we walked, we found eggs and nests with babies on the sand — while above the flock of terns were keeping an eye on us and making sounds all around. This beach visit was also great for a leisurely walk, to get a bit of exercise and fresh air before breakfast. As we were having a well-earned breakfast we started navigation to the next visitor site, which is another exciting region of the Upper Amazon that is full of life. Here we disembarked in the late afternoon, as we wanted to stay until nighttime and explore the forest in search of different life forms. This outing was a memorable one in which we spotted the largest of the storks, the jabiru; these giants hang out along the beach looking for fish, baby caimans, or small turtles. In the forest we spotted squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, and enormous flocks of cormorants roosting on giant trees. The night exploration was quite a highlight as it allowed us to see different types of bats, herons, nighthawks, and monkeys going to their roosting. The most interesting of all were the caiman sightings! We were equipped with spotlights to search for them in the vegetation along the riverbank. As it got dark we soon spotted their shining eyes among the grasses. All I can say is “I want to do it again!” – what an amazing day.
