As the daylight broke through the dark sky, it revealed a light-blue color in the horizon. This shade of blue quickly transformed into an intense indigo in a matter of minutes. The morning promised to be rain-free, at least for the next few hours; after all, we are in the rain forest and weather can change as easily as we try to predict it!
Regardless the weather, our visit to the Amazon Natural Park was a great one. This area is located on the northeastern side of the Yanayacu-Pucate Reserve and is considered one of the last remnants of primary rain forest in the entire region—and it was precisely here where our morning exploration took place.
After an invigorating breakfast, we headed out to the forest, first using our skiffs, and then we boarded a couple of locally made catamarans, which took us across a lake with beautiful surroundings. Once in the forest, we enjoyed a nice paced stroll among gigantic trees and strange looking plants. We also learned some of the local plants’ medicinal useses, as locals have developed great knowledge and skills when it comes to curing some minor health conditions.
At some point during the walk, the terra-firma trail became a set of seven suspended bridges, providing us all with a nice view from the trees’ canopy. Some of us enjoyed the lucky sighting of saddle-backed tamarin monkeys using some of the suspended bridges to travel across the forest, while others were entertained taking pictures of the fellow shipmates as we all completed the adventure.
Our afternoon was dedicated to explore Nauta Caño. This narrow black-water tributary was the perfect setting to encounter more wildlife. Pink and grey river dolphins were our company during part of the ride, and then several species of birds, such as toucans, were some of the afternoon highlights.
Once back on board, the bartender gave us a class on how to prepare the most popular cocktail in Peru, the pisco sour. With one in hand, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset and somehow the colors on the sky became brighter!
Another extraordinary day in the mighty Upper Amazon! Salud!
