This particular morning, we had the chance to really sleep in. Our wake-up knock did not come until 6:00 am, and the sun was already above the horizon—what a luxury, or not! In this part of the world, it is important to get an early start, before the temperature and humidity get too high, making it difficult to be comfortable out on the river. So off we went at 6:30 to explore Atun Poza, another beautiful and winding waterway off of the Ucayali River.
As usual, we encountered a variety of colorful birds, parrots, parakeets, kingfishers, caciques, a trogon, macaws, as well as some squirrel and monk saki monkeys. We also had another good look at a three-toed sloth sleeping in the canopy above our heads.
This particular morning, we stayed out longer on the river because there was no need to go back to the Delfin II for breakfast—it was coming to us! As we gathered the three skiffs together at the edge of the river, the Captain and one of the crew members delivered our morning fare to us via a small aluminum boat. It was the “Jungle Café”, another wonderful surprise, on a trip full of surprises!
After we finished our floating meal, our exploration continued along this lovely waterway, and finished with a quick visit to a nearby village for some more possible purchases of local craft work. Then back to the Delfin II for a “cooking class” before lunch, and onward toward our afternoon destination.
At three o’clock it was time to set off on our afternoon/evening exploration of the Pacaya River. This is another beautiful waterway, and a large tributary of the Ucayali River, one of the two main arms of the Amazon River in Peru. It is also a part of a very large preserved area of this region.
This region is known for the good possibility of seeing howler monkeys and other primates as you navigate the river; we were not disappointed! First we spotted a troop of monk saki monkeys, then squirrel monkeys, and finally the red howlers as we cruised the river on our way to Yanayacu Lagoon, our ultimate destination for this adventure. But first, we took a “short cut”, or so our guides said, off of the main river, slowly navigating through thick mats of floating vegetation, and narrow winding channels. I’m not sure about the “short cut” part of this diversion!
Finally our skiffs emerged again into the main river, and eventually entered Yanayacu Lagoon, a wide off-shoot of the Pacaya. This was our ultimate goal, and the site of our next adventure, a swim! Most of the guests took advantage of this rare opportunity to take a dip in the Amazon waters, and many also enjoyed one of the cold beers that were available! Just another day on the Amazon!
