Atun Poza River & Pacaya River
This morning we had our wake-up knock and soon after we were boarding our skiffs to go out one more time and take advantage of the good weather and conditions to look for wildlife. We spent almost two hours out, and we were fascinated with what nature gave us.
Our friendly local crewmembers surprised all of us with a typical local breakfast served aboard the skiffs! It was not merely coffee, but rain forest fruits juices, cassava bread, bacon and cheese salad on sweet potato bread. This amazing idea of having breakfast outdoors made us feel more like part of this world. It was an unforgettable experience because we had the presence of a monk Saki monkey watching us the whole time.
Right after breakfast we continued looking for Amazon creatures and this time we experienced something that every traveller expects to see in an adventure trip like this one: a troop of over one-hundred Squirrel monkeys that passed right in front of us. Some of the female monkeys were carrying their babieson their backs. This was a breathtaking experience for everybody including all the naturalist guides.
On our way back to the ship we made a quick stop to visit a small settlement, which at this time of the year is flooded; soon they have to move to higher grounds. We also learned from our guides that the people in this community are very used to this annual migration when the river rises up to its highest level.
In the afternoon we started a little bit earlier than normal because we wanted to reach a lagoon for swimming in the Amazon region. This place is well known for the opportunity to swim with pink river dolphins, which are present only in the Amazon. These dolphin species are protected, more by superstition than by the local environmental laws.
On our way back home we had the opportunity to stop from time to time to enjoy nature at its best. Several Red Howler monkey troops were spotted as well. The colors in the sky couldn’t be better, and the perfect reflections in the water were calmed and majestic.
It was a perfect day from beginning to end because we got to see so much. Squirrel, Monk Saki, and Howler monkeys, Giant pink-toed tarantulas, spectacular dragonflies, and so many other Amazon creatures as well.
