Our Amazon Expedition continued today with an exploration of the Ucayali River. We began with a pre-breakfast skiff ride, which allowed us to experience the riverside area of the Upper Amazon. The first surprise of the morning was a sighting of the blue and yellow macaws, which were perched on top of the dead palm trees.
Further upstream, we witnessed an impressive amount of southern martins all over the trees—the perfect decoration for a magnificent landscape. Once we were back on board the Delfin II, we enjoyed breakfast, and got everything ready for next chapter of the morning activities.
Llanalpa gave us a spectacular rainforest experience, with a hike to a flooded forest that is currently dry because of the low river season. A black-trailed trogon was seen perching on top of a tree branch, and black-capped donacobius were heard at the distance, as they concentrated on catching little insects out of the vegetation. Different kinds of flowers and several plant species decorated the foliage, creating a beautiful symphony of colors.
In the afternoon, our exploration brought us to one of the most iconic visitor sites of all: Dorado river. A comfortable skiff ride along the riverside was the best way to explore the area, and we were rewarded with a magnificent combination of sightings: Cocoi herons flying, neotropical cormorants nourishing on small catfish, and one of the biggest surprises, a jabiru perching on one of the branches of a tree.
Further upstream, we were awe-inspired by the splendor of the place, as we listened to the different bird callings that created a symphony of sounds. A little baby white caiman was going to be the biggest revelation before the sun set. Once it was totally dark, it was time to look for white caimans in the water ponds, as the reflection of their eyes is easily seen with the help of a flashlight.
The end of our journey found us back onboard Delfin II, where we enjoyed a marvelous cocktail hour before learning about what our expedition has in store for us tomorrow, as our exploration continues.
