This morning, we had our earliest start of the week, leaving the Delfin II even before sunrise. It was all worth it, as we had come to the most remote part of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve that we will visit this week: the Pacaya River, on the southwestern side of the park. It was a cloudy morning but beautiful all the same. We had some lovely bird sightings as we entered the reserve, including jabiru, festive parrots, and hoatzins. Near the hoatzins, three of our skiffs pulled alongside each other for a meal we won’t soon forget. Our naturalists donned white gloves and there, in the middle of the rainforest, we enjoyed our breakfast. Soon after we finished, we observed something incredible – a river otter making its way to the shore. After more exploration, we relocated to a more open, lake-like section of the river for our first swim in the Amazon, complete with colorful pool noodles, beers, and sodas. Pink river dolphins swam nearby as we soaked up the beauty of the moment. After lunch and a siesta on board, we got dropped off on the riverbank to walk a long section of beach that is only accessible in the low water season. At the end of our walk, we enjoyed fresh coconuts and some Amazon mud therapy. An after-dinner concert by an exceptional crew band was a wonderful way to end the day!
7/27/2024
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Delfin II
Yanallpa and Amazonas
Our last day of our expedition began with an early walk on sustainable farming land in Yanallpa. This farm had bananas, sweet limes, grapefruit, and many other tropical fruit trees. The farm was a great example of the sustainable social changes being implemented by many communities throughout the Amazon basin. Our naturalists spotted a lot of wildlife, including families of pygmy marmosets, a favorite among our guests. It was a morning loaded with birds, insects, snakes, and lovely flowers. We held our afternoon activity in the community of Amazonas. Here, a group of women leaders shared their experiences of the sustainable social changes. We spent memorable moments in their family kitchens learning how they get their materials for their handicrafts. It was a mesmerizing way to finish our expedition along the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.