Rio Marañon
To begin our exploration of the upper Amazon Basin, many of us set off in the skiffs for a sunrise wildlife excursion. Being at the junction of the Rio Marañon and the Rio Yanayacu, both species of river dolphins accompanied us in our expedition. What a great way to start our trip! Egrets lined the shore while terns flew overhead. A gorgeous sunrise welcomed us on our journey.
After breakfast we all boarded the skiffs to head up the Rio Yanayacu to further explore this region. Some green iguanas were spotted sunning themselves on large branches. After passing the guardhouse of the national reserve, some kids welcomed us in their dugout canoe, surfing our wave as we passed. Kingfishers seemed to be on every dead branch, while numerous pink and gray river dolphins were again spotted. Cercropia trees and caño bravo lined the shore, but further along many large trees loomed overhead.
After lunch, we again headed up the Yanayacu, but this time we went much further and branched off into the Pucate River. A three-toed sloth was spotted high up in a kapok tree, and actually moved around a bit. As the sun got lower, bird activity increased and a rainbow of birds were observed. As we descended back towards the Delfin II, some monkeys were spotted along the shore. Saddleback tamarins are tiny black monkeys and it was exciting to watch them scamper through the vines and trees. With a fiery sunset behind us, and a distant lightning storm to our side, we returned back onboard very content with our first day here in the Amazon.
