Iricagua Creek & Yarapa River, 4/8/2022, Delfin II
Aboard the
Delfin II
Amazon
Today we started early. We were in search of wildlife in the narrow creek surrounded by huge trees. Not long after we started the exploration, we found tamarin and squirrel monkeys. We enjoyed a special breakfast served in the middle of the forest. We tied our skiffs to a tree and listened to the sounds of the jungle while having our meal.
After lunch, we went kayaking in the Yarapa River. We found dolphins and many monkey species. Later on, we explored some small creeks in search of wildlife. We found a sloth feeding on flowers at the top of a tree. We also found a caiman lizard sun basking, and we spotted many bird species.
Ramiro is Ecuadorian, born in the highlands and raised by the sea. Growing up in the Galapagos was for him an opportunity to learn from up close the importance of understanding and respecting all forms of life. He started his studies in biology and e...
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We began our day exploring Iricahua Creek just before breakfast. The clear skies of the morning allowed us to enjoy all the sightings that nature had to offer us. The flooded forest was covered with lush vegetation and our naturalists explained the capabilities many plants have to survive the six months of high waters. For our afternoon activity, we visited the Amazona Community. The friendly inhabitants had prepared an interesting presentation of their daily life for us. The extraction of sugar cane juice, their local cooking methods, and the preparation of the chambira palm fiber were some of the daily activities about which we learned. We all gathered in the main house, called maloca. Here a group of teenagers shared their experience on how the NGO Minga Peru had supported them in becoming young entrepreneurs. It was a life changing experience for all of us. What a lovely way to finish our expedition through the Upper Amazon.
We went out this morning for another adventure on our skiffs exploring the rivers of Pacaya and Magdalena, tributaries of the mighty Amazon. We left Delfin II even earlier, so eager we are to go experience it all. As always, the Amazon didn’t disappoint. We took breakfast with us, and halfway through the morning we found a nice shaded spot under the trees by the river to eat in our skiffs. Not just some snacks, but a full breakfast with full silverware, hot coffee, tea, eggs, pastries and more — Delfin II style! The mornings are so great here! The air is nice and fresh, and the golden light is fantastic for photography. The clear blue sky contrasts nicely with the dark, mirror-like, tannin-rich water. We enjoyed a great symphony of sounds of the forest awakening, with the strange loud calls of distant horned screamers and troops of red howler monkeys. What a combination — howlers and screamers! The highlight, though, was not only to hear them but to see them very well too. The large horned screamers were flying with their slow wingbeats side-by-side to our speeding skiffs; a family of also large howler monkeys (the biggest monkey species here) moved rapidly through the canopy of the trees on the water’s edge, very close to our skiffs. Another magical moment in a magical place.
Today our guests had the opportunity to explore Belluda Creek, which flows inside the Ucayali River. It’s a narrow creek that can be explored by kayak and skiff. Right after breakfast, we all geared up and left to explore this well-known creek. We were excited to discover many different species of mammals and birds. Our naturalists explained to us the important role that each of these animals has in the conservation of the forest. Our afternoon activities were concentrated in Dorado River. We loaded our skiffs and went out to explore the river until sunset. With spotlights in hand, our naturalists began to point out the nocturnal wildlife that was waking up to search for their meals. We had a great day exploring this part of the reserve.
