Today was the first day of our Upper Amazon expedition, and we were out at dawn to take full advantage of the day. There was no shortage of birds, monkeys, sloths, and smaller “creepy crawlies” during our explorations. Expedition leader Jeff Philippe gave a talk about the geology of the Amazon Basin, and photo leader Michael Nolan inspired our photographers on board with a digital photography talk. After we set-up our cameras for shooting in challenging lighting conditions, we headed out to practice our new skills during an evening skiff ride on the Yanayacu River. Our first day was so full of discovery, that it felt like many days had gone by. We hope that the rest of the week proves as prolific with wildlife.
5/31/2025
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Delfin II
Marayali River, Amazonas Village, Peru
Leaving Delfin II at 06:00 for our morning skiff ride, we explored the Marayali River. The birds were up and working on obtaining breakfast while the three-toed sloths chose to sleep the morning hours away. On our way back to the ship, we encountered a snail kite having its namesake prey for breakfast right in front of us! The rest of the morning was spent at Amazonas Village getting an introduction to life along the river. Demonstrations of how to get sugar water out of cane, how to make and dye fiber for baskets and other items, as well as food preparation were given. We chatted with children who had monkeys as pets! Our evening was topped off by a toast to the beginning of the actual Amazon River, where the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers converge. Salud! This is my final daily expedition report as a full-time Lindblad employee. I am retiring after 21 years as a National Geographic certified photo instructor and naturalist, ready to begin a new life of travel and exploration. I want to give a big thank you to all of those Lindblad guests whom I have traveled with over the years, and I will leave you with these words: Travel as often as you can, as far as you can, for as long as you can. May God and your luggage be with you!
