An early morning start is the best way to go in the Amazon, wildlife is more active, usually more abundant and easier to detect. Before breakfast, we boarded our skiffs and explored the Pahuachiro Caño (creek) and were rewarded with several classic Amazon bird species including toucanets, tanagers and parrots. After returning to a well-deserved meal, we headed for Casual Trail were our local guide sharp eyes found plenty of interesting mammals, reptiles and insects. Lunch time was interrupted by our first pink dolphins and we spent the afternoon with them on the black waters of the Yanayacu. Despite all these encounters, the highlight of the day was yet to come, a harpy eagle eating a sloth was spotted with the very last light!
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!
