We left Delfin II at sunrise today and explored deep into the reserve along the Pacaya River. We had stunning scenery, unlike any other on this trip, and also abundant wildlife. Many monkeys were enjoyed, and waterbirds congregated by the thousands. We took our breakfast with us, enjoying it along a beautiful lake. A midday swim in a lake with pink river dolphins and ice cold cervezas was very special. A late lunch led to an afternoon transit back downriver, and our first rain of the entire trip! Patchy clouds and rainbows made for a relaxing afternoon after a busy morning.
7/25/2024
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Delfin II
Ucayali and Dorado Rivers
Today we had the great opportunity to start exploring the riverbank of the Ucayali River. We loaded the skiffs right after sunrise. As we cruised along the riverbank, different species of birds were seen. A highlight of that early exploration was the sighting of a tayra, a small omnivorous creature in the weasel family, that didn’t stay long in our view. After breakfast, we walked through Yanallpa flooded forest. Here our naturalist explained to us the importance of the floods for the Amazon forest. They also pointed out the effect of climate change over the area and how it has changed the use of the soils after the floods. It was a morning of learning about how the forest has manage to adapt to the seasonal floods and how fish and other animals depends on those events. Our late afternoon activities were held on Dorado River. Our naturalists brought out spotlights after sunset. Black caimans and spectacled caimans were the major attraction for our guests. Other night dwellers were also spotted by our naturalists, such as fishing bats, boat-billed night herons, night jars, and many other animals were seen by our guests. It was another awesome day exploring the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.