April 1-9 Expedition to the Upper Amazon

The Pacaya-Samiria Reserve bordered by the two rivers centre of image. To right and north from Nauta  is the Amazon river

We were exploring in Reserve the Pacaya-Samiria

As you see we made it back to sea level in Lima - suffering with anti-altitude sickness which is quite strange and Lindsay still had ‘Bali belly' but it was heavenly to be able to breathe ‘normally’. The next morning we had an early morning departure to the steaming Iquitos situated on the Amazon and gateway to the tribal villages of the northern Amazon.  From Iquitos we drove south to Nauta on the banks of one of the main tributaries of the Amazon, the Maranon River. We were to sail that and the Pacaya River as well as some of the channels and creeks in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve; the Reserve is cared for by the village people who live along the rivers and creeks. We were there in the high water season which gave us great access to the jungle and great stretches of soaked rainforest; in the low water season the babks of the rivers are very high. The whole area was lush and beautiful and we saw oodles of wildlife and eye-popping vegetation. It would take me a long time to describe what was in fact a short exploration - 8 days two of which we were able to tramp through the jungle and that was quite an experience. Instead I will give you the sketchiest brush-strokes of our amazing journey on the headwaters of the mighty Amazon in the heart of Peru’s rain forest - it sounded like an epic experience and it turned out to be just that. Every day was wonder-filled as we glided, sometimes slashed our way, through often intricate and tangled jungle waterways.  It was astonishing, amazing, exciting, hot - but wow what an experience. 

Two main things I had hoped from this trip and they were delivered in spades - I got to swim with the Pink Amazon dolphins not side by side mind but close enough to make me happy. We took the skiffs to a huge lake, Yanayacu lagoon, deep in the Reserve and there I, and others, slid into  the cool black water. It was delicious.  The pink dolphins were close to us and for the rest of the day those lovely creatures and the small grey dolphins seemed to hang around even after we got back at the 'mother ship' where they frolicked around for what seemed like hours. It was a special day. The other thing I wanted to see were the giant brilliantly coloured Hyacinth Macaws. And indeed we saw and heard them on many excursions high in the tree tops and swooping overhead and we slid through the water. Such glorious birds but there were other stunning birds brightly coloured and strange in their behavious.  

We saw so many iconic rainforest creatures.  A yellow-spotted poisonous tree frog, a tiny poison dart frog, butterflies, brilliant insects, bats, many species of monkeys, birds (Lindsay identified over 100 different species the majority of which he hadn't seen before), a young green Anaconda, young caymans and brilliant flowers nestled in the lush green of the river-side vegetation. We ploughed through floating islands and past the stark stumps of a downed terrestrial forest. What a place! 

And the food was delicious - it was mostly from the jungle with huge fish from the river. All washed down with Pisco sours and excellent Peruvian wine.  The team took us out twice everyday and we also got to see the jungle after dark which was quite fascinating - including a gorgeous white waterlily.  And to give a true note of authenticity we got well and truly caught in a thunderous downfall. The rain to was so heavy we couldn't see far ahead . We experienced rain on a number of days, we were after all in the rain forest! Villages were a must and that was quite interesting. One we visited cooked us some of their local dishes which they prepared for us over open fires - quite delicious.  Of course we weren't able to buy any of their lovely craft items because our Customs would have confiscated them - wood and animal 'bits' including a number of things made with the dried scales of the ginormous Arapaima, a massive, long freshwater fish native to the streams of the Amazon River basin. We saw them at a rescue centre and they are quite spectacular. They can breathe air and that allows them to survive in pools with low water levels or in decaying vegetation. 

We arrived back in Lima rather wilted from the wilds of this amazing Amazonian jungle! It had been astonishing, amazing, exciting, hot - but wow what an experience. We travelled with Lindblad-National Geographic and were very well cared for. Great attention to every detail. When we returned to Lima they had organised a private tour of the Larco Museum, but I'll put a couple of pix of that fascinating visit next post. In the meantime sit back for a small  'tasting plate' of the Peruvian rainforest.

The Bridge

Delfin II - our mothership

Our wide-screen TV - window

Eric our favourite guide. He grew up on the river and was very knowledgeable

We were welcomed back to our cabin each day with imaginative 'towel art'

Our skiffs were great at getting into small spaces

We snuck through lush channels looking for 'interesting' things

I found these while the rest were looking high into the trees for an anteater

A whole environment in each of these flowers

'Wema' - yellow rump cacique a weaving bird that makes nests close to lakes and rivers

Rainbow cricket

Doesn't look fancy but the fish soup was delicious

Village kids coming back from fishing

The local rangers' 'office'

We slipped noiselessly through this mirror-world of tranquility

I rickety jetty where we landed to walk into the jungle

The ground was boggy and slippery in most places 

A wee selection of the wildlife from that morning's walk

That's a sloth up in that tree. We saw well over a dozen

A giant Kapok tree

Reflections

New growth in the drown terrestrial forest

The dark descended as well as the mozzies

A night flowering water lily; the pads were huge

Journey's end and on our way back to Iquitos to catch a plane to Lima