Today our morning had a little twist from the “normal” morning expeditions we have had so far. First of all, it was full of monkey sightings! It is always very exciting to see several species of monkeys in the same area, let alone in the same tree! As we were riding along the quiet waters of Atun Poza, several squirrel monkeys wracked through the nearby branches, getting our immediate attention. As we scanned the area, we found the ever shy brown capuchin monkeys actively foraging in the same tree. It took us a bit longer to notice yet another species of monkey known as Monk Saki Monkey, quietly sitting on a higher branch. It was almost as if it was staged! We all of course sprang from our seats and, to the best of our abilities, tried to capture at least the silhouette of these interesting primates!
We then continued our ride, looking for more wildlife and simply enjoying the mirror-like reflections of the jungle, over the calm black waters of this beautiful tributary. While enjoying the occasional encounter of the ever present Amazonian birds, we came to a full stop and “parked” all three skiffs together on a picturesque location, where we enjoyed a pre-arranged breakfast in the jungle! Our hotel manager, together with our galley and hotel staff team, had prepared a delicious feast which satisfied our appetite.
After such a nice morning, we headed back to the ship making a brief stop at Atun Poza community, where lovely local kids and their mothers were waiting with displays of their local art work.
After returning to the ship, we headed upstream until we reached the Pacaya river area. This location is famous even among locals due to the abundance of wildlife, and its fame was proven to be well-earned during our afternoon skiff ride on its black waters. The main goal was to observe the landscape and to reach a lagoon known as Yanayacu, which translate as “black water”. We enjoyed several encounters of red howler monkeys and bizarre-looking birds, such as the hoatzin and the horned-screamers, and we ended the outing with a refreshing dip in the comforting warm waters of the lagoon. It was quite an unforgettable treat to be able to swim with all kinds of Amazonian fish, including a friendly sub-species of piranha! Another unique experience that one can only have here on the Amazon.
