Our group this week arrived yesterday in the afternoon after traveling from Lima to join a once in a lifetime expedition in the Upper Peruvian Amazon. Our adventure started after breakfast with an introductory walk in the rainforest. We visited a “terra firme” place known as “Casual.” “Terra firme” is a term used in tropical ecology to describe a terrain that never gets flooded. In the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, the largest flooded protected area in South America, most of the surface area is under water the whole year around therefore this kind of relatively dry ecosystem is of great interest for our expedition. Along the trail our talented naturalists explained some aspects of the enthralling ecology of the rainforest. Three native scouts from a nearby village came with us as well to help us to spot creatures. Colorful poison arrow frogs, tarantulas, a red-tailed boa, a juvenile bicolor-spined Porcupine, and insects were admired and photographed. In the afternoon, we visited a dynamic human settlement, Amazonas Community. We witnessed firsthand how people live nowadays in the region. We listened to some locals speaking about “Minga Peru” as well. The latter is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 with the mission to promote social justice and human dignity, primarily for women and families in rural communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Leadership training, radio programming, and natural resources management are some of their main projects in the area. After dinner, we went for a night walk to enjoy the feeling and thrill of being out in the forest at that time of the evening. It was an extraordinary first day of our expedition on the enigmatic Upper Amazon in Peru.
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!
