Pacaya and Zapote Rivers
Everyone was up and boarding the skiffs by 6:30 am today. We were planning a full morning inside the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, and took breakfast with us! Along with a few extra crew members, we set off in the fresh morning and spent a delightful few hours exploring the back ways, the skiff pushing through dense clumps of water lettuce, water hyacinth, reeds – making our own road through a carpet of green. Hoatzins, those most unusual-looking birds, were rasping in the brush; horned screamers boomed from their perches on top of fragile branches. Howler monkeys provided the back drop chorus as parrots flew overhead, herons, egrets, hawks, vultures and the whole gang showed up as we cruised along.
Around 8:30 am, we pulled into the shade and the guides, drivers and crew served us a remarkable breakfast, white gloves, china plates and all! And this in a spectacular setting unparalleled.
By 10:30 we were all on board the Delfin II and the ship started moving downriver – something we hadn't done for quite a few days. Go downriver, that is. We had finally turned around, having reached the furthermost point in our journey, and now we went with the flow of the rising Ucayali River.
The Zapote River is a beautiful blackwater river, deep and calm, with towering trees overhead. Rubber trees (the species used for the extraction of rubber, not your typical houseplant), giant figs, ceibas and unnamed hundreds of others filled our eyes and noses with green, rich air. The warm air gradually cooled as sunset approached, and the by-now familiar sounds of the rainforest surrounded us. One group saw the brushy monk saki monkeys, others saw blue-and-yellow macaws and some saw squirrel monkeys. We were all just happy to be here.
By sunset we were on board, drinks in hand, watching slide shows of folk's best photos during the week. A last Amazonian legend was shared before we head into dinner...and dessert...and music....and dancing....
