Canopy Walkway & Nauta Caño
Our exploration of the Amazon basin continued today with a diversity of activities. We again took to our fleet of skiffs to look for wildlife, as well as another walk in the forest. However, we also had our first opportunity to kayak, enjoyed a series of bridges in the canopy of the forest, and went for a night walk. Add to this, a presentation on photography, some great dolphin viewing from the Delfin II, and of course, our delicious meals. We had a busy day!
In the morning, we visited a private reserve that allowed us to explore some incredible primary rain forest. Massive trees lined the paths, and our expert team of naturalists described their many uses. A few monkeys and birds were seen, along with a busy colony of leafcutter ants. However, the main focus of the walk was to get up off the forest floor and enjoy a different view of the Amazon. Nine different walkways strung through the rain forest canopy allowed us to traverse a wide area and be amongst the leaves. A fun and fascinating place for sure.
The confluence of a small creek with the larger Marañon River was our destination for the afternoon. Both pink and gray dolphins were busy feeding here, along with many birds. The kayakers and skiff riders all ventured deep up the side creek. The water was flowing out of one of the lakes, bringing along with it many of the floating plants. Water hyacinth was in flower, and huge patches of water lettuce were drifting by. Hawks and caciques were especially active, the latter quite busy with their nest building.
Mirror-like reflections made kayaking extra mesmerizing. We slowly drifted back towards the Delfin II. As the sun dipped low, more and more animals became active, and the jungle symphony increased in volume. Sunset lingered for a long time, a fiery glow to the west. As we congregated in the lounge we reflected on what a glorious day it was.
