Halfway through the expedition, we are now accustomed to our 5:30 am wake-up call, and well aware that an early start means cool river temperatures and abundant wildlife. This morning didn’t disappoint. Excursions up the Ucayali River and Belluda Creek revealed monk saki monkeys, squirrel monkeys, colonies of macaws, and several hawks, all seen from skiffs, canoes, and paddle boards! We extended our afternoon excursion well past dusk, seeking out several juvenile white caimans in the wetlands of the Dorado River.
5/24/2025
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Delfin II
Yarapa River, Amazonas Village, Peru
Leaving Delfin II at 06:00 for our morning skiff ride, we explored the Yarapa River and monkeys were everywhere! We saw common wooly monkeys, monk saki monkeys, and common squirrel monkeys. We weren’t monkeying around! In addition to the monkeys there were woodpeckers galore! We photographed crimson-crested, yellow-tufted, and cream-colored woodpeckers as they were busily hammering away at trees and termite nests. Our afternoon was spent at Amazonas Village getting an introduction to life along the river. We enjoyed demonstrations of food preparation, basketmaking with palm fibers, and hand-dying with local plants to give the baskets vibrant colors. We also had an introduction to Minga Peru, a group serving 40 different communities in this area. Our evening was topped off with a toast to the beginning of the actual Amazon River, where the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers converge. Salud!
