In the morning before breakfast we started with skiff exploration at Nauta Creek. After breakfast we had another outing, this time for exploring the Casual Rain Forest. It is full of trees and palms and a myriad of plant species. To guide us, we were accompanied by members of the local community. Being people of the jungle, they know how to find the elusive creatures that hide or camouflage among the trees and forest clutter. Here we had an encounter with the master of the jungle! A green anaconda slowly moving on the roots of a giant tree. Its camouflage was impressive — without the expert eyes of the local guides we would have missed it entirely. This forest is full of life. Besides the abundance of trees, on the ground there were snails and tarantulas, and plenty of sounds of insects that we didn’t find due to their camouflage. The jungle is amazing, and it always has a concert of sounds ready for the ears of visitors.
The Upper Amazon is not only a vast wilderness but also home to many human settlements divided into small communities close to the riverbanks. Today we visited Amazonas Community to learn about the local culture and lifestyle. We were very excited meeting the leaders of the community and hearing their stories about education, fishing, and agriculture.
Over the years we have visited various settlements along the rivers of the Upper Amazon and we have seen how their lives have improved in terms of education, empowerment, and production of fine handicrafts. Today we had an opportunity to buy some souvenirs produced by the women of the community. Their crafts and weaving are amazing — colorful and of good quality. All these items are made from natural palm fibers found in the surrounding forest.
It was another amazing day in the rainforest!
