We set out again for an early morning skiff ride in Pahwachiro Creek, a smaller channel off the Marañon River. It was a cloudy and moody morning, but we were greeted with scarlet macaws overhead. Deeper into the creek, we came upon hundreds of great egrets perched in the trees and along the riverbanks. We could also see the fish they were there to catch! As we slowly motored by, the egrets took flight all around us, and it was a truly magical moment. After another delightful breakfast on board, we set out in an area called Casual for our first exploration of the Amazon Rainforest by foot. Local scouts helped us find all kinds of cool creatures along the way, including a poison dart frog, a gecko, a red boa constrictor, a tarantula, and a green anaconda. This community makes beautiful wood carvings, and many of us decided to take one home. Back on board the Delfin II, we had a fascinating talk on medicinal plants by naturalist Jairo Flores. After lunch, small groups went kayaking in Nauta Creek, and then we all explored the area by skiff in the late afternoon. We were excited to see more squirrel monkeys, long-nosed bats, horned screamers, and even an Isabel’s saki monkey settling in for the night. There’s always something new to find in this amazing ecosystem!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 07 Jul 2023
Pahwachiro Creek, Casual Trail, and Nauta Creek, 7/7/2023, Delfin II
- Aboard the Delfin II
- Amazon
Gemina Garland-Lewis, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Gemina Garland-Lewis is a professional documentary photographer based in Baja California Sur, Mexico, with experience in over 30 countries across seven continents. Her photography explores the myriad connections between humans, animals, and their sha...
Read MoreShare Report
Upper Amazon: A River Expedition
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/2/2025
Read
Delfin II
Samiria River and Yanayacu-Pucate
Today we ventured into the heart of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. This remote area is where we can find some of the most impressive extents of mature trees with majestic dimensions. This high canopy provides a healthy habitat for some of the animals which we don´t see frequently. Aside from the majesty of the rainforest itself, we saw many blue and yellow and red bellied macaws. Red howler monkeys, black caracaras, three-toed sloths, and pink river dolphins were also seen. One of the highlights of the day was a pod of gray river dolphins that were highly active and very close to our skiffs. We had an extraordinary opportunity to really see what these fascinating freshwater cetaceans really look like.
5/1/2025
Read
Delfin II
Yanayaquillo Creek and Samiria River
A light rain didn’t stop us, and we boarded our skiffs to explore Yanayaquillo Creek, a small tributary of the Marañon River, where saddleback tamarins and squirrel monkeys enjoyed their breakfast. After having had ours, we divided into two groups, some hiking a jungle trail and the rest exploring Iquitos Creek, both having a great time. A visit to a local shaman enlightened us about the way local people have been using the forest resources for centuries. During the latter part of the day, we explored the Samiria River, a remote and wild place where we admired many more wildlife species and pristine forests.