Early in the morning on our last day in the Amazon, we enjoyed a skiff ride at Nauta Creek to catch a glimpse of king fishers, terns, and many raptors including the photogenic black-collared hawk. Nauta Creek’s black water is surrounded by a forest of large trees that happen to be home for several types of monkeys.
After breakfast we headed to Casual Forest for more exploration and encounters with the local flora and fauna. This forest has a beautiful trail starting at the riverbank. Most of the terrain is level and it’s easy to walk around while looking for poison frogs, tarantulas, bats, bees, and even boa constrictors!
In the afternoon we visited the Amazonas community. The residents invited us into their homes and fed us delicious preparations made from local produce. Their food is mostly based on fish, plantains, and cassava. At the handicrafts market we learned the process of dying natural fibers used to make hammocks, baskets, animal figures, and many more decorations. This was our opportunity to shop and of course we did!
Among our souvenirs from the trip are memories of the marvelous sights we encountered on the expedition. They include the smallest of the monkeys, the pigmy marmoset, and the largest of the reserve, the red howler. As for birds, we saw the smallest of the raptors, the pigmy owl, and the king of them all, the magnificent harpy eagle!
