I awoke in high spirits, sure that we would have an extraordinary day and I was not wrong! Today, we explored a very special area, the Pacaya River, located deep in the heart of the Pacaya-Samiria Nature Reserve. The Pacaya River area is a marvelous and truly wild place.

Very early in the morning, we went far into the river. We had great encounters with wildlife. Egrets, herons, neotropical cormorants, and terns were seen on the ride. Most of the morning, we were accompanied by intermittent drizzle that stopped momentarily and came back again and again. We were rewarded with the spectacular sight of hundreds and hundreds of egrets gathered in a single place, just like in a dream.

After sightings of the red howler monkey and monk saki monkey troops, we settled in a Warden’s House to have breakfast. Our ship’s hotel manager Johnny, our bartender Richard and his assistant Kevin, brought breakfast to this remote location. A memorable meal in an unforgettable location.

Late in the afternoon, after resting and enjoying some presentations while navigating, we went for a night walk. We saw several frogs, many insects, a couple of tarantulas, a snake, and the raccoon-like kinkajou (Potus flavus). In addition to the sights of the rainforest, we were treated to the beautiful sounds. It was a long day in mighty Amazonia but well worth the effort!