After an early breakfast this morning, we explored Yarapa River by a skiff ride. We spotted several bird species, and some monkeys as well. In the afternoon we visited the delightful Amazon town of Amazonas. The community is beautifully organized and clean. We interacted with the residents while observing and learning firsthand how people live nowadays in Amazonia. Our guests had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were welcomed to the house of a villager who invited us to try some local dishes. Local artisans showed us how they make their beautiful handcrafts using natural fibers and colorants from the rainforest. We also enjoyed a brief but meaningful encounter with a welcoming committee from Minga Peru; this non-profit organization, founded in 1998, has a mission to promote social justice and human dignity for women and families in remote rural areas of the Peruvian Amazon.
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!
