Today was the last full day of our expedition through the Peruvian Amazon. We had a day full of activities. We embarked our skiffs for another exploration in search of wildlife, this time through Zapote River. To start, we found a three-toed sloth, which was quite visible and close to the riverside. The sloth was climbing a Cecropia tree, which is their favorite food. Regardless of the low amount of nutrients of Cecropia leaves, sloths can thrive on them by feeding on great amounts of them.
Taking a walk through the flood forest was an interesting thing to do. With machete in hand, our guides opened a narrow trail through the jungle. It is amazing to think that all the ground we see now, where huge trees grow, will be completely submerged as the river grows. The water level increases to the point where instead of being able to walk here, this will become an aquatic environment for fish, dolphins and caimans!
We kayaked during the afternoon hours. After a full week discovering the Amazon River, our perspective of this place has changed. We have been able to see with our own eyes the magnificent biodiversity of the tropical rain forest. The sounds, the smells, and the warm tropical breeze of the jungle are impossible to experience by reading about it or by seeing it on television.
Back on board we had a relaxing evening. We enjoyed the lounge, overlooking the jungle as we cruised the Ucayali River. Later on, after a delightful dinner, our ship´s musicians impressed us one more time with their cheerful traditional music. We all stood up to dance, celebrating friendships, and the end of a wonderful voyage through Amazonia.
