Adventures in the Amazon Rainforest

[Matata]

Hi ya''ll....just got back from spending 10 days in the Amazon and had the most amazing vacation. We traveled by boat up the Amazon from Iquitos, Peru to the Ucayali River and then up the Pacaya River to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve deep in the heart of nowhere. Trip highlights: visited 3 Ribenero villages; met a shaman; got caught in a tremendous thunderstorm while on a night hike; caught piranha for dinner; saw tons of birds, sloths, reptiles, & the most incredible looking insects. The weather was HOT and humid and the mosquitoes love Deet. I think I have about 2 red blood cells left

Here''s some pics.

Our home for 10 days -- La Amatista. Also showing are the open boats we used for excursions up smaller rivers & tributaries.

 

[Matata]

Scale from a Paiche -- the world''s largest freshwater fish

 

[Matata]

The Paiche -- rare these days due to overfishing. These villagers will get $400 per pound for the meat.

 

[Matata]

Our naturalist leaned over the boat and hauled in this small white caiman. Notice how black it is. We were on a night boat ride to listen to jungle sounds & hunt for night life.

 

[Matata]

We stopped & bought supplies from these Ribenero villagers -- plaintains, fruit, yucca.

 

[Matata]

The village. Notice the one-room schoolhouse on the right -- the only structure made from cement.

 

[Matata]

Ant nest shaped like a leaf so the water runs off.

 

[Matata]

Armored catfish, a staple food source. This fish was offered every night for dinner on the boat.

 

[Matata]

Fishing for piranha

 

[ang3199]

Wow! Very awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Matata]

Red bellied piranha. These were very, very tasty.

 

[Matata]

Orenpendula (known as the butter-butt bird)

 

[Matata]

Nests of the butter-butt birds. They''re part of the weaver family.

 

[Matata]

3-toed sloth; the funny looking bump under her chin is a baby sloth!

 

[Matata]

Iguana on a pretty ephiphyte

 

[Matata]

Hoatzin. Primitive bird with a bad hairdo

 

[Matata]

Long nosed bat. Cute!

 

[Matata]

Pacaya river

 

[Matata]

A shaman. My hubby, who is a physician, is in the back. A great juxtaposition of ancient & modern medicine.

 

[Matata]

The shaman''s herbal remedies. The stuff in the bottle is sugar-cane rum & a mixture of herbs -- guaranteed to cure what ails you in 3 days.

 

[Matata]

Jungle sunrise

 

[Matata]

Oops, sorry. Sunrise. Tallest trees are ceiba trees which the sloths love.

 

[Matata]

Sunset

 

[Matata]

Another sunset

 

[Matata]

Toucan

 

[Matata]

Ucayali River; at the top of the pic is where it meets the Amazon

 

[Matata]

I''m getting tuckered out. Last pic. Yellow-headed caracara.

 

[Skippy123]

Matata,
Those are some seriously AMAZING photos and adventure you and your hubby had! Thanks for allowing me to live through you vicariously

 

[somethingshiny]

okay, thanks to those photos, i have a new destination to add to my list!!

Looks like you had an AMAZING time!! I can''t believe you saw all of that in just a few days!

Any elaborations on some of these stories??

 

[Skippy123]

I was hoping you would come back and tell us more about your trip!! I love the pics on the river and the sunsets!!