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. . the M.V. Aqua will start on its journey toward the Yanayacu River, deep in the heart of Amazonia.
Over the next seven days, you will also sail along the two largest tributaries of the Amazon, the Ucayali and the Marañon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself.
You are embarking on a spectacular adventure, to a place visited by only a few of even the most experienced world travelers. . .
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. . As we float down the Tahuayo, occasional fishermen paddling in their dug-out canoes will give us a cheerful greeting. Keep your binoculars ready to spot a vast variety of wildlife: terns, orioles, blackbirds, black collared hawks, monkeys, and sloth share this wonderful environment with us.
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. . . Travel by skiff from Yanayacu Creek all the way to remote Chingana, a small creek where giant river otter usually nest. On this excursion, you will also see howler and capuchin monkeys, the squirrel-sized monkeys called tamarins, pink and gray river dolphins, and a vast variety of birds.
We will also take you deep into the jungle, where you will encounter wildlife and learn first-hand about the important medical value of jungle plants.
And we will show you famous Kapok Trees (ceiba pentandra), the tallest trees in the Amazon
Basin . . .
. . . Late this afternoon, we will travel by skiff to a small connector canal between the Ucayali and Marañon Rivers, where you will have a chance to see the world’s largest aquatic plant, the giant water lilies or "Victoria
Regias."
You will be one of a very small number of people who have ever seen these plants bloom at night.
On the way back to the Aqua you will also observe caimans, frogs, fishing bats, and other animals of the night . . .
. . . we will board the skiffs to explore this amazing black water stream, part of the vast Amazon flooded forest. Your guides will tell you about the rainforest and its dynamic life, as we explore what scientists call a "gallery forest," because of its narrow vegetation, creating a tunnel of leaves. As we float through this tunnel, it is easy to spot parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys, very close to the skiff . . .
. . . We will return to the
M.V. Aqua vessel and continue our journey upstream, toward the headwaters of the Amazon River, where the Ucayali, Marañon, and the Amazon Rivers
merge . . .
. . . Perhaps sip a pre-dinner pisco sour on the Upper Deck, while you watch the sun
set . . .
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