Preparing to load up the canoe and head out! Traditional wood canoe.
Achilles built a shallow wood platform to keep gear above water in the canoe. With the rain, he stopped regularly to dip the water out
This is what we look like, moving down the river. My guide, Achilles, paddle from the front. We didn’t have a lot of space between the top of the canoe and the surface level of the river. So every time I shift in my weight, a little bit, he glanced back to make sure everything was OK! And it certainly was!
Getting here from Yurimaguas!
There’s an abundance of misinformation about the boats. Because I got in early, was able to walk down toward the port and find the company I wanted to go with. I was told repeatedly the old we both slept at 4 PM, but I was able to find being pre-purchased a ticket for the 1 PM boat. When the boat arrived, Achilles met me before I even left the boat asking if I was Larry taking my backpack and leading me to a taxi to go to the office in the room where I was staying for Acatupel Tours. I reorganized my pack taking only the essentials I needed for the trip. My big bag went into storage
The next morning it rained as we left, rained as we arrived, then rained as we departed. It wasn’t raining heavy at that point. In the late mist and overcast skies kept things much cooler than it would’ve been otherwise. And there I was off on my five day adventure into the Pacaya Samiria reserve!
It’s a very intimate experience with nature. Just the noise of the paddle in the silence of the forest. Shortly after the rain stopped, the bird just corrupted song. We saw sloth, fishing eagle, macaw, parrots, toucan, and more.
The experience
We traveled every day. We went to three different locations. The most remote location was the quietest. My favorite time of the day was waking up at 5:15 with the Howler monkeys. We got the habit I’m leaving early. We would go slow, enjoy the forest, get in early and relax during the heat of the day. Later, we would go out exploring for a couple hours at sunset or at night.
Achilles would load and unload the canoe, fish along the way, cook meals, and guide. He did an amazing job for me!
Photos from the experience
Here is a selection of photos from our hours exploring. Enjoy!
That’s it for now! Ciao!
I like that you experience creation through your excitement for travel. Your posts are amazing—I can see that you are living my dream. By looking at your posts, I felt inspired, and at the age of 42 I moved to Estonia after quitting my IT job. I came here on a student visa. As I do not have many resources to travel, I was only able to visit Germany during a vacation. Thank you for your inspiration.
Hello! Thank you for your comment. Keep dreaming! Build that energy first. Then listen and notice what shows up in your life. Best wishes! Larry