Amazon River Headwaters Adventure

Source of the Amazon River

The source of the Amazon River has been disputed by explorers and geographers for centuries. Five different tributaries in Peru are contenders, including the Ucayali and the Maranon Rivers.

Both rivers wind through the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, an area of flooded jungle forest. This is a protected pristine area of almost 8,000 square miles, full of unique plants and animals. When I learned about a Lindblad/National Geographic exploration by boat through this headwater reserve I signed up

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: The Delfin II boat which was home while we explored the flooded forests and jungle of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, Peru. Photo: ANGROVE — This boat, the Delfin II, was my home for the ten days of exploration with Lindblad/National Geographic. On board were three flat bottomed skiffs used to navigate flooded forests. The skiffs maneuvered under trees and through dense mats of water hyacinths.

The Pacaya-Samiria Reserve Wildlife

Here is a brief introduction to the area – a pictorial overview of some the jungle explorations. Over the next couple of weeks I will show some of the amazing birds, mammals and flowers I saw and photographed. We shall meet the park’s residents, both indigenous tribes and outsiders. But for now here is a little of what I found and how we spent the ten days.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: the Amazon River in the early morning when the water was still.
Photo: ANGROVE — Early morning on the River when the reflections were luminous is the time to find bird life and other creatures stirring after the night.

Expedition Routine

We were up each morning early, ready to leave with naturalists and photographers in the exploration skiffs at 6:00 am. The water was still and light slightly hazy.

We returned for breakfast around 8:00 and then went out again later to trek or explore.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure:
Hacking our way through the jungle paths with a machete. Photo: ANGROVE — Hacking our way through the jungle paths with a machete which was really sharp!

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: This anaconda was lurking in a small stream. The guide kept it on the end of a stick. Photo: ANGROVE — Our guide found this large Anaconda lurking in a shallow stream of water. Anacondas are constrictors and not venomous. We kept our distance.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure:
Exploring the jungle from the tops of the trees by narrow hanging bridges.
Photo: ANGROVE — The jungle bridges were high in the canopy

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: Navigating the narrow bridges which are slung between trees in the canopy of the Forest. Photo: ANGROVE — Navigating narrow slippery bridges slung between trees in the Forest canopy

Swimming, Kayaking and Paddle-Boarding on the Amazon River

Some days we had a nap after lunch, then out we went again. Swimming, kayaking and paddle-boarding were things I had never thought I would be doing on the Amazon. The water was surprisingly warm, in patches, but the under-current kept me paddling just to stay in place! Piranhas, we were assured, are bottom fish and would only surface if they tasted blood. Had no idea how deep the water was….

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure, Kayaking in the Amazon River basin. A unique way to see the forest from water level. Photo: ANGROVE — Many of the jungle paths were closed due to heavy rains in the wet season, so another way to explore was by Kayak. I am aided here by the expedition leader, Jeff.

Kayaking was fun – I was with expedition leader Jeff who did lot of the heavy lifting.

I was not tempted to try paddle boarding – also some of the vegetation had lethal looking spines.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: There was an opportunity to swim, kayak and paddle board on this trip, as well as serious searching for flora and fauna. Photo: ANGROVE — Paddle-boarding through the flooded forest. Piranhas stay at the river bottom and caymans come out at night, but bushes with thorns are lethal

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure:
Many of the plants have natural defense, like thorns, against animals. Photo: ANGROVE

Searching for Wildlife

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: Small flat bottomed skiffs cut through mats of water hyacinths and other weeds to get up close to flora and fauna. Here the search is for a rare frog. Photo: ANGROVE — Flat bottomed skiff in a patch of water hyacinth. The search was for a rare frog which was attached to the stem of a leaf.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure:
Where two rivers merge in the Amazon basin there is a distinct difference in water colors. A phenomenon unique to the Amazon. PHOTO//ANGROVE — A curious Amazon phenomenon, when two rivers merge there is a distinct difference in colors. I took this image after a tropical storm when the lighter color water was flowing faster than the inky black water.

Exploring And Learning

There were two National Geographic photographers on board who were excellent and generous teachers. I learned a lot. Sorting through the 5,000+ images since I returned has been time-consuming, but is enabling me to relive this journey.

Photographing from the Delfin II after the storm. Image by **Krista Rossow**

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: Sunset view from the bow of the Delfin II exploration boat. Photo: ANGROVE — Breathtaking sunset photographed from the bow of the boat.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure: Jungle/water view of the Pacaya-Samira Reserve in the early morning when trees are reflected in the water. //Photo: ANGROVE — The forest jungle in the early morning light. More mirror images

NEXT WEEK: Delve into the jungle with me to find Sloth, monkeys, poison dart frogs, and multi-color birds.

Amazon River Headwaters Adventure:
The area is full of wildlife including many species of monkeys. Photo: ANGROVE

Comments are so very welcome, feedback is so important! Please leave them below. Or at the end of the post on angelanealworld.com

Comments

Barbara Tuffli says

February 24, 2019 at 8:19 am

Thanks so much for this interesting update. What a fabulous adventure! I can’t wait to catch up, hear all and see your images. These are excellent! Was it a national geographic trip? Having the photographers on board would be extraordinarily helpful.
Angela says

February 24, 2019 at 8:28 am

Thank you! It was a fabulous adventure! and i can’t wait to share more. I have a few photographs which I think are really keepers! Yes, it was National Geographic/Lindblad and was well run and guides and naturalists were top-notch.
I learned a lot from the photographers – I never thought I would be shooting at 6200 ISO nearly all the way through. it worked!
Basilio Santiago Perez says

February 24, 2019 at 4:17 pm

THANKS ANGELA. YOUR PICTURES ARE AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL . THANKS FOR SHARING WITH US. I ENJOY THE TRAVEL WITH YOU. UN ABRAZO.
- Angela says
  
  March 22, 2019 at 9:58 am
  
  Thank you Basilio! That was a great adventure we shared!
Basilio Santiago Perez says

February 24, 2019 at 4:23 pm

THANKS ANGELA FOR SHARING THOSE BEAUTIFUL AND AMAZING PICTURES. I ENJOY TRAVEL WITH YOU. WAS A MAGIC TRIP. UN abrazo.
CherylMcL says

February 24, 2019 at 9:21 pm

Angela! I love this story and the sense of place you gave me through your photographs (which are just stunning) and your snippets of story. What an adventure. I’m looking forward to your next pieces! Cheers!
angela grove says

February 24, 2019 at 9:25 pm

Oh great, cheryl, so glad you liked it. The exploration was a great experience. stay tuned for more images of animals and people over the next two weeks!
TTFN
Ed says

March 4, 2019 at 9:45 am

Fabulous photos, so interesting.
- Angela says
  
  March 4, 2019 at 11:27 am
  
  Thank you! Here the pictures really tell the story. it was an amazing adventure