Sail further into the heart of the Pacaya-Samiria Nature Reserve. From December through May explore Atun Poza by skiff. Look for lagoon birds such as egrets, herons, jacamars, ringed kingfishers and various raptors. If the river levels are sufficiently low, a short walk to a local community will be offered. From June through November, hike through a rich ecosystem, passing through a classical tropical rain forest. Biologically, this kind of forest is probably one of the richest habitats on earth, supporting the most species of plants and animals per unit area. Our goal is to reach the giant “ceiba” or kapok tree with its immense trunk diameter. By skiff we depart for our furthest point in the journey, up the Pacaya River to Yanayacu lagoon. The waters of this lake originate in the very heart of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. This rain-forest wilderness is home to red howler and capuchin monkeys, three-toed sloths and numerous species of parrots. Today, with luck, we may swim in the vicinity of Amazonian pink river dolphins! (B,L,D)

Renowned for its biodiversity, the area could quite possibly be one of the oldest Pleistocene shelters of the South American continent. There is a proven existence of 965 species of wild plants and 59 of cultivated plants, 450 species of birds, 102 species of mammals, over 130 species of reptiles and amphibians and 250 different fish species, but studies and investigation are still far from being exhausted.

National Reserve Pacaya-Samiria is the natural habitat for lots of wild animals and trees, as well as exuberant aquatic life: more than 500 bird species, 102 mammalians, 240 reptiles, 58 amphibians, 256 fishes and 1024 wild and cultivated vegetal species. In the reserve many species are protected: black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), dugongo (Trichechus inunguis), water turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), spider ape (Ateles sp.), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), pink dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) and grey dolphin (Sotalia fluviatilis).

It isn’t difficult to find, year after year, new species of fauna and flora; and still few scientist dedicated to mysterious and variegate world of insects that populate the Reserve.