Travel Diary: The Peruvian Amazon -Part Three

Our adventure in the Amazonian rainforest continued with a sunrise cruise, a stroll through an enchanted lily pad garden, and a humbling and inspiring visit to our guide's very own village.

An egret soars at sunrise on the Amazon River.

Ama and I awoke to our alarms at 5:00 am and sleepily dressed in the dark. We met our guide Carlos as well as our traveling companions at the lodge at the appointed time of 5:20 to begin the walk down to the river. Once we were all safely aboard the boat, Carlos ferried us through the heavy darkness of the pre-dawn Amazon. After about fifteen minutes of cruising, Carlos cut the motor and while turning the boat to face the north east for the best view of the sunrise.

Once the sound of the motor was choked out, we were sonically surrounded by a bevy of insects, birds, frogs, and other creatures chattering away to begin their long day on the world’s largest river. Hazy clouds dotted the sky as we watched for slivers of light to begin poking through. Egrets and hawks were already out on the prowl as soon as first light emerged. Like the old saying goes, the early bird gets the piranha.

The sunrise was rather underwhelming compared to the vistas…