Day 12,13,14,15: Downriver and Upriver

Our quest, centered along the Maranon river, is drawing to an end.  Our private boats take us down past ever-increasing signs of civilization to the town of Saramarisa which is nothing more than a rough trading port.  We also pass larger and more numerous gold...

Day 10: to Borja

We depart in the morning, our San Marjin hosts who are now our friends, all helping with our expedition bags and gear.  We are told over and over that we are welcome to return any time and they will help us some more. Our route takes us through the mighty Pongos de...

Day 9: Surveying and side notes

We get a much earlier start today and find the path to the search site is surprisingly close to the Santiago river.  Yesterday’s meanderings disoriented us, but the fact that this place is so easily accessible to the river is very encouraging.  It also allows us to...

Day 8. Santiago de Las Montanas

We get a late start and are ferried across the river to the search site, which is ten times larger than I expected.  It is densely vegetated throughout and involves steep climbing through vines and up and down narrow ravines.  Huge Ciba trees loom overhead.  Our local...

Day 7: San Marjin.

It takes us 1 hour and 20 minutes to complete three hours of travel to our host community of San Marjin..  Must be jungle time. This community has never had outside visitors and since they will be cooking for us, our Aguarunas liaison will explain to them how to make...