When I stepped out of the plane, the humidity clung to my skin like wet grass on bare feet. I couldn’t help but smile – I was finally in the Amazon!
I chose Iquitos, Peru for my Amazon adventure based on the remote location and recommendations from other travelers and my 75-year-old globetrotting aunt. The city is only accessible by plane or five-day boat ride, which made it even more intriguing.
I arrived during the wet season when the river invades the town, jungle and nearby villages. Despite the high water levels, the wildlife was amazing – birds, monkeys and even pink dolphins! Here are a few of my photographs from my week-long adventure:
Giant lily pads
A colorful macaw on Monkey Island
A woolly monkey
A friendly frog
A woolly monkey on Monkey Island
A squirrel monkey on Monkey Island
When the villages flood, the locals move to the highest level of their homes – stoves, TVs and chicken coups all rest on planks above the water.
The Yaguna tribe near Iquitos, Peru
I asked the children of the Yaguna tribe for a portrait. They spoke no English and the only Spanish word they knew was “propina,” which means tip.
The shantytown of Belén, southeast of Iquitos, is a collection of houses built on rafts that rise and fall with the tide. The homes all have electricity despite the high water level.
