Blog post -
Caiman spotting in Manaus
An Amazon cruise provides an incredible opportunity to explore the fascinating Amazon River, where the people, culture and exotic wildlife never fail to inspire.
Our series of blogs provide an idea of what to expect during your stay at the three river ports you will experience on your Amazon cruise.
Port 2 - Manaus
After settling into our eco lodge in Manaus we met our tour guide and our new neighbours for Caiman spotting.
Night fall was up on us and we boarded the river boat under the spotlight of the full moon and prepared ourselves for the adventure ahead. The thick canopy acted as a cloak over the Amazon which put us in total darkness.
All we had to light our way were the torches held by our guide, which they flashed to goad the caiman out of their sleeping state. The vines and towering trees were illumined by the flickering torch light, exposing the animals wrapped around their trunks.
The boat weaved its way in and out of the pockets embedded in the rivers edge, providing regular stopping points for us to peer into the undergrowth of the mighty Amazon.
The next flicker of the torch was met with two piercing eyes, yellow and unnerved. The tour guide held the torch steady as the light hypnotised the Caiman into a paralysed state. We were then offered the chance to safely hold the creature before gently releasing it back into the wild.
