Pix are from the top - river freight, our boat, capibara, the lodge entrance, a bedroom, a young tarantula, the dining room & bar, our rooms, climb training, the tree, the support crew, at the top, weird punky birds, birthday cheers, cayman by night & day
Another early start and off to Cusco airport for flight 9 of now 13 to Puerto Maldonado. It’s only a short flight of about half about 40 minutes. We arrive late morning then we have to sort our bags again before we board the longboat up the river to the rainforest habitat and lodge.
Luggage sorted and back on the bus and down to the river. Here the bags are piled up at the back of the boat and we all pile on. We are now four comrades down but have met up with another Explore group for this part of the trip.
The journey up river takes just over three hours. It is very scenic along the way with sightings of many birds, some capybaras, river turtles and some cayman (a type of croc.) We had lunch on the boat, which was a rice meal wrapped up in a big leaf, which we ate out of and very tasty it was too. We had drop off and a checkpoint stop along the way before we arrived at the lodge around four in the afternoon.
The lodge was hidden away from the river in the forest and it was fantastic. It had been purpose built and comprised of a central building which served as kitchen, dining, bar and rest areas with an upstairs social area with hammocks. There were separate dormitory type areas down walkways away from the main building with long rows of bedrooms. These were all open rooms with no windows or real doors, all looking out into the jungle – superb. All had bathrooms with toilets and cold showers. We were here for three nights, so bags dropped it was Pisco Sour time at the bar! Each party/group has it’s own dinner table and were in the dining area. The meals were all good and freshly prepared.
After dinner we were supposed to be going cayman spotting on the river in the dark but we didn’t go due to the high volume of passengers. Instead we went on a night safari walk in the rain forest with only torches, it was great. A sea of all bugs, spiders and tarantulas imaginable and couple of tree frogs. We were out well over an hour, just time for a couple more piscos before bed. There was a little concern about the fact that there were no windows and all we had between us and the rainforest was a fly net, however this turned out to be fine and we all slept well.
The next day after breakfast we headed up river. We were going to see some macaws in an area of the rainforest where they congregate to scrape off and eat clay. Apparently their diet is so high in toxins the clay counteracts the effects of the toxins and aids digestion. It was all very interesting, a walk through the rainforest to the hides, seeing the macaws in the treetops and also seeing a toucan! Sadly we did not see them scraping clay at the riverside as their were too many other predators around that kept scaring the macaws away, namely hawks and vultures. We headed back to the river then the lodge for lunch and were going across the river after lunch to see “the farm.”
Now the farm is where the lodge grows most of its produce from apples to pineapples, all sort of fruits and veggies to make them self-sufficient. Any over production is taken down river and distributed to local villages and not wasted, all good stuff.
Late afternoon back to the lodge and free time (pisco sour time) before dinner. After dinner there were no activities planned so we all had a few drinks and played cards. Now this is not straightforward, no, no, not the cards…..the lights. The lodge only generates enough electricity to power the site from 1800hrs to 2100hrs daily so after this it’s no power and get your torches out. It was OK and quite nice with all the oil lamps all over the place after 2100hrs. Tomorrow, coincidentally is my birthday and Bill (cheers Bill) has let everyone know. We are going in search of wild pigs in the morning, then out to look at some giant trees, a canopy platform and possibly some piranhas in the afternoon. There are a few optional extra activities you can undertake here so I just might have a go at something different tomorrow to mark the day, we’ll see.
Our last day in the jungle and my birthday! After a rendition of happy birthday from the group it was breakfast then ready for the off. Today we are walking from the lodge into the forest to a hide where we hope to see pigs scraping clay. Let’s just say plenty of clay but no pigs! So we ambled back to the lodge. On the way back we stopped off at a giant brazil nut tree, which are all now protected. Our guide said that if we wanted we could climb up one of these magnificent trees via pulley ropes as an extra activity. Well this was it, the birthday silliness. I said yes and when we got back to the lodge I was “shown the ropes” no pun intended, in the entrance area. After my training session watched by all, I asked if there were any takers. I was on my own but Stella and Colin offered to come with me for moral support and take a few pics.
We had a short walk from the lodge to the Brazil nut tree, rigged up with a platform at the top and the safety ropes etc. Our guide and my leader headed up first and did the 110-foot tree in just over a minute. Obviously comes here everyday for a workout up the tree!! I did a leisurely 10 minutes or so. It was very hard and very high but very rewarding at the top with views across the canopy top. Back on terra firma with Stella & Colin we headed back to the lodge, the rest of the group and lunch.
After lunch we walked again off into the forest. We stopped off first at a 100ft-viewing platform, which we all tramped up the top of to look out over the canopy. It was pretty much a scaffolding tower harnessed to the ground and probably not suited to 10 people, it swayed a little but we survived. Next we were off to see some giant trees. We stopped off on the way to tease a tarantula out of its lair. Done by the guide poking a big stick down the hole – rather him than me.
After passing loads of leaf-cutter ants carrying their leafy loads around we came to a lake. Here we saw some weird looking birds, some bats and the piranhas were in the lake as we saw when some old food was hurled in!! We crossed the lake and came to an island, off again and we came to a massive tree. Well, we thought it was a tree but in fact it was a giant vine, which had grown around a tree and killed the tree. You could stand inside the vine and look up and see where the tree used to be!! We then went to another giant, which was a tree and a couple of hundred years old. We then made our way back to the lodge getting back just before dark. There was time for a couple of celebratory piscos before dinner.
After dinner we managed to get out on the river in the dark to go cayman spotting. We managed to see a few, from small ones to quite big ones. We then headed back to the lodge for a few more drinks before our last night in the rainforest.
Another early start back down the river to Puerto Maldonado and our flight 10 of 13 to Lima. A pleasantly steady run down river and a good flight got us into Lima around 1430hrs. It was then back to the hotel where it all started in Miraflores.
The last evening of our adventure was a walk down to the sea, a pisco or two then a meal out for a few of us, very pleasant. The following day Bill and I had to leave first so we walked into town with Stella and Colin who were going on a city tour bus, as they did not leave ‘til mid afternoon. We said our farewells and headed back to the hotel to get our bags.
The whole trip which started as two ideas coming together worked out brilliantly. The natural history wonders of the Galapagos will stay with me forever, the cities of Quito and Lima with their buzz, cultures and individuality are like no others I have seen. Puno, Uros, Tequile Island and Cusco were a super opener for the jewel in the Peruvian crown – Machu Picchu. The trek was all I expected and more. The jungle adventure was just that, a super and enjoyable mini adventure. Finally it is always the people you meet on these jaunts that can make or break a trip but we had two different groups of folks from all around the globe - the boat crowd in the Galapagos and the Explore troop in Peru, we had an excellent time with both of them.
Luggage sorted and back on the bus and down to the river. Here the bags are piled up at the back of the boat and we all pile on. We are now four comrades down but have met up with another Explore group for this part of the trip.
The journey up river takes just over three hours. It is very scenic along the way with sightings of many birds, some capybaras, river turtles and some cayman (a type of croc.) We had lunch on the boat, which was a rice meal wrapped up in a big leaf, which we ate out of and very tasty it was too. We had drop off and a checkpoint stop along the way before we arrived at the lodge around four in the afternoon.
The lodge was hidden away from the river in the forest and it was fantastic. It had been purpose built and comprised of a central building which served as kitchen, dining, bar and rest areas with an upstairs social area with hammocks. There were separate dormitory type areas down walkways away from the main building with long rows of bedrooms. These were all open rooms with no windows or real doors, all looking out into the jungle – superb. All had bathrooms with toilets and cold showers. We were here for three nights, so bags dropped it was Pisco Sour time at the bar! Each party/group has it’s own dinner table and were in the dining area. The meals were all good and freshly prepared.
After dinner we were supposed to be going cayman spotting on the river in the dark but we didn’t go due to the high volume of passengers. Instead we went on a night safari walk in the rain forest with only torches, it was great. A sea of all bugs, spiders and tarantulas imaginable and couple of tree frogs. We were out well over an hour, just time for a couple more piscos before bed. There was a little concern about the fact that there were no windows and all we had between us and the rainforest was a fly net, however this turned out to be fine and we all slept well.
The next day after breakfast we headed up river. We were going to see some macaws in an area of the rainforest where they congregate to scrape off and eat clay. Apparently their diet is so high in toxins the clay counteracts the effects of the toxins and aids digestion. It was all very interesting, a walk through the rainforest to the hides, seeing the macaws in the treetops and also seeing a toucan! Sadly we did not see them scraping clay at the riverside as their were too many other predators around that kept scaring the macaws away, namely hawks and vultures. We headed back to the river then the lodge for lunch and were going across the river after lunch to see “the farm.”
Now the farm is where the lodge grows most of its produce from apples to pineapples, all sort of fruits and veggies to make them self-sufficient. Any over production is taken down river and distributed to local villages and not wasted, all good stuff.
Late afternoon back to the lodge and free time (pisco sour time) before dinner. After dinner there were no activities planned so we all had a few drinks and played cards. Now this is not straightforward, no, no, not the cards…..the lights. The lodge only generates enough electricity to power the site from 1800hrs to 2100hrs daily so after this it’s no power and get your torches out. It was OK and quite nice with all the oil lamps all over the place after 2100hrs. Tomorrow, coincidentally is my birthday and Bill (cheers Bill) has let everyone know. We are going in search of wild pigs in the morning, then out to look at some giant trees, a canopy platform and possibly some piranhas in the afternoon. There are a few optional extra activities you can undertake here so I just might have a go at something different tomorrow to mark the day, we’ll see.
Our last day in the jungle and my birthday! After a rendition of happy birthday from the group it was breakfast then ready for the off. Today we are walking from the lodge into the forest to a hide where we hope to see pigs scraping clay. Let’s just say plenty of clay but no pigs! So we ambled back to the lodge. On the way back we stopped off at a giant brazil nut tree, which are all now protected. Our guide said that if we wanted we could climb up one of these magnificent trees via pulley ropes as an extra activity. Well this was it, the birthday silliness. I said yes and when we got back to the lodge I was “shown the ropes” no pun intended, in the entrance area. After my training session watched by all, I asked if there were any takers. I was on my own but Stella and Colin offered to come with me for moral support and take a few pics.
We had a short walk from the lodge to the Brazil nut tree, rigged up with a platform at the top and the safety ropes etc. Our guide and my leader headed up first and did the 110-foot tree in just over a minute. Obviously comes here everyday for a workout up the tree!! I did a leisurely 10 minutes or so. It was very hard and very high but very rewarding at the top with views across the canopy top. Back on terra firma with Stella & Colin we headed back to the lodge, the rest of the group and lunch.
After lunch we walked again off into the forest. We stopped off first at a 100ft-viewing platform, which we all tramped up the top of to look out over the canopy. It was pretty much a scaffolding tower harnessed to the ground and probably not suited to 10 people, it swayed a little but we survived. Next we were off to see some giant trees. We stopped off on the way to tease a tarantula out of its lair. Done by the guide poking a big stick down the hole – rather him than me.
After passing loads of leaf-cutter ants carrying their leafy loads around we came to a lake. Here we saw some weird looking birds, some bats and the piranhas were in the lake as we saw when some old food was hurled in!! We crossed the lake and came to an island, off again and we came to a massive tree. Well, we thought it was a tree but in fact it was a giant vine, which had grown around a tree and killed the tree. You could stand inside the vine and look up and see where the tree used to be!! We then went to another giant, which was a tree and a couple of hundred years old. We then made our way back to the lodge getting back just before dark. There was time for a couple of celebratory piscos before dinner.
After dinner we managed to get out on the river in the dark to go cayman spotting. We managed to see a few, from small ones to quite big ones. We then headed back to the lodge for a few more drinks before our last night in the rainforest.
Another early start back down the river to Puerto Maldonado and our flight 10 of 13 to Lima. A pleasantly steady run down river and a good flight got us into Lima around 1430hrs. It was then back to the hotel where it all started in Miraflores.
The last evening of our adventure was a walk down to the sea, a pisco or two then a meal out for a few of us, very pleasant. The following day Bill and I had to leave first so we walked into town with Stella and Colin who were going on a city tour bus, as they did not leave ‘til mid afternoon. We said our farewells and headed back to the hotel to get our bags.
The whole trip which started as two ideas coming together worked out brilliantly. The natural history wonders of the Galapagos will stay with me forever, the cities of Quito and Lima with their buzz, cultures and individuality are like no others I have seen. Puno, Uros, Tequile Island and Cusco were a super opener for the jewel in the Peruvian crown – Machu Picchu. The trek was all I expected and more. The jungle adventure was just that, a super and enjoyable mini adventure. Finally it is always the people you meet on these jaunts that can make or break a trip but we had two different groups of folks from all around the globe - the boat crowd in the Galapagos and the Explore troop in Peru, we had an excellent time with both of them.
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