Preparing for our visit to Reserva Amazonica, we reorganized our bags for the move DOWN roughly 11,000 feet to the Peruvian headwaters of the Amazon. We flew from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. We were met at the airport where they sorted everyones bags into the ones to go on the boat for use at the lodge and the ones to be stored until our return.
We knew we would be roughing it because there would be absolutely no Internet and limited power access during our stay. Mind you otherwise everything at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica is pretty high-end. Upon arrival we learned that power was off daily from 3:30pm - 6pm and 11pm to 4am.
You might wonder why it comes on at 4am. We found out. One of the morning tours requires rising at 4am in order to get to the site before the birds arrive. Other tours require rising at 5am. Enjoying nature does require some sacrifices. Sigh.
Having arrived at 2pm, the first order of business was lunch. There is a very fine lunch menu. To illustrate, Bill chose:
- Starter - Palta con trucha curada y sachaculantro / Avocado with cured trout with cilantro
- Main - Panceta de credo a baja temperatura laqueada con maracuyá y mango / Low temperature pork belly lacquered with passion fruit & mango;
- Desert - Tarta de chocolate con salsa de chocolate y crema / chocolate tart with chocolate sauce y whipped cream.
And Pat chose:
- Starter - Ceviche de Paiche / Paiche ceviche
- Main - Ñoquis de plátano, hongos portobello, aji dulce y vino blanco / Banana gnocchis, portobello mushrooms, sweet pepper and white wine
- Desert - Tarta de chocolate con salsa de chocolate y crema / chocolate tart with chocolate sauce y whipped cream.
Admittedly there were a couple other dessert options, but that chocolate tart was REALLY good.
We learned they were serious about turning off the power at 3:30 because they were unable to make espresso to go with our dessert.
After a quick stop at our cabin, we went down to the orientation center to plan our tour schedule. There are 3 nighttime tours, and a range of daytime tours. Our guide guided us through the options. Some choices were quite simple and obvious. A few tours, like the ornithology tour cost extra and required 4 participants. We were happy that Peter & Suzanne, a German couple, wanted that tour as well.
Our day 1 nighttime tour was "Rio de Noche /Twilight River Cruise" from 7pm -8pm. On this boat tour we enjoyed the brilliant nighttime sky and waited for our “spotter” to locate the nightlife with a powerful spotlight. We saw black caymans. white caymans (caymans are basically the local alligator), and various nocturnal birds.
Upon our return we were invited to dinner. Not being very hungry after that late lunch we “tasted" dinner rather than “ate” dinner. Then we were off to prepare for our 5am wake-up call.
Dawn, whoops earlier than dawn…it was our wakeup call. We quickly dressed, slathered on sun cream and bug cream and hurried down to breakfast. Then to the boat dock. We were off to visit Lake Sandoval. As we boated upriver, we saw a mineral lick covered with parrots. We learned that mineral licks provide essential nutrients for parrots and macaws; as a result we get to enjoy the spectacle as they crowd around the lick absorbing these minerals.
We also spotted a capybara (the biggest rodent in the world)
and a white cayman.
As we walked to the lake we skirted around a termite mound and paused to enjoy bright red funghi.
After a 2.5 mile (muddy) walk, we reached the boat dock. Our guide paddled us through a canal to the lake. The lake was very still and we enjoyed the reflections in the water.
As we paddled around the lake we saw: a black cayman,
and butterflies. Actually we saw a mass of butterflies when we arrived back at the boat dock but it was difficult to get a good photo. Apparently, just like the parrots and macaws, butterflies like certain minerals and there was a small area of beach that attracted them...but despite their large numbers, they don't show up that well in our photos, so you'll have to settle for this shot.
We arrived back at the lodge around 11am, showered and after a short rest went to lunch. We were planning to take the 2pm canopy tour but while at lunch we got heavy rains. When the rains let up we went back to the cabin for a bit more rest.
Around 3:30pm the rains stopped and we were off for the canopy tour. Towers about 90 feet high bookend a series of 7 rope bridges otherwise supported by trees. Yep trees taller than 100 feet and strong enough to support the towers at that level. It was cool to walk through the canopy (although a bit scary…)
We were back in time for Happy Hour and dinner. Such a tough life.
Bill got this shot with his zoom telephoto camers (hand-held). That man has one steady hand.
After breakfast on the river, we headed back and were delighted to encounter a couple sloths on the river bank near Puerto Maldonado. Study the photo and you will realize that the sloth is hanging upside down.
On this tour we visited the Garden and learned how Brazil nuts are harvested and processed. We learned that a large casing for the nuts is about softball size and contains anywhere from 12 - 25 nuts. This larger casing is hard to open and usually takes 2-3 whacks with a machete.
After exploring the garden we went of a boat tour of the lagoon where we saw a family of Red Howler monkeys,
some small yellow birds,
and many larger, colorful “Stinky Birds”.
Happy hour. After a Pisco sour Pat went on the Selva Nocturnal / Rainforest by Night tour and Bill had white wine and talked with some new friends, Tim & Heidi, from St Louis. The tour started with a visit to Rosita, the black fuzzy tarantula who lives in a tree near the orientation center. Other sightings included numerous smaller spiders, a white & brown (but not so fuzzy) tarantula, and a small yellow frog. Oh and there was a MASSIVE ant hill. It was more or less just at ground-level, roughly 20 feet in diameter wide and, we were told, it was roughly 7 feet deep.
Here is Rosita the tarantula, hiding behind a twig.
And here's the tiny yellow frog.
In the morning after a few photos of the resort, as well as animal and plant life, we are off to Chiclayo and to explore pre-Incan history.
Just before arriving at the airport, we stopped to visit the Butterfly house.
In the morning after a few photos of the resort as well as animal and plant life we are off to Chiclayo and a little pre-Inca history.
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