Route A, El Gato
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
We reached El Gato at around 8:30 am. There, we went on a walk along the route A. At the end of the walk there is a parrot clay lick.
The walk was along a dense forest, it wasn't as wild or dense asLue lisää
Trees and forest along Route A
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
All the major trees had boards with their names. We saw the Ceiba tree, Iron tree, Guillaborden (the bark boiled in hot water is useful for treating of fungus on the skin, between toes and nails).
Toucan on the way
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
About 45 min into the trail, we came to an opening where we could see the El Gato stream on the side. Here, Jorge spotted a Toucan quite far up in one of the tall trees on the opposite shore. We setLue lisää
Mushrooms on the way
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
On the way, we saw many mushrooms in the shape of small umbrellas. They were white in color and had filaments going from the center to the edges.
Macaws at the parrot clay lick
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Around 10 am, we reached the parrot clay lick at the end of the walk. There were no parrots there but high up on the tree on the opposite shore we saw some red green and scarlet macaws. We waited inLue lisää
Back on the Route A
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
After waiting for about an hour, we started on our way back. Saw more variety of mushrooms.
Afternoon rain shower
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
On the way back from El Gato to our lodge, it started to rain quite heavily. I wasn't carrying my rain jacket, so I got completely drenched but I it was really pleasant in the heat of the day.
At 1Lue lisää
Spirit of the Amazon
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
Then.... We saw the spirit of the Amazon.. With long ears and interesting eyes and teeth 😄😄😄
Some some more insects and flowers on the way back.
Evening walk
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
At 3:30 we went for an evening walk into the jungle, this time a new longer trail.
A few minutes into the hike, we saw a group of bullet ants searching for prey. There were about 20 of them lead by aLue lisää
A giant fig tree
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
45 min into the walk, we came across a giant fig tree. It had massive roots spread across many meters around the tree itself. There was a through and through hole in the tree where a person 170 cmsLue lisää
More giant trees
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
About an hour into the the walk, we saw a freshly dug hole of an armadillo. The animal was not in there but the mud strewn all around looked very fresh.
We aslo saw some leaf cutter ants and moreLue lisää
Mammal clay lick
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
At the end of the walk after about 1 hour and 45 min, we reached the mammal clay lick. This is a 15 mts long clay and water puddle where mammals come to lick clay. The reason is the same as for theLue lisää
Elfs in the Amazonas
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
After waiting for about an hour, we started our way back.
On the way, we saw a column of army ants going across the trail. These are very aggressive ants that can attack like an army and destroyLue lisää
Dark dark walk
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
While we were walking back, it became extremely dark. The heat, the humidity and the vapor in the air reduced the visibility to a few meters even with a torchlight. We heard many different birds,Lue lisää
Last dinner at Chuncho Lodge
5. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
The dinner, as always, was fantastic. There was fresh juice of Maracuya. The 1st course was a carrot soup with cheese. The 2nd course was an egg maize patty with avocado, fried plantain and salad. TheLue lisää
Leaving Chuncho Lodge
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
I woke up around 5 am. It was raining heavily. We got ready and went to have our breakfast in the dining room. We were served fresh cut fruits with papaya juice and a big pancake with eggs. After theLue lisää
The wild jungle road
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The jungle road back to the trans oceanic road was a joyride in itself. The jeep despite being a 4x4 and being driven in low gear, kept skidding off the road and the log bridges were a challenge toLue lisää
Off to Sandoval lake
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
By 9:30 am, we at the port of Porto Maldonado on the river Rio Madre de Dios. Rio Madre is a huge tributary of the Amazon river. It had been pouring heavily all the while and even now when we sat inLue lisää
And it poured down in bucketfulls
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
The heavy rain grew heavier and heavier. At some point, the driver of the boat had a difficulty in finding the path. We were sitting under the covered part still it was so much water that we wereLue lisää
Reached Sandoval Lake
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ 🌫 24 °C
We continued on through the heavy rain and reached Lake Sandoval jetty around 10 am. We had to wait for 10-15 minutes for Jorge our guide to pick us up there. Jorge is the owner of the Chuncho Lodge.Lue lisää
At the Sandoval entrance
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ 🌫 24 °C
While we waited in the boat, the driver had to take out bucket loads of water from the boat since it was still pouring like crazy.
Jorge registered us at the control center and then we were offLue lisää
Canoe onto the lake
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
After walking into the muck for almost an hour, we reached the end of the walk. There was a small port with canoes there. Jorge told us that this was a man-made canal to connect to the lake.
ThereLue lisää
On the Sandoval lake
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
After about 5 min of rowing through the canal, we reached the Sandoval Lake. Here we saw many termite ants flying in the air. This, Jorge told us, was due to the start of the rainy season. One of theLue lisää
Giant otters
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Still on the canoe, still in the pouring rain, we came across the giant river otters. We watched them for a while before moving on. It was a couple out fishing. They can eat 5-6 kgs of fish a day. AtLue lisää
Red Howler Monkeys
6. marraskuuta 2017, Peru ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
A bit further along the way, we saw some red howler monkeys huddled together in the heavy rain. We also saw the Birds of Paradise (so called in Bolivia). Here they are called stinking birds. TheirLue lisää