Rainforest
When I think of South America, I think of the Amazon, and the rainforest! A visit to Peru would not be complete if it did not include some time visiting the lungs of the world. I was fortunate that my companion decided to include a three-day trip to one of the multiple jungle lodges. Be warned though, if you come to the rainforest, bring lots of cool, dry clothes. The temperatures ranged in the 80s during the visit, however the humidity is about 95%, and nothing dries.
One of the best ways to experience the rainforest is to visit one of these lodges. Your fee includes everything to get you to the lodge, which is involved (plane, bus, canoe), to all your meals and guided tours. I highly recommend this option for anyone not familiar with the country, and especially if your Spanish is poor!
Upon our arrival we are greeted with a tropical fruit concoction. Overhead is the loud and distinctive calls of oropendolas, their squeeky bubbly notes echoing over the canopy. There is a colony nesting in a central tree. I was later informed that their nests are woven to hang especially long to prevent monkeys from easily reaching inside for eggs or chicks. They also tend to make their nests near human settlements for added protection.
There are birds everywhere! I don't know how I could have been so absent-minded, but I left on this journey and did not take my binoculars. I had to rely on my own eyes, so could not bring many of the birds in close to appreciate fully their beauty. However, I also did not purchase any bird guides, so probably wouldn't have mattered. Instead, I simply enjoyed being in this place, and listening.
There were several scarlet macaws that hung out in the trees right in the center of the lodge. I can't know if they are wild birds that simply are comfortable hanging out in the area, or if they are released birds. Either way, they were free to come and go as they pleased, and for me and others to enjoy watching.
Morning preening.
On the morning of the full day of the visit I became acquained with this Trumpeter. I don't know specifically what kind of Trumpeter it is. She also had a name, but I don't remember. She would come right up onto the deck of the central lodge, and you can pet and scratch her head.
At a distance I also took a picture of this bird, which seems to be in the turkey family somehow. Animals just walked in and walked out of the compound.
We arrived in Puerto Maldonado by plane, which is in the middle of the jungle. As the doors opened the refrigerated air coming out of the vents began to mist as it was met with the humid air coming from outside. As you step from the plane you know you are no longer in cool Cusco laying high in the Andes. You are now in the Amazon basin, a hot steamy jungle. No roads come to this town. Transport in is either by plane, or by boat. At the airport you catch a bus to the office of the jungle lodge. You are strongly encouraged to sort through your possessions and take only those things you need for the days you are at the lodge. The remaining possessions are left in a locked storage. We are then escorted around the town to the market to make sure we get certain supplies we will need for our trip. The same bus then takes you to the river, to catch a boat which will pilot down the river for over an hour. When you arrive, you have a little time to settle into your rooms prior to your first tour to visit "monkey island".
A small island was stocked with four different species of monkeys many years ago. Many of the local lodges bring their visitors over to see the monkeys. They are easily lured in with offerings of bananas by our guide. Here a spider monkey takes an offered gift.
A single marmoset enjoyed his banana. You can see how small he is compared to his meal. Our guide informed us that his mate died some time ago, and they were unable to provide a replacement for him . . . so he is alone on the island.
We had also been informed that we must put away any of our bottles of water. We were not told WHY. We got a demonstration from this spider monkey, who spied an available bottle. It climbed up the person holding the bottle, took it away, then sat and opened it and drank it all down. The water all around the island is fresh, so drinkable, but they must have learned that the stuff in the plastic is cleaner and much to be preferred, and worth stealing.
Here is a short video. Sorry, it is sideways!
There are four species of monkeys on the island. Below is a particularly greedy capuchin helping itself to as many of the offered bananas as it can carry.
I don't remember what the fourth species was! Either way, they were brought in close for us to see them and enjoy looking and taking their pictures.
One of the best ways to experience the rainforest is to visit one of these lodges. Your fee includes everything to get you to the lodge, which is involved (plane, bus, canoe), to all your meals and guided tours. I highly recommend this option for anyone not familiar with the country, and especially if your Spanish is poor!
Upon our arrival we are greeted with a tropical fruit concoction. Overhead is the loud and distinctive calls of oropendolas, their squeeky bubbly notes echoing over the canopy. There is a colony nesting in a central tree. I was later informed that their nests are woven to hang especially long to prevent monkeys from easily reaching inside for eggs or chicks. They also tend to make their nests near human settlements for added protection.
There are birds everywhere! I don't know how I could have been so absent-minded, but I left on this journey and did not take my binoculars. I had to rely on my own eyes, so could not bring many of the birds in close to appreciate fully their beauty. However, I also did not purchase any bird guides, so probably wouldn't have mattered. Instead, I simply enjoyed being in this place, and listening.
There were several scarlet macaws that hung out in the trees right in the center of the lodge. I can't know if they are wild birds that simply are comfortable hanging out in the area, or if they are released birds. Either way, they were free to come and go as they pleased, and for me and others to enjoy watching.
Morning preening.
On the morning of the full day of the visit I became acquained with this Trumpeter. I don't know specifically what kind of Trumpeter it is. She also had a name, but I don't remember. She would come right up onto the deck of the central lodge, and you can pet and scratch her head.
At a distance I also took a picture of this bird, which seems to be in the turkey family somehow. Animals just walked in and walked out of the compound.
We arrived in Puerto Maldonado by plane, which is in the middle of the jungle. As the doors opened the refrigerated air coming out of the vents began to mist as it was met with the humid air coming from outside. As you step from the plane you know you are no longer in cool Cusco laying high in the Andes. You are now in the Amazon basin, a hot steamy jungle. No roads come to this town. Transport in is either by plane, or by boat. At the airport you catch a bus to the office of the jungle lodge. You are strongly encouraged to sort through your possessions and take only those things you need for the days you are at the lodge. The remaining possessions are left in a locked storage. We are then escorted around the town to the market to make sure we get certain supplies we will need for our trip. The same bus then takes you to the river, to catch a boat which will pilot down the river for over an hour. When you arrive, you have a little time to settle into your rooms prior to your first tour to visit "monkey island".
A small island was stocked with four different species of monkeys many years ago. Many of the local lodges bring their visitors over to see the monkeys. They are easily lured in with offerings of bananas by our guide. Here a spider monkey takes an offered gift.
A single marmoset enjoyed his banana. You can see how small he is compared to his meal. Our guide informed us that his mate died some time ago, and they were unable to provide a replacement for him . . . so he is alone on the island.
We had also been informed that we must put away any of our bottles of water. We were not told WHY. We got a demonstration from this spider monkey, who spied an available bottle. It climbed up the person holding the bottle, took it away, then sat and opened it and drank it all down. The water all around the island is fresh, so drinkable, but they must have learned that the stuff in the plastic is cleaner and much to be preferred, and worth stealing.
Here is a short video. Sorry, it is sideways!There are four species of monkeys on the island. Below is a particularly greedy capuchin helping itself to as many of the offered bananas as it can carry.
I don't remember what the fourth species was! Either way, they were brought in close for us to see them and enjoy looking and taking their pictures.
After our visit to "monkey island" we returned to the lodge for dinner. I had to take a picture of it! Tucked inside these banana leaves were an assortment of chicken and potatoes and rice and vegetables. Chicha was served to wash it all down. All our meals were fabulous! Some were downright pretty!
Here is a view of the lodge compound outside my own little bungalow. The rooms are open to the air, screened in to guard against mosquitoes, letting in all the jungle sounds. Electricity is cut off at 9 pm and does not come back on until about 6 the next morning. At night it is very dark, wonderfully so! We took a canoe out on that first evening, to shine for caimen. For awhile we rode out to the center of the river, cut our engine, and just let our boat float down the river. With the moon and the stars overhead, and just the quiet lapping of the water, it was an experience not to be forgotten.
Our guide for the jungle walks is a local Peruvian name Anselmo. I was greatly impressed at the end of my time in the rainforest with the knowledge of this man. He knows the animals, and especially the birds of this jungle, to include many of the songs and whistles they produce. Given the opportunity, I would enjoy spending more time learning the flora and fauna of this place through this wise man.
I took pictures of many of the birds and plants, however without special lenses most did not come out clear enough to have any relevance. Below is a banana tree with young bananas.
A bird of paradise bloom.
Date Palm
Cacao. This is where chocolate comes from!
An epiphyte . . . a plant that grows up above the ground, watered by the rain, and holding that rain in pockets of soil and materials that form around the roots. These plants are not parasitic on the trees that they reside on. They are true sky plants!
On the full day of our visit (we were there for 3 days, with the two on each end being only partial days) we took a many hours walk into the rainforest following our guide.
Here is a view of the lodge compound outside my own little bungalow. The rooms are open to the air, screened in to guard against mosquitoes, letting in all the jungle sounds. Electricity is cut off at 9 pm and does not come back on until about 6 the next morning. At night it is very dark, wonderfully so! We took a canoe out on that first evening, to shine for caimen. For awhile we rode out to the center of the river, cut our engine, and just let our boat float down the river. With the moon and the stars overhead, and just the quiet lapping of the water, it was an experience not to be forgotten.
Our guide for the jungle walks is a local Peruvian name Anselmo. I was greatly impressed at the end of my time in the rainforest with the knowledge of this man. He knows the animals, and especially the birds of this jungle, to include many of the songs and whistles they produce. Given the opportunity, I would enjoy spending more time learning the flora and fauna of this place through this wise man.
I took pictures of many of the birds and plants, however without special lenses most did not come out clear enough to have any relevance. Below is a banana tree with young bananas.
A bird of paradise bloom.
Date Palm
Cacao. This is where chocolate comes from!
An epiphyte . . . a plant that grows up above the ground, watered by the rain, and holding that rain in pockets of soil and materials that form around the roots. These plants are not parasitic on the trees that they reside on. They are true sky plants!
On the full day of our visit (we were there for 3 days, with the two on each end being only partial days) we took a many hours walk into the rainforest following our guide.
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