Our Amazon trip was
absolutely incredible; it completely lived up to all my expectations. I won't
be able to describe how beautiful/exciting/surreal it was, but I'm going to
give it a go - hopefully my photos will do most of the work.
The trip to Guacamayo lodge takes eight hours in a coach, two hours in a mini bus then two hours in a motorised canoe to the lodge. The bus trips are as uncomfortable, bumpy and noisy as usual, but the boat was more than just transport from A to B.
As we get into the canoe it starts to pour with rain... tropical rain with droplets the size of coins (and hurt about as much if coins were to fall from the sky). We're handed huge ponchos which as more effective than any waterproof I've ever owned. As quickly as it started the downfall stops and I get a chance to look at the passing scenery - huge trees with roots stretching into the water, hanging weaver bird nests, blue butterflies the size of saucers, squirrel monkeys leaping across the river and even a baby anaconda.
At the lodge we are shown our room - a little hut with mosquito nets over the beds, a porch with a hammock and a bathroom with walls only up to neck height, so I could look at the jungle while I showered in boiling hot solar water. Its the best shower I've had in months.
The lodge had been sold to us as basic, but to me its perfect. Every afternoon I have a siesta in one of the many hammocks and at night I fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle. We get three meals a day - huge breakfasts with fresh fruit, eggs and pancakes - and three courses for lunch and dinner. There was always at least one tarantula in the dining room.
In the mornings I get up at 6:00 to go up the bird tower where our guide Jairo (pronounced 'Hiro') spots toucans, vultures and parrots. When I'm not sleeping, eating or bird watching we go on jungle walks and boat trips.
We were incredibly lucky to have such a good guide. Jairo speaks perfect English and endless knowledge about the jungle and its inhabitants - explains all about adaptation, symbiosis and the diets, habitats and behaviors of all the animals we spot.
One afternoon during our siesta he comes running to tell us that another group has spotted a huge, seven meter long anaconda. Even though its his break time he takes us out on the boat to have a look at it - "Quick, to the boat, just grab your cameras.... QUICK". As excited as we are, he is even more so. Of all the beautiful animals in the rainforest anacondas are his favourite and I have to admit that this one is just that - beautiful.
Jairo manages to spot wildlife from miles off. Many of our exchanges involve a lot of:
- "Look look a sloth!"
- "Ooh where where!?"
- "There, in the tree"
- “Where? I can't see it!"
- "In the tree, right in front of you.... that sloth shaped thing!"
- "Oh yes I see it!"
- "Really?"
- "…No"
Due to the amount of water in the park boat is by far the best way to see wildlife. Every evening our group goes on a boat ride to look for nocturnal creatures. As the sun starts to set (and they're the best sunsets I've ever seen) we head to the mangrove surrounded lagoon to swim..... and then go looking for caiman.
Jairo assures us that the caiman don't come into the middle of the lake where we are swimming, but I still wait for everyone else to jump I first, just to reduce the odds of a caiman eating me.
Once I've mastered clambering back into the canoe I leap into the refreshing waters over and over again, not quite able to believe where I am. To be swimming in the peaty water, the sun setting in the back ground, surrounded by jungle, with parrots flying overhead and the odd pink river dolphin is completely surreal and something I wouldn't dream of skipping - even if there are a few caiman, piranhas and leeches in the water.
The trip to Guacamayo lodge takes eight hours in a coach, two hours in a mini bus then two hours in a motorised canoe to the lodge. The bus trips are as uncomfortable, bumpy and noisy as usual, but the boat was more than just transport from A to B.
As we get into the canoe it starts to pour with rain... tropical rain with droplets the size of coins (and hurt about as much if coins were to fall from the sky). We're handed huge ponchos which as more effective than any waterproof I've ever owned. As quickly as it started the downfall stops and I get a chance to look at the passing scenery - huge trees with roots stretching into the water, hanging weaver bird nests, blue butterflies the size of saucers, squirrel monkeys leaping across the river and even a baby anaconda.
Above: Weaver bird nests
Above: Baby anaconda
At the lodge we are shown our room - a little hut with mosquito nets over the beds, a porch with a hammock and a bathroom with walls only up to neck height, so I could look at the jungle while I showered in boiling hot solar water. Its the best shower I've had in months.
Above: Shower window
The lodge had been sold to us as basic, but to me its perfect. Every afternoon I have a siesta in one of the many hammocks and at night I fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle. We get three meals a day - huge breakfasts with fresh fruit, eggs and pancakes - and three courses for lunch and dinner. There was always at least one tarantula in the dining room.
In the mornings I get up at 6:00 to go up the bird tower where our guide Jairo (pronounced 'Hiro') spots toucans, vultures and parrots. When I'm not sleeping, eating or bird watching we go on jungle walks and boat trips.
Above: Some of the waterways our boat has to navigate
We were incredibly lucky to have such a good guide. Jairo speaks perfect English and endless knowledge about the jungle and its inhabitants - explains all about adaptation, symbiosis and the diets, habitats and behaviors of all the animals we spot.
Above: Emerald tree frog
Above: Squirel monkey and baby
One afternoon during our siesta he comes running to tell us that another group has spotted a huge, seven meter long anaconda. Even though its his break time he takes us out on the boat to have a look at it - "Quick, to the boat, just grab your cameras.... QUICK". As excited as we are, he is even more so. Of all the beautiful animals in the rainforest anacondas are his favourite and I have to admit that this one is just that - beautiful.
Jairo manages to spot wildlife from miles off. Many of our exchanges involve a lot of:
- "Look look a sloth!"
- "Ooh where where!?"
- "There, in the tree"
- “Where? I can't see it!"
- "In the tree, right in front of you.... that sloth shaped thing!"
- "Oh yes I see it!"
- "Really?"
- "…No"
Above: The eventually spotted two toed sloth
Due to the amount of water in the park boat is by far the best way to see wildlife. Every evening our group goes on a boat ride to look for nocturnal creatures. As the sun starts to set (and they're the best sunsets I've ever seen) we head to the mangrove surrounded lagoon to swim..... and then go looking for caiman.
Jairo assures us that the caiman don't come into the middle of the lake where we are swimming, but I still wait for everyone else to jump I first, just to reduce the odds of a caiman eating me.
Above: A baby caiman... still big enough to nibble a toe I think
Once I've mastered clambering back into the canoe I leap into the refreshing waters over and over again, not quite able to believe where I am. To be swimming in the peaty water, the sun setting in the back ground, surrounded by jungle, with parrots flying overhead and the odd pink river dolphin is completely surreal and something I wouldn't dream of skipping - even if there are a few caiman, piranhas and leeches in the water.
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