Day 10 From the City to the Jungle
May 11, 2017
Today started early. We were picked up at the hotel at 5:40 am for an 8:40 am flight. Condor Travel had our boarding passes when we arrived so we checked our luggage and went through security quickly. Our plane landed in Cusco, but we didn’t have to get off and were soon on our way.
We arrived in Puerto Maldonado and were transferred to the Rainforest Expedition office where we were given a moist fragrant towel and fruit juice. After providing basic information including our departing flight information we boarded a bus for the 30 minute ride to the Tambopata River. Our luggage was stored on top of the bus for the trip. We were glad we didn't have to lift our heavy bags up to the top of the bus! We were given a snack at the beginning of the trip which included several Brazil nuts, banana or plantain chips, a miniature banana and fruit juice. We traveled a dirt road with Jorge, our guide, pointing out papaya trees, a Brazil nut tree, as he talked to us about the community of Infierno.
At the Tambopata River dock we boarded a long covered flat-bottomed canoe type boat with benches on the side powered by an outboard motor. As we boarded the boat we had to walk down the middle of the boat and sit on alternating sides of the boat so it wouldn’t tip. It was the beginning of the dry season so the river was around 9 feet deep and wider than the Wabash in Lafayette. We ate our lunch on rice & fish wrapped in a banana leaf and bottled star fruit juice on the boat. The boat ride was approximately 45 minutes to the Posada Amazonas lodge located in the middle of a Private Reserve belonging to the Community of Infierno.
From the Tambopata River it was a 10 minute walk to the lodge. On our way to the lodge, we saw a Capuchin monkey high in a tree. We were greeted with a cool moist towel and juice. After being given general information such as meal and electricity times we were given a key to our room. Yes, I said electricity times. The electricity is provided by generator and is on from 4-6 am, 12-2 pm and 5-10 pm.
The lodge consisted of several large structures with thatched roofs, polished wooden floors with porch railing sides and large open areas above the railings. One structure housed the bar and dining room, one a central gathering area, gift shop, etc. and several other structures with 6 rooms on one side with a covered walkway. All the buildings were connected with wooden walkways. Our room was large with two twin beds, each with mosquito netting, a table with two stools, 3 night stands and a hammock. The outside wall was of the porch railing open area facing the rainforest. The inside wall was horizontal bamboo poles placed close together in 3 tiers. The room afforded visual privacy, but not as much auditory privacy.
After settling in our rooms, at about 3:45 pm, we took a walk to the Canopy Tower which was 120 feet high. Along the way, Jorge pointed out various mushrooms, a fica tree that was killing the tree it was growing on, termite and honey bee hives attached to the trees and cicadas mounds on the ground. Alan climbed to the top of the tower and was rewarded by see 4 macaw in flight. Joyce, not as comfortable with heights, climbed almost to the top, high enough to be above the tree tops and took a picture to prove she climbed as far and she did. She heard the macaws – they made quite a racket!
Before dinner, Jorge told us a little about the Posada Amazonas project. Rainforest Expeditions and the Community of Infierno entered into a 20 plus year contract designed to provide the indigenous people group with income while protecting the rainforest and its animal inhabitants. The profits are shared with the community. The 20 year contract was recently renewed with the community receiving a greater percentage of the profits. The community has also build a lodge of their own and are managing it themselves. Jorge grew up a member of this community and was given 15 hectares of his own when he turned 18. He is currently building a house on his land. The community has 10,000 hectares of which 3000 is a protected rainforest area adjacent to a national forest reserve.
There was electric lighting after dark on the walkways and in the common areas, though it was dimmer than we are used to. Joyce found it more difficult to understand Jorge during his presentation thatshe did during the day. This was surprising to her, she supposed when listening to a non-native English speaker she may rely on lip reading more than she realized.
Dinner was served buffet style with each guide’s group sitting together. This gave us an opportunity to get to know one another. We enjoyed visiting with a man from Vancouver, a couple from Alabama and two sisters from Georgia.
When we returned to our room, the mosquito netting has been let down, surrounding the bed and tucked under the bottom of the mattress. It took us a little time to figure how to get in the bed, but finally untucked a portion and climbed in. Alan was chivalrous and tucked Joyce into her bed and then had to tuck himself in. Sleeping under mosquito netting was a cosy pleasant experience.
Today started early. We were picked up at the hotel at 5:40 am for an 8:40 am flight. Condor Travel had our boarding passes when we arrived so we checked our luggage and went through security quickly. Our plane landed in Cusco, but we didn’t have to get off and were soon on our way.
We arrived in Puerto Maldonado and were transferred to the Rainforest Expedition office where we were given a moist fragrant towel and fruit juice. After providing basic information including our departing flight information we boarded a bus for the 30 minute ride to the Tambopata River. Our luggage was stored on top of the bus for the trip. We were glad we didn't have to lift our heavy bags up to the top of the bus! We were given a snack at the beginning of the trip which included several Brazil nuts, banana or plantain chips, a miniature banana and fruit juice. We traveled a dirt road with Jorge, our guide, pointing out papaya trees, a Brazil nut tree, as he talked to us about the community of Infierno.
At the Tambopata River dock we boarded a long covered flat-bottomed canoe type boat with benches on the side powered by an outboard motor. As we boarded the boat we had to walk down the middle of the boat and sit on alternating sides of the boat so it wouldn’t tip. It was the beginning of the dry season so the river was around 9 feet deep and wider than the Wabash in Lafayette. We ate our lunch on rice & fish wrapped in a banana leaf and bottled star fruit juice on the boat. The boat ride was approximately 45 minutes to the Posada Amazonas lodge located in the middle of a Private Reserve belonging to the Community of Infierno.
From the Tambopata River it was a 10 minute walk to the lodge. On our way to the lodge, we saw a Capuchin monkey high in a tree. We were greeted with a cool moist towel and juice. After being given general information such as meal and electricity times we were given a key to our room. Yes, I said electricity times. The electricity is provided by generator and is on from 4-6 am, 12-2 pm and 5-10 pm.
The lodge consisted of several large structures with thatched roofs, polished wooden floors with porch railing sides and large open areas above the railings. One structure housed the bar and dining room, one a central gathering area, gift shop, etc. and several other structures with 6 rooms on one side with a covered walkway. All the buildings were connected with wooden walkways. Our room was large with two twin beds, each with mosquito netting, a table with two stools, 3 night stands and a hammock. The outside wall was of the porch railing open area facing the rainforest. The inside wall was horizontal bamboo poles placed close together in 3 tiers. The room afforded visual privacy, but not as much auditory privacy.
After settling in our rooms, at about 3:45 pm, we took a walk to the Canopy Tower which was 120 feet high. Along the way, Jorge pointed out various mushrooms, a fica tree that was killing the tree it was growing on, termite and honey bee hives attached to the trees and cicadas mounds on the ground. Alan climbed to the top of the tower and was rewarded by see 4 macaw in flight. Joyce, not as comfortable with heights, climbed almost to the top, high enough to be above the tree tops and took a picture to prove she climbed as far and she did. She heard the macaws – they made quite a racket!
Before dinner, Jorge told us a little about the Posada Amazonas project. Rainforest Expeditions and the Community of Infierno entered into a 20 plus year contract designed to provide the indigenous people group with income while protecting the rainforest and its animal inhabitants. The profits are shared with the community. The 20 year contract was recently renewed with the community receiving a greater percentage of the profits. The community has also build a lodge of their own and are managing it themselves. Jorge grew up a member of this community and was given 15 hectares of his own when he turned 18. He is currently building a house on his land. The community has 10,000 hectares of which 3000 is a protected rainforest area adjacent to a national forest reserve.
There was electric lighting after dark on the walkways and in the common areas, though it was dimmer than we are used to. Joyce found it more difficult to understand Jorge during his presentation thatshe did during the day. This was surprising to her, she supposed when listening to a non-native English speaker she may rely on lip reading more than she realized.
Dinner was served buffet style with each guide’s group sitting together. This gave us an opportunity to get to know one another. We enjoyed visiting with a man from Vancouver, a couple from Alabama and two sisters from Georgia.
When we returned to our room, the mosquito netting has been let down, surrounding the bed and tucked under the bottom of the mattress. It took us a little time to figure how to get in the bed, but finally untucked a portion and climbed in. Alan was chivalrous and tucked Joyce into her bed and then had to tuck himself in. Sleeping under mosquito netting was a cosy pleasant experience.
What a gentleman!! Hope my husband would tuck me into mosquito netting!! Sounds like a great day!!
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