Day 12 From the Jungle to the Andes

We were scheduled to visit a clay lick to see parrots on our first day at Posada Amazonas but it rained and Jorge didn't think it was a good time for the parrots. Since we were scheduled to leave later in the morning, we left the lodge at 5:30 a.m. to see parrots. The clay lick was a 15-20 minute walk through the jungle from the lodge. We sat on benches in a thatched roof blind facing the lick. We were asked to be quiet as the parrots scare easily.

We sat quietly, searching the clay lick with telephoto lenses and binoculars for about 30 minutes. Just when Joyce was thinking the parrots weren't going to appear, a couple of the guides said, "They are coming, I hear them." During our walk in the medicinal garden the day before we had heard parrots making quite a racket, but hadn't seen them. Sure enough, within a couple minutes, we say a parakeet and then a couple parrots. Some flew over our heads to the trees above the clay lick, and then to the lick. More and more continued to come. When feeding on the lick you could mostly see their green backs, but when they flew you could see their red and yellow feathers. Jorge had a telescope and he put Joyce's iPhone camera up to the lens to take a video. In total we saw about a dozen parrots, including Orange cheeked parrots and blue headed parrots and a number of dusky headed parakeets.

Re packing

Breakfast and goodbyes

Showers and leaving Lodge

Final half=hour walk to river

35 minute boat back to transfer

Hour bus ride back to Puerto Maldonado

Flight to Cisco

Rewarded for big bags

2 hour bus ride to Urambamba Valle Sagrado de los Incas, Peru

Stop for for photos

Napping and coca tea

Some headache, muscle cramps, fatigue with exertion

Purchase and dinner reservation