Rachel and I traveled with our friends Justin, Lauren and Justin’s niece Elena. We set out for a 5-day trip at a lodge located off of a tributary of the Amazon called the Yanayacu River (which means “Black water”). Upon arrival at the airport in Iquitos we were greeted by the owner of the lodge, Mike, and our guide, a local named Beder. Iquitos is the largest city in the Amazon region and is the largest city in the world that is completely INACCESSIBLE by road. Once a center for the rubber trade, Iquitos is now mostly fueled by tourism. However, although it is in Peru, Iquitos and the entire jungle district of Loreto feels like an entirely different country. The jungle region was completely isolated from the political troubles that occurred on the other side of the mountains in the 80’s and 90’s and, as a result, a lot of the residents considered themselves separate from their fellow countryman in the desert and mountain regions.
After arriving at the airport and making our introductions we headed out by bus to the city of Nauta which is located about 100km south of Iquitos. From there we picked up our boat and headed downriver to the Yanayacu. The scale of the Amazon River itself was impressive, about 2 ½ miles across and fast moving with tons of ferry boats for the locals as well as swanky tour boats which are basically floating hotels reminiscent of 19th century Mississippi river paddle boats.
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| The river |
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| Waterfront property...notice the stilts |
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| Traffic on the river |
After about 2 ½ hours on the Amazon, we arrived at the Yanayacu. We headed up river, passing a series of small villages comprised of wood huts with thatched roofs that were built on stilts due to seasonal flooding. After about thirty minutes we reached the lodge which was basically a collection of huts of similar build to the villagers residences connected to a central dining area. The lodge was staffed by locals who were incredibly helpful and kind.
After putting our gear in our rooms, we headed out on our first jungle walk. We slathered on bug repellent, put on our rubber boots and headed out. The first thing that struck me we you enter the jungle is the complete loss of a sense of direction. After only a few steps I had no idea which way I had come from and which direction I was heading. The diversity of foliage and animal life was all around you and you couldn’t really focus on a single item on your own. Thank God for our guide who pointed out numerous species of plants and animals.
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After our initial introduction to the jungle, we headed back to the lodge to freshen up, get some dinner, and then it was on a small boat for a nighttime tour of the river. Our goal was clear, to search for miniature crocodiles called Caiman. We were successful in locating a Caiman and even got to hold it which was a crazy experience.
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| Justin made a new friend |
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| Up close |
Our first night sleeping in the jungle was one that I will soon never forget. The cacophony of noises coming from nocturnal animals such as birds and monkeys was both terrifying as well as strangely relaxing. If the day’s adventures weren’t enough, the nighttime sounds were startlingly reminders of how alive the forest around you was, very different from the “woods” back in the ole east coast of the USA.
The next day we headed out before sunrise to do some bird watching along the river. We saw some of the craziest birds with even crazier sounding names such as the “Horned Screamer”. Also, some of the prettiest sunrises I have ever witnessed was on the river.
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| Horned Screamer |
In the afternoon we headed to a black water lagoon to check out the giant lily pads.
The next day was filled will more bird watching as well as meeting with our neighbors. One of the major sources of income for the people in the area is making jewelry and other handicrafts using local materials. We were fortunate enough to be able to observe and participate in jewelry making process. The heads of the family were super friendly and their kids were incredibly cute.
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| Basket making in a local person's home |
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| Local kids posing for the camera |
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| These are some bad-ass playa's |
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| Apprentice learning the trade |
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| Just another crazy chicken!!! |
Overall, the jungle was a truly unique experience. I have never ceased to be amazed at the shear diversity this country has to offer. I close this post with a quote from Joseph Conrad. I think this best summarizes my experience in La Selva.
"Do you see him? Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems I am trying to tell you a dream--making a vain attempt, because no relation of a dream can convey the dream-sensation, that commingling of absurdity, surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of struggling revolt, that notion of being captured by the incredible which is the very essence of dreams."
- Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, Part 1
