The Amazon Jungle Continues

We started the second day of the adventure with a visit to the little sanctuary in the jungle and a very comfortable ride down the river.

Our transport for the few days.

The polish group we were with started the trip with the right tune :)

The animal sanctuary is an open area where some of the rescue animals can stay if they wish. Because the animals are free to come and go as they please, the kind of animal they have can vary. Currently, it houses several monkeys, a sloth, a wild boar, a big cobra, several parrots, and some frogs. Just as the real Amazon jungle goes, the natural food chain applys to this sanctuary too. Our driver Ronaldo was trying to show us a cute fingernail-size frog that lived in the sanctuary. One of the hungry monkeys sprinted onto the scene, grabbed the frog, torn it into two, and ate it right in front of us. A truly vivid display of the harshness of the Amazon jungle.

HANGRY!!

Cobra… no explanation needed

The guilty party who ate the frog….

No matter how hot the day is, a motorboat ride can always cool you off. Even better if you can get off the boat and swim in the rivers of Amazon. The clear water from the Andes mountains was truly inviting. Due to Manu National Park’s proximity to the Andes, you can swim in the upstream portion of the river. Further downstream where the river starts to get too warm is where you will find all the scary fish (apparently the people eating fish is downstream too!). The water temperature was surprisingly warm for how close it was from the mountains. I could only imagine how hot the water is downstream.

Much needed cool off!

(PS Announcement: Wash all your cloth after swimming in the Amazons, especially your swimsuits. Most of the water bodies here have some sort of parasite. One member of our party started to get a severe rash after the swim.)

To cap the day off, we went on a walk 10-minute boat ride away for some bird watching and rafting riding! Our guide Juan Carlos even let me pilot the traditional raft for a little bit. I am happy to report that all onboard survived my first-time raft guiding!

How can you call the Amazon jungle a rain forest with rain? On our way back from the excursion, a group of thunderstorm passed by us. For the only part of the day that I decided not to bring my rain poncho, it rained hard. Not all is lost though. While searching for a cover, I came across some footprints. Could it be a jaguar we were hoping to see?

Calm before the storm.

Footprint alert!

Day 3 required an early start. We got up and ready at 5:30 to go watch the macaw clay lick. The macaw clay lick is basically a giant riverside clay wall. Between 6 and 7 each morning, macaws nearby would come stop by this wall and nimble on it; a very unusual behavior. A popular theory says the clay helps macaws to counter the poison in some of the fruits in macaws’ diet. Other hypothesis points to fact that this may be a macaw “happy hour” meant for socializing. ( Did not have my Canon with me :( so no pictures.)

After some “siesta” to cope with the harsh mid-day heat, we set out for a hike 500 meters up the hill. As all jungle guides do, Juan Carlos brought his machete with him. Not far from our starting point, Juan Carlos found our lunch dessert, termites. Some of the original people who inhabit the Amazon jungle eat termites. However, for us, it is truly a “delicacy.” “They taste like peppermint,” Juan Carlos said. Well, I suppose I could use some dessert. First one to stick the hand out, I started to chew on these little creatures. I can confirm that the peppermint taste is VERY strong. Nothing really foul tasting about them at all. I suppose if I could stomach them if I have to eat them for survival.

Juan Carlos with his trusty machete.

Getting some termites for the “tasting”

After the tasting, Juan Carlos found our next entertainment, a broken branch from a fig. The fig’s roots are extremely strong that can hold multiple people. Grabbing onto the branch, I pushed off and relived my childhood dream of swinging like Tarzan.

Ahhhhh yeeeeee!

A short way before reaching the top of the hill, we were stopped by a fallen tree and lots of branches. A perfect target practice place for us! Being a former fencer myself, I cannot help but take a few chops at the branches using Juan Carlos’ machete.

We ended the day with a night walk to look at some of the legendary sized insects of the Amazon. Amazon jungle at night is full of actions. From the frogs to the big cats, this is the perfect time for a lot of the animals to feed and be active. Even if its completely dark, we could hear the crawlers, the birds, and occasional strange growling. This is the perfect time to go insect watching. During this muddy walk, we probably saw 20 different kinds of butterflies and moths, along with the famous bullet ant size of your thumbnail, and colorful spiders the size of your hand. For the full insect watching experience, we even got some “close up action” with the ants. After walking through some seriously ant infested area, we started to feel the little creatures biting us. No one gets out of the Amazon whole I suppose. Now we get to bring home some itchy souvenirs.

Then it was the last day, the day to leave for Cusco again. We packed up our bags. Bid fair well to the jungle with our last motorboat ride. This Amazon jungle trip pleasantly surprised me. From insect watching to all the adventurous activities I did, everything was superb. With proper planning and a good guide (thanks Juan Carlos!), I am sure everyone could enjoy the Amazon jungle as much as I did.

View of the Manu National Park.