Our time in the Amazon was filled with incredible moments – seeing flocks of macaws from the top of a 40 meter canopy tower, the stillness of paddling a canoe through a silent mangrove swamp, the excitement of being surrounded by gangs of chattering monkeys.
Our days were absolutely packed.
I went in deep (maybe too deep…) on a day-by-day narrative of our time there. It’s a little (OK, a lot) long, so this post just covers the highlights.
Chuncho Lodge
We spent two of our three nights in Chuncho Lodge. This place was our home base – a place of recovery from the stresses of the jungle. It was absolutely stunning, full of flowers, fruit trees, and clouds of butterflies. At night, the Milky Way was spectacularly clear.
From here, we ventured into the jungle and off to the clay lick.
Canopy Tower
Our first stop in the jungle was a massive canopy tower – 40 meters tall, a single column of green scaffolding held in place by a set of massive steel cables.
The hike to the top was a real challenge (for me, Mary was fine), but the view from the top was incredible. The rainforest sprawled out in every direction, anchored in place by a lip of mountains on the horizon.
With binoculars and a spotting scope we saw different types of parrots and other birds, calling, flying, and settling in tree-tops.
Night Hike
After sunset at the canopy tower, we descended and marched through the jungle looking for some nocturnal animals. This was definitely a heart-stopping trek – huge moths buzzed by our headlamps, we waded through dark and murky water.
We saw all manner of creepy crawlies. Huge tarantulas, whip-tail scorpions, venomous ants, and even a rare boa curled around a tree. It was spectacular and terrifying in equal measure.
The most dangerous of all the critters we stumbled across? Actually, the ants!
Clay Lick
The next morning, we set out for the region’s most famous attraction – the Chuncho clay lick. This is a spot where hundreds of macaw parrots gather to eat nutritious clay.
Unfortunately, a lingering thunderstorm left us with rain showers all morning and we didn’t get to see the macaws come out. It was a real disappointment.
We did get some consolation prizes – a couple of capybaras swimming around the far bank of the river, and two uncommon greater spoonbills watching us pass.
Botanical Hike
This was roughly the same route we took on the night hike, just during the day. We saw gangs of monkeys and learned so much about the fruits, flowers, and plants of the jungle.
The biodiversity is absolutely staggering, and plants have come up with all sorts of survival mechanisms – from the tree-killing strangler fig to the surprisingly mobile walking palm.
Lake Sandoval
Our last attraction was Lake Sandoval – a wildlife refuge set on an oxbow lake. Getting there was an adventure in itself – it took two motorboat rides, an hour drive, a 3km hike, and 45 minutes by canoe.
The lake itself was absolutely spectacular. Some of the most magical moments happened there – canoeing through the mangroves, seeing the sun set over walls of greenery, catching a piranha. We saw giant otters, massive fish, and huge caymans in their natural environment. We even saw two three-toed sloths!
Our time in the Amazon a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We saw a world so full of life, diversity, and beauty.
It was also tough – early mornings, some disappointing rain, omnipresent insects, and the fact that clothes simply do not dry made the experience both challenging and rewarding.
Getting to see so much of a place that has captured our imaginations through zoos, books, and film was absolutely worth it.
We’ll be back… once we dry out.
