We have just returned from a wonderful time in the jungle on the Madre Dios River along from Puerto Maldonado.It is only a half hours flight from CUSCO and then about 2 hours in a boat.We decided to do a soft trip and stay at a good lodge, especially as it is the beginning of the wet season. It was a good decision. The lodge is very well run and we enjoyed good meals,a firm bed, and a clean room. The showers were cold, but refreshing, and after all, we were in the jungle!
The lodge has many trees that attract lots of birds that are always flying around and calling. There are four resident macaws and two trees full of weaver bird nests.
We had an excursion each day for the full morning, usually for 5 hours or so.. This was a good idea as it did get hot and sometimes there was quite a bit of walking involved.One track was very muddy and went quite a way in to a lagoon.We could hear the red howler monkeys off in the distance making some very impressive calls.
There is a small island in the river where you can see about four types of monkeys. We also spotted monkeys on two other walks pottering away in the trees. We spotted caimons, a huge anaconda, tiny bats inside tree trunks, tarantullas,many different birds,butterflies and mushrooms, turtles.
Perhaps the gem was the two year old tapir that wanders around the lodge and into the jungle as it pleases.It is called Karina.When it is patted in a certain spot it drops to the ground waiting for a longer pat.It followed us to a small lagoon one afternoon as we had a short excursion. The guide got the boat ready and it got in and swam around the boat and ploughed through the weed at great knots. It also has a fondness for chewing on anything it can get its mouth to, as Peter found out when the washing line fell. We blame his wrecked jocks on karina!
We were able to have a swim in the cold pool after the excursions and rock in the hammocks beside the river.
Puerto Maldonaldo is a rough and dusty place so we decided to not overnight there. AeroCondor was going to charge us $50 dollars to change flights but ended up putting us in the plane without doing so. However as we came off the plane we had a fellow to greet us to ask us to pay! We have never been escorted through an airport before and it rattled me no end. Anyway after some discussion the guy said it was up to Peter if he wanted to pay.So Peter didnt.I will be relieved to get across the border in a few days. It seemed ridiculous as there were more than twenty spare seats on the plane.We usually use Lan and didnt realize the woman at the agency had booked the return flight with AeroCondor.
Anyway, such are our adventures!
