The final destination of this incredible Adventure was the Peruvian Amazon. With this, we will have been in all three major regions of Peru. The coast with it’s rich Pacific Ocean, the Andes with their snow-peaked mountains and now, the Amazon Rainforest, pure Nature and away from it all.
DAY 7: AMAZON JUNGLE
Leaving the Andes behind, we took a short flight to the Peruvian Jungle, this was going to be the wild part of our trip. We swapped the dry and cold weather of Cusco for the hot and humid climate of Puerto Maldonado, the capital city of the Madre de Dios region, one of the four regions of the Peruvian rainforest.
The heat hit us like a brick when the airplane door opened, and it took us a minute to get used to it. The crew from the lodge was waiting for us. They took us to their headquarters to leave some luggage there and then embark on a long boat that would take us to the lodge.
We sailed downriver for over two hours, going deeper and deeper into wilderness and leaving civilization behind. There was only water, trees, and clear skies. It was a beautiful day in the Amazon Rainforest!
We arrived at the lodge and the crew was waiting to welcome us. This lodge is located right on the river´s edge and surrounded by lush vegetation and the sounds of the jungle. This place sits in the middle of nowhere, disconnected from the World. I think this was the first time in their lives that the kids didn´t have WIFI connection. It was going to be just us and Mother Nature for a couple of days.
We settled down in our cabins and had a delicious lunch in the dining hall. Fresh local food cooked right at the lodge for us.
COCHA CAIMAN
It was midafternoon and we were ready for our first excursion. Lathered up on bug spray, we set off on a hike through the dense jungle. Our guide was great! He knew a lot about the plants and animals of the area. He showed us massive trees with huge roots big enough for the whole group to stand in, a great photo op!
It was getting dark when we arrived at Cocha Caiman, a nearby lake known to be a place where many caimans – similar to alligators – live. The guide shone its flashlight and we started to see the bright shiny eyes of several caimans swimming in the lake. All of a sudden, we saw a big caiman approaching a smaller one.
We thought it was going to attack it but instead it climbed on top of it and started mating, right in front of us. These caimans were putting up a show and it felt like we were watching Nat Geo on TV. After pictures and laughs, we headed back to the lodge for a yummy dinner and some rest.
We ended this first day hopping on a long boat and sailing away from the lodge, where it was pitch black. We looked up and saw the most beautiful sky we´d ever seen. The whole Milky Way spread out above us. Millions of stars shining bright, undisturbed by city lights and pollution. What a stunning way to end this day!
DAY 8: AMAZON JUNGLE
JUNGLE HIKE
We set off into the wilderness after breakfast for a long hike through the lush jungle. Our guide showed us the properties of the local plants. We painted our hands with a plant used by the Amazon tribes, and a few kids dared to eat Suri, a moth larva that´s a delicacy for the locals.
We saw a big tarantula, lured by our guide out of its hiding spot in the ground, found some millipedes and tiny bright frogs, and the kids had a blast swinging from ropes and vines like Tarzan, a true jungle experience.
APU VICTOR LAKE
We reached a large lake with a high tower where we climbed for great views of the jungle canopy, under the tower we saw a bunch of tiny bats taking a nap and hiding from the sun. We climbed on a wooden boat and paddled away around the lake and through smaller streams.
We saw gators and strange birds flying around and a few monkeys jumping from tree to tree making calling sounds. Being so deep in Nature, surrounded by all this amazing wildlife is a spiritual and humbling experience.
MONKEY ISLAND
Back at the lodge, we had lunch and a break before our final expedition of the day. We crossed the river and reached an island called Monkey Island, where over 80 of these playful animals live year-round.
It was fun hiking towards the middle of the island, packed with bananas to feed the monkeys. We stopped at a clear and our guide started making monkey calls. After a little while, they starting to show up. Bananas in hand, the kids were so excited to be able to feed these cute apes who would climb down the tree branches and took the bananas from the kids’ hands, what an awesome experience!
As we walked back to the boat the sun started to set in the horizon. The light would shimmer through the tall grass and over the water and we felt so connected to the Nature around us, we felt part of it.
DAYS 9 & 10
BACK TO LIMA
It was time to start our journey back home. We sailed away from the lodge going upriver. Over two hours later we were back in civilization with a few hours to kill. We took a while to explore the local market, buy some souvenirs and eat some snacks. We picked up the luggage we had left behind and were taken to the local airport.
A short one-hour flight and we arrived in Lima. I took the group to a hotel near the airport. By the time we had finished checking in, it was time for dinner, our last gathering of the trip. After dinner, while the kids chilled at the pool, I went home to get a few hours of sleep.
HEADING HOME
I woke up at 4am and drove to the hotel. Everyone was ready so we drove to the airport and checked in at the airline counter.
We walked to the security check point and it was time to say goodbye. This is always a bitter-sweet moment. We were all happy for the great Adventure we’d had and a bit sad that it was over so quick. A lot of hugs, one last group picture and they were off.
I left the airport with my heart filled with light and gratitude for another successful trip and having had the chance to spend these days with such an amazing group of kids. Once more, I was reassured that Trip Design is my passion and what I was born to do.