Amazon Rainforest Lake Sandoval and Tambopata river

We had considered spending another night in Cusco and delaying our flight to Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon Rainforest but we are so glad that we didn't. So much to do in so little time calls for tough decisions. Our guide, Ephrahim from Clollpas Tambopata Inn was waiting for us as we landed. And for the last three days he has been doing just that, guiding us through this adventure, full of knowledge and a love for his country and its wildlife. Straight from the airport to a small boat, then a 3km trek through dense forest on a good path to another boat and the Sandoval lake.

We saw so many monkeys playing in trees. Both Capuchin and Squirrel monkeys that apparently follow each other (squirrel monkeys are the guards from predators) and this beautiful bird that I cant remember the name of. We also saw a cayman from a distance. It's head was very large which betrayed its long length

and some lovely little turtles resting on a rock.

Our lodge was home from home for a few days. A cold shower became a thing as did having no electricity in our room except between 7 and 10pm.

We had a 4am start the next day but unfortunately the torrential rain put paid to our planned trip to see the macaws for the time being and got a litre of water in our shoes and socks. There is always something to do in the jungle, so our guide took us on a rewarding two hour walk through the jungle in the pouring rain. The rain does not feel the same within the forest. It was wonderful. He explained the meaning of the name of every major tree and its use for building, medicinal purposes (viral infection symptoms, dental gum and tooth relief and others). He had us try a few very bitter leaves😲.

We also saw the canopy of the rainforest from a wooden suspension bridge very high above the ground. I admit I was terrified to start with, not one for heights, but there was no choice.

The scope of the bridge is revealed in the pictures above. As our guide said it was two sections. One 170 meters and another of eighty. In the afternoon, as the river was so high and fast flowing our planned kayaking was cancelled, phew. Instead we took a sedate boat trip up a smaller branch of the river to see more monkeys. I thought we were done for the day, but there was the night walk in the forest. Pitch black apart from torchlight, we made our way to see, mostly insects: a tarantula, poisonous spiders, tiny little frogs and poisonous caterpillers. Again, fascinating.

All the food was amazing and plentiful and we were so tired we crashed by 9pm. It was lovely to fall asleep to the jungle sounds. 4am start the next morning to go by boat up river for an hour to the clay lick to see macaws. At sunrise they gather in the trees and then they swoop down to the cliff at the edge of the riverbank and lick the clay. Our guide had set up our vantage point across the river with a serious telescope. The birds were hard to see with the naked eye but were truly stunning through the telescope. These photos were taken through the telescope.

And those without.

As the sun came up they took their leave and flew away. An amazing experience. 7am by then and we had a picnic breakfast on the riverbank before returning to our boat.

Our eagle eyed guide spotted a sloth high up in a tree, so we stopped. Again, not easy to see with the naked eye, so this photo was via the telescope.

And with a bit of editing both the sloth and it's onlookers came to light.

We were sad to leave the rainforest, our lodge and the lovely people we met there, especially Ephraim. An amazing experience.

Other people there at various times were from Germany, Peru, Czech republic, India and France.