Tambopata, Peru - Jungle Excursion, Day III
Our third day started very early, with breakfast at 5:30am and the trek starting at 6am. This was a 4km hike to Lost Cocha, a refuge and feeding ecosystem for animals deep in the jungle. We hiked for ~2.5 hours to get there, stopping along the way for various sites and sounds, including a wild boar I spotted through the dense trees. There was another Observation Deck set up which sat high above the tree line, which provided a spectacular view of the surrounding jungle. In the distance through binoculars we could see some monkeys high in the trees. We also saw several humongous trees, such as Brazilian Mahogany, Wimba, Lupuna and Ficus trees.
From there it was a short hike to the Lost Cocha lake, from where we boarded a canoe and paddled our way slowly around, catching sites of a turtle basking in the sun and a black caiman lurching behind a tree, as well as several types of various birds. We paddled for roughly an hour before landing on ground and hiking back to the lodge for lunch. The afternoon was free, for the first part, and concluded with an optional tour of the botanical garden on the Ecoamazonia grounds, which provided an interesting “back door” view to the supporting staff of the grounds and what they grow there to help sustain their community and provide food for the guests. Tons of plants and trees for food and medicinal purposes, including an Ayahuasca vine, which was cool to see growing in its natural environment. The day concluded with dinner and cocktails again, and we were early to bed soon after, since we had arisen so early! The following morning we arose early, had breakfast and headed back to Puerto Maldonado, which concluded our trip to the Peruvian jungle.
The Ecoamazonian lodge was very nice, clean and comfortable and we enjoyed our stay there. The tour guides were friendly, spoke great English (ours spoke French as well) and were quite knowledgeable of their environment. 3 of the 4 days we were there were quite overcast, so although that provided shelter from the sun and cooler temperatures, we likely missed out on seeing more animals because the reptiles tend to come out more when it’s sunny outside. Also note that it’s kind of rare to see jaguars for they are elusive creatures. The guides only see them a few times a month apparently, and they are there every day. At any rate, if you’re looking for a comfortable, easy tour of the jungle, Ecoamazonia is a good option, but if you want to get deeper into the jungle and don’t need the comfort necessarily, there are better options for the same price or less. Note that the deeper you go into the jungle, the more wildlife you’ll see, and these tours are normally 6-8 days, for it takes time to travel out that far.
I was a bit apprehensive about being in the jungle for I didn’t quite know what to expect; in retrospect there wasn’t anything to be afraid or concerned about at this lodge in particular. No scary bugs or snakes to be worried about – the trails they take you on through the jungle are well-traveled and maintained, so I don’t think there’s much concern for personal safety or anything of the sort. Just some things to keep in mind if you’re considering the trek!