Today it’s off to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica property in the Reserva Nacional Tambopata, a tributary to the Amazon. It is low season, so this extensive property surrounded by primary jungle that can accommodate up to 80 people currently has between 5-9 guests. I am staying for four nights, which is overkill in hindsight, as the majority of the trails can be done in 2 days. The additional time comes in handy though, as whilst the day of arrival is 32 degrees and 90+ % humidity, the rain starts the following day, and means some quality hammock time is in order.
The absolute highlight of the four days is 2 trips to Lago Sandoval. This inland lake is reached by a 30 minute boat ride down the river, followed by a 3km inland hike. On the 1st visit, I have company in the form of a couple from Los Angeles. The weather in the morning is perfect – a 5am start to be on the way at 6am. The shores of the lake are home to the most wildlife you can see in this area, and we encounter a family group of red howler monkeys as soon as we paddle down the small creek that leads into the lake. The bird life is abundant, and we are lucky enough to see black caiman and the endangered river otter.
The weather doesn’t hold for the hike out, and it is a 3km walk in heavy warm rain. I decide that the rain gear is a waste of time – there is no point trying to keep my sweat dry, so I am completely soaked and completely happy. The down side is that there is no way that clothes and boots will dry out in this level of humidity, and our guide Moises is good enough to tell us about an improvised washing line that exists behind the hot air vent of the generator.
The afternoon trip to the Anaconada walk and canopy walk is cancelled as it is still raining heavily. Moises comes to find me at 2.30 to tell me the news and finds me asleep in my hammock, complete with pillow and blanket. It’s a tough job…
The second visit to Lake Sandoval is on my last full day at the lodge, and this time it is just me and the guide, and we have the lake to ourselves until the very end. No river otter this time, but another sighting of three black caiman, and what I’m sure is the same family group of red howler monkeys, this time napping on the palm fronds high up in a tree.
After a night walk through the jungle near the hotel, complete with jumping black scorpions, tarantulas, and chicken-eating spiders, we are lucky enough to see a two-toed sloth high in the branches of an acacia – another wildlife ambition met.
The trip back to Puerto Maldonado on the boat on my departure day turns into an impromptu English lesson, as I teach one of the guides the English slang for her ʽknock-offʾ Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses (11 soles at the local market is pretty much a giveaway, as is the completely wrong logo!).
