Sunday, March 4th, 2018

Day 15 of G-Adventures Inca Heartland tour
Day 2 of G-Lodge Amazon – 3 day independent adventure
@Tambopata ecolodge

“Hike to Lake Condenado. After an early breakfast you and your nature guide will board the motorized canoe once again for the short journey to the trail head to begin a morning’s exploration by foot and paddle canoe of the lake system of Condenado, rich in bird and aquatic life. A family of Giant Otters lives in the vicinity of the lake and are often observed. Birds abound especially Rufescent Tiger-herons, Great Egrets, Wattled Jacanas, Hoatzin, the noisy Donacobius and many others. Remember to bring your hat and sun cream for there is no shade out on the water. You will return to the lodge in time for lunch. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide), relaxing and bathing in the Gallucunca, a cool clear stream beside the lodge or visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird’s eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground. After dark you will go searching for caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River.”

32°C, cloudy, 8 kmh wind from south

We get up early, the birds are quite loud @ the amazon and start with breakfast at 7:00 am. The grasshoppers are a little bit bigger than home.

After breakfast we take the wellingtons and go to the motorized canoe and take a ride to Lake Condenado. Lake Condenado was once part of the Tambopata river system, but then it got cut off and now it is overrun by the rainforest again.

04.03.2018 08:29 S 12°52.0004′ W 069°23.8716′ altidude 430 m, Lake system of condenado

We have to walk a very muddy trail to the lake …

Erotic tree for bush viagra …

Arrow poison frog.

It is a little bit muddy.

The lake. There are piranhas inside as well as a couple of black kaimans. So better not to swim, even if it is super hot and humid …

Hugo our guide naturalist. He explains a lot about natural believes, which plants they use for healings, about schamanism and healers and how the communities work.

Amazon river turtles

Another fat tarantula.

After this we have free time to lunch. It is super hot, so we sleep in front of the bungalow. There are no people in the lodge except us and Kong. Hugo told us in off season (rainy season) in February the lodge is sometimes empty. Then the guides have holidays and the staff does renovations. In rainy season lakes and river are very muddy, too, so it is harder to spot animals. In dry season birds come closer to the river, because it is their only water source.

After dinner we go to the farm (15:30) by boat again. The farm was there before Tambopata was declared National Park. Now the lodge owns the farm and grows there fruits and vegetables, pigs and chicken. They donot sell, but use in the kitchen.

04.03.2018 16:39 S 12°50.4299′ W 069°24.4055′ altidude 442 m @ the farm.

First Hugo shows and explains us the different fruits they grow, then we taste them.

Then we walk around. Hugo explains seasons planting, reproduction of bananas, …

We get ready for dinner. After dinner we will go out with the boat to spot nocturnal animals. Hugo is excited because workers have seen a jaguar and he hopes that it will come out at night to the river bank. Main goal is to see white kaimans. Since there is a chance on a jaguar workers from the lodge and the bar and rsstaurant girls come with us.

Afterwards everyone is tired. We go to sleep. It is wonderful warm, not too hot, and a light brise is circulating the air in the bungalow.