27 -30 October 2024 Ceiba Tops Lodge near Iquitos, Peru
27 October
We’ve been very lucky with the weather. We arrived in Iquitos airport, and it started raining just afer we got on the bus, and it stopped just before we got off the bus onto the boat. They we arrived at the lodge, and it poured just as we sat down to lunch. Then it rained all night after we had gone to bed. It was only a problem for Paul and Phyllis, whose thatched roof has a leak, and for the tour group that followed us – their plane was delayed by a few hours arriving in Iquitos because of the thunder storm, then they got caught in the next storm when they arrived at the lodge .
We did a nature walk with our next local guide, Luis. The Ceiba tree, for which the lodge is named, rivalled the size of the Kauri trees we saw in New Zealand. There were lots of birds and some tamarin monkeys The group swam in the hotel pool and then retreated to the lodge for a pisco sour. What a nice tour group.
28 October
We were up bright and early at 6 for a bird tour, although it looked like rain so we changed plans and went to market in the local town of Indiana, Peru. (not to be confused Peru, Indiana). I know I don’t have the story right, but I seem to recall that the town founder had gone to school in Indiana (the American one) and so named this town Indiana.
Later that morning, we went to the other side of the river to visit a very small village and a school.
In the afternoon, we went Piranha fishing. While Paul got a bite, the rest of the group only caught a few catfish minnows. On the way back, we saw pink dolphins and gray dolphins. Pink dolphins really are pink and live permananently in fresh water, while the gray swim up from the Atlantic ocean, over 2000 km away.
We did a night walk after dinner and saw a small snake, katydids, frogs, turtles and a baby caiman.
29 October
We were up at 6 to go for a canopy walk. It was a event just to get there: boat to Indiana; tuk-tuk to the Napo River , then second boat to the XplorNapo Lodge, then a 1 hour walk to the canopy walk. Its very high, with a great view but apparently the birds are there at sunrise. Maybe we should have stayed here overnight? Back at the XplorNapo Lodge, we were visited by a Shaman who decribe herbal remedies and got rid of all our bad energy.
Pool, drink, dinner and another night walk finished the day.
30 Oct
Early morning bird tour by boat, more dolphins and a visit to Indiana again. In the afternoon, we went to a Yagua village back towards Iquitos. traditional dance, blow dart demonstration and a pet sloth.
31 October – leave Iquitos and return to Lima.
Amazon Summary… will have to come later because I’ve misplaced my notebook with all my notes from the trip. I could not find it this summer at the cottage, so I assumed that it must be in Victoria. Now that we are back in Victoria, I can’t find it. I’ll have to look harder when we go back to the cottage. There’s no way I would have thrown it out.
We went back to Lima after this, and from there off to Cusco, Macchu Picchu and Sacsayhuaman. I do have all the photos, so I’ll post some and write the story behind them.