Today is a busy day! I have been spending some time video editing due to the amount of footage I captured thus delaying the publishing of this post. I hope you enjoy this adventure.
Misahualli
After breakfast, we head to the pavilion to obtain our rubber boots which are required for the entire day. Some of our group are staying behind to enjoy some rest and a chocolate making workshop (mmmm) while the rest of us are heading out on an excursion to the Kawana Reserva in Misahualli.
We have to take the bus down that horrible road again and wonders of all wonders, it is raining in the rainforest! Carlos points out birds and plants along the way, but I can’t hear him very well at the back of the bus, or by the time I loo up, the highlight has passed. A microphone would have been helpful. I sit back and try to stay upright as the bus rocks us violently back and forth.
Warning – Next session is not suitable for vegetarians.
Thirty minutes later, we arrive in the town of Misahualli. We do a quick walk past the centre square where a troop of capuchin monkeys live. With the rain, there is little activity, so we head towards the port, peering inside storefronts. Carlos draws our attention to a restaurant where a charcoal grill is heating on the sidewalk.
A woman is skewering a local delicacy called, chontacuro, the larva/grub of a palm weevil. Carlos explains that the larva can be eaten raw or cooked and is nutritious and delicious. It is taken on hunting trips into the jungle. The chontacuro is considered an aphrodisiac in some Latin countries, such as Colombia. The larva is thick and white with a dark head. We gather around the grill as we watch the woman place the live larva on the grill. Faces are screwing up in disgust when it wriggles over the heat. Carlos asks if anyone would like to try it. Guess who? You guessed it. I had to try it. Carlos said it tasted like greasy bacon and he is correct.
Vegetarians – you are safe now.
Off we trek to the port of Misahualli where we walk along a rocky beach. Elena stops and says hello to another stray dog. They seem to gravitate towards her. I believe I have three photos of Elena and a dog. When we arrive at the water’s edge, we climb into long covered boats that motor us across the Napo River to another beach.
Navigating the rocky shore in rubber boots is a little more challenging and likely because I am distracted looking at the colourful rocks strewn across the beach. Moto-taxi drivers meet us at the road and noisily transport us a few minutes to the Laguna Kawana Reserva where we will take long boat canoes up the river to visit some monkeys.
Long canoes are sitting on the shore and a woman is bailing out water from the heavy rains. These are the canoes we will be travelling the river in. While they are readying the canoes, we enter an open air pavilion where a man is throwing bread into the water to entice gigantic fish to come the surface. They are called Paiche or Arapaima, a non-native fish that apparently is good to eat with a mild tasting meat. There is no permit required to fish this species in order to keep it under control. It is also the second largest freshwater fish in the world.
Long Boat Canoe Ride
Time to hit the water. I have my GoPro with me and hope to catch some interesting footage. The rain has stopped with drops landing in the water after bouncing off the tree canopy. This is an amazing way to travel. It is so peaceful. We hear howling monkeys and birds, but other than that, it’s the paddle of the canoe hitting the water. What a beautiful way to travel. It must be beautiful on a sunny day.
Suddenly we hear this very loud sound. It’s definitely a bird, but I have never heard anything like this one. It is called an hoatzin or stink bird or stink turkey. It’s the oddest bird or perhaps ugliest bird I have ever seen. I couldn’t get a good shot of it, so I provided a link above. It has a long loose crest, blue face and red eyes. Their nests are built over water and their babies have claws on their wings that help them crawl back into their nests if they fall out. The claws eventually fall off as they grow up. Very cool for the bird lovers.
I dunk my GoPro into the river water but don’t expect to see anything in its murkiness. We listen to the sounds the rainforest makes, sometimes it is the water droplets, sometimes it is a monkey jumping through the trees. Someone calls our attention to a butterfly whose iridescent blue wings reflect brightly against the dark green foliage and water. It is a Blue Morph. Absolutely beautiful and impressive.
We pull up to a shore and get back on land. I call it Monkey Island but I am not really certain if it is an island. I see what I think is an ant’s nest but turns out to be termites. I learn that if you rub your hands on a termites nest, it is considered a natural mosquito repellent. Also, the tree/wood damage from termites can be placed in a fire and it will keep the bugs away. Interesting, for sure!
“Monkey Island”
Carlos guides us along a pathway where we come across spider monkeys high up in the trees. We see capuchin, spider, tamarin, squirrel and woolly monkeys. They all live in harmony on this beautiful land. We feed bananas to a woolly monkey where it climbs down the tree and grabs it out of our hands. We take turns filming each other. It is definitely a worthy photo op. I guess that is why they call it ecotourism. We learn about the indigenous people, the flora and fauna but leave it untouched while providing an income to the locals.
Returning to the canoe, we hope to see the Blue Morph butterfly again, and it doesn’t disappoint. I would love to see one up close, but that will not be in the cards today.
Shiripuno Community
We return to the canoe and board the moto-taxis for a short ride to a women-run community called Shiripuno, where the women of the Amukishmi Association perform welcome dances, make crafts and grow food and share their knowledge of the Quichua culture. It is a bit touristy, but fun. They paint our faces, and make headpieces out of leaves. We listen to a greeting and then the dancing begins. I thought we would be watching but heck no, we joined in. The women have long, dark hair which is flung side to side in the dance. Those of us with short hair pretend and move to the music weaving in and out of the circle. The guys have spears which I avoid so as not to get impaled. lol
After the ceremony, we visit the gift shop to look at crafts the community has made and then it is off to the patio for lunch. I had grilled tilapia with of course a side of rice and plantain. It is beautifully prepared and delicious.
After lunch, we return to the beach, hop on the motorized boats back to Puerto Misahualli. We stopped at the Misahualli sign for a group photo and then make our way to the town square. The weather has cleared up and the capuchin monkeys are active. A baby makes its way outside the barrier and is using the park bench as a jungle gym. The signs say don’t touch the monkeys, however you are so tempted because they look adorable. I’m sure they can be aggressive when threatened. I stand back and give them their space.
Part of the group is going to split up for a waterfall walk. The sun is starting to come out so I decide to head back to the lodge for some sunshine and a dip in that pool. I throw on my bathing suit, grab a beverage and my sunscreen to lay out in the sun. While enjoying the sunshine, I see something from the corner of my eye. I learn it is a Black Agouti, from the rodent family, it moves quite quickly with its strong rear legs. It freaked out some due to its rat-like appearance but I found it fun to watch. There were the leaf-cutter ants also. Unfortunately, I didn’t see snakes or caimans or piranhas during this adventure, but what I did see and hear was fascinating.
The waterfall gang returned early. It turns out the tour had to be cut short due to the amount of rain that had fallen making it treacherous. A group of us gather around the pool until it is time to get ready for dinner. It is a lovely, relaxing afternoon.
Dinner is enjoyable and the conversation is lively as we recount our day. For those that stayed back for the chocolate making workshop, we find out that Carlos II had an accident with something hitting his eye. We hope he is okay.
This is our last evening in the Amazon and at the Suchipakari lodge. My bags are packed for the morning. I hop into bed, catch up on some notes and fall off to sleep to the sound of the cicadas in the forest.
Suchipakari Review 3.5*
I enjoyed the Suchipakari Lodge, although the road to the hotel is horrible. I would suggest they provide a moto-taxi service to take you from the parking lot to the entrance. After 5 hours of travel by bus from Quito, 30 minutes on that pot-hole road to be faced with a 10 minute walk with more pot holes and then to climb 2 flights of stairs is wearisome. I can’t imagine the experience for those older and less mobile than me, The stairs are wide enough and you can take your time going up. The view is rewarding, however, we arrive in the evening. Make sure you bring a flashlight or use your cellphone to light your way. Thankfully your luggage is brought up for you. The hotel is not accessible for those with mobility issues. The grounds are lovely and you will find flowers and plants you have never seen before. My camera certainly got a work-out. The view by the pool is spectacular. The food is basic but delicious. I loved my room and all its appointments. The bed was comfortable, and I had hot water on day 2. I felt like I was sleeping in the jungle which was part of the experience I was hoping for. I understand from my tour mates that the spa massage is amazing and highly recommended. The night walk is interesting however, I think it could be expanded on. You are walking single file and the people in the back of the line miss what is being said in the front or whatever has been spotted has disappeared by the time you get to that point. My recommendation is to grab a place up front with the guide. The pool is lovely and you can grab a pool towel at the bar. Accessing the pool requires you to be flexible as you have to climb up over a concrete barrier to get into the pool which is very slippery. Adding some wooden steps would be helpful. The staff are very friendly and attentive. If you are looking for a unique experience in the middle of the rainforest, this place is for you. You are surrounded by the natural beauty of the rainforest and Suchipakari delivers a serene, scenic jungle experience.
Only you , Donna could pop a larva into your mouth with such aplomb! And who’d have thought that chocolate making could be a dangerous activity? Love your adventures.