Tambopata - A Shelter of Extraordinary Natural Riches

1. Tambopata - A Shelter of Extraordinary Natural Riches It was about noon when three friends of mine and I landed in Puerto Maldonado in September 2008. The plan was to stay 3 days at a Jungle lodge located within the Tambopata National Reserve, one of the world's most virgin forests that shelter a large variety of plants, animals and human beings which has not yet been touched by modern life. Its diversity is due to its three different ecological systems: the Andean eastern watershed, the Amazon plains and the Collpas Tambopata. A father and son from the United States joint our party of four. During the one-and-a-half-hour drive to the port, Jhin explained to us the different ways of burning trees for reforestation purposes which we saw along the way while enjoying some banana chips and Brazilian nuts. At the port, we took a boat ride along the Tambopata River and ate a Peruvian version of Chinese rice folded in banana tree leaves, very good! Once we arrived at the other end, we walked a short trail before reaching the Jungle lodge. Back at the lodge, we all went to get a well deserve cold shower and were back at the dining area to eat and learn from our first nightly lecture prepared by the lodge staff which covered conservation threats, opportunities and projects in the Tambopata national reserve tours. After dinner, we explored the river's edge, scanning the shores with headlamps and flashlights to catch the red gleams of reflection from caiman eyes.

2. Most of these mammals are active at night but rarely seen; we were lucky to spot a small caiman. On the way back to the lodge as well as in every trail, Jhin pointed out with his flashlight tress, frogs, monkeys and birds whose shapes and sounds are as bizarre as their natural histories. On the way back to the lodge, we stopped at a 25-meter scaffolding canopy tower which has been built upon high ground, therefore increasing our horizon of the continuing primary forest extending out towards the Tambopata National Reserve. After lunch, we took a short trail and a boat for five minutes downriver where a farm and ethno botanical garden lies. It is owned and managed by charismatic Don Manuel from the neighbouring community of Condenado. LEON VELARDE AV. No-141, A half block from the Main Square Puerto Maldonado TELEFONO: +51(082) 57-1320 MOVIL: +51 982611477 MOVIL: +51 987592518 MOVIL: +51 991131381 reservas@monteamazonico.com