Muyuna Lodge - Day 4

Our last day at the lodge started early with breakfast in the boat, to take in as much of the rainforest's diversity that we could. That was followed by the most magical moments of our stay - the opportunity to swim in the Amazon with Pink Dolphins.

After lunch it was time to say goodbye to our newly made friends and Roger, our fabulous guide, and get on board the speed boat for our return to Iquitos. Our visit to Muyuna Lodge has been the most amazing experience either of us has ever had.

 

     

Muyuna Lodge - Day 3

Day 3 was filled with guided excursions and treks again but we did get a window of some free time, during which we were able to take off in a canoe and explore the area ourselves - just breathtaking. One of the excursions took us to the small village upstream and we were able to see firsthand how they live, see the Primary School and Kindergarten and sample their Jungle Rum, made from sugar cane. Due to our astute guide, one of the locals agreed to show Ian his Matamata turtle, one of the strangest looking turtles I have ever seen. It has been Ian's wish to actually lay eyes on one for a long time.    

...and we rode home under a glorious Amazonian sunset

  

Ian's Shangri-La - Day 2

It became very quickly obvious that Muyuna Lodge and Ian were a match made in heaven. The first indication was 'the list' on the desk in our room of all the possible animals, birds, mammals and plants that we could spot, setting him the challenge to tick off as many as he could during his stay. 

This is page 1 of 5 and, of course Ian found things to add to the list.

Day 2 started with buffet breakfast, followed with a boat ride exploring the waterways around the lodge. Buffet lunch was followed with another boat ride for Ian and a sleep in the hammock 😴 for me. After dinner, a trek in the night forest, spotlighting for more critters.

      

   

Muyuna Lodge Day 1

We got collected from our hotel and taken to the Muyuna Lodge office on Iquitos's harbour to meet the other intrepid explorers, our guides and for a gumboot fitting..?..?

Then we got on board and went for a 3 hour long speed-boat ride, taking us 140 km upstream from Iquitos.

I warmed to the Muyuna Lodge folk immediately when I spotted several fly curtain made of plastic water bottle tops

There are no roads to Iquitos, so the Amazon and its tributaries become the road system and this is what we saw.

An oil tanker,

Traffic, 

 

 

Side streets and the 'burbs

 

 

Roadside stop where the River bus stopped at the same time

 

 

For sale 'PW', as John Mottram called them in his notes.

 

Before we knew it we went around yet another bend and arrived at Muyuna Lodge, our home for the next 4 days

 

 

 

After settling in and lunch, we went for our 1st walk, guided by 2 men weilding machetes... I wasn't worried... 

 

 

 

 

They showed us which tree barks worked for medicine, how they used to tap for rubber and we saw lots of animals including Dusky Titi Monkeys, Brown Cappuchin Monkeys but the highlight of the walk came when Ian spotted a Yellow Footed Tortoise!!... and then it rained ...and rained...and the real purpose of the gumboots became clear

  

After dinner a nocturnal boat ride to spot more wildlife, making for one very happy Pop.