July 27-29

Our first day in the Amazon would be a full one, starting with a 3:00 am departure from our hotel in Cusco that soon found us at the airport for our flight to Lima (our direct flight was cancelled) to Puerto Maldonado, which sits 34 miles west of the Bolivian border and is located at the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers.  The latter river joins the Madeira River as a tributary of the Amazon.  This city is the capital of the Madre de Dios Region.

Nearby are the Manú National Park, Tambopata National Reserve, and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, which have been established to protect natural resources.  These are some of the most pristine primary rain forests in the world and include several oxbow lakes and clay licks, where hundreds of birds, including macaws, feed on clay.  Among the indigenous peoples in this area are the Machiguenga.

We wouldn’t be spending any time here as we loaded onto a shuttle bus at the airport for a drive through the small town to the dock where we would board the skiff that would take us to Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion, our lodging and experience for the next two nights.  They would be full days, packed with memorable experiences. It took us about 20 minutes or so to motor down the river to the dock at our complex, the river seemingly slow moving and wide enough such that you probably wouldn’t want to try to swim from one shore to the next. 

Inkaterra is an all-inclusive experience, where the rates include the roundtrip to the property from Puerto Maldonado by river, full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), purified water, English and Spanish group guided service, programmed excursions based on length of stay, entrance fees to Lake Sandoval (SERNANP) and Canopy Walkway, and a 10% service charge.  We would only be responsible for our alcohol consumption.  The going rate per their website is roughly $370 per night for two people, more than Joanna and I would normally spend, but given the great food, available activities, and its exotic one-of-a-kind location, it would be well worth the expenditure.  And best of all, it was included as part of our tour price. 

Built in a former cacao and rubber plantation, on the grounds of what was back in the 50’s “Fundo Concepción”, an Amazon Catholic medical mission center, it sits in 2,000 acres of natural rainforest.  We would be housed in one of 25 Independent cabanas, ours equipped with a king bed, mosquito net, curtains, 100% cotton sheets, 2 hypoallergenic pillows per guest, hypoallergenic comforters, cotton bathrobes, hot water, and natural essence toiletries.  Our cabaña was surrounded by, and with a view of, the forest and we spent some very pleasant time sitting on the couch looking out through the screened in porch. 

Leaving our luggage in the cabana, we joined our group for lunch in the lodge, the first of what would be many memorable meals.  This one would be a couple of courses, including a nice soup, some pasta and a rice stir fry with squash and a local sausage, all very good. 

Then our group went on a walking tour of the grounds nearby with our local guide, who introduced us to the flora and fauna, including sampling an orange from a tree just off the path. 

A couple of hours later I stayed behind while the group went out for a short night cruise on the river, spotting all kinds of wildlife not usually observed during the day, including a crocodile and after they returned, we convened in the dining room for dinner, starting with Pisco Sours and then our courses, our entrees a chicken in a nut sauce for me and white fish baked in the leaves of a local tree for Joanna.  Wine was consumed, dessert eaten and then off to bed, another long day put to rest. 

The next morning, I again stayed behind while the group went out for a canoe experience that would enable them to view lots of plants and animals, a rewarding time for both of us.  I used my allotment by sitting upstairs at the lodge, with the only to the Wi-Fi on the property, to take care of some housekeeping and to stay current on the events of the day.  They were all rewarded with a peaceful morning on the river, rowing between inlets and spending some time on shore, soaking in their surroundings. 

They returned in time for lunch, another delicious offering that provided the foundation for the afternoon’s scheduled activity and one I had been looking forward to, a canopy walk.  We took a short boat ride down the river and after landing, walked to a shelter where we were briefed on the activity.  From there we made our way to a multi-story tower that we ascended to reach the starting point for our adventure.

This involved walking along a series of suspended walkways comprised of a wood floor with sides made of netting, reaching above one’s waist to provide an element (or the illusion of) of safety.  One quickly adjusted to the swaying motion of the walkway and with a pause every now and then to observe the forest below and at eye level, traversed several sections before finally reaching a final tower. 

From there, we descended back down to the ground.  It was a thrilling experience, the solid nature of the construction provided a enough assurance to overcome any reluctance to walk that far up in the air. 

We returned to camp and had our last dinner, another culinary delight that would hold us until the next morning when we headed back upriver to Puerto Maldonado and the flight to Lima for our final night of the tour.  We checked back into the Pullman Lima Miraflores, our hotel from two weeks ago and before dinner we walked up the street, Joanna to find a final souvenir and for myself to get a pre-dinner bottle of Rose. 

Soon enough we were on our way as a group to Cala, a very nicely appointed restaurant at the shore.  Intrepid would be supplying a credit against our total bill, which made for a nice way to finish the trip.  We ordered cocktails to start, for me a Pisco Punch and Joanna the Zombie Cala.  We didn’t bother with appetizers but went straight for our entrees, for Joanna the catch of the day, a lovely piece of Sea Bass and for me, a large Chateaubriand, (89 Soles, or $30) perfectly cooked and served with green pepper sauce and a delicious mushroom risotto. 

Ian and I each ordered a bottle of red wine and suffice to say no one was feeling any pain at the end of the meal and we all bade farewell at the hotel, as Joanna and I had an early flight the next day, necessitating a 6:00 am departure for the airport.  Too soon for breakfast, we were happy to see coffee and some pastries in the lobby that morning, enough to get us topped up before our flight and the food we’d get on the plane. 

And so, out great experience in Peru ended, one delayed by over a year and a half by Covid, political issues in Peru, and my hip replacement.  We again found Intrepid Tours to be the right resource for this kind of adventure; this one at their best level, Premium compared to our week on the Nile in 2019 at the Original level (Trip Levels: Premium, Comfort, Original, and Basix) was well worth the additional cost as it included all of the excursions, many of which were an additional cost in the earlier trip, and included the bonus of the Amazon stay.  This was offset by fewer meals being included, but given the low cost of eating out in Peru, this was an easy trade off. 

Our philosophy about travel has evolved as we have aged, and we find ourselves reluctant to visit some new places due their unfamiliarity or the degree of uncertainty involved.  Normally we plan and execute our trips by ourselves, handling all of the details including where to stay, how to get around, and what to do.  But like with Egypt, we were reluctant to do so with Peru and so this Intrepid tour proved to be the right choice for us and now we would feel comfortable traveling to South America on our own.  And, as we still have a substantial credit with them (don’t ask, it was my bad for not applying it for this trip), we’ve already begun to discuss future destinations with them.  Anyone care to join us in India, Vietnam, or some other somewhat exotic location?

Links

Puerto Maldonado: https://destinationlesstravel.com/puerto-maldonado-amazon-peru/

Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion: https://www.inkaterra.com/inkaterra/inkaterra-hacienda-concepcion/the-experience/

Cala: https://calarestaurante.com/