PUERTO NARINO & AMACAYUCA NATIONAL PARK - Colombia, 18th August
Right now (5:30 pm) as I write this, the ambience is almost sureal. We are in the Amacayuca National Park (2 hours by boat from Leticia), on the banks of the Amazon river, where it appears very wide, with Peru across the river. Behind us is the super dense Amazon Jungle. The sun will set in an hour and the birds (all seven thousand of them) will go crazy, each with their own song.........and meanwhile one of the other Colombian tourists nearby plays "Hotel California" on a small colombian 4-stringed guitar (Cuatro) - as one does in the Amazon Jungle. The mosquitos are slowly making themselves more obvious with the setting sun.
This place is magic !!!
The Park accomodation is very rustic and tasteful, designed to blend with the jungle around. All acomodation is communal with about 10 - 15 beds in each dormitory, each bed with its own mosquito net, all clean and white. The park is unusually full today - with an entire group from Bogota on a team building exercise (!!). We managed to get one bed (for Letay and Deepa to share) and a hammock for me , something that I wanted anyway.
The park residence is run by young Colombians from all over. Leo, from Bogota, in charge of the guests, did not turn us away although we just turned up and they were completely full. The manager, Javier Espiritu from Puerto Narino and assistant Tatiana, from Leticia, were very concerned and constructive too - they both came to re-assure us they would do something. Javier is a very, very soft spoken & calm person but very much in control and aware of what's happening.
Today (18th August) actually started in Puerto Narino (at the Hotel De Selva), at 5am. There too with all the birds singing at dawn. There must have been at least 100 different species singing away including the roosters. Great place. Rossini went for a walk down to the river, watched the fish come in and the morning market begin. We tried to arrange a Peque-peque, a local small river canoe with outboard motor) to the Lake Tarapoto. 
Could not get anyone earlier, which was great because we later did find Alvaro, a native Indian from the community up river. He was actually just passing by but was so polite he agreed to take us. Price too for him was not an issue.
It was a super boat ride up this narrow tributary, to the lake. It really felt like the Amazon. Since this was the dry season, the Amazon & the lake were almost 10-15metres shallower. Nevertheless, the trip was certainly worth it, although we did not see any dolphins or the giant Amazon lilys.
From Puerto Narino we planned to make our way down river to the Amacayuca Park around 12pm. There was no regular boat until 4pm. Typical of the Colombian way, two young policemen who we made conversation with earlier, saw us waiting and wanted to help get us on a police speedboat on its way to the Park - "Rossi, esta gratis" they kept repeating. However, since a high ranked official visiting from Bogota and his entourage were on the boat, they were a bit embarassed to ask to get us on. Colombian courtesy to the rescue - some of the entourage noticed us hanging by the river bank and asked us to come aboard anyway if we wanted to go with them to the park.
On the way to the park, they cut the engine off and looked out for dolphins. We were lucky to see a few grey ones and a large "Pink" dolphin. Got to the Park and were met by Leo who was ever friendly like the rest of the other staff at the Park.
Will update this days section later....... !!! Sorry !!!
This place is magic !!!
The Park accomodation is very rustic and tasteful, designed to blend with the jungle around. All acomodation is communal with about 10 - 15 beds in each dormitory, each bed with its own mosquito net, all clean and white. The park is unusually full today - with an entire group from Bogota on a team building exercise (!!). We managed to get one bed (for Letay and Deepa to share) and a hammock for me , something that I wanted anyway.
The park residence is run by young Colombians from all over. Leo, from Bogota, in charge of the guests, did not turn us away although we just turned up and they were completely full. The manager, Javier Espiritu from Puerto Narino and assistant Tatiana, from Leticia, were very concerned and constructive too - they both came to re-assure us they would do something. Javier is a very, very soft spoken & calm person but very much in control and aware of what's happening.
Today (18th August) actually started in Puerto Narino (at the Hotel De Selva), at 5am. There too with all the birds singing at dawn. There must have been at least 100 different species singing away including the roosters. Great place. Rossini went for a walk down to the river, watched the fish come in and the morning market begin. We tried to arrange a Peque-peque, a local small river canoe with outboard motor) to the Lake Tarapoto. 
Could not get anyone earlier, which was great because we later did find Alvaro, a native Indian from the community up river. He was actually just passing by but was so polite he agreed to take us. Price too for him was not an issue.
It was a super boat ride up this narrow tributary, to the lake. It really felt like the Amazon. Since this was the dry season, the Amazon & the lake were almost 10-15metres shallower. Nevertheless, the trip was certainly worth it, although we did not see any dolphins or the giant Amazon lilys.
From Puerto Narino we planned to make our way down river to the Amacayuca Park around 12pm. There was no regular boat until 4pm. Typical of the Colombian way, two young policemen who we made conversation with earlier, saw us waiting and wanted to help get us on a police speedboat on its way to the Park - "Rossi, esta gratis" they kept repeating. However, since a high ranked official visiting from Bogota and his entourage were on the boat, they were a bit embarassed to ask to get us on. Colombian courtesy to the rescue - some of the entourage noticed us hanging by the river bank and asked us to come aboard anyway if we wanted to go with them to the park.On the way to the park, they cut the engine off and looked out for dolphins. We were lucky to see a few grey ones and a large "Pink" dolphin. Got to the Park and were met by Leo who was ever friendly like the rest of the other staff at the Park.
Will update this days section later....... !!! Sorry !!!
posted by Silveira Family of Three (+1) at 12:35 am
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