Day 3 - Iquitos to Myuna Lodge.

After our last messages with Pat before going off the grid, we had a good American breakfast and were picked up by the Myuna Amazon tour shuttle bus. We paid the final balance in local currency (Sole), left our two backpacks in their office and were driven a couple of km to another wharf to catch the boat.

The water level was lower then normal,  and the town wharf was not operational. The tour guide told us it had been a record high and low river this year, and also most of the water come from melting of Andes' snow.

The boat had a Canadian French couple and a young spanish couple from Barcelona. It took about 3 hrs to travel the 140km to Myuna Lodge, passing a number of small villages. One even had a cell tower. Following on maps.me we seem to take a few shortcut from the main Amazon River.  We took a left turn up a very narrow and shallow stream, where the propeller hit a log. This must be common as the driver had plenty of spares and fixed it in about 20 mins. The lodge was about 10 km up this stream and the river opened up.

Upon arrival we met our guide Moises  and had lunch, before having an afternoon rest in the hammocks. At 15:00 we put on our gumboots and went for a rainforest walk for a few hours. We saw noisy monkeys, woodpecker bird, pigmy monkey and other birds. It was very tiring in the humidity and nice to get back for a pre dinner rest.

After a good dinner, we went about 5km up river looking for wildlife. Moises had a powerful spotlight. They caught a 2 yr old Cayman (Amazon crocodile) which was only 400mm long. We also say the giant rodent. It was almost full moon and a clear night.

It was nice to shower and wash off the deet 80% insect repellent. In the morning we start st 6:00.

 

 

 

Catching the fast boat from Iquitos wharf to Amazon camp

Catching the fast boat from Iquitos wharf to Amazon camp

Fixing the boat after it hit a log in the channel. The water is now low

Fixing the boat after it hit a log in the channel. The water is now low

Arriving Myuna Lodge - home for the next 3 nights. 

Arriving Myuna Lodge - home for the next 3 nights. 

First afternoon walk in the Amazon Forest

First afternoon walk in the Amazon Forest

Night boat trip to find a Cayman - this one is 2 yrs old

Night boat trip to find a Cayman - this one is 2 yrs old