Our Jungle Camp - Iquitos in the Amazon region

After great days in Lima, which we enjoyed very much, we continue to the next adventure. We fly to Iquitos in the Amazon region. Fun Fact: Iquitos, with 400,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by land. Only by boat (which takes several days) or by plane. Iquitos is located directly on the Amazon River and we were very excited about this adventure. We had only booked two nights in the city in advance, so that we could spend a few days in a lodge deep in the jungle afterwards. However, we would only find out later how deep in the jungle that would be. After two hours on the plane, we landed in Iquitos in the afternoon and fortunately had pre-ordered a taxi. At the exit, a flood of people awaited us who wanted to drag us into their taxi. However, we were able to go directly to our driver without any stress with the other drivers. The drive from the airport to the hostel alone was an adventure, because there are incredibly many tuk-tuks and motorcycles on the streets in Iquitos. Cars are rather rare here. The traffic is therefore even more bustling and chaotic, because not only does it feel like everyone drives as they please. In addition, there is no trace of the cleanliness and order of Lima (at least in Miraflores) in Iquitos. There was a lot of trash on the streets and hygiene in most restaurants did not meet Western standards. But more on that later. We had a cultural shock, because we had not expected that. We took about 30 minutes in the hot car to reach our hostel. After pleasant temperatures of 20-25 degrees in Lima, Iquitos greeted us with 30 degrees and high humidity. The hostel was relatively centrally located in front of a park. The rooms were very simply furnished with a bed, a fan, a TV, and a private bathroom. Since we did not feel particularly comfortable in Iquitos and did not want to risk stomach problems from an unhygienic restaurant, we quickly went shopping and cooked for ourselves. That was all for the program for now. The next day, the hostel operator helped us choose a tour provider. The manager personally came to our hostel to explain the various options to us. We quickly agreed that we wanted to book a 4-day/3-night tour. The price was also significantly cheaper than comparable offers on the internet. So we were looking forward to getting to know the Amazon. But we didn't get many details about our accommodation or the schedule. It was therefore somewhat uncertain what awaited us. We were curious and honestly, it was probably better that way! Before we started the next day, we replenished our snack supply and explored the city a bit. We took tuk-tuks for the first time and it was really fun! Before starting the ride, however, it was important, especially for us Gringos (as the locals lovingly call us), to negotiate the price. Otherwise, a much higher price would have been demanded. On average, we paid about 3 Soles (equivalent to 75 cents) for a ride of about 5 minutes. As big, blond Europeans, we were often observed and approached in the city. That's why we were only out for about an hour before we settled down in a cozy café. There, Roman broke one of his flip-flops - again. He just doesn't have much luck with them. So we had to buy a new pair. Size 45 was not easy to find, so we asked our Amazon guide to help us. He offered to take us to a market the next day before boarding the boat to the jungle. Convenient, we thought! The next day, we set off on time at 09:15. The guide picked us up at the hostel and we went together to the market. The guide, named Luis, is a local Yala (which is the name of one of the tribes in Iquitos) who grew up in the jungle and spent five years in the military training in the jungle. His English was not very good, but with a little patience, we could communicate. Leonie would have preferred not to go to the market. We walked through the narrow alleys, which were full of people, with bags and packs. Unlike a German weekly market, here the dead animals were still on the tables, some with heads. We could have bought everything from fish to chicken to wild boar. To make matters worse, the products were not refrigerated and were in the scorching sun, which created a disgusting smell in the air. It was better not to know how long the meat had been in the sun. We also didn't want to know if we had already eaten such meat. Leonie's appetite for meat was stopped for the time being! In addition to dead or even living animals, various types of fruits and vegetables, plants and herbs, as well as clothes, were offered. About half of the fruits and vegetables were unknown to us. That was exciting to see. After a short search and about 2-3 stalls later, we found a booth that actually offered shoes in Roman's size. They were certainly not the most beautiful pair, but Roman really needed new shoes and pragmatically chose the most robust ones. Leonie was slightly irritated by the selection, but pragmatism won over aesthetics. After a short negotiation, we paid 15 Soles (just under 4€) and finally left the market. That was it with markets of this kind for Leonie! Then we went to the port. Here, too, when we got out of the tuk-tuk, a crowd of people awaited us who wanted to offer us a tour or a boat - even though we were with a guide. But we continued to follow the guide, who ignored everyone. We then walked about 500 meters on a shaky jetty made of planks and bamboo to the dock. We passed various stalls and shops along the way. But we couldn't take photos of all the impressions because we felt uncomfortable and didn't want to provoke theft or robbery. Fortunately, we boarded the boat quickly. The boat was already packed with various food, water, and other luggage. But we were the only tourists. The boat driver was Luis's younger brother. Luis provided us with local ice cream and then we set off. The boat trip was supposed to take about 2 hours until we reached the lodge. The journey passed quickly because we were so fascinated by the jungle and the Amazon. We had never seen such a huge river before. The vastness, width, and depth resembled more of a lake. Simply wonderful and unique! During the journey, we were somewhat surprised to find that the internet connection in the middle of the Amazon was significantly better than in Iquitos. With 4G, the internet was certainly better than in rural areas of Germany - absurd when you think about it. During the journey, we also found out that we would be the only ones in our group. So basically, we had a private guide for the entire time. After our arrival, we were taken directly to our lodge. It was very simply furnished. Two beds, a small table, a curtain to the bathroom, a toilet without a lid or seat, a shower, and a sink. That's it. We had stayed in several accommodations during our trip where we had left behind all luxury, but this was the toughest one for us so far. The lodges were made of wood and covered with palm leaves. The windows were basically just mosquito nets. After the first impression, Luis immediately gave us a short tour of the facility. There were 8 lodges, a large dining room, and a kitchen lodge. When we left the dining room, an employee came towards us with a bag in his hand. He then emptied it on the grass and a poisonous snake about 1 meter long fell out. It had hidden in the roof of the dining room. It was reassuring to know that you could die at any time! (Irony off) Luis casually told us that the snake was killed later. We continued on our way to the "garden" alias the jungle, and Luis showed us various fruits. Some were delicious and sweet, like cocoa beans, while others were quite sour, like ubus. The fruit tour lasted only about 30 minutes, and then it was time for lunch. While eating, Roman painfully learned that the mosquitos in the jungle also bite through clothing. We had sprayed ourselves with insect repellent before the tour, but only on exposed areas of skin. After lunch, Roman's back looked like a hilly landscape. We learned our lesson and started spraying ourselves with insect repellent all over our bodies at least three times a day. Unfortunately, that didn't always help, so we got pretty badly bitten during the 4 days. But that somehow belongs to it, at least we can tell ourselves that. In the afternoon, we went on a boat trip to a rescue center. There, injured or sick animals are cared for. We saw macaws and were allowed to hold one, anacondas about 6 meters long, and various turtles. But the absolute highlight was young sloths. We were able to hold one of them on our arm. Leonie's spirit animal was very cute and could be carried like a real baby. Their unbeatable hairstyle and slight smile make these animals simply likeable! In reference to the movie "Zootopia", we named it Priscilla. Afterwards, there was another highlight, a liquor tasting! Apparently, it is drunk everywhere in the world, even in the middle of the Amazon. There were 4 liquors: 7 Roots, made from 7 different roots, tasted unidentifiably sweet; Camu Camu, made from the Camu fruit; Jengibre, made from ginger; and Flamingo, a mixture of the three mentioned before + high-proof caracha (sugarcane rum). Roman's favorite was Flamingo. Luis and he "tasted" about a liter of liquor in total. After that, the atmosphere was cheerful, and we could relaxingly sail back to the lodge, where dinner was served. The food consisted of similar elements for lunch and dinner, but always mixed and in different variations: meat or fish (piranha, catfish, other fish species, crocodile, wild boar, chicken, chorizo), vegetarian alternative with tofu or egg, yucca (similar to potato), rice and beans, salad, fried plantains, noodles, chili sauce, various fruits, and juice. In the morning, there was egg (boiled, fried, or omelette), bread, butter, and jam. Overall, the food was very tasty and nutritious. The lodge operators were very friendly and committed to making sure we always had enough to eat. From the second day on, a group of about 10 girls in their mid-twenties joined us. Unfortunately, they behaved very poorly and obviously did not receive any education. Therefore, they also behaved that way at the buffet. The guides and operators of the lodge noticed this, of course, and made sure that we did not suffer any disadvantages because of it. We really appreciated that! After dinner on the first day, we went to the lodge to charge our phones. We only had electricity and light from 6-9 pm. After that, the generator was turned off and we had to manage with flashlights. In the evening, we took our first shower at the lodge. Classic, as it should be, with Amazon water. So we didn't really feel clean, but well. You have to get used to it if you want to survive the next few days. Besides, Luis strangely asked us every day if we had showered. Apparently small talk for him, a bit irritating for us. But we didn't want to disappoint him, so we showered every day. Roman woke up a little exhausted the next morning. Besides the moderate muscle soreness in his shoulders, his buttocks hurt the most. The wooden canoe seemed to have demanded a lot from him, so his buttocks had swelled up. That would turn out to be quite funny over the next few days because we went out on the wooden boats every day. This led to funny poses that Roman had to assume again and again. On the third day, Luis took us on an expedition into the rainforest. After a two-hour boat ride over the Amazon, a tributary, and small streams, we landed and looked at trees that are several hundred years old. We also received a small plant and animal guide. We saw various healing plants (including a tree that is said to cure cancer) and animals (eagles, vultures, parrots, etc.). It was also on this day that we encountered mosquitoes at a different level. According to Luis, about 1000-2000 mosquitoes come to one person. Even the plastic rain poncho couldn't protect us from them. Therefore, it was very important for us to disinfect ourselves on the way back. We stopped at one of the small houses in the middle of the jungle. Luis then took us to a "local bar," where we wondered who would ever find their way to this bar. But Luis knew it inside out because he introduced us to the owner as his "second father." It was an honor for us to be taken there. For disinfection, we were served homemade liquor from the jungle. Luis and Roman "tasted" about a liter of this drink while we spoke broken Spanish and used hands and feet to communicate with the locals. After buying three bracelets for the equivalent of 2.50€, we headed back to the lodge, slightly tipsy, for lunch. What an experience! In the afternoon, Luis showed us other tributaries of the Amazon, where we saw "black water" instead of brown Amazon water. We could have swum there as well. On the one hand, it was a bit chilly that day, and on the other hand, you damn well don't know what's swimming beneath you. A crocodile? A stingray? A three-meter-long catfish? An anaconda? Swimming in the Amazon seemed normal to Luis, but we didn't feel like taking any risks. So it remained a relaxed boat trip. On the way back, we tried in vain to see the dolphins again. The sunset was still nice, although the sky was unfortunately very cloudy. With the sunset, we realized that the last night was coming up. Time passed quickly, although the lodge offered a lot of nature, maybe too much for some people. On the last night, in addition to the usual incidents of cockroaches and mouse noises, there was also barking from dogs. One of the lodge dogs was very excited and wouldn't stop barking. After what felt like an eternity, we heard footsteps and saw flashlights. But why had the dog barked? Was it because of the footsteps and the flashlight, or because of an animal visitor? We didn't know, so we listened nervously to the noises. After another eternity, both the person and the dog seemed to be gone, and we were able to sleep for a few more hours. We still don't know exactly what it was, but now it doesn't matter anymore. We made it back from the jungle safely, and we also survived the last night unharmed (except for the thousand mosquito bites). On the last day, we left around 3 pm. Before that, we went fishing again so that we could earn our lunch ourselves. After Roman had caught one of three fish the last time, Leonie succeeded this time. However, we still weren't talented anglers. Nevertheless, three small catfish and a piranha were waiting to be tasted for lunch. After fishing, Luis told us that we were expected to participate in an indigenous dance "after freshening up" in 10 minutes. True to our punctual German understanding of time, we came out after 10 minutes and were asked to wait another 5 minutes. These 5 minutes turned into a 30-minute delay. Not the first time, but we had to realize once again that time is different in the jungle and we couldn't expect German punctuality, which Leonie doesn't quite master anyway. The indigenous dance as the last activity was interesting, and we were able to learn more about the history and traditions of the indigenous tribes in the Amazon. Very informative and exciting! After a final lunch (including the self-caught fish), it was time to return to Iquitos. Still on the boat, we looked back on the past few days. We can proudly say that we lived in the jungle for 4 days. Not everyone can say that, and even fewer would have done it. At the same time, we were glad to return to "civilization." In Iquitos, we spent another night in our familiar hostel, took a shower, ate something, and then slept peacefully. Without animal noises, rustling in the room, and mosquito bites. The next morning, Roman went to the Belen market with Luis. The Belen market is the largest and most famous market in Iquitos. In addition to meat, fruits, plants, and any other products you can imagine, there is also a black market for exotic animals and drugs. Fortunately, we didn't see that. Nevertheless, Roman learned more about local products, animal life, and plant life. After buying coca leaves that are used in high areas like Cusco, we gradually drove back to the hostel. There we said goodbye to Luis, with whom we had spent the last 4 days. While packing our bags for the flight to Cusco, we noticed that all the clothes we had with us in the Amazon had a unpleasant smell. We were glad that we had left a few clothes in the hostel in Iquitos that we could wear. But in Cusco, we urgently had to find a laundry service.