Travelogue from Peru: My Adventures in the Amazon

Our product manager, Nadia, went on an adventurous tour of Peru in April 2024. Here she visited Puerto Maldonado, nestled within the Amazon rainforest. Read about her adventures below.

I had already been travelling around Peru for two weeks before catching the flight to Puerto Maldonado. Each place I had visited was vastly different, so I was eager to see what awaited me in the Amazon.

It was one of the destinations I had most eagerly anticipated, and the constant thrill of excitement was palpable. The thought of getting close to the nature and wildlife was fascinating, so I could hardly wait to get there.

I was the first passenger to board the boat on the Amazon River, and the rocking from side to side gave me a thrill. I certainly didn’t want to fall into the water, knowing what kinds of animals could be hiding there.

When we arrived at the lodge, lunch was served, and we then headed out on our first adventure. I put on my long trousers and long-sleeved shirt, then sprayed myself generously with mosquito repellent.

On this first outing, I encountered several exotic animals, including colourful macaws, an agouti, a green-bodied spider, and a sloth. Our guide shared fascinating details about the medicinal properties of various plants and trees, making the experience even more enriching.

After dinner that same day, we went on another excursion, this time a boat trip. We were told to look for glowing eyes on the water’s surface. Suddenly, the boat stopped, and the guide pointed towards the shore. We could hear rustling in the bushes. The guide shone his light gently, revealing a whole family of capybaras! I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them. We drifted quietly along the bank, and at one point, the guide lit up his torch again. He had spotted a caiman resting on the shore. I gasped as the boat approached, but it was probably more afraid of us, as it suddenly disappeared into the water with a splash!

At night, I listened to all the exotic sounds while lying under my mosquito net, which was tucked tightly under the mattress. The windows in the bungalow were only covered by nets, so you could clearly hear all the animals’ activities. Some of the sounds felt very close, but I eventually fell asleep, filled with vivid impressions from the day’s adventures.

The next day, I noticed two dark lumps moving under the ceiling. At first glance, they looked like tarantulas, and I must admit I froze a bit. On closer inspection, I discovered they were two bats that had wandered into my hut! The guide said this didn’t happen often, but I should be grateful because they would eat all the cockroaches and spiders in there…

Although I wanted to get close to the animals, I hadn’t imagined sleeping in the same room as two bats, but looking back, it was quite a funny and memorable experience.

That same day, we went on another excursion with plenty of opportunities to soak up the impressions. While wandering through the jungle, we were suddenly met by a loud roaring sound—it was the howler monkeys. It’s incredible to think such loud noises can come from such small creatures. We then saw a group of capuchin monkeys fleeing from the sound, swinging past us from branch to branch right above where we stood. Along the way, we also encountered several different exotic birds and colourful frogs.

The exotic animal encounters weren’t limited to the excursions. Even within the lodge grounds, I met several. Returning to my bungalow after the trip, a toucan blocked our path and started putting on a show for us. It danced from side to side and didn’t seem afraid of us at all. On the contrary, it was very curious.

That same afternoon, a man from the tour mentioned he wanted to see a tarantula. The guide said we could all meet just before dinner in front of the restaurant. I felt a little gasp but was too curious not to go. We followed him to one of the palm trees along the path leading to the restaurant. There sat the largest tarantula I had ever seen! Although I am terrified of tarantulas, I couldn’t help but get close, as it was incredibly fascinating.

My tour to the Amazon filled me with fantastic impressions and will remain an unforgettable experience.

Nadia

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller