Amazon Natural Park & Nauta Caño
This morning we had the opportunity to visit a private reserve, the Amazon Natural Park. The owner of this place, a former Minister of Tourism of Peru, allowed us to explore this well-protected private land. With the help of our expert naturalist guides, we learned many secrets of the Amazon region including which plants are medicinal and edible and which animal species are very important for the survival of local communities.
We also learned about the rubber tree which created a boom in the early
1900s and brought a lot of people to Iquitos from different parts of Peru and Europe as well. The rubber tree grows in wild conditions in the Amazon region and local people use its properties mainly as a medicine and to cover bags to make them waterproof. We also learned that kids used to make their own toys using the rubber trees’ natural sap, for it became very elastic once placed in a bowl in for a prolonged time under gentle fire.
This area has also a lagoon, which attracts lots of insects and bugs providing good food source for fish, flycatchers, and swallows as well. The main attraction was to cross a suspension bridge. This experience allowed us to pass over different vegetation zones underneath the canopy zone, which is the area located at the very top of the tallest trees. It was an amazing morning full of adventure and emotions. For those who decided not to cross the bridge we offered a catamaran ride to see some of the lagoon’s creatures with great opportunities for photography and also to hear many amazing sounds produced by the rain forest inhabitants.
In the afternoon we visited Nauta Caño. This creek is known as a black river because the high quantity of tannins from thousands of leaves that end up in these rivers making its waters very dark. This darkness is perfect for reflections. These streams are ideal places to look for wildlife.
The number of species spotted this afternoon is a large one, highlights were Squirrel, Howler, and Monk Saki monkeys, toucans, parrots, hawks, lots of river birds and Long-nosed Bats as well. The weather could not be better because it was partially cloudy and very refreshing, perfect conditions for animal activity.
We finished our day with a night walk at San Francisco trail; this was a different experience that every one in our planet should have, at least once in a lifetime. The sounds of the forest come from different directions and from hundreds of feet away. It is really a different world at nighttime in the rain forest.
