Indigenous – Maldo Travels

Otavalo & Peguche – Culture & Nature

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 19 Dec 2020 21:09:00 +0000

The popular tourist town of Otavalo is only a 2-hour drive away from Quito. There is also regular public transport since it is a well-traveled route with buses leaving from the North Terminal of Carcelén. It’s a nice scenic drive along the winding Andean mountains; especially when passing the lake at San Pablo which lies next to the great volcano Imbabura.

We arrived at the Parque Simon Bolivar which is a small central square. There are several paid parking lots in the area and after parking our car, we walked to the crafts market. The people of Otavalo are primarily indigenous and have integrated with modern society. You’ll see lots of people walking around in their traditional clothes, and the main attraction in the town is the crafts market. The crafts market is only a couple of blocks from the park where we left our car, and there are many crafts stalls on the sidewalks on the way. Some roads are also closed to vehicle traffic so it’s safer to walk to the market. The busiest days are the weekends when the majority of the vendors open their stalls. The market is still open on weekdays though so it’s still worth a visit. You’ll find many different products for sale and Otavalo is well known for its high-quality textiles; especially the ponchos. There are also many restaurants in the area to get a taste of some of the region’s cuisine.

After going for a stroll around the market, you can head to a nearby waterfall at Peguche. It’s only a 10-minute drive from the market and there’s a car park on-site. Public transport is also available and departs from the park. Another option is to hail a taxi from anywhere in town which will cost around 2 USD¹ each way. The final option is the 40-minute walk since it’s not too far and also a nice walk through the town. Between the car park and the entrance, there are a couple of shops and stalls selling snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. There is also an Incan solar calendar structure which is accessible for free.

The entry ticket for the waterfall costs only 0.50 USD for access to the trails and spaces along the way. It’s then a short 10-15 minute walk along the trail which is very well maintained. The surrounding area is very green like a rainforest which has lots of different paths. There are toilet facilities and we also passed a camping area. Further down the trail, there was a path that headed toward a natural pool. There were also small bridges that crossed the river to an area with some huts. It looked like these huts were restaurants since they were playing music, but they also looked like lodging. The trail splits at one point, with one path going to the lower part of the waterfall and the other path going up to a viewpoint. We first went to the lower part of the waterfall and crossed a wooden bridge to get there. The waterfall isn’t very high, but the water comes crashing down with enough force to create a gust of mist. You can get very close to the waterfall, but be prepared to get very wet. I managed to climb up on one of the large boulders to get a picture. The water is a little cold, but bearable with the hot weather that we had when we went. We then went back across the bridge and up the other trail to the viewpoint of the waterfall. There is a small hut there that looks out towards the waterfall.

On the way back along the trail, we noticed another path that went up the other side of the hill. We followed the trail up and this one goes higher than the one at the viewpoint. We got to a point where there was a warning sign and continued past it to the top. The trail past this point gets very narrow and can be scary if you’re afraid of heights. This trail goes over the waterfall and you get an amazing view of the town with a mountainous background. We took some rest here before heading back down and back to the car park.

Salar de Uyuni Tour – Day 1

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 21:18:00 +0000

When we were in La Paz, we went to the main terminal to buy our tickets for Tupiza which cost 160 BOB² each plus 2.50 BOB for the terminal fee which is paid at departure. It was an overnight 10-hour 30-minute journey to Tupiza. The seats were the most comfortable I’ve ever been on since they turned into a bed by reclining 180 degrees and the footrest came up so you could lay completely flat. The Tupiza terminal is close to the Independence Plaza which is where you can find several shops, restaurants, and tour agencies. Once we got there, we immediately went looking for a 4 days and 3 nights tour to the Salar de Uyuni. After asking at several places, we decided to go with Valle Hermoso Tours since they seemed to have good reviews. The tour which included meals, shared accommodation, a guide, and transportation dropping us off at Uyuni came to 1300 BOB. All agencies charge a service fee if you pay by credit card so it’s better to pay cash due to the large payment. Note that if you have to withdraw money, the highest ATM limit I found in Tupzia was 2000 BOB. So if you’re paying for multiple people, keep that in mind.

Setting out from Tupiza

The meeting point was at the Valle Hermoso Hostel at 7 AM for breakfast with the rest of the group we would be going with. Our group was a total of 5 people plus the driver/guide. There was also another Jeep with a group of 4 who also left with us. As soon as everyone was done with breakfast, we set out at around 7.30 AM. The first stop is El Sillar which is a short 30-minute drive from Tupiza. At this viewpoint, we get to see some interesting red rock formations. We’re only here for about 10-15 minutes to take some pictures before continuing. The next stop is at the Awana Pampa plains. We pull up by the road and have some time to wander around. There’s a small hill you can climb to get some panoramic shots of the landscape. We make a couple of stops to rest and take pictures of the different landscapes along the journey. For lunch, we arrive at the small town of San Pablo de Lipez. We go inside what looks like a communal house which has some tables and chairs. The driver then preps some food with help from the locals.

Following lunch, we head to the Ghost Town. Once at the site, the guide drops us off at the top of the hill and tells us to walk down where we’ll find a site official to pay the entrance fee. Our guide then said that he’ll pick us up from the bottom in the town. You get some great views from the top of the hill and the trail down is easy to follow. The site official collects the 15 BOB entrance fee from everyone and gives some history of the site. He then points us in the direction of where to go and meet our guide/driver. We continue down and through the ghost town, walking past abandoned decaying buildings. You can make out the remains of what looks to have been a church. At the bottom, there are toilet facilities which you can use before continuing. The next main stop is Lake Morejón. This lake stands at 4855 meters above sea level with a beautiful mountain landscape sitting behind it. At this altitude the weather is cold and windy, so we stayed just long enough to take a couple of pictures before running back to the warmth in the Jeep. Our journey then continues towards the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve. There’s a checkpoint just before reaching Quetena Chico. Everyone has to register here with their passport and pay the 150 BOB ticket. There’s also a stamp here which you can put on your passport.

We then arrive at our lodging for the night just as the sun finishes setting. We unload our bags and settle down in our room while dinner is being prepared. The room is shared between the 5 people in our room. Dinner is served in the dining area around 7 PM. The lights are kept on until around 9 PM so we spent some time playing cards with the other travelers until then. Once it’s lights out, you have to use a torch or the flashlight from your phone to get around as there are no lights in the rooms or outside. The bathrooms are also in another building so you have to step outside to get to the other building if you need the toilet or want to have a shower. It’s quite cold in the room but there are several blankets and our tour provided us with sleeping bags as well. This was enough to keep us warm throughout the night. Facilities are rudimentary but comfortable enough a place to get a good night’s sleep.

La Paz – Highest Capital in the World

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 21:05:00 +0000

We booked our tickets from Copacabana to the Bolivian capital La Paz for 25 BOB¹ each from a tour agency in Copacabana. The bus left at 6.30 PM and the seats on the bus were comfortable enough for the 4-hour journey. We saw that it’s also possible to buy a ticket directly from the bus driver when boarding, which is probably a little cheaper. It took about an hour to reach Tiquina where everyone has to get off the bus and get on a boat to cross the Strait of Tiquina. It was dark and a little chilly so make sure you wear warm clothing. The bus crosses on a ‘ferry’ which looks like a large makeshift wooden boat. It’s amazing and scary to see how they carry the buses across the strait. It takes some time for the bus to cross over and there’s no indoor seating area to wait in. Some street vendors were selling hot drinks and snacks which you can get while you wait. The whole process isn’t very well organized. We asked where to wait for the bus and we were just told to wait at the corner of the street. There doesn’t seem to be any signposted area of where the bus picks us up so we just joined the group of people we saw who got off the bus with us. Once the bus came, it was another 2-hours 30-minutes to La Paz. We arrived at around 10.15 PM and the bus stopped at the terminal by the cemetery rather than the main terminal. It was dark and deserted, so we quickly ordered an Uber³ to take us to our hotel in the the Witches Market. Once we checked in, we just went to bed to get up early to explore the city the next day.

The City and Finding Tours

Our hotel was located in the Witches Market area. We went for a walk around and other than arts and crafts shops, we found several restaurants and tour agencies. There is also the general market in the area to buy fresh produce and also market restaurants if you’re looking for cheaper and more authentic dishes. As you walk around the city you’ll notice most of the locals are indigenous. You’ll especially see several ‘Cholitas’ who are known to be hard-working indigenous women. They are the ones selling produce in the markets and you’ll see them carrying their merchandise and kids everywhere. One of the tourist attractions is ‘Cholita’ wrestling in El Alto where most of the indigenous people live. We had 2 more days in La Paz so after some breakfast, we went to look for tours. We chose to go on a Death Road bike tour (380 BOB each) the following day and then on our last day, we decided to visit the Moon Valley without a tour. It’s worth noting that all the tour agencies we went to charge a credit card fee, so it’s worth taking cash out if you don’t want to pay an extra 3-5 percent for the fee. With those two days sorted, we went back to our hotel since we saw they had a city walking tour at 2 pm for 65 BOB.

Walking Tour

The meeting point for the tour was at Plaza Murillo which is close to the Witches Market. It was a small group of around 7 people and the guide took us to several tourist sites in La Paz. The highlight was the journey she took us on to El Alto. This was particularly interesting since she took us via public transport. So it’s a great way to learn how to take the combis⁴, which are like minivans that the locals take to move around the city. Also, to get to El Alto, she showed us how to take the cable cars and told us the prices and what would be most convenient for us. Overall it’s a great way to learn about and get around the city like a local. She also gave us a great recommendation for a Harry Potter themed restaurant called Avada Kedavra which we checked out in the evening.

Copacabana – Bolivian Lake Titicaca

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 18:07:00 +0000

From Puno, we took an early morning bus departing at 7 AM. The bus agency provided pick up from our hotel picking us up at around 6.40 AM. It’s only a 5-minute drive to the terminal, but before boarding the bus you have to go to the terminal stall to pay the terminal fee of 1.50 PEN⁵. We were the last people that boarded and the bus left promptly. En-route to the border, the bus operator announced that there’s a 2 PEN toll charge per person and there’ll be a stop at a currency exchange place. We were annoyed by this since we weren’t told about this when we bought our tickets and had spent all our PEN the day before. We spoke with the bus operator and he said we can pay in BOB⁶ as well. It took about an hour and a half to get to the currency exchange place before the border where we changed some USD⁷ for BOB. It’s then another 15 minutes to the border where everyone has to get off and queue up for customs. It took about an hour to get through customs, walk across the border, and board the bus again. From the border, it’s then about another hour to Copacabana.

The Town and Finding Tours

We reached the town at around 11 AM and there is no proper terminal in Copacabana, so the bus dropped us off near the town center. Copacabana is smaller than Puno and we walked to our hotel which was about a 5-10 minute walk away. Our room wasn’t ready yet so we dropped off our bags and walked to the town center. At the central plaza, there are several stalls and a market in the area. On the main road leading to the lake, there are several tour agencies and restaurants. We started looking for island tours and we chose a tour for transportation to The Moon Island and The Sun Island. Since there is no terminal, we also asked the tour agencies about transportation to our next destination – La Paz. We found one for a bus leaving the next day at 6.30 PM after our tour, so we opted for this to save on spending another night in accommodation at Copacabana. Our final task was then to find out where we could get a SIM card to get data on our phones. This proved challenging but we managed to find an office for the national Telecomms company – Entel. Being a national company, this was the cheapest option with the SIM card costing 10 BOB and a top-up of 50 BOB for 2 GB of data. Once we had everything sorted, we went back to the hotel to rest for a bit. Then in the afternoon, we decided to hike up to a viewpoint at Cerro El Calvario just north of the town. It’s quite a tiring hike but the views of Copacabana and Lake Titicaca are amazing. We headed back down at around 5.30 PM and went to a lakeside restaurant to catch the beautiful sunset over the lake.

Isla De La Luna

The meeting point for the tour is at the docks and the departure was at 8.30 AM. We handed the tour ticket to the boat operator and boarded the boat. It took about 1-hour 20-minutes to get to the island and we were given about an hour to roam around. After getting off the boat, you’ll find the locals charging the entrance fee for the island. It costs 20 BOB and you’re given a receipt. We walked up for about 10 minutes to the temple of Iñaq Uyu and there was a guide there offering his services for tips. Once a group gathered around, he gave a history of the site and explained the temples. Once he’d finished giving out the info and taking questions, he went around the group gathering tips. It’s a small site and can be completed in under 20 minutes. Since we still had some time, we headed back via a detour to a viewpoint of the lake. It took about 20 minutes to walk there and then 10 minutes to head back to the pier via the beach.

Isla Del Sol

It takes about an hour to cross over to Isla del Sol. On the way, a guide offers his services and explains what he’s going to take us to see. This island is much bigger and it’s always best to go with a guide, so when he went around to collect the money we opted in for 25 BOB each. Once we reached the island, once again the locals are there to collect the entrance fee which is another 20 BOB. The guide then first takes you up to the ruins of the Templo del Sol. At the ruins, he points out a tunnel and explains that it’s believed to connect to the Isla de la Luna, but is closed off and hasn’t been fully excavated. He then takes us around the island for about 1-hour 30-minutes, stopping at some viewpoints until we arrive at a small village. In the village, he gives some history on a holy water fountain at the foot of the Inca Stairs. The village pier is where we take our boat back and we have about 40 minutes here to wait for the boat. The guide recommended a restaurant overlooking the lake to have some lunch while we wait. The boat arrived at around 2 PM to take us back to Copacabana, reaching the town at around 3.30 PM.

Puno – Peruvian Lake Titicaca

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 21:07:00 +0000

We bought a tour to visit the man-made Uros Islands and Taquile Island the day before. It’s a fairly early start with the tour agency’s minivan picking us up from our hotel at around 7 AM. Once everyone has been picked up, we were dropped off at the pier where the guide was waiting for us. We then boarded a speedboat and were off to the man-made floating islands of Uros. It’s a short 30-minute journey to these islands which are located 7 KM from Puno. We were allowed to head up to the roof of the boat to take pictures throughout the journey. Once at Uros, there are over 90 floating islands and we got off at one called Apu Kontiki. We were welcomed by the community who lived on that island who invited us to sit in the communal area. The guide then gives us some information on the schedule and overview of Uros. He mentions that it takes between 8 and 12 months to build an island and they have a lifetime of about 25 years.

The guide then lets the president (leader) of the island introduce himself in the Aymara language. The guide then tells us that 5 families live on the island totaling 20 people. Next, we’re told about how the islands are made from a combination of soil, roots, and leaves of the Lake Titicaca vegetation. The guide mentions that they eat the white part of the leaves and passed some around for us to try. These leaves are also used to build the houses and in their arts and crafts. They source the soil and roots 8 km from Uros between January and March when the soil naturally floats from the seasonal rise in water levels. The president then does a demonstration of how they cut and tie the soil blocks together. He then places layers of leaves on top and says they build the houses from dry leaves. The president then talks about the boats they have and mentions the larger one is for the tour groups. For food, they mainly fish or hunt birds. Legally, only they are allowed to consume the wildlife in Lake Titicaca. They then rely on money from tourism to buy food in the markets. Next, we are invited to visit the inside of one of the houses and walk around the island before heading to the capital island. The president offers to take you there on their larger tour boat, however, it’s not included in the tour so make sure you take some cash (5 PEN¹ each) if you’d like to take this boat. At the capital island, there is a viewpoint tower and also a Uros stamp which you can put on your passport. There’s also a stall to buy drinks and snacks before heading to Taquile.

The boat from Uros to Taquile takes 1 hour on the speedboat and we reached the island at around 11 AM. On the bigger boats, it takes up to 3 hours so make sure you ask what type of boat you’ll get before buying a tour. From the pier, we walk up to the main plaza for 30-45 minutes. It’s an uphill walk at over 4000 meters above sea level, so the guide sets meeting points to take breaks. We reached the main plaza at around noon and there happened to be a parade on that day. We were given about 30 minutes to wander around, so we found a way to get onto the roof of one of the buildings to look at the parade from there. There are also shops and street vendors selling drinks and snacks.

Once the group met up again, the guide took us to the lunch stop at one of the local restaurants. They took our orders and while we waited, the locals there gave a demonstration of how the men knit their hats. They said they are taught from very young and they knit it so tightly, that the hat has to be watertight. They first showed us how they wash the materials using a local plant. Everyone was in awe at how the wool went from a muddy brownish color to white in their process. They then show us how they add color and knit the hats. This is then followed by a dance demonstration and singing. They even invited people up to dance with them. With the pre-lunch entertainment over, the food arrived. After lunch, we walked another 20 minutes downhill to another pier which wasn’t as tiring as the way up. Our boat arrived at around 2.30 PM to pick us up and take us back to Puno. It took about an hour and a half to get back to Puno. The minivan was there waiting for us to take us back to the city center, however, we opted to stay at the pier to browse the local stalls. It’s only a 15-20 minute walk back to the city center from the pier.

Puno – Lakeside City and Ruins

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 21:35:11 +0000

The Puno Terminal is next to the lake and about a 20-minute walk to the city center or a 5-minute taxi ride. Since it was early around 8 AM and we were tired, we decided to take a taxi to our hotel in the city center for 4 PEN¹. When we reached the hotel, we were told our room wasn’t ready yet, so we left our bags there and went for a walk. There are several restaurants and cafes around the Plaza de Armas and Pino Park. We grabbed some breakfast there and then walked to the terminal to buy tickets for our next destination – Copacabana. Next, we walked up to the pier but all the stalls here were still closed so we walked back to the city center. On the way back we came across a street market selling foods and all kinds of merchandise. There’s also a small shopping mall with a cinema near Pino Park. For tours, the Plaza de Armas and Pino Park have several agencies in the area. We opted to do an afternoon tour of Sillustani (33 PEN) later that day and then a full-day tour of Uros and Taquile Islands (55 PEN) in Titicaca the following day.

Sillustani

The tour bus left at 2 PM near the tour agency’s office around the Plaza de Armas. We stopped at a viewpoint about 15 minutes into the journey. It’s a great viewpoint where you get a panoramic view of Puno and Lake Titicaca. It was a quick 10-minute stop here before continuing to Sillustani for another 30 minutes. Once at the site, the park officials check the tickets which the guide takes care of. From the parking lot to the site entrance, there are several arts and craft stalls set up by the locals. The guide told us not to stop there yet and we’ll have time at the end of the tour to browse through the stalls. It’s a short 5-minute walk to the site, but Sillustani is at over 3800 meters above sea level, so it can be tiring if you’re not used to the altitude.

Once at the site, the guide takes you around giving information on the ruins. There are several circular towers believed to have been tombs for the elite of the pre-Incan Qulla people. The height of the towers varies as well as how they have been built. After the Inca conquered the region, they continued building these towers so you can witness the mastery of their precisely fitted stonework in contrast to the older smaller towers. The site is quite open without many restrictions for you to roam around after the guide finishes his talk. With the site being on a peninsula in Lake Umayo, you can get some great views of the lake. Before the sun starts to set, we start making our way back to the bus at around 4.30 PM. On the way back we had time to check out the merchandise at the stalls. It was then about a 45-minute drive back Puno where everyone was dropped off near the Plaza de Armas.

Alausi – Tren Nariz del Diablo

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 10:48:45 +0000

Tren Ecuador is the restored tourist railway service between the capital Andean city of Quito and the coastal city of Guayaquil. Fully completed by 1908, it was considered an audacious project at the time due to the treacherous geological terrain of the Andes. La Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose), is the highlight of the trip where the train traverses a 500-meter vertical rock face. The mountain was thought to be cursed by the devil who didn’t want the railway built, hence the name. Construction of the tracks at La Nariz del Diablo ended up taking the lives of over 2000 workers. The 1-way tour between Guayaquil and Quito and vice versa is a 4-day trip and costs 1000 USD¹. If you can afford it, then its probably a great experience on an award-winning luxury train. If not, then it’s still possible to experience the train ride through La Nariz del Diablo via the town of Alausi.

From Quito, it is approximately a 6-hour scenic drive through volcano avenue to Alausi. A strategic stop is Ambato which is a beautiful city for a quick visit; well known for their bread and rabbit dish. Alausi is a very well kept town which has recently been built up for tourism. Its people are very welcoming and friendly and the town has many local cafes, restaurants, and souvenir craft stores. There is a beautiful plaza in the town center and also a viewpoint with a statue of St. Peter overlooking the town. Another highlight is the picturesque iron bridge at the end of the town. The train enters Alausi via this iron bridge when coming from Quito and stops at the train station in the middle of the town. It’s possible to buy tickets on site, however, I’d advise booking online since you’d likely arrive in the evening/night when the ticket office is closed. The prices are also the same (33 USD) and the tour is quite popular so you risk it being sold out. Note that this price is for a return ticket despite it not being made very clear on the website. The best seats are on the right side of the train since it looks out towards the landscape whereas the left mainly faces the mountainside. However, if you get vertigo or are afraid of heights, the right side is probably not for you. There are several departure slots and its best to check their website in case times change.

We chose the 8 AM departure to get back before the midday sun. The journey takes about 45 minutes and the views are breathtaking. The landscape changes a number of times from traversing the adrenaline-inducing heights of ravines to cruising alongside the river Chanchán. The river produces a strong smell from the volcanic minerals it carries. You’ll also notice vertical railway tracks connected with cables. These were used for communicating signals between stations. When the train gets to the section of La Nariz del Diablo, the 500-meter descent begins. A pioneering method was used to achieve this making it one of the greatest engineering accomplishments at the time. The train travels across and when it approaches the end, an operator gets off and switches the tracks. The train then reverses in the other direction and the operator once again switches the track when it gets to the other side. This process is repeated which effectively sees the train zigzag to the bottom of La Nariz del Diablo. As the train approaches the town of Sibambe, you’ll go past some of the original carriages which are now in a decaying state. The train then goes just past Sibambe and stops at a viewpoint for pictures of La Nariz del Diablo. Despite getting backlight due to the sun being behind the mountain, the view was impressive. For better lighting, it’s better to take an afternoon departure.

The group is given about 15 minutes to take pictures before heading back to the town of Sibambe. In this town, the locals put on a folkloric dance show. At the end of their performance, they invite visitors to dance with them and show you a couple of dance steps. The group is then given around 30 minutes to buy souvenirs and visit the small museum outlining the history of the railway. There is also a cafe there to get some snacks and drinks. In the meantime, the locomotive makes a U-turn and is then attached at the other end of the train. So on the way back, if you were seated on the mountain side of the carriage, you’ll be seated there again. The journey back up to Alausi takes a little longer at around 1-hour.

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve – Days 3 & 4

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 22:34:59 +0000

On the third day, breakfast is served at 8 AM and we were scheduled to leave around 9.30 AM to go to the Indigenous settlement. We made stops when we spotted wildlife and reached the settlement around 11 AM. The people lived in wooden huts living off the land and hunting. A local lady showed us the process of making yuca bread. Yuca grows in the root like a tubercle. The women of the village are in charge of agriculture in the village whilst the men go hunting. Pulling out the root requires a lot of strength but the lady pulled it out with ease. She uses a machete to cut off the yuca from the root and makes an incision before handing it out to us to peel them. The root is replanted and it takes 48 hours for the leaves to grow again. It then takes 6-8 months depending on the climate for Yuca to grow again before it can be harvested.

The group then heads into the hut to wash our hands and then take turns in grinding the yuca. The lady then puts the ground yuca in a flat wood-like woven utensil. This utensil is called an anaconda by the locals as it uses a constriction method to squeeze out the water from the ground yuca. The lady wraps the utensil over the yuca and hangs it on a pole. She uses a stick to rotate and squeeze out the water into a container. This liquid can be used to make a chili sauce, soup, or even a face mask. The dried yuca now has a solid coconut-like like texture. It is placed on a sieve and everyone crumbles it and rubs it against the sieve to thin it out and make yuca flour. The lady then pours some of the flour onto a hot wood-fired plate. She spreads it evenly and presses it down with a wooden bowl to flatten it out. No oil, salt, or any other condiments are used, it is pure yuca. After a couple of minutes, the lady flips it over to cook the other side. The end product is a delicious tortilla shaped flatbread with a little crunch. Total prep time – approximately 45 mins. The locals have it with some hot sauce and make burrito like meals. We had it with the meal we’d been given at the lodge to take to the settlement.

We finished lunch around 1 PM and some of the local kids came to lay out handicrafts their families had made. There were necklaces, rings, and wristbands for sale. Following lunch, there was some time to play football with the locals. It got really hot in the afternoon and at around 2.30 PM everyone was exhausted so we took a dip in the river to cool off. The canoe came to pick us up around 3 PM and we head to the shaman’s village. We made a quick stop at a small village to buy some snacks and water. We got to the shaman’s village around 4 PM. The talk and demonstration with the shaman cost 5 USD¹ and lasted 1 hour. He mainly talks about his experience of becoming a shaman. There is also a demonstration of how to use a blow gun and an opportunity to fire one. He also asked for a volunteer who wanted their face painted with achiote. The last demonstration was of a ritual cleaning on a volunteer. After the talk, we headed back to Laguna Grande for the last sunset of the tour around 5.30 PM.

Day 4 - Homebound

The final day begins early in the morning to go out on the canoes for some bird watching at 6 AM. It had rained overnight so we didn’t see much and were back by 7.30 AM for breakfast at 8 AM. We left the lodge at 9 AM to go back to Lago Agrio. On the way back we came across a number of canoes by the shore. Turns out they had spotted an anaconda chilling on a tree and we got a chance to stop there for pictures. Due to heavy rainfall the night before, trees had fallen into the river so the driver had to accelerate over them. The canoe got stuck on one and we had to help out with getting the canoe back in the river. We had to be quick since another canoe could turn the corner and crash into us. We made it back to the main port by 12 PM to catch the bus back to the hotel meeting point where we’d parked the car.