We met our guide, Alejandro, at 5:00 AM for our trip to Sandoval Lake. The lodge packed each of us a “snack” – apple, tangerine, crackers, breakfast bar, juice box, candy, bottled water, as well as two avocado, tomato, and sliced boiled eggs sandwiches. We each donned a pair of rubber boots, were issued a walking stick, and then rode up the river to Tambopata National Preserve where we hiked 6 K through the jungle. Over roots, through mud, balancing on narrow paths around trees using sticks to hold us upright, until we reached the swampy bayou where we transferred to canoes.

Sandoval Lake is full of caiman, electric eels, piranha, leeches, otters. We encountered many birds and butterflies and were quite excited when we rowed into this little inlet to see and hear a family of howler monkeys. We were excitedly snapping pictures when all of a sudden, Rick said “Caiman”. With that, Alejandro immediately said “ROW!”. This black caiman was charging us – I swear the look in his eyes was SCARY! We booked out of that inlet and, as soon as we did, the caiman backed off. This guy was huge. Alejandro said black caiman are extremely territorial and they have been known to charge boats, whipping their tails up into the boat. Phew!

Our view from the raft

After the canoe ride, hiked back to the trail head and motor boated back to the lodge where lunch was waiting. After a couple of hours of downtime, our guide drove us up river a ways where mid-river, Rick, Mary Pat and I transferred into a rubber raft with paddles. They left us! While it seemed scary, it was actually very relaxing as the sun set while the current lazily carried the raft along. When we returned to the dock, we got into one of the lodge’s motorized craft for a caiman search after dark through the marshland off the river.

 
Dinner was a traditional Peruvian dish – Pachamanca, a traditional Andean dish dating back to the Incas that’s prepared using the earth as an oven. The meal is known as a pit roast and incorporates marinated meats wrapped in banana leaves and vegetables, such as potatoes, fava beans, and corn on the cob seasoned with fragrant herbs.  YUM!