Today was a really happy day because I met two local guides from Lima: Gerardo and Milagros. They were visiting Iquitos too, so we got the chance to get in touch and go on this adventure together. Also, I got great news my grandmother, Clara, came to visit me on Iquitos! So, she joined us three to this particular trip we had on the Peruvian jungle.
We met in Bellavista Nanay Square at 9am for breakfast; fun fact is that Bellavista Nanay is better known as Nanay because of the name of the river which crosses it. In this area, you’ll find a market full of fruits, food such as grilled fishes, crocodile or “lagarto” - as it’s called locally- , grill sweet bananas called “maduro”, grilled salty bananas called “patacones”.
And a very famous and exotic dish named “suri”, a worm that can be eaten grilled or for the brave ones RAW. Many people like my grandmother, think is disgusting to eat Suri, but actually is rich on nutrients and it taste really good if you forget that is a kind of fat worm.
You just have to close your eyes and chew it all! Milagros, Gerardo and I tried it, it was, as Gerardo said, “soft like chicken but with a small crunchy part at the end”. I recommend it to try it, though I probably just have it as a onetime experience.
After exploring the market, we took a public boat to “Barrio Florido”, which is a place across the river Nanay where you can find lots of different animals and things to watch. The trip cost 3 soles each (less than 1dollar) and we sailed for about 30 minutes. Oh, by the way, did I mention that we were sailing on the Amazon River too! Nanay ends on the Amazon River. The trip was nice and calmed, we were laughing, taking pictures, and we see the beautiful landscape where The Amazon river became a mirror of the sky and the forest, such an amazing view! Once, we arrived to “Barrio Florido” we drank “masato”, a white juice made of a root called “yucca”.
After that, we started our adventure on foot, heading to a place called “Fundo Pedrito” which is a property with lots of attractions inside, such as crocodiles, “paiches” which are big fishes who can measure almost 2 meters long, piranhas and so on.
You can see how we feed the cocodriles in this video =0
Other new finding was a special plant named “Victoria Regia”, a very rare aquatic plant with a beautiful round form.
When it comes to cost, Fundo Pedrito ask for 20 soles each, though, my grandmother didn’t pay because she is more than 60, and according to Peruvian laws, third age people shouldn’t have to pay, but, this was a lucky shot so be careful with it. Continuing with our adventure, we took a “motokar” for 4 soles each, to see the “Lupuna”, a 200 year old tree. When we get to see it I felt so small and out of my era. It made me think that we were lost in a prehistoric world, the tree was enormous and had beautiful details in its branches and roots. One of them even looked like a big heart! Of course we tried to climb it, but it was very difficult.
So, we continue our journey to our next stop “Paradise Green”, a lodge located in the middle of the jungle. We got there with 2 more soles each with the same motokar driver. When we arrived, at the beginning we thought nobody lived there because we only saw a big empty valley with no sound of people, music or nothing at all. Because of the extreme silence, we took that as an opportunity to play and we started screaming to the valley, the echo we received was so clear and loud that Gerardo, Milagros and I made ourselves a funny video of the Bart and Millhouse charade of “where is Bart?”, we recommend you to do it, we laugh so hard (and the echo laugh with us too).
Although we four enjoyed Paradise Green, we got some problems taking my grandma there. The entrance is located far down the valley and the access doesn’t have a rout with ramps or handrails, so, if you want to take your grand papa or grandma there, think twice (though they are going to love it).
At the time we arrived we were really hungry, but we didn’t lose the opportunity to go and catch some fish for our own. Paradaise Green has a small lake full of fish, so, they let us catch our food with a small fishing rod.
Gerardo and I fished two “gamitanas” for our lunch (18 soles), but, if you are not that into fish, my grandmother and Milagros asked for grilled chicken at the same price.
After that delicious lunch, we explored the place; there were some animals, a small river to swim and a soccer court (you can rent a ball for 3 soles all day).
Gerardo and I swam in this private river, and tried (failing epically) to sail together in a small boat we found.
A fun experience! Meanwhile, my grandmother and Milagros preferred to chill in the hammock playing with the talking parrots (did I mention the talking parrots?).
We didn’t pass the night, but it looked like a great idea because you can rent a personal lodge for 50 soles the night or, if you are more of the “vivid experience” guy or girl, there is one cheaper than the first called “aire abierto” for just 20 soles.
We returned to Puerto Nanay in Iquitos at 5pm. Happy, full of fun experiences and things to remember.
I want to say thank you to Gerardo and Milagros and I hope to share with you guys in any part of this world. See you around crazy local guides!
of how to move in new places.