Monthly Newsletter - April 2009

Our Costa Rica For Less Manager, Stephanie Byrd, took advantage of the Semana Santa holiday with a trip to the bustling town of Iquitos. Located on the edge of the Amazon River deep in the jungle near the border with Colombia and Brazil, this is the world’s largest city (370,000 inhabitants) that can be accessed only by river or air. Stephanie was headed for the popular and luxurious hideaway lodge: Ceiba Tops.

Day #1: Arrival to the city of Iquitos
We arrived in Iquitos on Thursday evening where we were transferred from Iquitos airport to Hotel Acosta, located a short two blocks from the main square (or ‘Plaza de Armas’ as it is referred to in all major Peruvian cities). On our way to the hotel we were given a short tour of the city’s highlights by our driver before dropping off our bags and heading out to explore the main square and tangle of riverfront bars, restaurants and tourist shops that form downtown Iquitos. One pleasant surprise about the city center was that Iquitos is surprisingly uncluttered by the fast food chain restaurants that one usually finds in most other Peruvian cities. We enjoyed a delicious meal at a quaint and romantic Italian restaurant right between the Plaza de Armas and the riverfront, malecon, or promenade. The food was excellent and very reasonably priced. We returned to our hotel early to get a good night’s rest before embarking on our Amazonian adventure early the next day. Hotel Acosta is the perfect choice if your time in Iquitos is limited. While the hotel doesn’t offer amenities such as a pool, etc. as offered by establishments such as the Dorado Plaza or the Victoria Regia, the Acosta offers a convenient location, AC, cable, private bathrooms, a mini bar, a comfortable bed and very clean accommodations.

Day #2: Arrival to Ceiba Tops in the Amazon Rainforest
The delicious breakfast provided by Hotel Acosta was the perfect start to our Amazon adventure. A spread of toast, scrambled eggs, fresh fruits, ham, coffee, tea and fresh fruit juices greeted us early and piping hot before the prompt arrival of our Ceiba Tops car at 8 AM. We took a short bus ride with other passengers to the dock of the Ceiba Tops’ fleet where we boarded our speed boat and took the 40-something kilometer journey on the Amazon River to the luxurious jungle hideaway nestled in the tropical rainforest. Having stayed at a jungle lodge previously, I was surprised at the modern touches offered by Ceiba, which included a huge dining and bar area with plenty of fans, a living room area with Internet access, a large and shaded outside sitting area full of tables, chairs, and plenty of hammocks…and of course the grand pool with a slide and a whirlpool! The lodge somehow skillfully manages to maintain a rustic feel through its architecture with wooden finishes and indigenous decorations without sacrificing any modern creature comforts! Rooms are cozy with oversized beds and private large baths, standard amenities including both AC and a ceiling fan plus lots of lighting.  What’s more, all of these services are accessible by switches at the head of your bed! We had a brief introduction with Armando, our expert guide, as we sipped on a fresh tropical juice. A wonderful lunch of the ‘dorado’ fish, fresh from the river, accompanied by a delicious salad, rice, lentils and plenty of fruits and vegetables was followed by some free time and then a two hour hike through the Ceiba Tops reserve which proved to be a special treat of discovering frogs, insects, beautiful bromeliads and monkeys (among others) in their natural habitat! More leisure time to relax by the pool was followed by another delicious meal of pineapple-glazed chicken. A show of dances offered by a local community youth group and a delightful concert by Ceiba’s musical group, White-Bellied Frog, was the evening’s live entertainment. Next, all families and groups of friends gathered in the lounging area with rather worn-out games of Scrabble and Monopoly provided by the hotel, sipping on cocktails offered by the friendly bartenders.

Day #3: River Life
Today we awoke to a gourmet buffet breakfast of omelettes, fresh breads and fruits, cereal, yogurt and granola, all washed down by a choice of numerous tropical juices, teas and coffee. We boarded our Ceiba Tops motor boat at around 8:30 AM in search of the native pink and grey river dolphins- a tourist favorite- which are only found at the point where two rivers intersect and merge. Four boats in total were in the area this morning, all bobbing together in each other’s wake and continuously scanning the water surface in search of a trademark pink fin. Finally, they arrived. Unlike sea dolphins, these do not appear at the surface as often and rarely let their entire bodies be visible at once. However, we felt satisfied with the up-close encounters we had with these magical Amazonian creatures. It was truly amazing to be so near!

Next we headed off to the indigenous village of the Yagua community, where we were warmly greeted by a gathering of both children and village elders – there was even a toucan there to greet us, spotted by our guide of course! Our guide explained some of the local culture and customs while the villagers prepared themselves for a performance of some traditional dances. Then, the elders performed a blowgun demonstration and the more adventurous tourists among us were even allowed to take their hand at this deadly (and tricky) hunting technique! The experience was quite an eye-opener to the antiquated customs and styles of living that still in practice throughout Peru. We made it back to the lodge in time for a delicious lunch and spent the afternoon’s leisure time at the poolside with Cleaver, Ceiba Top’s pet macaw who has quite a personality and loves to ham it up for the camera! We decided to skip our afternoon fishing tour and took it easy, saving our energy for the exciting canopy walk tour planned for the next day. Pasta and fish were on the menu for our buffet dinner which is almost always served personally by the lodge’s founder and owner Peter Jensen. The service is amazing and Peter himself helps to clear the table and refill our glasses with more fresh water.

Day #4: Amazonian Canopy Walk & Canoeing the River Edge
After a very early start (and even before breakfast) we boarded yet another Ceiba speed boat for  a long journey that crossed the Amazon and Napo Rivers and finally arrived at ExplorNapo (one of the 4 lodges owned by Peter and his partner). The ride was truly amazing and we were able to see small groupings of traditional homes along the way as well as the breathtaking meeting of the vast rivers, which is so wide that it gives one the sensation of being in the middle of the ocean rather than a river! At ExplorNapo (a much more rustic lodge than the luxury Ceiba Tops) we were welcomed, in the typical Ceiba manner, with a delicious breakfast of potatoes, eggs, fruit and toast before we headed one mile into the jungle for the famous Ceiba Canopy Walkway, enjoying the opportunity to spot a lot of wildlife along the way. The longest canopy walkway in the world, this amazing structure spans 1/3 of a mile and is connected by numerous tree platforms. Reaching a height of 115 feet, this was quite an adventure, especially if you have a fear of heights! Also, plenty of bug spray is highly recommended! This tour is an optional Ceiba Tops adventure and I would highly recommend speaking with your travel advisor about reserving a space.

We took a boat back to the lodge, that traversed through such a swampy area that myself and my fellow travelers at times felt like we were on a ride at Universal Studios, but this was far more real!  Our lunch was a popular Peruvian chicken dish of Aji de Gallina was followed by some relaxation time in the lodge’s hammocks. The next tour planned was a visit the "ReNuPeRu" Ethno-botanical Garden where over 240 medicinal plants are cultivated by a local shaman who explains to any willing student the nature of Amazonian medicinal healing and the various uses of some of the more common plants. Enticed by the canoes lining the dock of the lodge (and having taken a similar tour in Puerto Maldonado), we decided to learn to canoe for a few hours…which proved to be quite challenging and a great workout! The afternoon found us boarding our vessel for the journey back to Ceiba…in the pouring tropical rain! Despite the choppy conditions we made it back to the lodge safely and in one piece, thanks to the excellent maneuvering skills of our captain! Nap time was followed by cocktails in the hammock area where we had the opportunity to chat with a veteran Ceiba employee about the most exciting wildlife spottings over the years. Our last Ceiba dinner proved to be just as delicious as the first and we called it an early night in order to fully take advantage of our final day’s adventures.

Day #5: Monkey Island & a Sad Return to Lima
Breakfast was followed by a short trip to the nearby ‘Monkey Island’, a refuge for rescued simians. As a special treat, we were even lucky enough to catch one last glimpse (and a lucky photo) of the pink and gray dolphins on our way to the island. Once we arrived we were greeted by the playful Lucho, the island’s primate ‘guard’/unofficial welcoming committee. To our surprise, he jumped right into the boat and even into our laps as many more fellow monkeys followed him on board! All the different resident species of the island then came out of the woodwork after our arrival and put on a magnificent show. They played with us and allowed us to feed them right out of our hands. I made a special friend named Rusa, a red monkey who loves to be held…so much so that she even begins to cry if you put her down! Rusa spent the majority of the time perched on my shoulders and wrapped around my neck, which made Jose (another character) jealous for my attention, at one point even trying to steal my camera! This is another ‘extra’ offered by the lodge and truly worthwhile to book! I had never been so close to these creatures…and certainly not as many species all at the same time. There are over 60 on the island: of various size, color and age. We were absolutely blown away and couldn’t take enough pictures! Rusa was just as sad for me to leave as I was. We bode them all farewell and headed back to Ceiba. A pisco sour and an hour by the pool was the perfect ending to an amazing Amazonian adventure. We packed our bags and ordered a lunch of Peruvian lomo saltado as our last meal before taking the boat back to the airport and civilization. Our guide, Armando, accompanied us to the very end of our journey. Overall, we were more than impressed by the comfortable accommodations, fun and educational excursions, and delicious cuisine that Ceiba Tops had to offer. And the hospitality was first rate-making this an adventure of a lifetime… and definitely a magical memory!

By
Stephanie Byrd

If you have any questions regarding his article, please write to her at: stephanie@costaricaforless.com

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• Newsletter March 2009
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