The Peruvian Amazon is the area of the Amazon jungle included in the territory of Peru, from the east of the Andes to borders with Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia. This region comprises 60% of the country and is marked by a large degree of biodiversity. Peru has the second largest portion of the Amazon rain forest after the Brazilian Amazon.
Three-fifths of the Peruvian Amazon jungle is – tributaries of the river, covered with dense jungle. For travelers to the Amazon jungle – literally a dark forest. Civilization settles these places slowly, in the impenetrable jungle still live completely wild tribes.
DARK FOREST
According to legend, the Incas, the priests who saved the Spaniards their faith, left the mountains in the godforsaken jungle for Europeans. Indians still believe that somewhere far away in the jungle is the sacred city of the Incas Vilkobamba, which still kept the gold of a great empire, and every day the priests perform the ritual prayers. Spanish, of course, looking for gold, and in the jungle, but found nothing except disease and trouble in their hot heads.
By the way, opened the Amazon for civilization Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana, he gave her a name. Seeing the local beauties – the long-haired girl from the tribe yagua in straw skirts, Spanish soldier compared them against the mighty Greek warriors – the Amazons, hence the name of the mighty river. In the XIX century. Europeans and Americans are looking for in the impenetrable thickets of the Amazon is not gold, and rubber. The rubber boom fabulously enriched many people, but not local residents, in this life, they assigned one role – the role of slaves. But, despite centuries of oppression of all kinds of “pale-faced brothers”, today the local Indians are good-natured and friendly to tourists.
Most Peruvian territory is covered by dense Amazon forests on the east side of the Andes, yet only 5% of Peruvians live in this area. The Amazon rain forest covers more than 60 percent of Peruvian territory, more than in any other country except Brazil.
According to the Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon (Instituto de Investigaciones de la AmazonÃa Peruana, IIAP), the spatial delineation of the Peruvian Amazon is as follows:
Ecological criteria: 782,880.55 km² (60.91% of Peruvian territory and approximately 11.05% of the whole Amazon jungle).
Hydrographic criteria or basin criteria: 96,922.47 km² (75.31% of Peruvian territory and approximately 16.13% of the whole Amazon basin).
Get to your destination – Manu National Park – a big headache. First fly by plane from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, then go to the broken-down pickup truck to the colorful boat station, then a half hour speedboat rushing to the site – Ecology Reserva Amazonica. On the way to Puerto Maldonado to call in a colorful local market, some of it is occupied with their witch doctors drugs. Amazon region is home to health practitioners of alternative medicine. They say that all around the world here driven hopeless patients. In the market of selling snake venom for rheumatism, tincture from the plant kopaiba of cancer of the glands ointment turtles from sciatica, the juice of a rare vines to increase the potency of the medicine … is literally from any ailments, tourists Spezza – 10 salts for any bottle ($ 1 worth 3.24 pickling), for their own, of course, cheaper.
Our place of residence – Ecology, several bungalows with thatched roofs, it is located right on the banks of the river Madre de Dios, which means “river of snakes.” To creeping reptiles did not bother the guests, the grass in the lodge cut short, and a track lined with round wooden bars. Here, everything is done in order to bring your man to nature. Bamboo hut no glass windows, light (night light a kerosene lamp), even soap made by hand from natural ingredients. True, comfortable bungalows, there are still only water in the shower is heated by the sun. Above each bed canopy hangs necessarily – from flying pests.
In the evening, the first acquaintance with the jungle under the supervision of an experienced guide. On a palm tree next to the bungalow – nest of giant spiders, tarantulas (quietly, gentlemen, if you do not touch it, do not bite), a little further on the tree large growths – home of termites. Slightly smash the crust – and a large family of pops out. Termites – a treat not only for the anteaters and monkeys, people also eats them for both cheeks, taste – sour, like lemon candy.
Light the lanterns and slowly moved into the forest, looking at an unfamiliar world. Here is a tree that is not even five of girth, this whimsical flowers of the long form, one of them can get only hummingbird nectar – its beak perfectly follows the shape of a flower. And this tree “walks” through the jungle in search of water: the roots, vines protrude above the ground about a half meters, and if the drought, they are drawn to the water and the tree slowly moves.
Spectacular tourist attraction – a hike in the tops of trees. At a height of 30 m laid rope trail (as much as 400 m.) Getting over the top of one of the giant tree to the other by swinging bridges, can be seen from the top of the bustling life of rare tropical birds and squirrels.
There are a lot of wild monkeys
Ecology neighboring island called Monkey Island, and completely wild. Brown capuchins welcome guests, but only if they bring something tasty. Guides feed the monkeys do not recommend: the behavior of wild animals can not be predicted, can easily bite. Monkey in search of treats deftly jump on his shoulders, throwing your tail. And here it is important not to smile, not to show small animal teeth. The broad white-toothed smile on the monkey language means aggression.
The next evening, my friends and other inhabitants of Ecology set off in search of caimans. Long search is not necessary. Back down to sit in the boat alight Beach spotlight – in the bush gleaming eyes, which are small crocodiles – caimans. One, the largest, lazily flops into the water, and very little can be easily caught by hand.
To Lake Sandoval from the lodge to get the chaise – first in the boat, then walking through the jungle, next to an Indian canoe on overgrown vines ducts. Palm trees are growing around the lake, they say, on the water, in their crowns hum with life – loudly shout toucans, bats sleep in the trees, comfortably sitting upside down. Suddenly out of the water near the boat suddenly appears snake head. Girls begin to scream, but the guide calm – it’s just a bird, a snake that no danger to humans is not.
Kui and coca
In Peru, we had the pleasure to taste a local delicacy with a funny name “Kui” – roast guinea pig. Animal in these parts are fried, stewed, served to the table whole or cut into pieces. Strike while the taste is similar to our chicken tobacco, only very old and toschenkogo. Guinea pigs are also called rabbit Andes. Strike while the Indians not only the food, but a part of the ritual, it is used by shamans for their “medical” experiments. Medicine man under the spell wears animal around the patient, then closer, then Delete. After the ritual pig rips and, as we are assured, her internal organs are printed all human disease. Thus, the magician puts an accurate diagnosis and then to prescribe medication. This here is a kind of X-ray or ultrasound.
Indispensable attribute of Indian life – coca leaves. It is for us zelenenky leaf-like Lavrushka – the embodiment of evil, raw material for cocaine, and the Indians on – part of the culture and traditions. Indians chew coca leaves as the cud, it gives them the strength dulls hunger. Traveler Amerigo Vespucci saw the Caribbean Indians, wrote in his report: “All of the islanders swollen cheeks from some green plants, which they chew like a cow.” A Spanish conquistadors came to Cuzco in 1533, themselves quickly addicted to the green gum.
Indian women chew coca leaves during childbirth, to dull the pain. Brewed and drunk coca tea instead: it is a good tonic. Indians use coca in rituals speculating on the leaves, put in the coffin of the dead. When the young man woos the girl, he gives a gift to his father of the bride coca leaves.
Sell ​​coca to compete in markets (by weight) and in supermarkets – in disposable bags, like tea “Lipton.” Tourists drink tea with pleasure – exotic! Those who expect extraordinary results, are disappointed: no drugs from the “mate de coca” does not occur. To get one pure gram illegal drug dealers have to process several hundred pounds of leaves. But our customs “zametut for transporting drugs” even a single leaf to the herbarium, or as a souvenir. Best avoided.
Than the heart to calm down
Night at the Ecology comes Shaman medicine man. In appearance it is a regular guy in a T-shirt Asser, but with a very stern expression. He wonders to tourists on coca leaves, predicting the fate, “writes” his Amazonian recipes.
For us guessing on coca leaves – fun to play. Only our guide is very worried, “Do not laugh, this is serious!” I sit down to a shaman first, his hand pick a few leaves, and the sorcerer begins lay them as maps. One green leaf suddenly flies far ahead.
– There will be a problem? – I’m worried.
– There is no problem that you can not solve, – said the sorcerer, – because you are very strong.
Are heard giggling behind my friends, but the laughter quickly ends when the shaman begins to tell us these details from his personal life, of which we ourselves are afraid to admit. Then the shaman, inquiring about diseases and problems, each is assigned a personal remedy. Do not forget about his many relatives: mother – a bottle of muddy, but nice-smelling liquid from a migraine (witch doctor advises to rub into the scalp during attacks), her husband – Amazonian ginseng as “Poppy” to raise the tone, and for the beloved (no joke !) law – snake venom for rheumatism. Incidentally, in Moscow shamanic drugs were a great success, the effect was better than the expensive pharmaceutical drugs.
‘m Leaving myself a shaman with a bottle of tincture of seven roots:
– If you’re going to take a drink every morning, the forces will be added three times and no sickness you will not be scary – admonishes sorcerer.
Who would refused such treatment! All our way: in the morning took – the whole day is free!
Useful information:
Before the trip, a must be vaccinated against dengue fever, and still always use mosquito repellent (best buy spray and keep applying it to the skin, hair, clothes).
It is advisable to take a preventive measure against malaria pills. Peruvian Amazon region – only the beginning jungle, so the threat of tropical diseases is, but it is small.
To get to Peru preferred airline will “Iberia” (with a stopover in Madrid) and KLM (with a stopover in Amsterdam).
On board the local Peruvian airline operates a strict prohibition. If the flight attendant only uchuet the used cup smell of brandy or gin, you can not avoid trouble.
The Peruvian Amazon is traditionally divided into two distinct ecoregions:
The lowland jungle (in Spanish Selva Baja) is also known as Omagua region, Walla, Anti, Amazonian rainforest or Amazon basin. This ecoregion is the largest of Peru, standing between 80 and 1000 meters above sea level. It has very warm weather with an average temperature of 28°C, high relative humidity (over 75%) and yearly rainfall of approximately 260 cm (100 in). Its soils are very heterogeneous but almost all have river origins, and due to high temperatures and high rainfall they are poor soils with few nutrients. It contains long and powerful rivers such as the Apurimac, Mantaro, Amazon, Urubamba, Ucayali, Huallaga, Marañón, Putumayo, YavarÃ, Napo, Pastaza, Madre de Dios, Manu, Purus, Yurua and rio Tigre. The Apurimac River is the Amazon River’s greatest contributor. Close to the city of Iquitos, the main city in the region Loreto and the main city to know Peruvian Amazon, there are two Natural Reserves, ideal beautiful areas to get contact with the forest: the Pacaya Samiria Reserve and the Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve.
The highland jungle (in Spanish Selva Alta) is also called Rupa-Rupa region, Andean jungle, ceja de selva. This ecoregion extends into the eastern foothills of the Andes, between 1000 to 3800 m above the sea level. The eastern slopes of the Andes are home to a great variety of fauna and flora due to the different altitudes and climates within the region. Temperatures are warm in the lowlands and colder in higher altitudes. There are many endemic fauna because of the isolation caused by the rugged terrain of this area.