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vaexpeditionsperu · 2 years

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6 Best Places to Explore with Peru’s Top-Rated Tours

Do you know there are many stunning places and destinations to explore in Peru? Consider booking customized Peru top-rated tours to discover the best places conveniently. Most travelers include Peru on their bucket list for its breathtaking landscape and diverse cultures. If you are looking for an authentic experience, consider a Peru trip that can savor your travel appetite.

Here are the best places to visit in Peru by booking customized and well-planned tours!

1. Discover One of the World’s Archaeological Wonders - Machu Picchu

The Peru tour is not complete without exploring Machu Picchu. The city of Machu Picchu is a historical place in Peru. It is famous among travelers from all across the globe. The Inca Trail hike is the best way to reach Machu Picchu while enjoying a stunning landscape view en route.

A visit to Machu Picchu can leave you with a lasting impression.

2. Visit A UNESCO World Heritage Site- Cusco

On your Peru trip, consider visiting Cusco city. The UNESCO World Heritage Site- Cusco is in the southeastern region of Peru.

The relaxing charm of Cusco city draws international visitors. Visit Cusco city to immerse yourself in its unwinding beauty.

Some of the best attractions to explore on your visit to Cusco:

Sacsayhuaman

Coricancha

Plaza de Armas

Cusco Cathedral

Inca complex

Cusco is a must-visit destination included in every Peru tour package.

3. Explore a Stunning Place in Peru- Lima

Do you know Lima in Peru is the world’s second driest region? Lima is home to the best museums, temples, and art galleries. The Capital city of Peru- Lima, has an aesthetic beauty of pre-Columbian art and a Cathedral.

You can savor Peru’s diverse delicacies in Lima. See the world’s largest fountain complex, discover the Monastery of San Francisco, and learn about pre-Colombian art while exploring Lima.

4. See a Picturesque Blue Water Backdrop- Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is between the borders of Bolivia and Peru. The beautiful lake has many historical ruins around it. The best things to do at Lake Titicaca are:

Island hopping

Boating

Lake Titicaca is one of the best cultural places having dramatic scenery that attracts many travelers.

5. Witness an Untamed Amazon Rainforest

Peru is one of the nine countries where the mighty Amazon Rainforest jungle stretches. Come to witness the most complex ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest. The beautiful Amazon Rainforest is home to countless flora and fauna species.

You can spot some of the rare animal species in the Amazon Rainforest, like:

Spider monkeys

Golden Tamarin

Pink River Dolphin

Embrace the wild Amazon Rainforest for unique experiences during your Peru tour.

6. Experience Visiting the Mystical Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley has a timeless beauty, which makes it one of the best places to visit in Peru.

A visit to the Sacred Valley helps you see the massive agricultural lands once cultivated by the Incans. The Sacred Valley’s highlight is the Ollantaytambo. It is a well-preserved Inca temple and fort.

Peru has unmatched beauty and stunning destinations with historical or cultural essence! The best way to explore the magnificent places is by booking well-planned Peru top-rated tours from VA Expeditions. Our travel specialist can enhance your Peru travel experience with expert guidance and consultation. Contact us at 1 – (888) 803 8004 to get more information about the best Peru tour packages!

#Peru Tour #Travel #Peru Top rated tours

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skippyv20 · 4 years

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Beautiful forests around the world

Sagano Bamboo Forest, Kyoto, Japan. Shutterstock

Forests cover 31% of the Earth’s land surface, and there are three distinct types: tropical, temperate, and boreal (taiga). From the otherworldly Dragon’s Blood Forest in Yemen to Hawaii’s magical Rainbow Eucalyptus Forest, these vastly different woods showcase the world’s unique beauty in singular ways.

The Amazon Rainforest. Shutterstock

The Amazon is 1.4 billion acres of forests and reaches countries like Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia. Within this dense forest, there are 4,100 miles of rivers. But the rainforest isn’t just a natural beauty, it’s also important to the health of the entire planet. According to World Wildlife, “The rain forests, which contain 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon, help stabilise local and global climate.”

Pa Phru Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam. NavinTar/Shutterstock

The name Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam means “two-water canal." This ecological centre is known for its magnificent mangrove trees as well as its shockingly blue water — a colour that occurs when seawater mingles with freshwater at certain points in the tide cycle.

Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve. Dennis van de Water/Shutterstock

Tsingy, Madagascar’s "stone forest," offers one of the most unique landscapes in the world — rugged terrain characterised by karst formations, porous limestone that was carved over time by rainfall.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Tsingy is also home to a number of rare and threatened animals, including 11 lemur species and several species endemic only to the reserve, such as the lowland red forest rat.

Dragon’s Blood Forest. Shutterstock

At first glance, you might mistake Yemen’s Dragon’s Blood Forest, located on the islands of the Socotra archipelago, which became separated from mainland Arabia 34 million years ago, for an extraterrestrial landscape. In fact, 37% of Socotra’s flora are not found anywhere else in the world.

Sagano Bamboo Forest. Shutterstock

In Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, you’ll find one of the most unique forests in the world: the Sagano Bamboo Forest.

As you can imagine, the grove is a tranquil site — so peaceful, in fact, that Japan’s environmental ministry included the forest on its list of "100 Soundscapes of Japan," a compendium of the country’s most significant natural, cultural, and industrial noises.

Monteverde Cloud Forest. Getty Images

In Costa Rica, you’ll find the Monteverde Cloud Forest. A cloud forest is a tropical forest with a high elevation that makes for a misty environment — it’s one of Earth’s rarest habitats.

This mesmerising, 26,000-acre forest is home to several thousand species of plants and animals, including 500 bird species alone. You might also spot monkeys, pumas, and Costa Rica’s famous red-eyed tree frog.

Moss in the Hoh Rainforest, part of Olympic National Forest. kan_khampanya/Shutterstock

Exceeding 600,000 acres, the Olympic National Forest — located on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula — encompasses a variety of landscapes, from temperate rainforest to rugged mountains to coastal beaches.

One of four rainforests in the peninsula, the Hoh Rainforest — which gets between 12 and 14 feet of precipitation a year — is known for its gorgeous mossy terrain. You’ll also find moss hanging from the forest’s Sitka spruce and western hemlock trees (the latter is Washington’s state tree).

Otzarreta Forest. Shutterstock

Gorbeia Natural Park in Spain’s Basque Country is known for its ethereal forests, like Hayedo de Otzaretta ("hayedo” is Spanish for “beech tree”). The park takes its name from the titular peak that Basque mountaineers use as a reference point when they’re climbing the hills.

Taman Negara. Shutterstock

This forest is a whopping 130 million years old. Its 45-mile-high canopy walkway offers sweeping views of the forest. You can also trek through the trees on foot or observe the scenery aboard a river cruise.

Rainbow eucalyptus tree in Hawaii. Ilya Images/Shutterstock

Native to the Philippines, rainbow eucalyptus trees can be identified by their eye-catching bark that looks like it’s been painted. The tree’s inner bark layer revealed when the outer layer peels away, is a vibrant green that fades over time to produce a magical range of bright colours.

The Black Forest. Shutterstock

Germany's Black Forest is named for its impressively dense canopy of conifers. The forest itself may be dimly lit, but the broader Baden-Württemberg region, the birthplace of the cuckoo clock, is full of charming spa towns and resorts, such as Baden-Baden and Baiersbronn.

Sequoia National Park. welcomia/Shutterstock

The Sequoia National Forest is also known as the “land of the giants” because of its towering trees. At 103 feet wide and 275 feet tall, the General Sherman tree (named for Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman) is a giant among giants. It has been alive for an estimated 2,200 years. The sixth-largest giant sequoia, with a diameter of 35 feet and a height of 269 feet, is the 2,000-year-old Boole tree, which was named for the Fresno doctor who spared its life during a logging operation.

Hallerbos Forest. Shutterstock

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Another fairytale-esque forest is the Hallerbos Forest in Belgium. Known as “the blue forest,” Hallerbos is one of the last remnants of the Silva Carbonaria (“charcoal forest”), an ancient forest whose beech and oak trees formed a natural boundary between the West Frankish kingdom of Clovis and the East Frankish kingdom of Sigebert the Lame well into the Early Middle Ages.

Crooked Forest. Shutterstock

One of the world's most mysterious forests is the Crooked Forest (Krzywy Las) in Poland, whose 400 pine trees have a 90-degree bend at their base. Theories for how the trees got their unusual shape vary. Some posit that gravitational changes in the region caused the bending, while others attribute the crookedness to heavy snow that flattened the trees over time. Another, less likely explanation is that their shape was altered by hand.

The Sundarbans. Shutterstock

The Sundarbans, a group of low-lying islands in the Bay of Bengal, are home to the world’s largest continuous mangrove forest, which spans 140,000 hectares (about 540 miles). As the site of three wildlife sanctuaries, the forest has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tijuca National Park. Shutterstock

Beneath the gaze of Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue — which towers over the city atop Corcovado Mountain — you’ll find Tijuca National Park, one of the largest urban rainforests on the planet. Between its 30 waterfalls and famous mountain peaks (including Pedra Bonita, Pedra da Gavea and Pico da Tijuca), there’s no shortage of incredible sights.

Surprisingly, for such a lush forest, Tijuca is actually manmade. The land was once part of the Atlantic Rainforest, but was cut down and redeveloped by industrialists. In the 19th century, trees were replanted to protect the city’s water supply.

The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve. Shutterstock

Scotland’s Great Trossachs Forest, situated along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, is a "forest in the making" — there’s a wide-scale conservation effort to preserve the trees of the ruggedly beautiful Trossachs glen.

Types of species native to the region include conifers, broadleaves, and Atlantic oakwoods.

The Great Bear Rainforest. Dan Kosmayer/Shutterstock

Canada's Great Bear Rainforest — the sole habitat of the white-furred Kermode bear, a subspecies of black bear — is part of the world’s largest coastal temperate rainforest. Some of its most stunning natural features include fjords, granite cliffs, and glacier-capped mountains.

Thanks to a conservation agreement signed in 2016 between First Nations and the British Columbia government, the forest’s protected land has been expanded to 19 million acres.

Rātā Forest. Tupungato/Shutterstock

The rātā, a type of myrtle tree, is native to New Zealand. The dark and twisted trees are found on the North Island plays a vital role in bird ecology. They rarely exceed a height of 65.5 feet, and produce stunning red flowers around Christmas time.

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Amazing! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

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rjzimmerman · 6 years

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An aerial view of the of blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) over the Caquetá River.

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Located in the heart of the Colombian Amazon, Serranía de Chiribiquete park is a vibrant, biodiverse hotspot that has one of the highest rates of plant diversity in the northern Amazon and is home to thousands of species—many of which are threatened—including lowland tapirs, giant otters, giant anteaters, woolly monkeys, jaguars, and the Chiribiquete emerald hummingbird, the only endemic species in the Colombian Amazon.

In addition to its unique biodiversity, the protected area is culturally significant for indigenous communities and contains one of the oldest, largest, and densest archaeological pictographic complexes in the Americas. Fifty murals made up of more than 70,000 ancient paintings depicting animals, hunting, battle, and dancing—some more than 20,000 years old—can be found across the region’s many tepuis, table-top rock formations that rise out of the dense forest.

The park has been a protected area since 1989 and is the ninth World Heritage listing in Colombia, the second-most biodiverse country in the world after Brazil. Chiribiquete’s new designation will help strengthen protections around the park, providing critical buffers against deforestation throughout the Amazon’s essential wildlife corridors.

To prevent further destruction and to secure the natural resources within Colombia’s vital network of protected areas in the coming years, the Government of Colombia is working to manage Chiribiquete under an initiative called Heritage Colombia. Supported by WWF, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Protected Areas and Biodiversity Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Conservation International, and with initial funding from the German government, Heritage Colombia is a Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative that uses an innovative funding mechanism to increase the amount of land in Colombia’s protected areas while ensuring the land is properly governed.

#Colombia #Amazon basin #Serranía de Chiribiquete

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jhonnygj · 4 years

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Every Day is Earth Day with PlantSnap!

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ainawgsd · 7 years

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Uakari

Uakari is the common name for the New World monkeys of the genus Cacajao. The four species of uakari currently recognized are all found in the north-western Amazon basin. The uakaris are unusual among New World monkeys in that the tail length (6-7 in) is substantially less than their head and body length (16-18 in). Their bodies are covered with long, loose hair but their heads are bald. They have almost no subcutaneous fat, so their bald faces appear almost skull like. They are agile and active, capable of leaps of over 6 meters. They have been observed both in small groups and in larger troops of up to 100.

The bald uakari (Cacajao calvus) or bald-headed uakari is restricted to várzea forests and other wooded habitats near water in the western Amazon of Brazil and Peru. In general, the bald uakari has a long, shaggy coat ranging from white in color to red and its head is bald. Its scarlet red face is due to the lack of skin pigments and plentiful capillaries that run under its facial tissue. The bright red facial skin is a sign of good health and allows for the determination of a healthy mate. Due to the uakari's location, it is extremely common for these animals to contract malaria. Primates who have contracted the disease are noticeably paler and are not chosen as sexual partners as they do not have the desired natural immunity to malaria. There are four recognized subspecies of the bald uakari, each of which is considered vulnerable to extinction. Forest loss and hunting are the two most prominent threats to the bald uakari.

The golden-backed uakari (Cacajao melanocephalus) or black-headed uakari is native to north-western Brazil, south-eastern Colombia and south-western Venezuela, living in the Amazon Rainforest, especially in the seasonally flooded forests. The golden-backed uakari is characterized by a black haired head, black hairless facial skin, black lower limbs and hands, black soles on hands and feet, and a reddish hued flank, tail, and upper limbs.

The Aracá uakari (Cacajao ayresi), also known as the Ayres black uakari, is a newly described species of monkey from the northwest Brazilian Amazon. Until then, the black-headed uakari was the only species of mainly black uakari that was recognized. Very little is known about the Aracá uakari, but based on present knowledge it has the smallest distribution of all species of uakaris (possibly as small as 1,900–2,300 sq mi) and is the only one not found in any protected area. Although few people live within its very remote distribution, it is hunted; at least seasonally. It has been suggested it should be considered endangered, but it is currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

The Neblina uakari (Cacajao hosomi) or black-headed uakari, is a newly described species of monkey from the far northwest Brazilian Amazon and adjacent southern Venezuela. Several years before it was realized it represented an undescribed species (separate from the golden-backed uakari), it was studied in the Pico da Neblina National Park in Brazil. When combined with the adjacent Serranía de la Neblina National Park in Venezuela, a significant part of this uakaris distribution is within protected areas.

#animal abc's #U #uakari #bald uakari #black-headed uakari #amazon animals #south american animals #monkeys #source: google

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gosummerclass2020-blog · 4 years

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ASIA

Asia is the largest continent of our planet, both in size and also when we consider the population. The Asian continent includes 48 countries, that are members of the United Nations. The continent is located mainly in the eastern hemisphere and in the northern hemisphere.

Top 20 Asia Facts

1. There are 48 countries in Asia (see list on the right of the 10 biggest countries) that are recognised by the United Nations (Palestine, however, has 'only' observer status as it does not control the majority of the claimed land). Two of the Asian countries also share part of their territory on the European continent; these countries are Russia and Turkey.

2. More than 4.4 billion people live on the continent. Asia is thus the most populous continent.

3. Largest Country: Russia by landmass, even though roughly 40% of the country belongs to the European continent. China is the largest country by population. Did you know that in China as many people live as in Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America and Western Europe combined?

Tokyo is Asia's most populous city

4. Asia Facts - Largest City: Tokyo in Japan. With more than 38 million inhabitants Tokyo is the largest city and has the largest metropolitan area. This city has more inhabitants than the whole country of Canada!

5. Asia Facts - Smallest Country: Maldives. The Indian ocean country is one of the smallest countries in the world and Asia's smallest country. It consists of 26 coral atolls which in total consist of more than 1190 islands.

Orang Utan in Borneo

6. Biggest Island: Borneo in South-East Asia is also the third largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. The island belongs to three countries: Malaysia and Brunei in the north while Indonesia claims the southern part of the island. Borneo is home to vast rainforests and many animals only live on this island such as the Bornean Orang-Utan.

7. Longest River: Yangtze River is the longest on the Asian continent. It is in China and is 6,300metres/ 3,915miles long. The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world after the Amazon and the Nile.

Yangtze River

8. Highest Mountains: Mount Everest. The mountain is located in the Himalayan mountain range and the highest peak is 8,849metres/ 29,035ft high. The Himalayas between Nepal and China are the world's highest mountains.

Mount Everest in the Himalaya mountains

9. Asia Facts - Biggest Lake: Caspian Sea. The coastline is shared by five countries: Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran. The lake is also among the deepest lakes in the world with a maximum depth of more than 1,000m/3,300ft! Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is located at the Caspian Sea.

Baku at the Caspian Sea

10. Driest Place: The Gobi desert is the largest desert in Asia and the fifth largest desert in the world. This is a cold desert where the temperatures can be very low and sometimes even snow can occur.

Yurt in the Gobi Desert

A yurt is a typical round tent covered with mats or fabric and is built by the nomads living in and travelling through the Gobi desert.

11. Asia Facts: There are 12 landlocked countries in Asia. Among the landlocked countries in Asia are also Bhutan, Laos, Nepal and Mongolia that are located in the interior of the continent and do not have access to any ocean.

12. Clima: The Asian continent has a very diverse climate ranging from arctic climate in Siberia (Russia) to tropical climates in South-East Asia. Siberia is also one of the coldest places on earth.

In the tropical regions of South-East Asia, also the most tropical storms occur. Cyclones occur mainly in the Philippines and south of Japan. Some countries in Asia are at high risk for negative impacts of climate change. In 2004, a tsunami hit the coast in India, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries and killed more than 250,000 people in more than 14 countries.

Street in Vietnam

13. People of Asia: There are many ethnic groups in Asia. This is a huge continent, where vastly different cultures are practiced. In India and China, the most populous countries in Asia, there are many different ethnic groups all with their own distinct language and culture. Imagine that in India more than 850 different native languages are spoken and used in daily conversations!

India is not only the second most populous country in Asia, it has also the largest number of poor people and child labourers. One in four Indians cannot read or write. Then there are the Arabs, the Russians, Koreans, Japanese, Indians, Indonesians and so many more different cultural groups. There are also vast differences in living standards and poverty. In South-East Asia, most people live in rural areas outside the big cities which are underdeveloped. In fact, four out of ten poor people who live with only $1.9 per day, live in Asia!

However, there is also the tiny country of Singapore which is one of the richest, most modern and influential cities in the world. Singapore is a city state and leading country in modern technology and innovation and a major financial centre.

zǎo ān

14. Languages in Asia: In Asia more than 2,300 languages are recognised. The most spoken languages are Chinese (all dialects) has more than 1.39 billion speakers while Hindi-Urdu languages (used in India and Pakistan) are spoken by more than 588 million people and there are many different languages in the Hindi-Urdu language group, more than 1,600 languages exist alone in India. In Indonesia, 600 languages are spoken and in the Philippines over 100 languages.

15. Asia Facts: Religion: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are the main religions in Asia. Many religions originate in Asia, such as the Islam which is also the most widely followed religion in Asia. Judaism and Christian faith is practiced by smaller population groups in the region.

16. Tourist attractions in Asia: The most popular attractions are:

Great Wall in China

Grand Palace in Thailand

Grand Palace in Bangkok/Thailand

Kyoto and the cherry bloom in Japan

St Basil's Cathedral and Kremlin in Russia

Hagia Sophia in Turkey

Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Taj Mahal in India

Petra in Jordan

Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia

Jeju island in South Korea

Bali island in Indonesia

Water temple in Bali

17. Biggest Cities: China has the most cities that house more than 1 million inhabitants, there are 160 of such big cities in China! In comparison in the USA there are only 10 cities with more than 1 million inhabitants.

Other countries with big cities in Asia are:

China: Shanghai (26 million inhabitants)

Shanghai in China is one of the world's most populous cities!

Pakistan: Karachi (24 million people)

India: Delhi (22 million inhabitants)

Bangladesh: Dhaka (19 million people)

Turkey: Istanbul (14 million people) - this city is located on two continents and thus has an Asian part and an European part

18. Animals: In Asia, there are monkeys, tigers, Asian elephants and many other animals. Due to the different climates were are snow leopards and polar bear in the north and tropical species such as the Komodo dragons in the South. On some Indonesian islands, there are the largest living lizards, the Komodo dragons, which can eat very large animals such as a whole buffalo! Did you know that the Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants? Tip: You can easily recognise them as such as they have much smaller ears see the Asian elephant below.

Asian elephant

Asia is also home to many endangered animals such as the orang-utan in Borneo, the Chinese river dolphin or the dugong.

Dugong

19. Main natural resources in Asia are minerals such as aluminium, tin, coal, gold and iron ore. Arab countries also are rich in fossil fuels as they have the world's largest deposits of natural gas and oil. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil producer. Interesting fact: The country of Bhutan in the Himalayas produces most of the renewable energy through hydropower!

20. Seven of the Asian countries belong to the Commonwealth States. Queen Elizabeth II of England is the head of the Commonwealth. The Asian nations belonging to the Commonwealth are: Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Singapore Gardens by the Bay - By Hatchapong Palurtchaivong

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traveltoblank · 7 years

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Glamping in the Yasuni Rainforest National Park

We stayed at the Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition in the heart of the Yasuni National Park. They offer a beautiful glamping spot in the middle of the jungle. This new project is located in the river bank of the Tiputini River, a tributary of the Amazon River. There are not other operators or tours in the area, so in few words is just you and nature.

The project came as a way to help improve the small Quichwa Mandaripanga community. The Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition not only provide jobs to everyone in the community, it also helps improve the education of the young and ensure the conservation of the jungle and community.

Yasuni National Park is one of the last places in Ecuador that still have a virgin Amazon rainforest. It is also one of the most diverse places in the world. The park has over 1400 different animal species; 140 are amphibious, which is a world record. Did you know that North America only has 99?

You can find more than 610 species of birds, 204 mammals, and 270 fish. In one hectare you can find more than 100 thousand insects, the same amount as in all of North America. In only 50 hectares you will also be able to find 1300 different plant species.

Glamping in the Ecuadorian Rainforest

Have you ever wanted to camp in the heart of the rainforest? Well now is your opportunity! When you think camping, you might imagine a simple tent in the dirt, but the Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition provides a true glamping opportunity to all its visitors.

The Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition is the only tourist destination in the area, so you will not see other groups to interfere with your luxury camping experience.

Within the compound, there are several open air cabanas where you can stay, overlooking the river. Each one comes with a tent, hammock and two chairs. The tent comes with everything you need, a mattress, blankets and even towels! While the cabanas are built with the traditional palm leaf roof, the sides are all open to enjoy the beautiful green surroundings. There is everything you need to experience the wild jungle, with comfort.

The best part is going to bed with the sound of the flowing river and croaking frogs, with more stars than we can count at our feet.

Experience the heart of the Amazon jungle

The Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition offers 3-, 4-, or 5-day tours to their retreat location. It includes transfer from Coca, which is a 1 hour 40 min drive and a one hour motorized canoe ride to the secluded spot.

Every day there are different tour activities available to fully experience what Yasuni National Park has to offer. Activities include lagoon walks, nature walks, visits to the Mandaripanga community and more!

Several times we went out on the canoe to search for a glimpse at the wildlife along the river. Some of the animals you might see include; nine different kind of monkeys, more than 500 birds, big and small otter, dolphins, tapir, capybaras, amphibians, reptiles, and the list goes on.

All meals are included and the in-house chef provided a wide variety of delicious dishes all with local ingredients. For dinner, we had fresh fish that we watched them catch as we enjoyed the sunset over the Tiputini River. There is no better glamping experience in all of Ecuador!

All-Inclusive Costs at the Yasuni Jungle Expedition

Everything during your stay at the Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition is included in the costs; the transfer to the location, tents, food, all the tours and more! While there are set itineraries available, the best part is talking with the team to provide the best custom experience to meet your wishes and desires.

With a minimum of 4 people, the costs are as following, per person:

3 day tour: $285 + IVA

4 day tour: $380 + IVA

5 day tour: $475 + IVA

If you would like to book with fewer than four people or schedule a custom length tour, contact the Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition directly.

Mandaripanga Yasuni Jungle Expedition Contact

Website

Facebook

Phone: +593 96.884.7093

The post Glamping in the Yasuni Rainforest National Park appeared first on Travel to Blank.

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#Glamping in the Yasuni Rainforest National Park #travel #travel blog #tourism #tourist #adventure #t

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kathleenseiber · 4 years

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Humans and monkeys think more alike than we knew

Humans and monkeys may not speak the same lingo, but our ways of thinking are a lot more similar than previously thought, according to a new study.

In experiments on 100 study participants across age groups, cultures, and species, researchers found that Indigenous Tsimane’ people in Bolivia’s Amazon rainforest, American adults and preschoolers, and macaque monkeys all show, to varying degrees, a knack for “recursion,” a cognitive process of arranging words, phrases, or symbols in a way that helps convey complex commands, sentiments, and ideas.

“…this ability may not be as unique to humans as is commonly thought.”

The findings in Science Advances shed new light on our understanding of the evolution of language, the researchers say.

“For the first time, we have strong empirical evidence about patterns of thinking that come naturally to probably all humans and, to a lesser extent, non-human primates,” says coauthor Steven Piantadosi, a assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Indeed, the researchers found the monkeys performed far better in the tests than the researchers had predicted.

Scientists tested Bolivia’s Indigenous Tsimane’ people (bottom left), US adults and children, and macaque monkeys on their thinking patterns when arranging sequences. (Credit: Stephen Ferrigno)

“Our data suggest that, with sufficient training, monkeys can learn to represent a recursive process, meaning that this ability may not be as unique to humans as is commonly thought,” says coauthor Sam Cheyette, a PhD student in Piantadosi’s lab.

Known in linguistics as “nested structures,” recursive phrases within phrases are crucial to syntax and semantics in human language. A simple example is a British nursery rhyme that talks about “the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.”

The study was led by Harvard postdoctoral researcher Stephen Ferrigno, who traveled to Bolivia’s Amazon rainforest where Tsimane’ people practice subsistence farming, and live a traditional lifestyle with relatively little schooling and modern technology.

Ferrigno and fellow researchers sought to analyze what it is about human thinking that sets human and non-human primates apart. While numerous functions are unique to the human brain, we share neural similarities with monkeys, and these latest findings confirm that connection.

Researchers tested the recursive skills of 10 US adults, 50 preschoolers and kindergarteners, 37 members of the Tsimane’, and three male macaque monkeys.

First, all participants were trained to memorize different sequences of symbols in a particular order. Specifically, they learned sequences such as { ( ) } or { [ ] }, which are analogous to some linguistic nested structures.

Participants from the US and monkeys used a large touchscreen monitor to memorize the sequences. They heard a ding if they got a symbol in the right place, a buzzer if they got it wrong and a chime if the whole sequence was correct. The monkeys received snacks or juice as positive feedback.

Meanwhile, researchers tested the Tsimane’ participants, who are less accustomed to interacting with computers, with paper index cards and gave them verbal feedback.

Next, all participants were asked to place, in the right order, four images from different groupings shown in random order on the screen.

To varying degrees, the participants all arranged their new lists in recursive structures, which is remarkable given that “Tsimane’ adults, preschool children, and monkeys, who lack formal mathematics and reading training, had never been exposed to such stimuli before testing,” the study notes.

“These results are convergent with recent findings that monkeys can learn other kinds of structures found in human grammar,” Piantadosi says.

Additional researchers from UC Berkeley, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University contributed to the study.

Source: UC Berkeley

The post Humans and monkeys think more alike than we knew appeared first on Futurity.

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scienceblogtumbler · 4 years

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Native Amazonians, Americans and monkeys show similar thinking patterns

Humans and monkeys may not speak the same lingo, but our ways of thinking are a lot more similar than previously thought, according to new research from UC Berkeley, Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University.

In experiments on 100 study participants across age groups, cultures and species, researchers found that indigenous Tsimane’ people in Bolivia’s Amazon rainforest, American adults and preschoolers and macaque monkeys all show, to varying degrees, a knack for “recursion,” a cognitive process of arranging words, phrases or symbols in a way that helps convey complex commands, sentiments and ideas.

The findings, published today (Friday, June 26) in the journal Science Advances, shed new light on our understanding of the evolution of language, researchers said.

“For the first time, we have strong empirical evidence about patterns of thinking that come naturally to probably all humans and, to a lesser extent, non-human primates,” said study co-author Steven Piantadosi, a UC Berkeley assistant professor of psychology.

Indeed, the monkeys were found to perform far better in the tests than the researchers had predicted.

“Our data suggest that, with sufficient training, monkeys can learn to represent a recursive process, meaning that this ability may not be as unique to humans as is commonly thought,” said Sam Cheyette, a Ph.D. student in Piantadosi’s lab and co-author of the study.

Phrases within phrases

Study lead author Stephen Ferrigno, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard, on the Amazon river in Bolivia. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Ferrigno)

How they conducted the study

Researchers tested the recursive skills of 10 U.S. adults, 50 preschoolers and kindergarteners, 37 members of the Tsimane’ and three male macaque monkeys.

Participants from the U.S. and monkeys used a large touchscreen monitor to memorize the sequences. They heard a ding if they got a symbol in the right place, a buzzer if they got it wrong and a chime if the whole sequence was correct. The monkeys received snacks or juice as positive feedback.

Meanwhile, the Tsimane’ participants, who are less accustomed to interacting with computers, were tested with paper index cards and given verbal feedback.

Next, all participants were asked to place, in the right order, four images from different groupings shown in random order on the screen.

To varying degrees, the participants all arranged their new lists in recursive structures, which is remarkable given that “Tsimane’ adults, preschool children and monkeys, who lack formal mathematics and reading training, had never been exposed to such stimuli before testing,” the study noted.

“These results are convergent with recent findings that monkeys can learn other kinds of structures found in human grammar,” Piantadosi said.

The study’s senior author is Jessica Cantlon at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Read study in Science Advances

source https://scienceblog.com/517106/native-amazonians-americans-and-monkeys-show-similar-thinking-patterns/

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smartphone-science · 5 years

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Is this an alien? Gremlin? Yoda? No, it’s a real freaking animal! The Western tarsier.

Western tarsier we saw in Deramakot Forest, Borneo, Malaysia.

The Western or Horsfield’s tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus) and it’s one of two nocturnal primates found on the island of Borneo (the other being a slow loris). I was recently there on an ecotourism adventure in Deramakot Forest.

I had a list of animals I really wanted to see, and although this was one of them, I NEVER expected to see this super tiny primate (yes primate). Seeing it though was one of the highlight’s of my trip.

Check out this AMAZING photo of a captive Western Tarsier by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore.

Western tarsiers are not necessarily uncommon, but they are definitely hard to see. They are very, very tiny. Males are larger and about 12 cm (less than 5 inches) without their tail. They also typically remain stationary on the stems of straight plants. Given that Borneo is a rainforest and therefore obviously has lots of vegetation, it’s quite literally like finding a needle in a haystack.

So how did we find this teeny tiny primate amongst all of these plants?

Check out how small these guys are! This is the Western Tarsier we spotted in the dense rainforest or Borneo.

The two easiest ways to see mammals in Borneo are when (1) you are driving in the car and you see one cross the road (2) from their eye shine at night. We went out driving every night and early in the morning to look for animals’ eye shine with spotlights. For the Western tarsier, their eyes grow reddish-orange.

Western tarsier peaking behind vegetation.

We finally saw this one after a long afternoon of searching for orangutans and coming up with nothing. My first disappointment was that, but after driving to the Kinabatangan River, our boat ride to see proboscis monkeys was cancelled because of a storm. We therefore were out hours in the forest without seeing any mammals.

But it all changed when one of our guides caught a glimpse of the reddish-orange shine. I was sitting on top of the car and the other guide quickly got out of the car and put his light on the tarsier. Even though it was small, I could tell from high upon the vehicle that that was what it was!

We were so lucky to see one so clearly!

I immediately got down from the vehicle, but was so worried it would jump away. Animals frequently flee when they see humans so I was so surprised to see that it stayed. I was getting some amazing photos with even my basic camera so I took a chance and moved closer to it. I couldn’t believe how close it let me get to it! We shined the light towards the side to make sure the tarsier was not blinded and all in all, it let us watch him/her for about five minutes (which is a lot with animals and that close).

Check out the video footage of the Western Tarsier that we saw!

It seriously was one of the coolest animals I’ve ever seen. The coolest part of the Western tarsier is its eyes, which are notable right away for how large they are. In fact, it has the largest eyes given its body size of any mammal.

Check out how amazing their eyes are! Photo by Erwin Bolwidt found on iNaturalist.

In addition to big eyes, Western tarsiers also have very long hind legs. These long legs allow them jump from tree stem to stem. This is primarily how they move. Tarsiers can leap distances for their bodies – up to 45 times their body length or about 5 and a half meters (~18 ft.). You can see this in the YouTube video I am posting!

They cling to trees using their limbs that end in long, thin digits. They have these suction-like pads that lets them grip to smooth stems (kind of like a gecko).

Check out their fingers and toes!

Even though Western tarsiers are small and cute, they are completely carnivorous. They eat insects, but can even eat large prey like lizards, frogs, bats, birds, and snakes! At night, bat researchers will set up mist nets to capture bats for research. Tarsiers can be seen eating the bats captured in the nets.

Another cool anatomical feature of the Western tarsier is that they can turn their heads nearly 180 degrees each way, meaning they can rotate their heads almost 360 degrees. Supposedly headhunters believed that seeing a tarsier could cause you to lose your head.

Somewhat recently, the taxonomy of family Tarsiidae was revised. You’ll sometimes see this primate with the scientific name Tarsius bancanus, but a genetic study put this as the only species in the genus Cephalopachus, hence it’s new name Cephalopachus bancanus. This species occurs only on Borneo and Sumatra.

More peaking!

Tarsiers have one baby at a time (like us), but their babies weigh a lot more in comparison to their own body weight – up to 25%! That’s like a human woman weighing 100 lbs having a baby that weighs 25 lbs. That’s a big baby!

Western tarsiers are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Redlist. Their biggest threats are habitat loss (especially from palm oil, but also logging and fire) and the illegal pet trade (they are taken from the forest to be pets). They are also thought to be a pest to agriculture and can suffer from pesticides. Ironically, the are carnivores and eat a lot of insects and may actually help control insect pest populations (more research needs to be done on this though).

This post was written with the help of the Animal Diversity Web and Phillips and Phillips’ Mammals of Borneo in addition to the sources listed throughout. If you go to Borneo, this book is a MUST! It not only includes all of the mammals you might see, but lots of information about the ecology of Borneo.

The post Western Tarsier: A Primate Like You’ve Never Seen Before! appeared first on Dr. Stephanie Schuttler.

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wikitopx · 5 years

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You will know when you’ve arrived, as you’re greeted by the exotic beauty of this city.

To the North of Sattahip lies the Bay of Bangkok, and the Gulf of Thailand is just to the South. It’s a tropical peninsula surrounded by the beauty of nature. Read on, and check out the list of things you can do in Sattahip, and make the most out of your trip to this beautiful district.

1. Buddha Mountain (Khao Chi Chan)

Buddha Mountain is an extraordinary sight located just South of Pattaya. In 1996, one side of the limestone mountain of Khao Chi Chan was used as a canvas to carve out a 109 x 70 meter image of Buddha. This carving was done to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the King of Thailand, which is essentially the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the King. The outline of the image was created using lasers and gold was generously used as the filling, thereby leaving a stunning exhibit. Fun fact, the carving was done at night so as to enable easy visualization of the laser.

2. Sea Turtle Conservation Center

The Sea Turtle Conservation Center is a unique place for visitors to gain knowledge on the environmental efforts of the Royal Thai Navy. Hatchlings are placed into nursery pools for 1 to 3 months and then released into the sea at 3 to 6 months. This is an exciting event in which visitors can take part in and watch the amazing release of these wonderful mammals.

3. Koh Kham Undersea

Koh Kham Undersea Park is a destination with white sand beaches and an eco-friendly and knowledgeable environment. Visitors have the opportunity to explore breathtaking underwater views of some of the most colorful reefs in the world. Koh Kham offers snorkeling adventures as well as a return trip tour via a glass bottom boat. Altogether, Koh Kham is a stunning location and a wonderful opportunity for environmentalists to experience coral conservation up close.

4. Monkey Beach

Along the incredible shores of Phi Phi Island is the land of friendly, playful monkeys. Phi Phi Islands is the archipelago just 90 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Phuket, and also one of the most stunning set of islands in South East Asia. Monkey Beach can also be found among the Phi Phi Islands and can be reached very easily by rowboat. The monkeys here are very interested in bananas and watch for tourists coming ashore in hopes of more bananas! These little fellows are adorable, friendly, mischievous and will take every opportunity to greet you personally!

5. Thai Thani Arts and Cultural Village

Located in Pattaya, Thai Thani Arts and Cultural Village is a venue where culture, history and art comes alive. Thai Thani is a village that takes you back to ancient Thailand where true cultural beliefs, arts, architecture and performances will provide you with an exhilarating experience of an incredibly rich culture. The architecture is stunning and the environment around you is so welcoming that you will probably wish to stay within this time era.

6. Upside Down Pattaya Theme Park

Upside Down Pattaya Theme Park is sure to turn your senses upside down! This attraction is located in Na Chom Thian, Thailand, just outside of Sattahip and is a well loved tourist venue. Great for both parents and kids, the Upside Down Theme Park also has a tree maze for the little ones to get lost in as well as magic shows and food! The giant upside down house offers spectacular opportunities to take pictures, and parents can watch from just outside the door.

7. Bangkok by Night: Temples, Markets and Food by Tuk-Tuk

Nightlife in Bangkok is world renowned for being lively, colorful, and lasting all through the night, and into the morning. You can visit the markets and taste the most authentic food in Thailand, while taking in the incredible sights and sounds of this incredibly vibrant city! Bangkok can be explored by Tuk Tuk Tours. Embarking on Tuk Tuk Tours would provide you with a very good idea of all that Bangkok has to offer. Temples, exotic food and night markets are everything that make Bangkok one of the most energetic and exciting cities in all of Thailand.

8. Wat Khoa Chedi

Just one of the many beautiful temples in Thailand, Wat Khao Chedi is constructed with stunning gold features that can be seen from a distance. Visitors have the opportunity to venture to the top of the hill and enjoy the surrounding views. Wat Khao Chedi was created by Chinese Immigrants and has both Thai and Chinese influence. Bang Kao Beach, which is located nearby, offers visitors the opportunity to explore a trendy neighborhood with plenty of bars and restaurants.

9. Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens

Nong Nooch is a 500 acre botanical garden. This botanical garden features tropical gardens that are all individually themed. Plant species include cactus and succulents, as well as tropical palm trees and bonsai, offering visitors a unique and beautiful landscape to explore. Nong Nooch Botanical Gardens also offers daily cultural performances. The gardens are definitely one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, tropical palm trees will be swaying in the breeze among perfectly manicured landscapes and of course, dinosaurs! Nong Nooch also has a dinosaur park, which is very popular among tourists both young and old.

10. Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark

This theme park is an amazing way to spend a hot day in Sattahip, Thailand! Just 15 km from South Pattaya, Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark has a recreated Amazon Rainforest theme. The Waterpark has state of the art waterslides along with tons of entertainment and cartoon mascots for visitors both young and old. The park is similar to Disneyland, with waterfalls, bright colors, restaurants and something for everyone!

Read also: Top 10 things to do in Krabi, Thailand

From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-sattahip-thailand-704897.html

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floraexplorer · 5 years

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A Guide to Misahualli, Ecuador’s Gateway to the Amazon

Welcome to the tiny Amazon town of Misahualli, Ecuador.

Nestled in the Oriente region in eastern Ecuador, the tiny town of Misahaulli (pronounced miss-a-WHY-eee) sits between two major rivers, the Rio Napo and the Rio Misahualli, amidst a lush green landscape. Although it’s a sleepy place nowadays, Misahualli was once a bustling port for travellers and tourists arriving by boat from Coca – a transit route which eventually dried up after the construction of a new road.

But why was this tiny town so popular? It’s because Misahualli is also right on the edge of the Amazon jungle – otherwise known as the biggest rainforest on the planet.

For backpackers travelling through South America, spending some time exploring the Amazon is usually high on the list. This stunning rainforest stretches across nine countries and while there are dozens of points of entry, the most obvious destinations are Manaus in Brazil, Rurrenabaque in Bolivia and Iquitos in Peru (the world’s largest city which is totally unreachable by road!)

But for budget travellers who are keen to see a quieter, less frenzied and ultimately less touristic side to the Amazon, I’d suggest paying a visit to Misahualli, Ecuador.

The day before arriving in Misahualli, we’d taken a four hour bus ride from Baños (cost: $6) through stunning mountain landscapes to Tena, the province’s capital city. We’d planned to spend a few nights at the Hostal Pakay in Tena while we did our Amazon jungle research, but that evening we were approached by a local guide named Juan who explained his tours to us – and we were immediately sold, agreeing to meet him in Misahualli the following afternoon.

I knew the Amazon was going to be a different style of travel. But it didn’t properly dawn on me until we discovered a huge tarantula scuttling around our dorm room at Hostal Pakay – and had to call for the owner who chased it between the mosquito-netted beds in his underwear, wielding a machete.

Exploring the Amazon is not your everyday travelling experience. It’s literally a jungle out there.

So what exactly is there to do in Misahualli?

In this part of the world you can spot wild animals, trek through humid jungle, gaze up at thousand-year-old trees, splash around in river water, and (best of all in my opinion) spend time with the locals who call the Ecuadorian Amazon their home.

Humans and animals alike.

In this article, I’ve written about thirteen of the best things to do in Misahualli, Ecuador. My best suggestion would be to bear all these activities in mind when you’re planning an Amazon tour, and make sure you ask tour operators if these activities are included in their tour packages.

1. Meet the Misahualli monkeys (from a distance)

Misahualli is an hour’s bus ride from Tena (cost: $1). Once we arrived in the town square, we had a few hours to waste before meeting Juan and heading into the jungle so decided to explore the town – and first up was meeting the local monkeys.

Aside from its proximity to the Amazon, Misahualli is probably most famous for the troop of Capuchin monkeys who casually terrorise the town’s main plaza. These guys swing from overhanging branches, chill on rooftops, clamber across the surfaces of parked cars and buses – and their constantly curious nature means plenty of thievery.

If you ask a local Misahualli resident about the monkeys, they’ll smile ruefully and shake their heads. Every day the town square echoes with shrieks from tourists as sunglasses and phones and water bottles are swiftly snatched by little clawed hands, only to disappear into the trees.

It’s hilarious to watch, but a little less amusing when it happens to you. While I was taking photos they grabbed a bag of crisps from the side pocket of my bag and started munching away before I could even blink. Securely stow away all your possessions, and never trust a monkey.

NB: It’s not advised to tease the monkeys, and don’t try to feed them either. They may look adorable but monkeys can turn aggressive easily, and will bite or scratch if you get too close or annoy them.

2. Visit the butterfly house in Misahualli

Just on the edge of Misahualli village and next door to the local school is the mariposario, or butterfly house. The owner, a local man named Pepe, built an enclosure in his back garden because he loves butterflies and wanted to ensure that the hundreds of species native to this part of Ecuador continue to thrive.

For a $2 entrance fee, Pepe showed us around his butterfly house, explaining how he collects butterfly eggs from his visits into the jungle, then cares for the caterpillars and pupae before finally releasing them into the enclosure.

There are little habitats showing the different stages of a butterfly’s life, and a range of different pupae/chrysalises – including some stunning gold-like chrysalises, which apparently help to ward off predators: reflecting sunlight gives the impression of a water droplet instead of a chrysalis).

(This fascinating video shows how a common crow caterpillar transforms into a golden chrysalis. Not for the squeamish!)

Pepe also collects all manner of different insect species from Misahualli plaza to prevent them from being eaten by the monkeys. They get stunned by the bright electric lights, allowing him to grab them and transport them home!

As we wandered through the enclosure, it was clear that Pepe was passionate about butterflies. He’s set up little feeding stations and planted all manner of flowers for the butterflies to drink nectar from, and everywhere I looked there were fluttering wings and flashes of shimmering colour.

3. Sail down the Rio Napo in a canoe

Once we’d met up with Juan and picked up some supplies for our stay in the jungle, he drove us in his jeep to the river’s edge. There we boarded a motorised canoe and set off into the Amazon.

Sailing down the river in a canoe is a wonderfully gentle way to experience life on the water. Despite being motorised, the boat is quiet enough to let you notice the sounds of the jungle around you: clicking insects, birds calling, the occasional splash of the waves against the canoe’s hull.

But be forewarned – while river-borne, your shoes may be stored in amongst a basket of green bananas, freshly harvested yuca and some giant orange cacao pods.

4. Go tubing and swimming in the Napo river

Tena is world-famous for its whitewater rafting opportunities – The World Rafting Championships were even held here in 2005 – and there’s lots of opportunities to go kayaking too.

Unfortunately we didn’t manage to sample either of these adventurous water sports, but we did spend a somewhat rainy afternoon tubing on the river, which was more enjoyable than the glum faces below would have you believe!

Alternatively, swimming in the river is just as enjoyable: the temperatures in the Amazon are humid and sticky, so it’s a relief to wash off in the cool water.

It’s particularly lovely at sunset – just watch out for the piranhas (which we didn’t see) and the water snakes (which we did. Cue plenty of screaming..!)

5. Explore the Amazon jungle on foot

Most people visit Misahualli or the neighbouring city of Tena because of their close proximity to the Amazon rainforest, and there are plenty of companies offering guided Amazon tours in both places. In fact, tour costs are kept relatively low here because of all the competition, making it a good choice if you’re on a budget.

On our wanders through the jungle with Juan as our guide, we began to understand what makes the Amazon so special. Pushing our way through dense jungle vegetation, dodging the creeping vines and taking care not to trip over exposed roots twisting along the ground, I felt like I was in a completely different world.

And then, out of nowhere, we would crest a hill and suddenly see the Napo river through an opening in the trees.

We were quickly sucked back into the jungle again, soaking up the green, until Juan stopped us.

“There, look!” He pointed up into the canopy, and we realised that the tangled roots we stood beside actually belonged to a giant tree purported to be a thousand years old.

6. Learn about medicinal jungle plants

The Amazon is filled with medicinal plants which many Ecuadorians swear by – and Juan was no exception. Throughout our walk he picked herbs, flowers and jungle leaves, explaining their significance to us before depositing them in his backpack.

When we passed a tree covered in hatch marks from a machete, Juan explained that this was the cruz caspi, a tree whose bark is stewed up and the resulting liquid drunk by local people to help them conceive.

Later, Juan heard one of our friends coughing and immediately stopped so he could give her some medicine. Deftly folding up a large leaf, Juan mixed together a thin paste of San Juanito tree bark and water, then poured the concoction up the nose of its cautious recipient. She coughed and spluttered but he said it would clear her cold right up!

Read more: my surreal experience of taking part in an ayahuasca ceremony

7. Experiment with natural jungle face paint

You’ll often see images of indigenous tribes in the Amazon with bright red and orange designs on their face – but where does their face paint actually come from?

Juan showed us a handful of spiny red seeds. “This is our natural paint,” he told us, squeezing open the seed’s casing between his fingers to reveal a cluster of red powdery pods inside. These are seeds from the native achiote tree, also known as annatto, and they’re used for a multitude of purposes: hair dye, lipstick, even food colouring (it doesn’t add any flavour, but it gives a reddish hue).

Using a wooden stick to mix the seed pod’s contents, Juan began to draw delicate designs on my outstretched hand – and soon we were smudging our fingers into numerous achiote seeds and painting our faces.

8. Visit the AmaZOOnico Animal Rescue Center

Upriver is the AmaZOOnico Animal Rescue Center, an animal sanctuary run predominantly by volunteers. They follow a program of rescue, rehabilitation and release, with a goal to help every animal that comes through their doors to go back into the wild, and staff on duty during our visit assured us that all the animals had been rescued from previous owners who’d mistreated them.

Unfortunately, I’ve been to enough zoos on my travels and seen enough animals looking unhappy in their cages to find it unpleasant visiting a place like this. I didn’t know beforehand that we’d be visiting the Rescue Center, or I would have refused to go.

I’ve since researched the center online and sources maintain that the ethos is to rehabilitate all animals, but it’s still sad to see them behind bars – so if you don’t feel comfortable seeing animals in cages then I’d avoid visiting.

Read more: Ethical mistakes I’ve made while travelling

9. Pick yourselves some pineapples

As you might expect, Ecuador’s Amazon is a fertile and lucrative place. But the most surprising thing I saw growing here was pineapple. Mainly because I had absolutely no idea that this fruit grows on a bush.

Over 116,000 tons of pineapple are grown in Ecuador each year, with plenty coming from the Amazon. We paid a visit to Juan’s neighbour, an elderly farmer called Don Jaime who runs a pineapple plantation and was even kind enough to give us a few pineapples for breakfast the next day.

10. Help to harvest the yuca plant

Yuca (or cassava) is an extremely common food in South America and is a staple of many Ecuadorian dishes: chopped up and added to soups, served as an alternative to potato, or ground up into flour and baked into things like pan de yuca, a deliciously dense little cheesy bun which I ate in abundance while living in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Juan took us to visit his family home, where we met his mother harvesting a crop of yuca. Although the guided tours bring in the bulk of their income, Juan’s family still farms plenty of different produce including yuca, mango, banana, cacao and plantain. They harvest at different points throughout the year and sell straight to the consumer at local markets.

Read more: Modern life in the Ecuador Amazon jungle

11. Learn how to cook chocolate with fresh cacao

Ecuador is one of the world’s top ten producers of cacao, and many Amazon tours will offer a visit to a cacao farm.

Under a canopy at their wooden stilted house, Juan’s mother showed us how to make chocolate from roasted cacao beans. The first step was to grind them into a fine powder using a hand grinder, then she set them in a metal pan on top of the fire and added water.

We took turns stirring the mixture as it gradually took on a thick and silky consistency – and once she deemed it to be ready, we dipped chunks of fresh banana into the hot chocolate.

I half expected it to be bitter and strong, but it was delicious!

12. Have a sleepover in the jungle

Many Amazon jungle tours are offered just in the daylight hours, but it’s also possible to spend the night in an eco-lodge. Juan’s place was close to the riverbank in a little clearing surrounded by tall trees.

After you’ve spent the day exploring the jungle, your activities become wonderfully restricted.

We shunned the idea of internet access in favour of playing cards, lazing in hammocks, staring up at the stars and gossiping in our little dorm room while the insects chirped outside.

13. Go on a night walk in the Amazon jungle

Of course, being in the middle of the jungle late at night is an opportunity you shouldn’t pass up. Once it was properly dark outside, Juan gathered us together, told us to don our head torches, and we set out into the night.

The nocturnal side of the Amazon is fascinating. Animals which hide away from predators during the day are suddenly out and about: copulating grasshoppers, steadily crawling caterpillars, giant moths, very nimble spiders, and teeny tiny frogs.

Because it’s so hard to see, our ears became much more attuned to the sounds of the rainforest. All around us there was a cacophony of nocturnal noise: the constant buzzing of cicadas, the clicks and croaks of tree frogs, the chirping of geckos, and a whole host of other sounds, most likely mating calls, courtship rituals and attempts to mark out territory.

Juan led us through the deep darkness towards the places he knew various creatures were hiding. He spotted a morpho butterfly and carefully picked it up to show us – just one of the beautiful and unexpected sights amongst the pitch black of this other, haunting world.

What do you need for a visit to Misahualli?

To prepare for a trip to the Amazon rainforest, you should think about packing loose, thin clothing for the humidity – but to protect against mosquitos and spiky or itchy vegetation you’ll also need long sleeved tops and long trousers.

The Amazon’s weather is prone to frequent tropical rains, warranting the use of waterproofs – but that humidity means you’ll sweat. A LOT. Bring a complete spare set of dry clothes to change into after a day of exploring.

If you’re already travelling with hiking boots then bring them, but don’t worry if not as most tour operators will lend you a pair of rainboots. Just make sure they fit properly by walking a few hundred metres in them first!

Here’s a good Amazon packing checklist to follow:

head torch or electric torch

sunhat

mosquito repellent

clothes which cover your legs and arms

spare dry clothes

swimwear

waterproof raingear, usually a jacket or poncho and trousers (although you may not wear the latter due to the heat!)

flipflops/sandals for the evenings

waterproof liner/drybag for your bag (in a pinch just use a rubbish bag)

How to get to Misahualli, Ecuador:

– Tena to Misahualli: catch a bus from the Junmandy bus station in Tena – it takes an hour and costs $1.

– Quito to Misahualli: take a five hour bus to Tena (costs $6) and then take the one hour bus from Tena.

– Baños to Misahualli: take a four hour bus to Tena (cost $6) and take the one hour bus from Tena.

Have you ever explored the Amazon jungle? Pin this article if you’d like to visit Misahualli!

The post A Guide to Misahualli, Ecuador’s Gateway to the Amazon appeared first on Flora The Explorer.

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infotainmentplus-blog · 6 years

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"Colombia’s Serranía de Chiribiquete is now the world’s largest tropical rainforest national park " In a momentous win for conservation, Colombia’s Serranía de Chiribiquete was officially expanded to 4.3 million hectares today, making it the world’s largest protected tropical rainforest national park. It was also declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of its “outstanding universal value” for nature and people. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos first announced the expansion of the park by 1.5 million hectares in February, marking the culmination of decades of joint conservation efforts by environmental organizations, including WWF, and the Colombian government. “This is a defining moment for the protection of key ecosystems in Colombia,” said Mary Lou Higgins, Director of WWF-Colombia. “This is also a very important milestone for the Amazon and for forest conservation globally. The expansion and recognition of this unique place as a World Heritage site is a significant step toward safeguarding it for future generations.” Located in the heart of the Colombian Amazon, Serranía de Chiribiquete park is a vibrant, biodiverse hotspot that has one of the highest rates of plant diversity in the northern Amazon and is home to thousands of species—many of which are threatened—including lowland tapirs, giant otters, giant anteaters, woolly monkeys, jaguars, and the Chiribiquete emerald hummingbird, the only endemic species in the Colombian Amazon. In addition to its unique biodiversity, the protected area is culturally significant for indigenous communities and contains one of the oldest, largest, and densest archaeological pictographic complexes in the Americas. Fifty murals made up of more than 70,000 ancient paintings depicting animals, hunting, battle, and dancing—some more than 20,000 years old—can be found across the region’s many tepuis, table-top rock formations that rise out of the dense forest. The park has been a protected area since 1989 and is the ninth World Heritage listing in Colombia, the second-most biodiverse country in the world after Brazil. Chiribiquete’s new designation will help strengthen protections around the park, providing critical buffers against deforestation throughout the Amazon’s essential wildlife corridors. Protecting Chiribiquete’s future In recent years, climate change and deforestation from expanding agricultural production, land speculation, and illegal timber extraction—driven especially by political unrest—have been ever-present threats to Colombia’s forests. Sixty-six percent of the country’s deforestation now occurs in the Amazon—one of 11 regions in the world facing the highest risk of deforestation. WWF experts estimate that if current deforestation trends continue, more than a quarter of the Amazon forest will be lost by 2030. To prevent further destruction and to secure the natural resources within Colombia’s vital network of protected areas in the coming years, the Government of Colombia is working to manage Chiribiquete under an initiative called Heritage Colombia. Supported by WWF, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Protected Areas and Biodiversity Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Conservation International, and with initial funding from the German government, Heritage Colombia is a Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative that uses an innovative funding mechanism to increase the amount of land in Colombia’s protected areas while ensuring the land is properly governed. “I like to think of Heritage Colombia as ‘parks for peace and peace for parks,” said Higgins. “Not only will better management and governance of the parks help bring peace to the country, but peace in the country will also help ensure that our parks are healthy for generations to come.” https://wwf.to/2IM7q4i

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