Slow boating down the Amazon (Iquitos to Tabatinga)

Inspired by Ed Stafford, who is the first person to walk the entire length of the Amazon River, I decided to look into the feasibility of travelling down the river from Iquitos, Peru to Belém on the Atlantic coast in Brazil.

As Iquitos is one of the largest cities in the world not accessible by road I had to fly from Lima. There are several flights a day and I managed to get a single ticket with Peruvian Airlines for £68. The journey took 2.5 hours with a 15 minute ‘technical stop’ in Pucallapa so the plane could be refuelled.

Once out of the airport I was accosted by several moto carro (similar to tuk tuks) drivers, in Iquitos you will be hard pushed to find a proper car as most people travel using motorbikes or moto carros.

I knew that the price from the airport to my hostel shouldn’t be more than 15 Soles and successfully haggled it down, although the driver still tried to add more when we reached the destination. This is something I’ve noticed happens a lot in Peru, but I stood my ground and he accepted the price we’d originally agreed upon without a problem.

I stayed in the Golondrinas Hostel for a couple of nights to acclimatise to the jungle heat again and find out when the next ship to Santa Rosa would be leaving. Santa Rosa is a Peruvian village, which sits on an island in the Amazon and from there it is only a short boat ride across the water to either Leticia in Colombia or Tabatinga in Brazil.

As in most places in Peru the Plaza de Armas is in the centre. On the corner of the plaza where calles Putumayo and Raymondi meet is the Casa de Hierro, which was designed by Eiffel, made in Paris and imported piece by piece to Iquitos around 1890. It isn’t the most amazing building I’ve ever seen, but interesting nonetheless. 

From the plaza it is a short walk to the waterfront where I caught my first proper glimpse of the Amazon. It is also possible to see several decoratively tiled buildings, which are remnants of the city’s former wealth.

The tourist information centre on Jirón Napo just off the plaza has lots of information on the various boats. The woman there was even kind enough to call the port to find out when the next slow boat to Santa Rosa would be leaving. There was a ship going at 7.30pm the following day and the woman explained tickets can only be purchased on board and on the day of departure.

If you are pushed for time there are speedboats leaving Iquitos pretty much every day and take just 10 hours for 200 Soles. Tickets for these boats can be bought from the agencies along Jirón Raymondi.

The next day at around midday I took a moto carro to Puerto Pesquero to get my bearings and check out the ship without the stress of having all my luggage with me too. The port was a hive of activity with boats being loaded and unloaded and people and moto carros everywhere. I use the term port very loosely as in all honesty it was just a big sandy bank with ships moored.

Despite having a seafaring father I don’t really know what to look for in a ship, but the Gran Loretana, which was the vessel I’d be taking, actually looked to be in better condition than some of the others docked nearby and I could see it had lifejackets at least.

In order to reach the ship I had to negotiate a series of precariously positioned gangplanks and avoid getting in the way of people also using them carrying various heavy loads.

Once on the cargo deck a helpful man called Richard took me to the person in charge of issuing tickets etc. There are two types available - hammock only or cabin. The hammock option costs 80 Soles and the cabin 100 Soles. As there wasn’t too much of a difference in price I opted for the cabin mostly so I would have somewhere safe to store my luggage.

Richard explained that the cabin gets very hot so it is better to sleep in a hammock on deck, which you can do at no extra cost. It is also possible to purchase a hammock once you are on board for around 30 Soles. I would add here that definitely knowing a bit of Spanish helped me as unsurprisingly no-one I dealt with spoke any English.

After I’d bought my ticket Richard told me to come back at 4pm as that was the official boarding time for passengers. Before heading back to the port I visited one of only two supermarkets in Iquitos to get supplies for the journey. Meals are provided on board, but after being regaled with stories of dysentery by Helen and Dan, a couple I’d met on the Tucan tour and who had travelled on a similar boat in Brazil, I decided not to take any chances. I bought several tins of tuna, some fruit and snacks to see me through the 2.5 day journey.

It is also important to make sure you take your own water to drink as well as to brush your teeth with. I found four litres was adequate for my needs.

Back at the port it was still pretty chaotic and as I was getting myself ready to negotiate the planks again with my all my luggage, Richard appeared from nowhere to help me.

I had a cabin on the second deck and just in case there is any doubt I want to make clear that this wasn’t a tourist boat cruise down the Amazon it is basically a cargo ship, which also happens to take passengers.

My cabin was akin to a prison cell with no window and a bunk with a vinyl mattress. Needless to say it was very hot and stuffy in there. If you choose to sleep in the cabin it is worth noting that linen isn't provided either so you have to bring your own.

There weren’t too many hammocks already up on deck so I was in the good position of being able to pretty much choose where to go. Having never hung a hammock in my life Richard and the guy I bought it from helped string it up for me just opposite where my cabin was.

I would definitely recommend heading to the second deck rather than the lower as it is much less crowded and the sides are open during the day so it is better ventilated too. Also, you get less people too-ing and fro-ing as when embarking or disembarking you have to go via the lower deck.

I was pleasantly surprised at how clean the ship was and there was a woman in charge of our deck who always seemed to be sweeping or mopping. The toilets were also kept in good condition, but make sure you take your own toilet roll.

There are showers in the toilet cubicles, but I wasn’t brave enough to use them as it was literally just a tap in the ceiling and I couldn’t see how you would keep your towel and clothes dry when it was on. I made do with wet wipes and there were also a couple of basins.

Having lugged a mosquito net around with me for the best part of four months I decided now was possibly the time to make use of it. Needless to say it was a disaster and as per usual I was the gringo providing amusement to the locals. Instead I decided to lose the net and rely on my insect repellent instead – it worked.

At night the awnings go down to provide some protection from the elements, however it does get surprisingly chilly so I would recommend taking a thin blanket and a hoodie. If you are sensitive to noise, ear plugs would be another must especially as the engine is very loud.

Despite having a cabin I still kept my valuables (passport, phone, money, cards etc) in the hammock with me just in case. If you don’t have a cabin, do as the locals do and keep your luggage either under or just to the side of your hammock. I noticed that several people hung food in plastic bags from the ceiling. As an extra precaution it may be prudent to lock your bags to something too.

The journey was pleasant and being the slow boat it was exactly that as it stopped at many small communities along the way, these boats are often the main means of getting supplies to these villages. If you are easily bored and don’t like the thought of not showering properly after spending the day sweating in a hammock then this trip probably isn’t for you.

At one time or other on the outer cargo deck I spotted goats, a pig and a cockerel the latter rather considerately started crowing at 4am.

Everyone being in the same living quarters meant the boat had a bit of a community feel and I came to recognise many of the people on my deck. I even took the opportunity to practise Spanish with some of my neighbours, who didn’t speak any English.

When we were docked in Caballo de Coche, Michel, who was from Iquitos and was heading to a village near the border for work, insisted I accompany him on shore for some breakfast. Despite him trying to persuade me to have chicken soup, 7am is just too early for that, I ended up having a strange hot quinoa based drink made with apples it had a weird jelly-like consistency, but was pleasant enough.
 

With regards meals on board I didn’t have any, but it seemed to be a hot milky drink and ham roll for breakfast and lunch and dinner were meat and rice. On this boat cutlery and plates were provided, although I have heard that on others you need to take your own.

The ship arrived in Santa Rosa at 12pm, but being at the tail end of the rainy season when the river is at its highest meant that there was no land to get off on to so I had to get a motorised canoe straight from the ship. It was a slightly scary experience having to clamber over the side of the boat onto the unstable canoe, but myself and my luggage survived.

I told the boatman I was headed for Tabatinga, however before going you will need to be taken to the immigration office in town to get an exit stamp. Most of the boatmen will know to do this but I still asked just in case. 

Before going to immigration it is necessary to go to the police station a few buildings down where they will sign the back of your tourist card to confirm you haven’t committed any crimes while in Peru.

As Santa Rosa was looking more like Venice the boat stopped at the police first where there was a guy sat outside, who quickly checked my passport and signed the back of my tourist card.

The boat then took me to the immigration office, which being lunch time was closed so we had to wait 20 minutes for it to reopen. When it did the procedure was quick and from there we dropped one of the passengers off in Leticia, Colombia before heading to Tabatinga in Brazil. The boat cost 15 Soles and it all took no longer than an hour.

 

Walking in the footsteps of Incas

A trip to Peru wouldn't be complete without visiting Machu Picchu. There are different ways of getting to the site and one of the most popular is via the Camino del Inca. In order to be allowed on the trail you have to apply for a permit of which there are 500 available each day.

Due to the popularity of the trek you often need to apply several months beforehand to ensure you can get hold of one. Because the Inca trail was part of my tour, Tucan Travel organised everything I required for this. If you aren't able to get a permit there are alternative treks available, which will include a visit to Machu Picchu, three people on my tour did the Lares trek.

There were seven of us doing the Inca Trail and the day beforehand we were issued with our duffel bags, which would be carried by the porters and should weigh no more than five kilograms including the weight of the sleeping bag. We were also able to take day bags, which we would carry ourselves and could contain any excess items.

Bags all packed we were collected from our hotel by our guide Ruben, our cook Albino and our team of porters. For the seven of us we had a team of nine accompany us.

We drove the short drive from Ollantaytambo to KM 83 where the trail starts and it was here that the porters started packing their loads. The majority of our crew didn't appear to be much taller than me and the bags they were carrying were almost the same size as them. 

Due to regulations each porter is allowed to carry no more than 20kg and at various checkpoints their bags get weighed to check they aren't over their limit. Despite me packing light when my bag was weighed for the final time it was one kilo over so I ended up having to transfer a few things to my day pack.

The Inca Trail is 26 miles long and we would be walking it over the course of three days arriving at Machu Picchu on day four. The first day of walking was relatively easy with no big ascents or descents and we reached camp just as the rains came in.

The porters had already set up camp and after dumping our bags in the tents and having a quick rest we were called for afternoon tea in the dining tent. It was Liz's 60th birthday so we all chipped in a bit of extra money so the cook could get ingredients to make a cake. Given the limited cooking equipment we were all shocked when a fully iced sponge cake appeared and it was a great way to celebrate. The sponge had been steamed and was pretty tasty.

After tea came a three course dinner and we were all in bed by 7.30pm.

Ruben told us that day two is the hardest day due to the ascent up to Dead Woman's Pass and he wasn't wrong. Most of the trail is the original paving, which is a lot like a rocky track and tricky to walk on. What I also hadn't really banked on was how many stairs there were too.

The day started well and at our first rest stop Ruben said we were a fast group, so fast that Liz was already out of sight ahead of us. After this stop came the hardest part of the ascent and it wasn't so much physically exerting, but actually breathlessness caused by the altitude that caused the most problems. The last 100 metres to the top of the pass were tough especially as the steps in this section were also quite steep, but the view from the top made it worth the strain. 

We rested at the top for about 30 minutes before making our way down to the camp and if the way up wasn't too bad on the legs the way down was. Due to the unevenness of the path and steepness of the steps it was very slow going and I tried not to get too disheartened by all the porters whizzing down them with more than double the weight I was carrying and wearing sandals!

We noticed several of the porters all wore sandals and when we asked Ruben about this he explained that many choose to wear these as walking boots regardless of cost will wear out after three months of use.

After almost two hours of the downhill stairs I made it to camp and all of us were there ahead of the estimated time. It was a really sunny, hot day so it was nice to spend the afternoon relaxing and Catherine and I even had a quick dip in the river running through the campsite much to amusement of the porters. Once the sun went down it got really cold and that night it took me a while to get warm.

The next day was more of the same with lots of periods of downhill stairs. Unfortunately due to it being quite overcast we missed out on seeing our first glimpse of Machu Picchu in the distance. The vegetation on this part of the trail started changing and became slightly more tropical the more we descended. By the time we reached the camp I couldn't wait to get my boots off and give my feet some space to breath. So when at lunchtime Ruben told us there was a bit more walking to do to some ruins we thought he was joking.

The walk was only 10 minutes from the camp and it was worth it. Although there was a rather aggressive/amorous male llama wandering round so I tried to give him a wide berth. It was also while we were at this ruin that an American girl loudly announced she wanted a photo in front of the castle - there was no castle, but there was a cluster of what looked like houses!

This would be our last night with the porters as the following morning they had to leave at 4.30am in order to make it down the trail (in the dark) in time to catch the train to Ollantaytambo. If they miss the train they have to either walk the tracks or wait until the evening. This system is a bit of a contentious issue as the trail we would be following to Machu Picchu doesn't open until 5.30am, but the train company refuses to put on a later train in the morning for the porters.       

Many of the porters work four or six week back to back stints on the trail as it is more economically viable for them to do this before spending a few weeks back in their villages. What I also find sad is despite all of the hard work they do, none of them or very few of them will have ever been to Machu Picchu.

The next day we left camp at 4.30am and joined the queue of people waiting for the trail to open. At 5.30am the gate was opened and we made our way to the sun gate. The walk itself wasn't too bad, with the exception of a set of near vertical stairs to climb. The trail was the busiest we'd experienced during the whole trek because all the groups left at the same time. At the sun gate we had an amazing view of Machu Picchu below.

Forty-five minutes of walking later and we had made it, it was a strange feeling being somewhere I had seen so much in books and on TV and it all seemed a lot smaller, but no less incredible.

Welcome to the jungle

From Puno we caught an eight hour bus to Cuzco where we would then fly to Puerto Maldonado, which is in the South East of Peru in the Amazon jungle.

It was a short 50 minute flight to Puerto Maldonado and after being at altitude in the highlands of Bolivia and Peru for almost a month it was nice to be back down almost at sea level again.

Most people visiting the town are going on to jungle lodges further down the Madre de Dios river, which is exactly what we did. From what I saw of Puerto Maldonado there isn't really that much there, which also became apparent on our quick tour of the town when the guide pointed out a water tower as something of interest!

We all piled in to a motor boat for the 1.5 hour trip downriver to the Eco Amazonia Lodge where we would be staying. This place has to be the closest I've been to staying in a resort and after months of hostels it felt quite fancy - there was even a swimming pool.

The rooms didn't have glass in the windows just mosquito netting so at night I could hear the sounds of the jungle, which was a lot louder than I thought it would be.

On our first day we went on a trek and as it was coming to the end of the main rainy season we wore wellies as the trail was very muddy. I don't know what has happened to my feet as I'm usually a size three or four but I ended up having to wear a size 1.5 on one foot and a two on the other!

We walked until we reached a clearing called 'Caiman Lagoon', we could just see the head of an adult female and lots of juveniles in the water, it was great being able to observe them in the water.

When the guide of another group arrived he had a bag of chicken, which he proceeded to chop up with a machete on the side of the bank to get the animals out of the water. He only just managed to get to safe ground when the mother appeared. I don't particularly like this method to entice the animals just for our benefit and would have been perfectly happy just seeing them as they were in the water.

The walk back to the lodge was particularly humid and oppressive so I took the opportunity to cool off in the pool, which by all accounts was pretty cold but fine if you kept moving.

Overnight and into the morning it rained quite heavily. We were due to go on another jungle walk, which got pushed back an hour in the hope it would ease, to no avail. In the end only six out of our group of 11 went. I'm glad I chose to because once we were under the main jungle canopy we were fairly well sheltered from the rain.

Despite the weather we still saw some wildlife including a huge snail and fire ants, which will give you a nasty nip if you get too close. We also saw and smelt several garlic trees and the bark is often used to add flavour in cooking. We finished up at a lagoon where we went out in a canoe and did some birdwatching..  

Back at the lodge and after a quick hammock siesta it was back on the boat across to monkey island, which is home to spider monkeys and capuchins. We were lucky enough to see both kinds and I loved watching them climbing and jumping through the treetops.

Island hopping on Lake Titicaca

Before I left the UK I decided to book an organised tour for some of the Peru leg of my trip for ease and to take some of the pressure off organising the various permits for the Inca Trek. After a lot of searching I finally decided to book the Andean Experience a 21 day trip organised by Tucan Travel as the itinerary covered pretty much everything I wanted to see.

As a solo traveller one of the things I liked about Tucan was that it didn't charge a single supplement unless you specified you wanted your own room. Having grown accustomed to sharing rooms by now I was happy to share on the tour too.

I met the tour leader, Neil and fellow travelling companions in La Paz. The group had already been travelling together for two weeks when I joined along with Becky and Hugh from Ireland. I was a little nervous especially breaking into an already well established group but everyone was very friendly and welcoming.

From La Paz we headed to Puno in Peru. The journey took around six hours including a minor drama when we had to swap buses in Copacabana because the one we were on wouldn't start. After overnighting in Puno we headed down to the docks to join the boat for our two day trip visiting islands on Lake Titicaca, which is the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,812m. As we would be staying overnight with a family we stopped off quickly to pick up food and toys to give to our host family as a thank you.

Our first port of call was the Uros Islands or floating islands. The people living on these islands create them by lashing together reed root clusters and then layering dried reeds on the top. Their houses are then positioned on top. Every few months more reeds are added to the top of the island.

If there are disputes on the island or if a family isn't pulling their weight they can be cut off, quite literally from the island. Similarly two islands can join together if they want to. 

From there we made our way to Amantani Island, which is where we would spend the night, our guide enjoyed telling us a bit about the courtship rituals on the island. Thanks to advances in technology this now involves the boys sitting on hillsides with a big boombox blaring out romantic music in the hope the object of his affections comes to join him. 

When we reached the island we were introduced to our 'mama' and taken to where we would be staying. I was staying with Terri, Catherine and Neil. The house was basic but cosy and the rooms were comfortable.

After a filling lunch of soup, potatoes, cheese and salad we headed out to the island's football pitch, where some of the group played a match against the locals. We then went on a hike up to the top of the island where we could see the Bolivian side of the lake in the distance. Despite the rather threatening looking grey clouds the views were amazing.

After the hike it was back to our various houses for supper and then we got dressed up in the traditional dress of the island for a fiesta. The men wore ponchos and the women had to wear an embroidered blouse, skirt, belt and shawl. Typically, the skirt I had was quite big and during the course of the evening I had to get my mama to help dress me again before it fell down. 

The fiesta was great fun with traditional music and dancing, which we all joined in with.

From Amantani Island we made our way back to Puno, stopping at Taquile Island on the way. On this island only the men are allowed to knit and the women weave. Before a man can have permission to marry he has to knit a hat, which his prospective parents-in-law fill with water, if the majority of the water is still in the hat after eight minutes then the man is given permission as it shows he is a good knitter.

While we were on the island we visited a cooperative, which sells various knitted and woven goods made by people on the island. I needed a woolly hat after losing the one I brought with me so took the opportunity to get one from the cooperative for 30 Soles. I was able to find out who made my hat and it had been knitted by a chap called Bernardo Flores.

Lunch was at a small restaurant on the island and the two options were either trout or omelette. The trout, which is from the lake, was delicious and cooked perfectly.

Back in Puno a few of us sampled the nightlife and ended up in a Mega Disco. When we walked in it was like we'd crashed a work night out as everyone was dressed in shirts and ties. The club had a lift as it was split over three levels but unfortunately only the ground floor was open so we weren't able to test it out. Definitely worth a visit if you ever happen to be in Puno.