Jacaranda Journey
This "sweltering rainforest metropolis" straddles the base of the Andean foothills and the edge of the jungles of eastern Peru
A noisy little town dominated by motorcycles
The town that substituted cardboard seat coverers for meter maids; no burnt butts here.
Junge cuisine staples of fish, grains, chocolate, purple corn
A few types of local Amazonian fish
Grilling up juanes (bundles of steamed rice with fish or chicken wrapped in a banana leaf), meat, and plantains
Amazonian dish called "patarushca" - shrimp or fish served in a bath of tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions, garlic and sacha culantro (a type of cilantro) wrapped in a flavorful bijao leaf
This dish is called "Ninajuanes" - beaten eggs wrapped with bijao (heliconia) leaves and cooked in the oven.
Amazon Snake potion, an aphrodesiac served at La Alternative Bar
Our transportation from Tarapoto to Chachapoyas shared with 13 other people packed to the gills - inside and on top
On the way from the lowland jungle of Tarapoto to the highland of Chachapoyas. This is the habitat of the Marvelous Spatuletail Hummingbird
The spectacular highlands around Chachapoyas
Main square of white-washed buildings and the cathedral
The town of beautiful wooden balconies
Pedestrian street (note the balconies)
The landscape is rife with ledges containing "tumbas" - ancient tombs. Sadly most have been looted. But still there is much in the way of ruins and ancient sites to be discovered in the unexplored area.
Mummy taken from one of the cliff tombs. Note her hair is still intact.
Mother and child
Tourists can hire a horse instead of walking. Here the locals are coming up the trail at the end of the day.
Blankets and stirrups - locals provide tourists with horses for the trail to the tombs
Six decorated clay figures served as tombs for ancient Chachapoyan leaders and warriors.
Human bones lie scattered at the base of the cliff containing the sarcaphagi - an eerie sight.
Gocta Falls is the third highest waterfall in the world
"Dscovered" by the outside world in 2006, the Falls were known to the locals who believed that a mermaid lived at the base
Peru's national bird
The Northern Highlands is a mecca for orchid lovers
Wayra is a non-profit that helps women improve the marketability of their textiles and helps get them into the crafts economy
Limeños Rocio and Agosto are building their house and working to protect the community and fiorest
Artist rendering of Kuelap showing the 400 circular stone dwellings atop the high walls
Twenty meter high stone walls surround this ancient pre-Incan citadel
The ancient citadel is an oval 700 meters long perched on the edge of a cliff top and surrounded by high walls
Three narrow entranceways forced would-be enemies to enter single file, making them vulnerable.
One dwelling has been reconstructed
Stone friezes in characteristic rhomboid or zig zag design
Ruins of the foundations of 400 circular stone dwellings contained within the protective walls.
Stone figures carved in the walls
Stone figures carved in the walls
The surrounding countryside, habitat for the Marvelous Spatuletail Hummingbird
Center for the Spatuletail Hummingbird sits surrounded by deforestation
Many species of hummingbirds are found at Huembo
Photo of the male in the Huembo visitors center
Santos waves us goodbye as we leave Huembo
