Sloth
Brendan McFadden with villagers of San Gregario after buying trinkets from them
camping trip to search for caiman alligators. After heading out on a long
boat, we pitched our tents near the shore and as darkness fell we headed out to scour the area for caimans. Wilver stood at the front of
View from our boat excursion
the boat and scoured left and right with his head torch beaming into the darkness. After 45 minutes of gently wading through swamps we had almost given up hope of seeing anything but then Wilver suddenly whispered with great enthusiasm “caiman!”. He had spotted a young caiman hundreds of yards away. We pulled onto shore – our guide leaped out and marched along the banks – before snatching the young reptile from the water and bringing it back to us. “This is a baby one, do you want to hold it,” Wilver said with a beaming smile. As he handed over the two-
foot caiman. Wilver explained: “This one is only ten months, it will grow as big as four metres long – it would be very dangerous to hold it at that size”. It was humbling to be in
such close contact with one of nature’s great predators. As
50 COTSWOLDESSENCE | March - 2014
we headed back to our tents I was hoping to see an adult caiman and my wish was granted when one glided past the boat and looked us straight in the eye. The experience was truly exhilarating and encapsulates how activities with Otorongo allowed us to engage and explore the buzzing ecosystem around us. Seven days staying at
Otorongo felt like seven years, so much was to be experienced but yet it still was far from enough. It is a place where you can unleash your childish sense of adventure and be exposed to nature in all its rugged glory, whether that be kayaking through swamps or holding a terrifying tarantula. Without doubt, I will be
returning to Otorongo for another adventure. I leave with my mind enlightened but my thirst for adventure is far from quenched and there is no doubt I will enjoying the vast expanse of the Amazon again soon.
To find out about trips
with Otorongo Expeditions visit otorongoexpeditions. com
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88