Macaws, monkeys and moai : 6 weeks in the Pantanal, peru and Polynesia
 

The goals of this year’s South American safari were good weather and jaguar in the Pantanal and to explore ‘wild’ Peru in Manu, Tambopata and Chaparri Reserve. We opted to island-hop our way back to Australia via Easter Island and Tahiti as it was a good opportunity to visit these remote destinations. A full trip report is available at: http://safaritalk.net/topic/11322-ma...and-polynesia/

Photos from the Pantanal, Peru and Polynesia are online at https://picasaweb.google.com/Treepol together with accommodations from South America.

The highlights:

A giant anteater with a baby on its back
Walking up to an armadillo as it snuffled along
Jaguar, jaguar, jaguar – 11 different animals
Black collared anteater
The drive over the Andes and down the Manu Road
Hummingbirds
River trips in Manu and Tambopata
Macaw licks
3 wild sloth
Spectacled bears at Chaparri Lodge
Moai, Easter Island

The itinerary was:

<b>Southern Pantanal</b>
3 nights Fazenda Baia das Piedras

<b>Northern Pantanal</b>
4 nights Porto Jofre Hotel
1 night Jaguar Ecological Reserve
2 nights Rio Clara
2 nights Pousada Alegre
1 night Pousada Piuval
3 nights Hotel Baiazinha

<b>Southern Peru</b>
2 nights, Casa Andina Arequipa
1 night Colca Canyon Lodge
1 night Palacio del Inca, Cusco

<b>Manu and Tambopata</b>
2 nights Cock of the Rock Lodge
3 nights Manu Wildlife Center
1 night Refugio Amazonas
2 nights Tambopata Research Center

<b>Northern Peru</b>
1 night Casa Andina Grande, Chiclayo
2 nights Chaparri Lodge

<b>Polynesia</b>
2 nights Hotel Tauraa, Easter Island
2 nights Pension de la Plage, Tahiti

Heading over to read the trip report now - great itinerary!

What a trip! I enjoyed my stay at Chaparrí last year with wonderful Juhan as local guide. Naught naughty Pierre!

Actually I was told Pierre was offspring of two of the rescue bears. It is a shame he cannot be released. It does seem the staff is very attached to the animals (and vice versa). Several of the rescue foxes followed the keeper after they were released rather than going off into "nature".

Thanks for sharing your wonderful report and photos.

Treepol, I read your report and enjoyed your photos on safaritalk. Your photos are marvelous, especially the birds. I have been wanting to go to the Panatanal since I saw Lynn's report a few years ago, and when the time comes I always end up choosing East Africa. Your sightings are really selling South America.

Thanks for posting!

Thanks for reading along and for your kind comments.

mlgb, I agree its a shame that Pierre can't be released, he has a reasonable sized enclosure and his own pool but its not the same as being free in the wild.

Leely, I returned to Southern Africa twice between Pantanal trips, and am going to Namibia and Botswana in 2014. My mother is now a safari addict and the 2014 trip is for her and 2 of my father's cousins (mine too I guess!) who are safari newbies.

I am considering a Pantanal trip with my mother in 2015 - we'll see how she's travelling healthwise next year.

What a great trip, thanks for posting.

Treepol, thanks so much for posting the link to your detailed report. It sounds like a fantastic trip and I appreciate all the effort you put into the report. It will help me in my planning for a trip to the Pantanal next fall (hopefully).