There are some geocaches hidden at well-known touristic places
in Peru like Machu Picchu or Lake Titicaca visited by almost all
tourists. However, did you know that the Amazonas has its origin in
the rainforest of Peru? We all know that the Amazonas rainforest
with its huge variety of animals and plants has to be carefully
protected. To my opinion it's worth a visit. If you go there once
and see the wildlife live this may change your mind about
protection of the rainforest even further. The Amazon jungle is
just breathtaking beautiful. I graded this cache T5 not because the
box is difficult to find, just because the way to the cache
location is full of adventures. I placed the box not at the
riverside of the mainstream of the Amazonas (it's not that nice)
but near a small jungle village called San Juan de Yanayaku located
at a smaller tributary to the Amazon river called Yanayaku which
means black river in Quechua.
In order to do this cache you have to carefully prepare your
trip. Minimum equipment is: rubber boots, rain coat, sun
protection, moscito repellent, a tight jacket, a bottle filled with
drinking water, a camera and perhaps a flashlight. What is
extremely important: bring at least an additional replacement set
of batteries for your GPSr and camera. There is no electricity in
the jungle. If your GPSr fails you may never find your way back.
This is a serious advice. And don't go there alone.
First you have to go to Iquitos the biggest Peruan city at the
Amazon river. But be aware there is no road that leads to Iquitos
so you can't travel by car. After arriving at Iquitos you have to
find someone with a boat. It should be a speed boat with at least
100hp otherwise you won't make it on a single day. However, I
recommend to spend some days in one of the jungle lodges near the
cache to enjoy the wildlife there. You will certainly never forget
it in your life. There are 3 lodges near the cache. Or, you may
bring your tent if you are brave guy to camp at the riverside of
Yanayaku. I also recommend to look for a guide who has experience
in the jungle (there are indeed pretty dangerous plants and
animals). Be advised that there are many guys in Iquitos who
pretend they have jungle knowledge, so select carefully. My
recommendation however is to stay in a lodge that has experienced
jungle guides who know the area well and who speak the local
dialect of the aboriginees there.
When you have arranged for the boat or a lodge in Iquitos go the
Amazon river upstream from the harbour of Iquitos for about 100km.
At S4 13.635 W73 18.853 you will find a sidebranch. Take the way
into this sidebranch until the mouth of the Yanayaku river at S4
13.711 W73 18.414 . There you will see the Radio station of the
nearby village Ayacucho. You may be able to see some pink dolphins
there already but certainly in the lakes nearby. Follow the
Yanayaku river upstream to the jungle village named San Juan de
Yanayacu at S4 18.263 W73 17.195 . Look for a place to leave the
boat shortly before. A small hut in the river marks the starting
point into the jungle. You will certainly meet some people there at
the houses. I recommend to tell those people that you will take one
of the pathes into the jungle that they can look for you if you do
not return in a given time.
There are an endless number of trails that lead into the jungle.
Turn your GPSr on at the boat already to find your way back safely.
Frequently store waypoints and take photos of the evident points.
The trail starts at the last hut. There you will find the number
17. Follow the following track segment into the jungle after having
put on your rubber boots, your jacket and having covered your skin
completely with moscito repellent (embed the track segment in a
suitable gpx file):
<trk>
<name>jungle</name>
<trkseg>
<trkpt lat="-4.299022" lon="-73.276397"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299099" lon="-73.276449"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299693" lon="-73.277854"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299515" lon="-73.278150"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298778" lon="-73.278846"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298664" lon="-73.278985"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298381" lon="-73.279307"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298294" lon="-73.279452"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298430" lon="-73.280187"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298797" lon="-73.280591"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299071" lon="-73.281182"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299060" lon="-73.281648"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299060" lon="-73.281649"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299076" lon="-73.281670"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299073" lon="-73.281673"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299077" lon="-73.281681"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299070" lon="-73.281668"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298980" lon="-73.281821"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298872" lon="-73.282041"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298834" lon="-73.282274"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298740" lon="-73.282371"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.298928" lon="-73.282472"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299084" lon="-73.282339"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299162" lon="-73.282174"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299244" lon="-73.282151"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299245" lon="-73.282147"></trkpt>
<trkpt lat="-4.299250" lon="-73.282068"></trkpt>
</trkseg>
</trk>
or download a complete gpx-file from here
This will lead you on a a safe trail to the cache. At the
listing coordinates you will see a huge Ceiba tree (also called
Kapok tree). On the tree side opposite to the trail you will find a
huge root with a hole in it. See the spoilers. ATTENTION: don't
grasp into the hole with your naked hand! There may be a snake or
other dangerous animal inside. Use a stick to tear out the plastic
bag. The cache box is enclosed in the bag. After logging please use
the bag again and make a tight knot to protect the box from water
(in the wet season there may be a lot of rain). Please stow the bag
well in the hole again such that animals can't tear it out
easily.
Look for the photos in the gallery to be prepared for what you
will meet around the cache.
You can also listen to the sound of the jungle (mp3-file,
5min).
The cache is maintained by Rafael a jungle guide living in
Iquitos.
Have fun in the jungle and help protecting it!
Gorranata
PS: Do you know the song "Bungle in the jungle"? It perfectly
fits to this cache, therfore the name.
Google Earth Screenshot of Cache Location
What you will see on your way:
On the way to the cache (between Lima and Iquitos): Huascarin
6768
Amazon
Amazon Boat
Baby Kaiman
Bananas
Black Bats
Black Scorpion
Brown Frog
Catfish
Colorful Beetle
Elementary School in San Juan
Fishing Bird
Green Frog
Hawk
Lillipots
Monkey
Mokey Staircase
Native Kid's pet
The path into the jungle
Peeling Rice
Poisonous Mushrooms
Raffael Showing a Canonball Fruit
San Juan de Yanayaku 1
San Juan de Yanayaku 2
Selling jewellery (nice goodies)
Small Piranha
Solar Kitchen
Spider Nest
Tarantula
Termite Nest
Tree
Tree Blossom
Tree Root 1
Tree Root 2
Tree Root 3
Vultures
Wasp Nest
Yanayaku Boat
Yanayaku House
Yanayaku River
Spoiler 1
Spoiler 2
Spoiler 3
Spoiler 4