Another bright and early start to the day – after a not-quite-restful night. It’s unclear whether I’m still getting used to the altitude or the sounds of the area, but I was up early and unable to get back to sleep. Yesterday’s mid-afternoon nap wouldn’t have helped either. Ah, well – it happens at home from time to time too.
Lots on the docket today – starting with the Tambores exploration, which will take us through Explora’s own Puritama reserve down to the Puritama hot springs.
It’s an early departure today – 7:45 am – and the breakfast menu is unavailable until 7:30 am, so we caution the kids that they are unlikely to be able to once more get their breakfast favourites. But the menus are delivered early, so the kids order their much-beloved French toast.
On the subject of breakfast menus, I finally remembered to photograph one:
Off to the main reception area where we meet with our guide for the morning, Tamara, along with the sole other guest joining us on the Tambores hike. Have I mentioned lately how much we’re enjoying Explora’s small group tours? Because we are enjoying that – a lot.
I’m also impressed by their commitment to safety. Tamara confirms we have water with us, and even checks the tread on our shoes to confirm it’s sufficient for the hike ahead. We’re also offered hiking poles – which we accept – and then we’re in the van and on our way.
It’s about a 40 minute drive to our start point in the Puritama Reserve – not counting our brief stop to photograph some guanacos and llamanaco (the end result of a llama breeding with a guanaco):
50% llama, 50% guanaco, and 100% adorable
We arrive at our start point, and again safety takes centre stage as Tamara walks us through a brief stretch and warm-up.
The scenery is stunning:
The initial ascent is challenging due to the altitude, but we soon fall into a groove. It helps that there are so many beautiful plants to stop and examine:
Fun fact – plants with doubled-up Incan names are often medicinal. Like the rica-rica plant, which is used to treat indigestion.
We also spot some wildlife!
An absolutley adorable creature known as the viscacha – which is a kind of combination between a rabbit and a kangaroo (but with a squirrel-like tail):
They are extremely well camouflaged but also very skittish, so they’re easy to spot when on the move.
And when they’re nibbling desert delicacies with their adorable little paws
We continue onward:
It’s remarkable just how many of the plants are in bloom – particularly the cacti. That’s part of why this route is named ‘tambores’ – for the round drum-shaped cacti that can be seen along the way.
Onward and downward – there’s actually a net descent to this hike, though it is considered to be more strenuous than the Puritama hot springs hike due to its uneven terrain.
We pass by a trail cam, which has previously captured videos of pumas and Andean cats:
We’d love to see some ourselves but they’re called the ‘ghosts of the desert’ for a reason. There was research team camped out here for an entire week a few months ago who didn’t see them at all.
The desert blooms will have to suffice:
We also pass by an old structure, which was used as recently as the 1990s:
The boards here are made from compressed cactus, which takes an extremely long time to grow – roughly one centimetre a year.
We continue on toward the canyon:
Spotting more viscachas as we go:
This one has a baby – and it’s nursing:
Adorable.
We continue onward, and spot a variable hawk:
The canyon is quite striking:
Hot springs flow through the ravine, bringing life with it:
But the cacti on the hills above are equally striking:
These cacti have old man’s beard growing between their needles – the hair-like growth often indicative of exceptionally clean air.
When in bloom these cacti attract the giant hummingbird but alas we didn’t spot any of those.
More viscachas!
But ultimately we reach our final destination – the hot springs:
Despite Explora owning the Puritama conservation area, these hot springs are open to the public – though Explora does have its own small private section replete with bathrooms, changing stations, and freshly-laundered robes.
And for the tired hiker:
Snacks! The caramel cookies were particularly tasty.
But it’s the hot springs themselves that steal the show:
A view toward Explora’s private area – with loungers and shade structures
The water is the perfect temperature – somewhere around 33 Celsius or 92 Farenheit.
We eventually pry ourselves from the hot springs and return to the Explora lodge in time for lunch.
Today’s menu:
My wife has the ceviche which I somehow forget to photograph – the rest of us order various burgers and pizzas.
Then off to take a few more photos of the resort:
It really is a beautiful lodge. Amazing to think that it opened more than 25 years ago in 2000.
Time for reading, writing, homework – and one of the rica rica sours:
It’s a busy afternoon, and it passes quickly.
We return to the restaurant in time to catch the tail end of the sunset:
In the span of moments, the landscape shifts – soon only the very tip of the volcano is lit by the sun’s final rays:
I seem to be having a tough time with menus this trip, as I completely forgot to photograph the menu for tonight. Ah, well.
Our son elects to try the pasta pomodoro:
My wife and I both start with the seafood chupe:
And then move on to the lamb shank:
The chupe was a bit rich for my taste, but the lamb shank was remarkably tender.
New dessert menu tonight:
My wife and I each have the eclair:
While the kids have the black forest cake:
We spare one more look back on the volcano, now lit by the glow of an all-but-full moon:
And retire to the room for the night.
(After ordering one last drink.)
Tomorrow is a busy one with three activities planned – but it should pave the way for a truly slothful Thursday.