quick trip to the rainforest

 

So far we have made it to the beaches of Sucre (several hours along winding backroads), La Gran Sabana/ Roraima & the border with Brazil (12 hours+ by car), Amazonas & Caracas (by overnight buses), etc., etc. yet somehow we had not found time to take the hour drive to Morichal Largo in the past two years that I have been here. We finally got our act together and made it to Morichal Largo, where we jumped in a boat and took a two hour boat ride downriver.

Morichal Largo (a morichal is a river fed but underground springs) is known for being the longest morichal in the world. Within a few minutes on the boat we spotted capuchin monkeys (named after the capuchin monks which were the first missionaries in Venezuela) and all along we saw a variety of tropical birds - from small parrots (like the one we have at the house) to giant vultures (not so pretty, but noted for their size) - as well as butterflies, frogs & turtles. The wildlife highlight for me would have to be the howler monkeys that were perched on a branch that hanging over the water. After the first two hour stretch, Cesar decided it was time to cool off (images of piranhas, crocodiles, eels, rays and any other mysterious tropical creatures lurking in the murky water flashed in my mind) as he jumped in the water. The driver of our boat assured us that it was safe in this spot of the river because of the nice current. Soooo..... I was tempted to jump in as well!

On the return stretch of our trip we stopped for sandwiches on the riverbank (there was a cute little hut with a picnic table for us). By mid-afternoon we were back at the house, impressed that we were able to have such a great mini-adventure so close-by. Feeling pretty lucky - how many people can say they can take a weekend trip to the rainforest?

Moriches (giant palm trees which grow along the morichal)