August 2020 – DansGallery

August 4, 2020

3 Days

Ready for a breakout from the house we decided to do a long weekend excursion to a jungle area we know quite well. Our excuse was to drop some seeds and supplies off for a friend in a small community on the edge of the Montes Azules biosphere. Our other excuse was it’s the end of the pineapple season and we wanted some off the vine so to speak. Bananas are always in season…

Chris lives in Plan de Rio Azul which is near the bridge at Amatitlán that crosses into the biosphere at the headwaters of the Lancantun river. The river is fairly famous as an access for many jungle villages and an arrival point for Guatemalan refugees during the Guatemalan Civil war.

After dropping the stuff we did our first night at the end of the final drop of Las Nubes. A well known series of waterfalls ending in gorge between high cliffs. We stayed in a campground near the small village of Loma Bonita at the end of the crevasse where the river starts it’s weave through the lowlands.

After spending the night I started the day with a hike up to the lookout. It’s interesting seeing the jungle growing along the cliff edge during the climb. After my return we had a breakfast with some local fruit we picked up along the road. Then we packed up expecting to stay at Las Guacamayas.

But arriving there we were informed the village was closed to outsiders. But we know people and were allowed a couple of hours to make a lunch by the river and look around for Scarlett Macaws. Midday we didn’t have much hope but checked out the ones in the community cage where they care for damaged and orphaned birds. While there we spotted a troop of Howler monkeys. It’s not uncommon and, in fact, that was part of our motivation to go. But this group was uncommonly close and I got some great pictures.

After lunch and a swim in the river we simply went back to where we’d stayed the previous night and went home late the next day. Las Nubes, Tziscao, and Lagos de Montebello were all closed. We could have gone in anyway knowing side entrances and people but had lost motivation by then. Still we got a nice break and saw the usual stuff we went to see.

Day 2 Lookout hike and departure for Las Guacamayas

Return to the campground

Overlook of the campground with a view to the gorge outlet

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