The Atacama desert attracts thousands to Chile

Unless you've been to the Atacama desert, you'll find that it redefines your understanding of the word "desert."

Air so fresh, you smell nothing at all. Skies so clear, you'll never count all the stars. Rain is almost never in the forecast. Some areas here haven't had rain in over 400 years, and average rainfall in the general area is 0.04 inches per year. This is the Atacama desert.

Don't let the word "desert" fool you though. This is not your typical inhospitable desert - quite the contrary. This desert maintains temperatures generally in the 70's and 80's. During the Chilean summer of January through March, it will rarely even get into 90's. In the evenings, a jacket will be welcome, as temperatures drop as much as 30 or 40 degrees.

With the Andes Mountains on the east and the Chilean Coast Range on the west, this otherwise arid area has been compared to the landscape of Mars, so much so that Hollywood and NASA have been here many times. Rocks, hills, dunes and granular salt flats all add to the visual feast.

Elevation is something to consider. While Death Valley in the U.S. is actually partly below sea-level, the Atacama is considerably higher then Denver, starting about 7,000 ft., with much of the area rising to 9,000 ft. This can require a few days to acclimate yourself before you'll want to attempt any really strenuous activities.

The desert has been waiting for you

It's been waiting quite a while as a matter-of-fact. The church in San Pedro de Atacama has been here since 1577. The geoglyphs (geometric rock formations) have been here since 900 B.C. and the petroglyphs (art carved in rock) have been here even longer. With no rain, everything is perfectly preserved.

So what can you do in the desert?

• Hiking Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) and the Valley of Death opens the eyes to so many unique terrestrial formations, from stone, to sand to salt, in shapes that defy the imagination. Make sure you have your camera at sunset for lucsious light plays off the colored hills.
• Salar de Atacama (the salt flats) has the most unusual, thick textured granular covering of salt and lithium that only a photograph could describe.
• Los Flamencos National Reserve offers incredible views of three species of flamingos, and beautiful sunsets over the lake.
• Lagunas Cejar (Cejar Lagoon) is a lake with such a high concentration of salt, that it allows you to float like in the Dead Sea.
• Volcanoes sound interesting? There are over 150 active volcanoes in Chile and some can be approached easily from the Atacama region.
• Want high adventure? Hike to the Tatio geysers for early morning eruptions of steam, high into the air.
• Bike through the local towns like San Pedro de Atacama or Toconao or out in the wilderness of desert.
• Sore from all that activity? Relax in the hot springs of Termas de Puritama or be rejuvinated at a local hotel spa like Uma Spa (Tierra Atacama) or Puri Spa (Alto Atacama.) 
• Need a traveling companion?  How about taking a llama for a walk through the desert? They make great traveling companions and they do well on a leash.

• Just the thought of activity making you hungry? Try a gastronomic tour of the local area given by the locals and learn native food preparation or take part in a local barbeque.
• Done for the day? Don't go to bed early, the night skies are something to behold. The giant ALMA telescope project won't open until 2014, but every night you can see more stars here with the naked eye than most anywhere else on earth.

For more information about the Atacama desert, check-out the following:

http://turismochile.travel
http://tierraatacama.com
http://altoatacama.com

Juma Lodge, in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest

I’ve been told many times that “getting there is half the adventure” but never was it more true than traveling to Juma Lodge in Brazil.  Two airplane trips, two van rides and two speedboat rides were the ticket to get to this jungle accommodation. It was rainy season and the Amazonas jungle was flooded with 15 meters of water, so high speed boats would be the preferred method of transportation, just about everywhere we went.

Amazon River - courtesy www.visitamazonas.am.gov.br

Flying over the equator, getting closer to our first destination of Manaus, Brazil, I watched dozens of high-speed motorboats ply the waters of the Amazon River. From my 10,000 foot perch, it was entertaining to watch the small boats careening left and right through the treetops which now appeared as small islands dotting the flooded jungle.  Watching in awe as these little boats skimmed the surface at top speeds, never slowing down for blind corners; little did I realize that’s what I would be doing in just two short hours.

Landing at Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes International Airport in Amazonas, I collected my backpack, and met up with my English-speaking guide just outside the customs area. I was one of nine people who would be making the trip to Juma Lodge. After everyone arrived, we proceeded outside to his van and drove to the shipping port where we would catch our first boat.

Haulys Karnopp was to be our guide for the entire trip to and from Juma Lodge. A young Brazilian, he has made a career of learning all he can about the wonders of the Amazon. From plant and insect identification or caiman catching to survival training, it’s his constant quest to learn more and more about the natural wonders of this part of the world.

Typical Amazon water taxi

Arriving at our first boat dock, we discovered that the most common form of conveyance was a water taxi, a long, low-slung metal motor boat, capable of holding probably 16 people on eight bench seats, row-boat style. To get you to your destination post haste, these little boats boasted 75 HP engines. At full throttle, the only speed our boat’s operator knew, we merely skimmed the tops of the white caps as we began to cross the six mile wide confluence of two rivers.

The Rio Negro and the Solimoes meet at Manaus, joining to form the Amazon River, which then flows out to the Atlantic Ocean.  After only a five minute ride, our boat’s captain killed the engine and we started to drift in the area known as “The Meeting of the Waters.”   On one side of the boat was deep, dark black water from the Rio Negro. On the other side was much lighter water from the Solimoes. 

Meeting of the waters - courtesy of www.visitamazonas.am.gov.br

Because of differences in temperature, PH balance, water flow and mineral content, a natural phenomenon occurs and the waters do not mix together. Instead, the two flow side-by-side for five miles downstream before they begin to combine, forming the Amazon River. 

As we sat there adrift, pondering this improbability of nature, we noticed a quickly approaching tree trunk, fully three feet in diameter, mostly submerged and heading right for our starboard side. With no more than five seconds to spare, our captain fired up the engine and we made a quick diversionary maneuver to avoid being broadsided. 

Sitting just 16 inches above the water level, you begin to realize just how wild this river really is, and how most anything could be lurking in your path. At the speeds we were going, had we not noticed this log, we would have certainly launched ourselves completely out of the water upon impact.  Comforting thought. 

Without further incident, we arrived at the other side and after disembarking via an improvised gangplank, we arrived on the southeastern shore. Another van was waiting to take us closer to our destination, passing some interesting giant water lilies, where we took the opportunity to stretch our legs. 

Boarding boat number two where the road ends.

Leaving the paved highway, we followed a dirt road until it dove down an embankment and became submerged for the next quarter mile or so. At this point, our second boat met us to make the final leg of the journey to Juma Lodge. 

Wasting no time, we boarded the boat and set off for our destination. We couldn’t tarry as the sun would be setting in one hour and we couldn’t travel at night. It was to be a sixty minute ride and once we hit open waters, we took off at top speed. 

Just as I had witnessed from the air, we were now that little boat I had watched with fascination, as it slid left and right around blind corners and through dense vegetation. As the boat cornered at high speed, the sides of the boat were literally inches above the river level. This boat was powered by a 115 HP Yamaha outboard and we were wasting no time. 

It was a fantastic way to cover the last leg of the journey. Most of the time, the waters were flat as a mirror and we cruised effortlessly, closer and closer to our destination. As the sun began to set, beautiful shades of blues and pinks in the sky were reflected by the waters. Even the animals seemed to be greeting us as their hoots and howls got louder and more distinct as we slipped further and further into the jungle. 

Almost there, as the sun set over Rio Juma

Just as the sun dipped below the horizon, we completed our 110km trip and pulled up to the Juma Lodge dock in the Autazes Municipality. Grabbing our bags, we walked up to the main reception area. With authentic babaçu tree leaf thatched roof and screened-in walls, the reception area was ready for us with a celebratory drink and keys to our private cottages. 

Lighted walkways to the cottages

Being built in the area of the jungle that regularly floods each year, each cottage and all the connecting walkways are actually built on stilts – some 15 meters above the ground. As it was rainy season (June) when we arrived, the water level appeared to be only two to three feet below the floorboards. 

In this area of the jungle, the river flows rather slowly, but it was interesting none-the-less to watch various flora and fauna drift past your cottage as though you were on a floating carpet ride.

Checking into my private cottage (#20) at the end of the boardwalk, I opened the door to find a wonderfully spacious accommodation with two beds, a large bath with waterfall shower and an outside deck area complete with table, chairs and a hammock.  My room was one of the four new cottages which actually had hot running water.

Each private cottage has its own deck and hammock.

In order to conserve energy and fuel, 220v power operates in your rooms from 6pm through 9am, and from 11 am until 1pm. You need to plan your battery recharging accordingly. 

An overhead fan, some 12 feet in the air, and a 12 foot long by 4 foot high screened window kept the interior at a very comfortable temperature all day long. This was quite different than the mental image I had of a hot, steamy jungle. While June is hot in Cleveland, it is actually winter in South America, and the temperatures were quite mild. 

A buffet dinner was served in a large hut, centrally located among the private cottages. Each meal consisted of a choice of three or four entrees, usually a beef dish, a fish dish, possibly a pasta and some local specialty. 

Always plenty to eat and drink at the buffet.

Hanging on the walls were pictures of the lodge in each of the four seasons. Where we currently couldn’t see more than a foot or two down from our floor level, during the dry season, we would have been way up in the air on these 15 meter tall posts. 

Haulys set us up for two jungle expeditions the following day. Our first would be a hike through the forest where we had the opportunity to closely interact with Mother Nature.

We learned the difference between Tapebas ants and Bullet ants. The Bullet ants have an extremely vicious bite which produces 20 hours of excruciating pain. The tiny Tapebas on the other hand don’t bite at all and are actually rubbed into the skin as a type of deodorant and mosquito repellant by the locals.

The Goliath Tarantula on the jungle floor

We also got to “play” with a Goliath Tarantula, a spider that doesn’t use a web to catch his prey. With the long hairs on his body, he can actually sense the size and direction his intended victim.  Haulys used a short stick to prod him into coming out of his den and then blocked his retreat with a machete. Photo op time!

No less fascinating than the insects were the infinite variety of trees and plants we passed during our hike. One by one Haulys would identify them and point out their medicinal or cosmetic properties.  While many were used to cure a variety of human ailments, there was even an anti-Viagra plant which supposedly local native women would feed their husbands when they wanted some time off.

Haulys Karnopp, our excellent guide

Other trees were used for communication purposes, reverberating messages for miles through the dense jungle. Yet other trees provided fruits and nuts, construction lumber or sap to be used for medicinal purposes. Not surprisingly, someone long ago figured out the whys and wherefores for just about everything found in the jungle. By traveling with an experienced guide, we learned so much more than we could have ever expected to discover on our own. 

Our afternoon exploration was all done via boat as this time we slowly plied the waters of the igapos (flooded forest) surrounding the camp, in search of the three-toed sloth, toucans and iguanas. Our guides managed to find them all and we snapped away as he positioned the boat for best viewing angles. Beautiful Cataleia orchids could be seen growing wild on twisted trees protruding above the flooded forest. 

Juma Lodge in the middle of the Jungle

Back at the lodge I had the opportunity to review some maps and see just how remote we were. The lodge’s operators were fortunate to obtain a permit to develop a commercial venture this deep in the jungle and they take their responsibility very seriously, doing all they can to protect the environment. 

Providing their own septic system protects the river and they use filtered river water to flush all the toilets. Mineral water is brought in from Manaus whenever they pick up guests and much of their food is sourced locally. All left overs are given to the locals as feed for their livestock and a canoe could be seen each morning showing up to load the food and take it downriver to their homestead.

In addition, Juma Lodge has partnered with the Federal University of the Amazon to train local natives to raise seedlings of native trees, which Juma Lodge purchases and then uses for forest regeneration. Already 3,500 hectares of forest have been replanted. In addition, through another initiative, they are working to help the local native elders preserve the Mura language which is at risk of extinction.

Sunrise viewed from my deck, overlooking the Rio Juma

Whether you choose to come to Juma Lodge for the privacy of an Amazon hideaway or to explore the wonders of a jungle forest, you are sure to come away with a new appreciation for all that Brazil has to offer.  The waterways, the wildlife and the scenery will not disappoint you. It’s impossible to leave without a new appreciation for the diverse wonders of this part of the world.

Roughing it easy at Amazon Jungle Palace

You are 25 km north of Manaus, deep in the Amazon jungle. Just 3° south of the equator, it’s hot out here. Hiking through the forest, you can work up a real thirst. 

Head any direction and you'll find endless jungle forest, ready to explore.

As your wooden boat takes you back to “camp,” the sun beats down and you apply sunscreen for the second time today. You arrive back at the dock, and pull yourself and your camera from the skiff.

Unlike the old days however, when your return meant a cold shower and a hot cot in a tent, since you made the smart selection, today you take the elevator to your room where all the modern amenities await. This is the Amazon Jungle Palace, a magical floating collection of buildings deep in the jungle of Amazonas, Brazil.  

You'll arrive at Amazon Jungle Palace on a luxury yacht like the one to the left, unless you decide to fly in.

Less than two hours from the big-city life of Manaus, in the northwestern corner of Brazil, the Amazon Jungle Palace is a way to enjoy the primitive jungle, for a day, for a weekend or for an extended period. With all the typical “jungle activities” to enjoy, you can keep yourself entertained either “out-in-the-wild” or just stay onboard this floating entertainment center.

If you seek adventure, there are boating expeditions to watch the sunrise over the Rio Negro or evening rides after dark in search of alligators. Hikes into the jungle can be arranged to suit your taste from short to extended. Want jungle survival training, that’s available as well. Expert jungle guides can turn a leisurely walk into a jungle education. For a milder adventure, jump into a paddle boat and explore the flooded forest in search of exotic birds.

Amazon River Palace is composed of multiple floating platforms linked together.

If you just want a jungle backdrop, but prefer to continuously enjoy the creature comforts of a five-star hotel, you need not leave once you arrive at the “Palace.” Offering 65 rooms from Superior to Imperial sizes, there’s a room size for everyone. Two separate buildings offer sleeping accommodations while two more floating buildings offer dining facilities, play areas, a work-out facility and a giant convention center which can handle 500 people comfortably. Yet another floating platform holds an enormous swimming pool with poolside dining.

When it comes time to eat, you are in for another pleasant surprise – gourmet foods, fine wines and an attentive wait staff. Each buffet spread included at least three or four main entrees, many of which were locally caught seafood. From salads to fruits, and from beef to pasta to fish, each dish was more tempting than the one before. Luckily with buffet style dining, you can try a taste of everything. Don’t miss some of the local grains which make a wonderful accompaniment to the various entrees.

All the rooms are beautifully appointed, but some like this give you extra elbow room.

While exploring the jungle is on a lot of “bucket lists,” people are often reluctant to venture away from their beloved Internet. One of the major vacation pastimes of 21^st century travelers is keeping in touch via Facebook or other social media outlets. The one necessity to accomplish that however, is an Internet connection. But drat, most Internet providers don’t have many customers in the jungle, so you are usually up a proverbial creek without a signal. Not at the Amazon Jungle Palace however. You still have access to the Internet, not just dial-up speed; but, legitimate, hi-speed service via satellite. It’s free with the room, so keep in touch however often you like.

Out here in the wilderness, luckily the Amazon Jungle Palace is quite concerned about preserving the environment. They maintain their own waste water treatment plant, they use low-impact marine type generators and they send laundry back to the mainland to prevent excess water usage. They even maintain a certified contingency plan to deal with the loss of any oils.

Go ahead – enjoy all the wonders of the jungle and still feel good about not disturbing the environment; the Amazon Jungle Palace seems to have it all covered. Watch the following slide show for even more images. Click the lower right corner to watch full-screen.

Remote Exposure - a book review

Some of the most dramatic landscape photos are those taken in the mountains. Since the majority of the population has never hiked or climbed to an actual mountaintop, those views are often the most compelling. If you are actually planning such a climb, you want to bring back the best images possible to actually portray the wonders you experienced.

Shooting from mountaintops is considerably different than shooting in Cleveland or most anywhere else you probably live, and that’s why Alexandre Buisse wrote this book, Remote Exposure – a guide to hiking and climbing photography.  It’s a great compendium of all sorts of practical advice in selecting what to bring and how to use it to its best advantage.

First Buisse describes the equipment needed and how to carry it (dropping equipment on a mountain side is usually disastrous.) Then he gives some great tips about avoiding condensation and dust on your LCD. I never realized that I could help avoid dust on my LCD by making sure the camera was turned off when changing lenses. Turns out that reduces static electricity, which creates the magnetic attraction of dust to the LCD itself.

An entire chapter is devoted to the “art” of composition because lots of uninteresting shots are never the measure of success. He then goes into the differences to be aware of in camping, hiking, technical climbing and mountaineering. A discussion of panoramic images, HDR and DSLR video rounds out the book.

This is one where just about anyone is bound to find some tips they hadn’t known or perhaps reminded about ones they’ve long forgotten. It’s available at  Borders and Amazon . The book is beautifully hardbound with a lay-flat design and is also available for the Kindle.

You might also like to read my review of other Rocky Nook Books:

The Art of Photography – an approach to personal expression

Serial Photography – using themed images to improve your photographic skills

The Wild Side of Photography – unconventional and creative techniques for the courageous photographer

Wildlife Photography – on safari with your DSLR: equipment, techniques, workflow

Why Photographs Work – 52 Great images: who made them, what makes them special and why

High Sierra Compass 3-in-1 Travel Pack – product review

The “3-in1” part is what should have caught your attention. With the Compass backpack all zipped together, you have almost 4,300 cubic inches of storage. The main pack by itself is a roomy 3,295 cubic inches and the daypack by itself is another 976 cubic inches. It comes with a detachable shoulder strap as well, so you could even perhaps call it a 4-in-1.

If you could only own one piece of travel luggage, the High Sierra TR103 Compass very well should be it. Versatility is its middle name Made from Duralite waffle-weave 1680-denier ballistic fabric, it comes with a limited lifetime warranty against defects of material or workmanship.

At 6.8 pounds, with an internal frame, this travel pack should appeal to every traveler looking for that perfect blend of large storage capacity and single, easy to manage luggage. If your travels take you off the pavement, you know you need a backpack. If you want to carry a lot of gear to and from your destination, but only want a small pack while at your destination, this is just perfect.

The daypack unzips easily, but while attached, the whole bundle only counts as one piece of luggage when you are checking in for your airline. Two compression straps on the main pack make sure it travels as one secure bundle and a concealed nylon cover pulls out to zipper close and tuck away the shoulder and waist straps while sending it though the airport check-in process.

The main compartment is divided into two main sections, with a front load zipper as well as a hinged opening zipper for the lower section. A zipped fabric panel separates the two and makes it easy to reach through when hunting for that one “other” thing that’s always in the other compartment. The adjustable aluminum frame bars are concealed in this section and can be bent to fit the contour of your back.

The padded shoulder harness is made of Vapel airflow mesh for moisture wicking and is fitted with their “Ergo-Fit” adjustment system. This enables you to adjust the height of the pack to be most comfortable based on your height and frame size. Load lifter straps offer even more adjustment by just simply giving them a pull until it feels right for you. The waist belt is also nicely padded with the same Vapel airflow mesh. Another outside large zipper reveals a shoe pocket at the lower end of the main compartment.

The removable daypack comes with padded shoulder straps, so it can handle a sizable load itself and still be comfortable. It can also be detached from the main bag and worn in front of you for additional security if the situation warrants it. Two convenient clips attach it to the main bag’s should harness.

The Compass’ daypack comes with a variety of organizational pockets. There’s one for your cellphone, while another zippered pocket handles your MP3 player with its headphone port. More sleeves and slots handle notebooks, pens and all your other miscellaneous.

For additional organization on the main pack, there’s another large zipper which reveals a shoe pocket at the bottom of the main compartment. There are additional straps strategically placed around the bag for lashing on additional gear or sleeping bag.. Also outside, a mesh pocket will take up to a 1,000ml water bottle. (Just make sure its empty when you got through the TSA inspection line.)

I spent an entire weekend recently, biking and hiking around Lake Erie’s islands while using this pack. I overloaded it with few clothes, but tons of photographic still and video gear. It easily swallowed my laptop, large travel tripod, two camera bags, a host of batteries and extra lenses as well as cellphone, GPS and MP3 player. I felt amazingly steady biking with such a large bag and it was easy to forget that I was even wearing it at times.

With the variety of load points, it was easy to stop and get out just the gear I needed without having to unload everything else in the bag. That was the main advantage I appreciated when comparing this to most other large “top-load” backpacks.

Check it out online at http://www.highsierrasport.com or at your local quality outdoor retailer. I think you’ll be impressed with all this bag offers for the price. 

Product Review - Ex-Officio Adventure Clothing

Buying the best quality clothes for your spring-time outdoor adventures.

This winter I had the opportunity to visit the Ex-Officio booth at the TGA 2011 trade show. I was struck by the breadth of their line and the sharp looking new additions for 2011. I’ve been a raving fan of their Air Strip shirts for at least the last five years or so. 

Men's Air Strip™ Lite Long-Sleeve Shirt 

I’ve got both their long sleeve and short sleeve models, but I find myself using the long sleeve shirts much more than the short sleeve. With most locations I visit, I find that having the long sleeves for the morning chill and that “after the sun goes down” temperature drop to be a real advantage. During the heat of the day, the sleeves easily roll up and are held there with a button tab. It’s the best of both worlds. 

Last summer I wanted to photograph the sunrise over Haleakala Crater on the island of Maui. Despite the 80 degree days in August in Hawaii, the temperature drops to about 40 degrees in the early morning hours at the top of the mountain. I hadn’t packed a coat, but I used the long sleeve shirt like a jacket over another shirt and it really helped keep me warm. I can’t think of a trip I’ve gone on in the last couple years where a long sleeve Air Strip shirt hasn’t been in my bag.

Nomad Pants

I’ve always liked lightweight hiking  pants for camping, photography and general all-round outdoor activities. I’ve gone through dozens of pairs. This year I tried the Nomad pants from Ex-Officio for the first time. After a dozen uses already, these have moved to the top of my favorites list. 

Super light-weight but durable are the two marks of a great pair of outdoor adventure slacks. These are probably the lightest feeling slacks I’ve tried, but at the same time, they’ve resisted scuffing and one experience hiking where I thought they would surely tear. Nothing…came through without a scratch.

Lest you think these are for outdoor only, think again. With the nice clean cut of these pants, I threw on a sweater and a sport coat and used these for fine dining one evening.  With their wrinkle resistant finish and drop-in cellphone pocket, this will quickly become your goto slacks.

Give-N-Go Boxer Brief 

Ex-Officio now has now expanded their line of underwear for women as well as men. All are designed to be lightweight and easy to care for while on the road. This was the first time I had tried the men’s boxers however.  With 94% nylon and 6% spandex, they are going to fit better than most – no matter what type of body profile you have. With just a touch of stretchiness, they kept the bottoms snugly around my legs and did not ride up, no matter what type activity I was involved in.

With this type underwear, you really could go away for weeks at a time and only have to pack two pairs. They can be washed out in the sink and dried in no time at all.  After washing and wringing them out over the sink, I always take one of my dry towels and lay the pants out flat on the towel. Then starting at one end, I roll the towel as tightly as possible until the entire shorts are enclosed in the towel roll. I then squeeze the entire length of the towel and unroll it again. At this point, probably 90% of the moisture is out of the shorts and I just hang them from a towel rod or door knob. By morning, they are invariably perfectly dry and ready to wear or repack.

You can check out the entire line of Ex-Officio outdoor clothing at their website.