La Isla Escondida is located in the Putamayo District of Colombia. It is roughly a 90 minute drive west of Puerto Asís, where the closest airport is located, and maybe 25 kilometers from the border with Ecuador.
In a single word, la Isla Escondida is HARD. Everything about it is hard. To arrive at the lodge, you have to walk 4 - 4.5 hours through every type of difficult terrain - across streams, through thick mud, over a hanging bridge and across slippery rocks and wooden logs. All of the trails are difficult as well with the same issues. There are four "towers" and for two of them, you have to wear a harness and are more or less hoisted up by the guide.
Arman and Paige Moreno accompanied me on this adventure. Because of the difficulty, I personally would never do it again. In fact, it would probably go in the top ten of the most difficult physical activities I have done in my life.
On the positive side, I had 67 new Colombia species, and with the few additional country species from elsewhere, I now have a grand total 738 bird species in the country, well more than any other country I have visited. Costa Rica is in second position for me with 612 species.
Pictures from the trek to arrive, the trails and one of the ladders going up one of the platforms (yep, that's me hanging on to it for dear life):
Holy hanging by a thread to life! Ed, you have quite the heart for adventure. Congrats on more birds for your list. Sitting in a recliner is as adventuresome as I get.
Otra prueba
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Un increíble viaje para recordar y para no repetir!
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