OBSERVATION TOWERS

LIFE IN THE TREE CANOPY

THE AMAZON IS AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX BIOME THAT ONE LEARNS ABOUT SLOWLY, LITTLE BY LITTLE

Every river has its own story, fauna and flora. In the Amazon this complexity becomes very evident. There is a huge variety of tree species, blending together at heights ranging from 25 to 45 meters (80 – 145 ft), with a few emergent species growing even taller. Consequently, observing the wildlife that inhabits the forest canopy is a demanding task for people down at the ground level.

From the top of the towers one can see many species of birds and monkeys that live in the Cristalino reserves.

SPOTTING BIRDS AND MONKEYS
THAT INHABIT THE CANOPY

That is why the Cristalino Lodge has two 50-meter (164 feet) tall observation towers, made of galvanized steel and strategically positioned at different points in the forest reserve, precisely for that purpose. Both towers are accessed by trails through terra firma forest ecosystems that contains well-developed trees and many emergent species.

Climbing the towers makes it possible to observe all the different layers of the forest, from ground level to the upper part of the tree canopy. From the top of the tower, you can watch birds such as macaws, aracaris, parakeets, parrots, tanagers, cotingas and many others, as well as monkeys, such as the white-whiskered spider monkey (Ateles marginatus) and the white-nosed saki (Chiropotes albinasus).

The curl-crested aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii) is one of the many species that inhabit the tree canopy.

The first tower was erected in 2000, with the help of Dr. Chip Haven, of Stanford University (USA). The second was named in honor of the renowned ornithologist Ted Parker, who visited the Cristalino Lodge in the 1990s. One of the most notable trees along the trail to the Ted Parker tower is a Cariniana that, according to local guides, is approximately 600 years old. It has huge buttress roots that grow at the base of the trunk and are common to several different types of trees in the Amazon forest.

DAWN IN THE AMAZON

Watching the daybreak from the top of one of the towers is one of the most memorable Cristalino Lodge experiences. The view is breathtaking, particularly during sunrise, when you can see the mist over the forest dissipating and hear the sounds of the forest waking up, with flocks of macaws and many other birds flying by. The sunsets are similarly spectacular.

Watching the sunrise from the top of a tower will be one of the most moving experiences of your visit, with the forest waking up at your feet.