Page 118 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2019 PORTUGAL

The next morning, Pepe Lopez, a veteran
guide who runs ApuMayo Expediciones
(apumayo.com), picked us up at 5:30 am and
we drove four hours to a fun, mostly Class III
section of the Black Canyon of the Apurimac
River - which means “Lord Oracle” in the
Quechua language.
Several decades ago, I’d kayaked the more
difficult, Class IV stretch of the White Canyon
on the same river and nearly drowned. So a
mellower section was definitely in order for
this two-day father/daughter rafting trip.
The rapids were easy that first afternoon,
except for the punchy Santo Toto, a Class II-
I/IV drop. When the cascades were done, we
set up our Big Agnes tent on a sandy beach be-
low towering canyon walls with basalt rocks
buffed shiny by the river.
Above those stones were scores of epiphytes
(air plants) hanging from trees, as well as
scattered cacti. On the shady side of the river,
bushes bearing bright yellow orchids tumbled
down the slope.
And in the evening we dined by lantern on a
meal made by our guides - Alberto and Luchin
- of pasta served with a tomato and mushroom
sauce, another causa dish and a delicious ap-
ple crumble dessert.

118 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2024