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 Travel & Outdoors | January 2008 
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
 Laura Gelezunas - PVNN
If getting off the beaten path and a little adventure sound appealing to you, come to Puerto Vallarta Mexico and take a walk on the wild side!
The tropical jungle in Puerto Vallarta's Sierra Madre Occidental is an important habitat for a wide variety of tropical and temperate flora and fauna - and you can discover its secrets on Vallarta Adventures Sierra Madre Jeep Safari tour.
This exciting off-road voyage of discovery takes you into the depths of the jungle vegetation, where Vallarta Adventures professional tour guides will lead you on an educational nature walk and introduce you to all sorts of creepy-crawly things.
"This is a vinegar scorpion and it shoots vinegar as its defense mechanism," says Vallarta Adventures Tour Guide, James Bradley Smith, "they kill other scorpions and insects, a great guy to have around the house."
Your knowledgeable, ecologically trained guide will also give you realistic and practical survival tips, so if you ever get lost in the wilds of the Sierra Madres you could make it until help comes along.
James points out different plants that are edible, "Ferns like this one are called Maiden Fair and you can boil the leaves to make tea, plus it is good for coughs."
"These are tough nuts to crack," says James as he pounds on the outer shell of a Brazil nut, which are plentiful in the area.
In the palm of his hand a grub worm wriggles around and these can be a great source of protein, James has important cooking tips, "You want to boil them first because of the parasites that are on the skin itself."
Margo Haro, a first-time visitor to the jungle, remarked "We tasted two kinds of fruit that we never tasted before. I can't remember what their names were, but they were tasty jungle fruit."
Along the trail, you will also meet all kinds of interesting creatures, including another member of the scorpion family. James points out that one has been injured and his tail is actually longer but something happened in his life, like it being clipped by another animal.
The Sierra Madres' wealth of natural resources, ecological attractions and magnificent scenery make Puerto Vallarta an ideal place for outdoor recreation, and Vallarta Adventures Jeep Safari is a great way to discover and explore the area's indigenous flora and fauna.
"I was not aware that there was this forest so close to the ocean here," says Karl Bren, a guest who is inspired by nature, "and to see the biodiversity, the incredible amount of flora and fauna, and how these all relate to each other, has really been exciting for me."
Vallarta Adventures Sierra Madre Jeep Safari offers everyone aged 8 and up the unique opportunity to enjoy a full day of eye-opening adventure and an up-close-and-personal look at the area's wild side within a safe and fun-filled environment.
For more information or to make your reservations visit Vallarta-Adventures.com or call 1-888-303-2653 toll free from the U.S. or Canada.
 After having spent 10 years in the world of US broadcast news, Laura Gelezunas decided to unleash her skills on Puerto Vallarta by opening Video Diva Productions, a full-service, professional digital video company. Whether you're interested in a sales video, WEBmercial, music video, feature story, documentary, or corporate event video coverage, she has the experience, equipment and talent to coordinate a professional production. For more information, visit her website at VideoDivaProductions.com. |
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