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HEART OF THE AMAZON
TAMSHIYACU-TAHUAYO RESERVE
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TOUR CODE EAI-P01
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Length: 7 DAYS
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This trip is totally unique! There is no itinerary! You decide
what you want to do and how far you want to go in your
exploration of the Amazon. Our lodge is located on one of the
upper tributaries of this mighty river and is an eco-tourism
project of the local Indians. It has exclusive access to the
Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve and features many programs from a
jungle survival coarse to swimming with the rare pink dolphins.
(A must do!) In addition there is a cable and harness system on
which you can spend hours in the canopy, jungle canoeing, hiking,
fishing and great bird and primate viewing. If you are a nature
lover or seek adventure of the highest caliber, this trip is for
you! Extensions to Machu Picchu and trekking the Inca trail can
be added to make for that perfect vacation. Come and challenge
yourself!
Our lodge on the Tahuayo River has access to a great variety of ecosystems that we can
explore as well as many native communities downriver. The are sufficient English speaking
native men and women guides so that each person can go at their own pace and according to
their interests. This is ideal for people who do not want to be stuck with a large group on
a pre-set itinerary.
You can choose a photographer's pace, a soft pace or a ruggedly adventurous pace. You
can concentrate more on birdwatching, canoeing, canopy exploration, fishing or native
culture. You can be active before breakfast or well into the evening.
Families can have a private guide who specializes in working with pre-teens or young
teens. Special itineraries are available for marriages, honeymoons, anniversaries, and
other special occasions.
Travelers thirsting for the ultimate in adventure can leave the lodge with their guide
and camp in the old growth terra firme forest in the interior of the reserve. A sample
of some of the itinerary options that you can choose from. Most are available year round,
but if there are recommended seasons, these are noted in parentheses. All are guided by our
staff.
The lodge in dry season |
Hammock Room Photo by Garrett Parkinson |
Relaxing in one of the cabins |
Studying Amazon Wildlife Guides from the Library |
View of the boat dock Photo by Garrett Parkinson |
Conservation Laboratory and Library Photo by Garrett Parkinson |
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COSTS
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| Cost for up to 7 days |
$1,450 pp/dbl US |
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| Each additional day |
$126 pp/dbl US |
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You may start and finish your
trip on any dates that are best for you. However, since
there is so much to see and do (see itinerary), we
do not recommend trips of less than one week.
No single supplement is charged. Discount rates are
available for groups of 5 or more. Discount rates are
available for children 16 years or younger.
A visit to Cusco, Machu Picchu or Lake Titicaca can
make a fascinating extension to your Amazon trip.
The extra flights involved only add an additional
cost of $118. Ancient archaeological ruins set
amidst the splendor of Andean scenery, the colorful
traditional dress, will make for an unforgettable
experience. Tour lengths are 3 days to 3 weeks in
length and are customized to your interests.
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Cost includes all transfers, lodging, meals,
excursions-customized for your interests, entrance
fees, tourists taxes, laundry and tips.
No extra or hidden expenses. Eco-Adventure International, LLC
can book your roundtrip international air from any city
serviced by American Airlines for a discount of 20-50%.
Air within Peru can also be booked at discount rates.
Cost excludes: Visa fees, international airfares, airport
departure tax, personal clothing, personal insurance, alcoholic
beverages, telephone, laundry, charges for delays caused by situations
beyond our control such as bad weather, natural disasters,
political unrest, and emergencies.
Prices subject to government taxes/levies or prices beyond our control. Prices
and programs are subject to change without notice. All prices quoted
in US dollars. For booking information, liability waiver, and terms and
conditions contact Eco-Adventure International, LLC, LLC.
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The strength of Amazonia's itinerary lies in the
incredible amount of choices available to you.
- Swim in a blackwater lake with pink dolphins (Nov-Jun).
- Visit a native shaman.
- Medicinal plant hikes.
- Hike to a lake to see giant lilypads.
- Excursions to see feeding or nesting Macaws, Parrots and Toucans.
- Canoe into flooded varzea forest (Feb-May).
- View pygmy marmosets, the world's smallest primates, which live in trees close to the lodge.
- Close look at the unusual hoatzin birds (when young fledge Jun-Aug).
- Fish for piranha.
- Hike to a manakin lek.
- Visit a native elementary school (Jun-Dec).
- View caiman crocodiles (Jul-Oct).
- Hike and camp in remote terra firme forest (Oct-Jun).
- View unusual beetles and leaf hoppers (Nov-Jan).
- Visit native artisania market.
- Canoe portage to interior lakes, called cochas, rich in wildlife.
- View tree frogs, including several species newly discovered.
- Jungle survival training.
- View electric eels.
- Birding (a list of nearly 500 species for the area near the lodge has been compiled).
- Visit native communities.
- Follow jaguar or peccary tracks in the forest.
- Fish for peacock bass (late Jun-Jul).
- Visit a native family, via translator hear oral traditions and native lore.
- Visit conservation projects (May-Jul).
- Greatest amount of flowering plants (May-Jul).
- Greatest amount of fruiting plants (Dec-Apr). 28. Parakeets feeding at kapok (Jun).
- Observe macaws at feeding site.
- View a diversity of primate species.
- Search for giant anaconda (Jun-Oct).
- Canoe around giant, fortress-like ficus (Mar-May).
- Bathe under a small waterfall in a glade filled with orchids.
- Hike to see giant kapoks.
- Fish with traditional native bow and arrow or spear.
- Traditional native dances.
- View sloths, anteaters and other mammals.
- Insect collecting.
- Evening lake boat trips to view southern constellations and nocturnal wildlife, such as boat-billed herons, potoos, owl monkeys and more.
- Search for boa constrictors and other snakes.
- View brilliant tropical fish such as cichlids, angel fish, tetras, etc.
- Explore the canopy on our unique tandem zip-line system.
- Observe spectacular hoatzin birds, caiman crocodiles and other species from observation platform on Lake Tabano.
- View or participate in poison dart frog conservation management project.
- Photograph or observe tarantulas and harlequin and hercules beetles kept in terrarium in the lodge's Conservation Education Laboratory.
- Visit butterfly colpa, where hundreds of species swarm (July-Oct)
- Have a revitalizing morning bath
with medicinal plants.
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Zip-line Canopy Exploration
Enjoy the longest zipline canopy system in all of the
Amazon. Guests are hoisted one hundred feet above the
ground into a large, emergent tree. Then, strapped into
a rapeller's harness, attached by carabiner to a tandem
zip line of stainless steel aircraft cables, you are
able to to travel through the air from one tree giant to
another. The speed of one's flight can be controlled by
the user to soar rapidly, slow down, or stop to take
pictures. In all, several old-growth emergent trees are
used, with wooden platforms to allow one to stop and rest,
studying the tree top life.
It is a system similar to that seen in the movie
"Medicine Man" starring Sean Connery. The new "Zip Way
Canopy Adventure" is one of the few of its kind in the
Amazon basin.
The system was constructed by Canopy Construction
Associates of Amherst, Massachusetts. The construction
team consisted of scientists, arborists and construction
specialists. They used galvanized and stainless steel
aircraft hardware capable of supporting over 12,000 pounds.
In traveling through the trees people are hooked onto the
zip-line cable as well as a secondary safety cable.
Every precaution has been taken to ensure a safe ride.
All guests of the lodge are allowed unlimited canopy access
(weather permitting) at no extra charge.
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JUNGLE SURVIVAL
The strength of this program is the degree of
personal attention given to our clients. We are able
to customize an itinerary to the needs and interests
of individuals. Most of our travelers choose from
among the softer alternatives available; peacefully
swimming with pink dolphins, visiting native villages
and canoeing along tranquil rivers while watching
monkeys and parrots frolic in the trees above. But
the current public fascination with "survivor"
themes is currently focusing attention on our more
adventurous offerings.
Among the alternatives available in jungle camping is
the jungle survival training itinerary. This option is
still available for our most adventurous clients. We
expect to have more interest in the near future due to
a spate of publicity. Look for a feature article, "The
Teachings of Gerineldo Moises Chavez" on Amazonia's
jungle survival program, written by Robert Earle
Howells, in January 2001 Outside Magazine. A TV
program of the same name appeared on cable TV (video
copies can be purchased from us). Finally, "Diary of
an Amazon Jungle Guide," relates many tales of jungle
camping and survival aspects.
Amazon jungle survival training program details:
The jungle survival training program takes place in
Peru's remote Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve. This reserve
is famous for having the highest diversity of mammals
of anyplace studied in the Amazon. It is located
approximately 100 miles SSE of the nearest city, Iquitos.
Some aspects covered:
- Construction of lean-to
How to select site, soil and drainage aspects;
What woods to use to set up framework; how to use
irapay palm (Lepidocaryum tenue) fronds to rainproof.
- Construction of fire
Recognition of wood that will have hard, dry
interior even when waterlogged by rainforest
humidity; use of copal resin as fire starter
- Sources of pure water
Immature yarina (Phytelephas macrocarpa) fruits;
puca huasca vine (Doliocarpus dentatus) and cano
huasca vine (Uncaria spp.)
- Sources of food
Palm fruits; palm hearts from Euterpe and Iriartea
genuses; edible beetle grubs; legumes, especially
from Inga genus; using barbasco (Lonchocarpus species)
sap to stun fish; canabrava (Gynerium sagittatum) to
build fish trap; tamshi vine (Carludovica devergens)
to make animal snare
- Raft construction
Recognition of balsa wood, tied together with tamshi
vine, oar from remo caspii (Styrax acuminatum)
- Mosquito repellent
Made from Nasutitermes termites
- Weapons
Fishing spear from cumaceba (Cesalpina echinata); bow
from cashapona (Iriartea exorrhiza), string from
chambira (Astrocaryum chambira), arrowshafts from
bamboo and arrowheads from cumaceba.
- Survival Medicines
Venomous snakebite--piripiri leaves (Cyperus
articulatus)
Venomous insect--curarina bark (Potalia amara)
Fever--sanango root (Sanango durum)
Disinfectant--pichirina sap (Vismia angusta)
Field dressing--fiber inside bark of machimango
(Ceiba species)
Antiparasitical--oje sap (Ficus antihelmintica)
Dysentery or
gastrointestinal distress--hierba luisa leaves (Cymbopogon
citratus)
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The Region
Biologists refer to this region as the "green paradise" of
the Amazon forest. Within this region there exist
exceptional national parks and reserves that contain the
best wildlife viewing experiences to be found in the
Amazon.
The reserve is managed with one of the most innovative
conservation programs in the Amazon. It is the only program
that enlists the collaboration of natives living downriver to
subscribe to game management goals set by conservation
managers. Fund raising for the conservation program is
operated by the Rainforest Conservation Fund.
Thought to be a Pleistocene
refugia (a zone that remained forested during the last ice
age, when most of the Amazon became dry savanna), many species
have been found here which exist nowhere else in the world.
The reserve's mammal diversity has been proven to be the
greatest of any region in all of the Amazon. The number of
primate species is the highest of any protected park or
reserve in the world. Scientists studying birds, amphibians,
and plants have found the respective species assemblages to be
"outstanding, unusual and exceptional".
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Documents
The only document required
is a tourist passport (please contact us if you are not a US
citizen). Please bring two copies of your passport picture
page for help in reconfirming flights and as entrance
requirement for the reserve. No visa is required. No
vaccination certificate is required. In our 19 years working
in this region we have not yet had a traveler become sick with
a tropical disease. There is malaria in the reserve but we
attempt to avoid regions at risk. The taking of malarial
prophyllaxis is at your discretion.
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Clothes
Long and short pants; long
sleeved shirts and tee shirts (tee shirts with our full color
logo can be prepurchased here for $20); rain gear; hat with
brim; swim s uit; sneakers and hiking shoes (some prefer
rubber boots, canoe enthusiasts like reef walkers or water
moccasins). Footware and clothes should be not only clean but
sterilized before bringing to the rainforest.
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Other recommended
Sun block (you are close to
the equator where there is less atmospheric protection from
UV); insect repellent (taking garlic and vitamin B1 helps);
canteen or water bottle; flashlight with spare batteries;
personal first aid kit; personal toiletries; daypack or small
backpack.
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Optional
Binoculars; elementary
school items to donate; camera (most underestimate the amount
of film to bring); video (there is a generator for recharging
batteries).
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Money
Needed only for airport
taxes and optional purchases such as souvenirs. US currency is
good for all of that, but make sure your bills are in
virtually new or mint condition.
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Recommended reading
Tales of the Peruvian
Amazon by Paul Beaver (copies available here signed by the
author for $10). Journey of the Pink Dolphin by Sy Montgomery
(copies available here signed by the author for $30). A
Neotropical Companion by John Kricher.
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