RAINFOREST CONSERVATION FUND TAMSHIYACU-TAHUAYO EXPEDITION                      June 7-16, 2008

BASIC ITINERARY

Day 1 (June 7) Arrive Lima
Day 2 Lima to Iquitos; dep Lima 2:45pm arr Iquitos 5:20pm 3-h boat trip to Lodge
Days 3-8 Lodge-based explorations (morning, afternoon, evening)
Day 9 Return to Iquitos for day activities; dep Iquitos 5:35pm arr Lima 7:15pm
Lima to Chicago or other destination

 

BASIC OPTIONS for explorations. All variations, suggestions, & requests welcome!

Recombination of the following 4 dozen elements and others like them, sometimes alone and other times with others, generates different experiences each morning, afternoon, and evening at the Lodge. A wee bit of notice enables kitchen staff to pack breakfasts and/or lunches to help arrange longer guided explorations away from the Lodge. On arrival, your cabin, your knee-high rubber boots, the staff, the library, the laboratory, and its gear are all ready to help you however they might. So is the exquisite hammock room high up over the river's edge! So gear up your journaling and come relax, explore, collaborate, and enjoy all that one remote rainforest and its inhabitants yet have to offer!

1. Swim with pink freshwater dolphins!                         
2. BIRDING (more than 500 spp near
3. Hike to meet medicinal plants
4. Hike to a lake containing giant lilypads
5. Canoe to observe macaws, parrots and toucans
6. Canoe into flooded varzea forest
7. View pygmy marmosets, world's smallest primates
8. Study hoatzin birds (summer fledglings!)
9. Fish for piranha
10. Hike to observe manakins at a lek
11. Visit a local elementary school
12. View caiman crocodiles (best in summer)
13. Hike and camp overnight in terra firme rainforest
14. Collect/ examine diverse arthropods
15. Visit local artisania markets
16. Portage to interior lakes, or cochas
17. Search for tree frogs, including new species
18. View electric eels
19 Overnight away from Lodge without provisions
20. Consult with a native shaman
21. Follow jaguar or peccary tracks through forest
22. Visit forest villages along Tahuayo River
23. Learn local oral traditions and native lore
24. Witness ants on "highways," & at nests
25. Survey flowering plants (best in June!)
26. Tour RCF Projecto Aguaje buffer-zone work
27. Survey forest fruits and/or fungi
28. Search for giant anaconda
29. Bathe under waterfall in glade filled with orchids
30. Canoe around giant, fortress-like ficus

31. Fish with traditional native bow and arrow or spear lodge

32. Hike to giant kapok trees

33. View sloth, anteaters, kinkajous, and other mammals
34. Enjoy traditional music and dancing

35. Evening boating: southern constellations & nocturnal life

36. Examine insects; make butterfly list

37. Survey lizards, snakes, & odd animals like velvet "worms"

38. Snorkel : brilliant tropical angelfish, tetras

39. Explore rainforest canopy along unique tandem zip-line

40. Visit butterfly colpa, where hundreds of species swarm

41. Research with Lodge library's organism guidebooks

42. Examine Lodge aquatic fossil collection

 

Additional Information
Includes Lima airport meet & greet, hotel and two transfers; Includes all in Amazon (all transfers, lodging, meals, guided excursions--customized to your liking, use of all gear and facilities, entrance fees, port taxes, tips and laundry). Optional expenses only: cola or beer drinks, souvenirs, optional tips at your insistence.

Optional Extension to Cusco/Machu Picchu $1095; single supplement $200 (includes Peru air r/t Cusco and land) Does not include Peru airport taxes $6+6pp (these cannot be prepaid; must be paid by traveler in the airport

day 9 Fly to Lima, transfer in, Hotel)
day 10 Fly Lima-Cusco; transfer into Cusco, guided excursion Sacsahuaman national Park and Cusco

            city, hotel
day 11 Cusco-Machu Picchu, Vistadome train, guided excursion of ruins, hotel
day 12 Machu Picchu-Cusco, morning at ruins, Vistadome train return, hotel
day 13 Fly Cusco-Lima

Amazonia Expeditions does not assume responsibility for problems or costs arising from flights caused by such as cancellations, delays or lost luggage. For protection against problems with airlines we recommend that you purchase travel insurance.

Land Itinerary
Excursions are described in detail on websites
http://www.perujungle.com

day 1
Fly to Lima
After clearing baggage security look for Edda Chumbiauca, holding up a sign with our logo (head of a hoatzin bird in a diamond shape)
Transfer to Hotel Melodia, Avenida La Marina 2247, San Miguel, Lima
(011) (51) 15-660-860

day 2
Edda will pick you up in the hotel lobby at noon
Transfer to the airport, fly to Iquitos
After clearing baggage security in Iquitos Airport look for our staff in colorful Amazonia tee shirts with our logo. Local phone 242792
Transfer in;
Speedboat to lodge (depending on weather...we may lodge in iquitos first night)
Afternoon and evening excursion.
Buffet breakfast at hotel, Dinner snack

days 3-8
Itinerary customized to groups interests. We have many things to do and see, being in a zone of rich ecodiversity. Some of the most popular things: canopy zipline and canopy platforms, swimming with pink dolphins, excursions by foot, motorboat or canoe to observe monkeys, birds, and other wildlife, visiting native villages. Private guides will also be available, at no extra charge, to help you customize your itinerary to better meet your needs and interests.
B,L,D

Evening of day 8
RCF fiesta

day 9
Morning transfer to Iquitos, visit Iquitos markets and lumber sites, fly to Lima;
B, L

Documents
The only document required is a tourist passport. 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. Contact us for more information.

Clothes for jungle
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 suit; sneakers and hiking shoes (we have jungle rubber boots in various sizes available for loan), canoe enthusiasts like reef walkers or water moccasins. Daytime high temperatures are 80-88 F.

Other items 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.

Optional
Binoculars; camera (most underestimate the amount of film to bring); video (there is a generator in the jungle for recharging batteries).

Money
Needed 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.

Recommended Reading
Journey of the Pink Dolphin by Sy Montgomery (copies available here signed by the author for $16)

Traveler understands that wilderness travel has inherent risks and agrees to
hold Amazonia Expeditions and all of its employees harmless and free of
liability. Traveler further agrees that any disputes arising from the trip
must be resolved through binding arbitration handled by the Better Business
Bureau of West Florida.

Please forward any questions, dietary requests, etc.

Amazonia Expeditions
10305 Riverburn Drive
Tampa, FL 33647
1-800-262-9669