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HEART OF THE AMAZON
TAMSHIYACU-TAHUAYO RESERVE
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TOUR CODE EAI-P01
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Length: Any!
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The strength of our itineraries lies in the incredible amount of choices available to you.
The great ecological diversity allows an opportunity to see and do many things, so we encourage
longer trips; one to two weeks is a typical length of stay. We can also accommodate short trips
of less then one week.
Our lodges on the Tahuayo River have access to a great variety of ecosystems that we can explore
as well as many native communities downriver. There 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 an itinerary pre-determined to
serve the lowest common denominator.
You can choose a photographer's pace, a soft pace or a ruggedly adventurous pace (such as the
Jungle Survival program). You can concentrate
more on birdwatching, canoeing, canopy exploration, fishing or native culture. You can be active all
day long, including 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 like our Special Family Christmas in the Amazon trip.
There are many facilities, offered by no other tour operators, to give you unique experiences in exploring
the rainforest. One example is the canopy zipline system. Many companies have canopy walkways or towers,
but with us can you actually fly from tree to tree, with nothing underfoot except a hundred feet of rainforest.
Tourists with passionate interests in primates, orchids, native culture or other subjects may request to participate
in scientific studies. For tourists interested in conservation research we have a
trail grid behind our research center where we find 40 troops of primates representing 12 different species. Click on
Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center for more information.
The trail grid behind the research center lodge offers 52 miles of hiking over 1000 acres. It is the longest trail grid
in the Amazon. This is the best hike known in the Amazon for viewing primates in their natural environment. Twelve
species of primates have significant populations on the grid, including squirrel monkeys, tamarins, titi monkeys,
brown capuchins, white-fronted pygmy marmosets, night monkeys, and saki monkeys.
Other mammals living on the grid include: coati, tamandua, giant anteater, tapir, peccary, deer, ocelot, jaguar, paca,
agouti, agouchi, armadillo, pygmy tree squirrel, Amazon tree squirrel, opossum, rat, sloth, kinkajou, tayra, and bat.
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. There are almost unlimited itinery options to choose from. Most are
available year round, but if there are recommended seasons, we'll let you know. 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.
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.
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The strength of our 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.
- 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 600 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).
- 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.
- 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)
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Zip-line Canopy Exploration
Enjoy the longest zipline canopy system in all of the
Amazon described in some news reports as one of the world's
most exciting ziplines! 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.
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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Marriage, Honeymoon or Anniversary Celebrations
Our main jungle lodge has a very romantic setting. Of our 16 bungalows,
two are designated "honeymoon suites." These contain a king sized bed,
something not found in other jungle lodges. A private guide would be at
your service, for no extra charge, so that you can go at your desired pace,
swim, hike, canoe, have a native shaman bless your union, fly through the
treetops on the Amazon's longest canopy zipline, and enjoy our native honeymoon
fiesta, complete gifts, music, dancing, cake, etc. There is no extra charge for
such services.
We can also do a romantic marraige or honeymoon in Peru's Andes at Cusco/Machu
Picchu, or combine this with the Amazon. Ask for a detailed itinerary.
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Special Family Christmas in the Amazon
If you would love to learn how other cultures celebrate family holidays
without the corruption of our materialistic values, then this is the trip
for you. This is a fun and exciting opportunity, rich in education and laden
with values, to immerse your family into another culture's traditions.
Imagine being in a small village in the Amazon Rainforest celebrating Christmas
with a modest native community, sharing a feast and dancing to the jungle rhythms
produced by drums, flutes and maracas. The native children will serenade us with
traditional songs. At the conclusion they distribute artisanias as gifts to the guest.
Then it's our turn to distribute gifts, brought by our guests and by us.
As the children patiently receive their presents, from smallest to tallest, we involve
our guests' children in distributing gifts of clothes, dolls, teddy bears and balls.
It is heart-warming to see the delighted children shower our children with affection.
It must be heart-warming for the children as well; at the end of last year's Christmas
trip, every one of some 18 children aged, 5-15 years of age, enthused that this was their
best Christmas ever--and that they wished to return the next year.
For the rest of your visit you will have the opportunity to enjoy our many different
adventurous excursions, swimming with pink dolphins, exploring the canopy from our zipline,
hiking and canoeing into a variety of ecosystems.
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The Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center
The new Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center (TRARC) was launched in 2007.
The TRARC is a long-term conservation initiative undertaken in consultation
with government offices in Iquitos (Loreto, Peru), Yale University’s School
of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the
Chicago Botanic Garden. Tahuayo River villages’ Comite de Gestion approved the
TRARC undertaking at its March 2007 meeting in return for the facility’s sharing
of project findings with the region’s indigenous villages.
The TRARC initiative was developed to promote new collaborative projects in
conservation biology, environmental studies, cultural anthropology, and more
at the Area de Conservacion Regional Comunal de Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo (ACRCTT).
Auxiliary support is provided by TRARC projects that bear particular promise
toward helping promote sustainable developments among ribereños culture in this
large and precious portion of the rainforest. Work with TRARC scientific board
members, for example, will augment villagers’ knowledge of their rainforest plants,
while progressively illuminating the spectacularly diverse plant communities of
ACRCTT for modern science.
Primate Research
Current research on primates is helping to safeguard Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo’s spectacular
primate fauna: 16 species representing every South American primate family and spanning
the continent’s range of body size. Recent observations suggest that the new approaches
to conservation at ACRCTT will be important for area primates. Primate census of the
trail grid was initiated in 2007 and continues to the present time. Students and tourists
can choose to assist in the census or in habituation of particular social groups of each
of six large-bodied species of monkeys: Cebus apella, C. albifrons, Saimiri sciureus,
Lagothrix lagothricha, Alouatta seniculus, and Cacajao calvus. This work is occuring
on a research trail grid located behind the TRARC. During all-day follows of particular
social groups, volunteers’ work includes progressively more systematic and detailed records
of data for contribution to cumulative TRARC databases. The trail grid behind the research
center lodge covers 52 miles spread over 1000 acres. It is the largest trail system offered
in the Amazon. It is the best hike known in the Amazon for viewing primates in their natural
environment. Twelve species of primates have significant populations on the grid:
95 squirrel monkeys
170 tamarins (2 species)
90 titi monkeys (2 species)
25 brown capuchins
15 white-fronted capuchins
25 pygmy marmosets
25 night monkeys (2 species)
35 saki monkeys (2 species)
Other mammals living on the grid include: coati, tamandua, giant anteater, tapir, peccary
(2 species), deer (2 species), ocelot, jaguar, paca, agouti, agouchi, armadillo, pygmy tree
squirrel, Amazon tree squirrel, opossum (many species), rat (many species), sloth (2 species),
kinkajou, tayra, and bat (approx 70 species).
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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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Testimonials
Fran M. Reports:
 Dear Ed,
I can't believe I've been back from Peru for a month and haven't emailed you yet. I apologize for that.
The trip was wonderful. Your local office took wonderful care of us. They were very efficient and our primary guide, Elga for the Cusco-Machu Picchu segment, and Josia for the Amazon, were just fantastic!
All the hotels and the Amazon lodges were great. Wow, was it hot in the Amazon. And if that was winter I can't imagine it in the summertime! But Josia made sure we got to do everything we wanted to do and he was just amazing.
I would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who wanted to do a similar trip.
Thanks again for fixing us up with another amazing adventure!
Dede Reports:
 Well, Ed, It has taken me a few weeks to come down from the high of the trip to Peru! It was fantastic and in no small part, due to the arrangements you made for us.
From our arrival in Lima and Edda greeting us, to Eduardo in Cusco, and Henry, our incredible guide in Puno/Lake Titicaca, we could not have had better experiences. My sister and my friends were over the top with all the experiences we had.
This was an amazing adventure and I know any clients that want to experience Peru will go with your group!
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