STRATEGIES OF SURVIVAL
Life in the Amazon Rainforest
An educational tour to the Amazon Rainforest is narrated by anthropologist Manuel Arboleda G.
and co-hosted by Vinh Phung.
and co-hosted by Vinh Phung.
Sunset in the Amazon Rainforest. Photo by Eric Baugh
A 6 nights / 7 days tour of the Amazon Rainforest
10-16 May 2020
INTRODUCTION
…Did you know that the Amazon rainforest paints its own pictures? But unlike conventional illustrations, the “snap shots” rendered by the Amazon come to life with three - dimensional qualities that allow you to embrace the magnificent splendor of the Amazon. Experiencing the exuberant tropical vegetation at close hand, for example, would enable you to relish the true wonder of the Amazon’s vast biological diversity, the world’s largest. Yet beneath that photogenic layer of natural beauty- so well captured by Eric’s photo - lies a dramatic struggle for survival, a struggle that pervades every corner of the tropical forest and its vast family of rivers and lakes. We invite you to join us on our five-day journey of discovery to learn how this daily drama for survival plays out in nature (10-16 May 2020). Activities include navigating through the meandering rivers that engulf our forest-clad lodge with the objective of photographing – at close range - dolphins, caimans, monkeys, birds, among others. What’s more, our journey also includes listening to “symphonies” (at dawn and dusk) “composed and conducted” by the hundreds of birds, amphibians and other critters that dwell in the forest. These and other activities are guaranteed to exceed all of your expectations!
ITINERARY
DAY 01 (Sun) 10 MAY, ARRIVALS
Depart your home country arriving to Lima late at night. Due to our past experience with people arriving at different times and in different carriers, we are no longer costing arrival transfers. Instead, we are suggesting that tour members take Green Taxi, a safe and reliable taxi company, directly to their hotel without waiting. The fixed rate is $ 20 USD for the ride and can accommodate up to three people. Note: Rooms will be ready for check in starting at 13:00 hrs.
Hotel El Tambo 2, (Miraflores), Lima.
Depart your home country arriving to Lima late at night. Due to our past experience with people arriving at different times and in different carriers, we are no longer costing arrival transfers. Instead, we are suggesting that tour members take Green Taxi, a safe and reliable taxi company, directly to their hotel without waiting. The fixed rate is $ 20 USD for the ride and can accommodate up to three people. Note: Rooms will be ready for check in starting at 13:00 hrs.
Hotel El Tambo 2, (Miraflores), Lima.
DAY 02 (Mon) 11 MAY, LIMA (B, L)
Spend the morning exploring monumental Lima. We start with a drive to Barranco, a charming district dotted with lovely historic monuments and vintage mansions. Drive by swanky Miraflores, Lima’s most vibrant district. Then on to downtown Lima but not before passing by Colon Avenue, a once elegant avenue lined with trees, flower beds, marble benches and flanked by impressive mansions built by foreign architects. Then stroll by Lima’s stately Plaza Major and visit the treasure-filled 16th century home of Sr. Aliaga, a home that has remained in the same family for over 400 years! We then cross the Rimac River to visit he former playground of the 18th century Viceroy Amat. His love affair for his concubine sparked an architectural frenzy that included the creation of various shaded Alamedas and even the construction of the Acho Bull Ring, the oldest in the Americas. We end our visit with a guided visit of the beautifully restored convent of Los Descalzos. The convent, containing over 300 religious paintings, is a treasure trove of antiquities. Then off we go to our “welcome lunch” at Huaca Pucllana Restaurant located adjacent to the 2,300 year old pyramid of the same name. This evening, enjoy a Nawpaq Expeditions special: a welcome cocktail at my mother´s house.
Hotel El Tambo 2, (Miraflores), Lima.
Spend the morning exploring monumental Lima. We start with a drive to Barranco, a charming district dotted with lovely historic monuments and vintage mansions. Drive by swanky Miraflores, Lima’s most vibrant district. Then on to downtown Lima but not before passing by Colon Avenue, a once elegant avenue lined with trees, flower beds, marble benches and flanked by impressive mansions built by foreign architects. Then stroll by Lima’s stately Plaza Major and visit the treasure-filled 16th century home of Sr. Aliaga, a home that has remained in the same family for over 400 years! We then cross the Rimac River to visit he former playground of the 18th century Viceroy Amat. His love affair for his concubine sparked an architectural frenzy that included the creation of various shaded Alamedas and even the construction of the Acho Bull Ring, the oldest in the Americas. We end our visit with a guided visit of the beautifully restored convent of Los Descalzos. The convent, containing over 300 religious paintings, is a treasure trove of antiquities. Then off we go to our “welcome lunch” at Huaca Pucllana Restaurant located adjacent to the 2,300 year old pyramid of the same name. This evening, enjoy a Nawpaq Expeditions special: a welcome cocktail at my mother´s house.
Hotel El Tambo 2, (Miraflores), Lima.
DAY 03 (tue) 12 MAY, AMAZON RAINFOREST (B, L, D)
Flight Requested: LA LIM-IQT 07:00 – 08:30 hrs.
Take an early morning flight to Iquitos, the gateway to the Lower Amazon River. Upon arrival, transfer to a motorized boat and navigate up-stream to a small tributary of the Amazon called the Yanayacu River, home of the Muyuna Lodge. Located some 160 kilometers south of Iquitos, the remote lodge is surrounded by immense track of rainforest teeming with wildlife. Its meandering ox-bow lakes and small inland rivulets make it an ideal habitat for monkeys, birds, reptiles and other creatures, all which can be seen and photographed with much ease. After lunch, we will take a hike to explore the understory of the rainforest to get a better understanding of the exuberant flora, its wide variety of usage and its various methods of adaptation against predators. In the evening, enjoy a different perspective of the Amazon by taking a nocturnal boat ride along the river to spot caimans, cousin to the better known crocodile, and to hear a symphony “composed and conducted” by the thousands of insects, frogs and other creatures that lurk in the vast rainforest.
Lodge: Muyuna Lodge.
Flight Requested: LA LIM-IQT 07:00 – 08:30 hrs.
Take an early morning flight to Iquitos, the gateway to the Lower Amazon River. Upon arrival, transfer to a motorized boat and navigate up-stream to a small tributary of the Amazon called the Yanayacu River, home of the Muyuna Lodge. Located some 160 kilometers south of Iquitos, the remote lodge is surrounded by immense track of rainforest teeming with wildlife. Its meandering ox-bow lakes and small inland rivulets make it an ideal habitat for monkeys, birds, reptiles and other creatures, all which can be seen and photographed with much ease. After lunch, we will take a hike to explore the understory of the rainforest to get a better understanding of the exuberant flora, its wide variety of usage and its various methods of adaptation against predators. In the evening, enjoy a different perspective of the Amazon by taking a nocturnal boat ride along the river to spot caimans, cousin to the better known crocodile, and to hear a symphony “composed and conducted” by the thousands of insects, frogs and other creatures that lurk in the vast rainforest.
Lodge: Muyuna Lodge.
DAY 04 (wed) 13 MAY, AMAZON RAINFOREST (B, L, D)
Today immerse yourself in the exuberant sights and sounds of the rainforest. We begin by navigating the Yanayacu River towards Sapote ox-bow lake ringed by hundreds of trees and offering a golden opportunity to see riverine avian life from the comfort of our boat! Enjoy photographing birds like toucans, parrots, cormorants, terns, different types of macaws and even eagles - with their roving eyes adapted to swoop down and catch his/her pray. We will also see sloths perched in their customary habitat (tree branches) and monkeys, like the spider or the petit capuchin monkeys. If we are lucky, we may even see the indistinguishable red howler monkey, the largest monkey in the Amazon and whose cry can be heard for miles! In the evening, stroll by the understory in search of frogs, insects and other critters!
Lodge: Muyuna Lodge.
Today immerse yourself in the exuberant sights and sounds of the rainforest. We begin by navigating the Yanayacu River towards Sapote ox-bow lake ringed by hundreds of trees and offering a golden opportunity to see riverine avian life from the comfort of our boat! Enjoy photographing birds like toucans, parrots, cormorants, terns, different types of macaws and even eagles - with their roving eyes adapted to swoop down and catch his/her pray. We will also see sloths perched in their customary habitat (tree branches) and monkeys, like the spider or the petit capuchin monkeys. If we are lucky, we may even see the indistinguishable red howler monkey, the largest monkey in the Amazon and whose cry can be heard for miles! In the evening, stroll by the understory in search of frogs, insects and other critters!
Lodge: Muyuna Lodge.
DAY 05 (tue) 14 MAY, AMAZON RAINFOREST (B, L, D)
This morning we will navigate the Corriente and the Purura ox-box lake and go fishing for toothy piranhas! We will also get an opportunity to navigate in canoes to a tranquil area of the river to see the giant Victoria Regalia, the world’s largest water lily and then on to the Amazon River or see the fresh -water grey and pink dolphins and, if you want, swim with them! These dolphins, along with the Amazonian sting- rays, are relics of the past when the ancestral Amazon River flowed westward onto a large inland sea. The honeymoon ended when, some twenty million years ago, the Andes began to rise trapping these salt- water creatures. But nature being nature, it forced these creatures to either adapt to fresh water or, well, perish! We then go back to our lodge for a late lunch. Afterwards, we will set off to explore other areas of the “flooded rainforest.”
Lodge: Muyuna Lodge.
This morning we will navigate the Corriente and the Purura ox-box lake and go fishing for toothy piranhas! We will also get an opportunity to navigate in canoes to a tranquil area of the river to see the giant Victoria Regalia, the world’s largest water lily and then on to the Amazon River or see the fresh -water grey and pink dolphins and, if you want, swim with them! These dolphins, along with the Amazonian sting- rays, are relics of the past when the ancestral Amazon River flowed westward onto a large inland sea. The honeymoon ended when, some twenty million years ago, the Andes began to rise trapping these salt- water creatures. But nature being nature, it forced these creatures to either adapt to fresh water or, well, perish! We then go back to our lodge for a late lunch. Afterwards, we will set off to explore other areas of the “flooded rainforest.”
Lodge: Muyuna Lodge.
DAY 06 (wed) 15 MAY, IQUITOS (B, L, D)
Get set to visit the nearby village of San Juan de Yanayacu. Unlike other Amazon lodges, the Muyuna Lodge provided the villagers with incentives to protect the forest and its denizens against intruders and poachers. First by building the lodge itself and then by working in such fields as housekeepers, cooks, guides etc. and that is the reason why you will see so much wildlife!! We then navigate the Laguna Cosha to see more wildlife and, hopefully to spot the elusive Aullador Monkey! By now, we are ready to go back to our lodge, have lunch, and then navigate back to Iquitos arriving there late afternoon. Upon arrival, we will check in to our charming Casa Morey boutique hotel, a 19th architectural gem that was built during the gilded age of the “Rubber Boom” days. Indeed, much of the wealth of the Moreys stemmed from their vast rubber plantations that were toiled by Amazonian natives often in appalling conditions. The hotel has the added advantage of being only a stone throw away from the historic promenade facing the mighty Amazon River, the world’s largest (6,885 kl. long).
Hotel Casa Morey.
Get set to visit the nearby village of San Juan de Yanayacu. Unlike other Amazon lodges, the Muyuna Lodge provided the villagers with incentives to protect the forest and its denizens against intruders and poachers. First by building the lodge itself and then by working in such fields as housekeepers, cooks, guides etc. and that is the reason why you will see so much wildlife!! We then navigate the Laguna Cosha to see more wildlife and, hopefully to spot the elusive Aullador Monkey! By now, we are ready to go back to our lodge, have lunch, and then navigate back to Iquitos arriving there late afternoon. Upon arrival, we will check in to our charming Casa Morey boutique hotel, a 19th architectural gem that was built during the gilded age of the “Rubber Boom” days. Indeed, much of the wealth of the Moreys stemmed from their vast rubber plantations that were toiled by Amazonian natives often in appalling conditions. The hotel has the added advantage of being only a stone throw away from the historic promenade facing the mighty Amazon River, the world’s largest (6,885 kl. long).
Hotel Casa Morey.
DAY 07 (thu) 16 MAY, DEPARTURES (B)
Flight Requested: LA IQT-LIM 09:30 – 11:00 hrs.
After breakfast, we will bid good -bye to our fellow tours members as we prepare to take the bus to the airport for our flight back home. Some of you will connect to an afternoon flight while others will have free –times until their evening flights. In either case, all of you will take home a “package” replete with life - time memories that will resonate for years and years to come. Believe me, our Amazon tour is guaranteed to exceed all of your expectations and will rank as one of the finest tours you have ever taken!
Flight Requested: LA IQT-LIM 09:30 – 11:00 hrs.
After breakfast, we will bid good -bye to our fellow tours members as we prepare to take the bus to the airport for our flight back home. Some of you will connect to an afternoon flight while others will have free –times until their evening flights. In either case, all of you will take home a “package” replete with life - time memories that will resonate for years and years to come. Believe me, our Amazon tour is guaranteed to exceed all of your expectations and will rank as one of the finest tours you have ever taken!
Important: nearly all of the places we will visit on our tour require moderate to strenuous walking. Scaling the often muddy trails of the rainforest; ascending or descending the numerous and uneven steps and ramps to embark or disembark from boats and canoes; walking up or down some of the crooked steps and inclines that dot the trails of the river banks etc. These and other features have posed challenges to some participants. To remedy the situation – and when possible - we have structured staging areas where the tour members can wait for the group.
TOUR INFORMATION
THE PRICE
All land prices is per-person in USD
06-12 paxs, double: $ 1,195.00
Single Supplement: TBA
THE PRICE
All land prices is per-person in USD
06-12 paxs, double: $ 1,195.00
Single Supplement: TBA
PRICE INCLUDES
…all of the land services which begin in Lima and ends in Iquitos. It is also guaranteed providing a minimum of 06 persons sign-up. The tour includes all entrance fees; sightseeing services; transfers and rides in vans, buses, boats, canoes, truck-buses and, unlike other tour companies, we also includes portage service (tips) at hotels and airports. Likewise, our tour also includes a Nawpaq Expedition educational kit designed to enhance your cultural experiences as well as daily breakfasts; full-board at the lodge as well as a welcome cocktail at my mother’s house followed by a welcome dinner.
THE PRICE EXCLUDES
…the round trip international airfare of approximately $ 600 USD (from Los Angeles) and the round trip domestic air of approximately $ 75 USD. The tour price also excludes tips to local guides, drivers, assistants and such personal incidentals as room service, laundry, telephone calls, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, pre-tour inoculations etc.
HOTEL INFORMATION
With a few exceptions, Nawpaq Expeditions only uses “four star” properties chosen for their location, price and service. Please refer to each of the hotel’s web site for additional information.
…all of the land services which begin in Lima and ends in Iquitos. It is also guaranteed providing a minimum of 06 persons sign-up. The tour includes all entrance fees; sightseeing services; transfers and rides in vans, buses, boats, canoes, truck-buses and, unlike other tour companies, we also includes portage service (tips) at hotels and airports. Likewise, our tour also includes a Nawpaq Expedition educational kit designed to enhance your cultural experiences as well as daily breakfasts; full-board at the lodge as well as a welcome cocktail at my mother’s house followed by a welcome dinner.
THE PRICE EXCLUDES
…the round trip international airfare of approximately $ 600 USD (from Los Angeles) and the round trip domestic air of approximately $ 75 USD. The tour price also excludes tips to local guides, drivers, assistants and such personal incidentals as room service, laundry, telephone calls, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, pre-tour inoculations etc.
HOTEL INFORMATION
With a few exceptions, Nawpaq Expeditions only uses “four star” properties chosen for their location, price and service. Please refer to each of the hotel’s web site for additional information.
Credit: Music by Dan Gibson (The Spirit of Machu Picchu)