"Outstanding-Affordable Field Courses in Rainforest & Marine Ecology"
PERU B FIELD COURSE B (Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone)
Introduction:
Our PERU B FIELD COURSE partner is a local Peruvian tour operator, Rainforest Expeditions, with offices in both Lima and Puerto Maldonado. They own and operate 3 separate Lodges adjacent to or in the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone (TCRZ) of SE Peru….Posada Amazonas Lodge (shared ownership with the Ese'eja Native Community), Refugio Amazonas Lodge and the Tambopata Research Center. Descriptions, along with activities available at each site are outlined below. Information about the TCRZ is also included. We have included a “sample” PERU B FIELD COURSE itinerary below of 8 Days/7 Nights. It should be emphasized that this is only a sample. We can customize an itinerary for any group/individual based on interests, needs, time available and budget. After you read about Posadas Amazonas Lodge, Refugio Amazonas Lodge and the Tambopata Wildlife Center, you can decide what combination is best for you. We will also be pleased to make recommendations after learning more about your interests and needs. While we use 3 Lodges located in this region of Peru, some choose to use just one or two. It is our recommendation that you plan a trip to SE Peru for a minimum of 7 days and 6 nights. There is too much to see and do to make your visit here any shorter, even though it is possible. It should also be noted that our profits are not based on the length of your trip, we make the same per person on a 3 Day/2 Night itinerary as we do on longer programs. It is also a fallacy that you can arrange your travel plans “direct” and save money. Our prices are lower than “published rates” to all of these Lodges. You also have biologists/researchers, experienced instructors and travelers at Rainforest and Reef to assist in planning your trip. Our PERU B FIELD COURSE is designed to educate participants regarding the challenges presented by field research in this unique rainforest environment. We use professional data collection techniques and in the case of “Giant River Otter Observation” and “Macaw Census” data, that you will personally collect, it will become part of a larger, long-term data base being used for authentic scientific research. Aside from gaining an introduction to the Biology of flora and fauna found in the rainforest of the Peruvian Amazon Basin, you will be exposed to the interrelationships and laws that govern this complex ecosystem and the difficulties facing researchers here and elsewhere in the tropics. We also hope that you return home with a greater appreciation for the need to preserve our rainforests and all habitats on earth.
Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone
The Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone (TCRZ) is located ~400 miles NE of Cuzco and ~20 miles SW of Puerto Maldonado, Peru. The latter is one of the most important cities in the southeastern jungles of Peru. It’s the capital of the Madre de Dios Department and has a population of ~25,000 people. Puerto Maldonado sits on the banks of the Madre de Dios River, which connects it with Assis, Brazil and Rivera Alto, Bolivia. Today, Puerto Maldonado is still what it has been for centuries, a dynamic and bustling frontier city. The main economic activities here are forestry, gold panning, farming and ecotourism. Upstream from Puerto Maldonado, the TCRZ is a massive tract of subtropical rainforest comprised of 3.7 million acres (one-third the size of Costa Rica). Created by the Peruvian government in 1990, most people access the TCRZ and adjacent lands by boat from Puerto Maldonado. It covers the entire watersheds of the Candamo and Tavara Rivers, along with much of that of the Tambopata River. The Reserve is thought by many to have the highest biodiversity of any place on earth. Over 1300 bird species, ten percent of the world’s total, 200 different types of mammals, 90 frog species, 1200 kinds of butterflies and 10,000 species of vascular plants are protected within the Reserve. At least 13 endangered species are found here, including the jaguar, giant river otter, ocelot, harpy eagle and giant armadillo. The TCRZ's great biodiversity is due to its location at the convergence of lowland Amazon forest and several higher elevation life zones. The world's largest known mineral clay-lick (Collpa de Guacamayos), is located on a 130 foot, vertical river bank, where hundreds of brilliantly colored macaws and other parrots congregate daily to ingest a beak-full or two of mineral rich clay is also found within the TCRZ. This is a vital part of their diet and its’ purpose is still being studied today. The phenomenon was well documented by Charles Munn in the January 1994 issue of National Geographic. This is truly one of the most dazzling wildlife spectacles in the world. The clay-lick is located less than less than 550 yards from the Tambopata Research Center (see our PERU B FIELD COURSE itinerary below). Visits to jungle lodges in or on the outskirts of the TCRZ are generally more accessible and less expensive than those in neighboring Manu Biosphere Reserve (see our PERU C FIELD COURSE). Adjacent to the northwestern corner of the Reserve is Infierno (Ese'eja Native Community), adding ~25,000 acres of communally-owned and managed rainforest to what is also protected by the TCRZ. Posada Amazonas Lodge is found on land that makes up part of this Community and is run in conjunction with our PERU B FIELD COURSE partner, Rainforest Expeditions. Refugio Amazonas Lodge (located in the buffer zone of the TCRZ) and the Tambopata Wildlife Center (located in the heart of the TCRZ). are all options for our PERU B FIELD COURSE and described below.
Lodges:
Posasda Amazonas Lodge (PA):
Location: Posada Amazonas is located on Infierno (Ese'eja) Territory and within the boundaries of the Ese'eje’s private 24,700 acre Reserve. It is owned and operated in conjunction with Rainforest Expeditions through a unique ecotourism partnership and is directly adjacent to the 3.7 million acre Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone in the Amazon Basin of SE Peru.
Access: You must fly from Lima (90 min.) or Cuzco (45 min.) to Puerto Maldonado, Peru on a daily scheduled commercial flight. Upon arrival, you will be met by our PERU B FIELD COURSE Staff and be driven (10 min.) to the Rainforest Expeditions Puerto Maldonado office. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in their gardens, you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for your Field Course experience. Extra luggage can be left in the office, where it will be stored safely. Your group will then be driven ~12 miles to the Tambopata River port and board a boat for the ride to Posada Amazonas Lodge (~1 hour). On the journey you will enter the Native Community of Infierno (Ese'eja) and their 24,700 acre primary rainforest Reserve. Upon arrival, the Lodge is located about 15 minutes walking distance from the River. Because of the short trip, your group can begin exploring the surrounding rainforest on the same afternoon you arrive.
Facilities: Posada Amazonas is a comfortable, 30 bedroom Lodge. It is jointly owned and operated by the Ese'eja Native Community of Infierno and local tour operator, Rainforest Expeditions. The Lodge was built using a combination of traditional native materials, including wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. Local architecture used by native communities throughout the Amazon was also employed along with low-impact, modern, ecolodge technology. The Lodge itself consists of a complex of four sections: rooms, dining area and kitchen, relaxation area and internal support facilities. The roof of the Lodge was constructed using high quality crisneja palm fronds, whereas the floors are made out of tropical mahogany. The 30 rooms hold three beds comfortably, they are typically set up for two. The walls dividing each room were built using cane and clay, this combination acts as a thermal regulator and provides for a charming appearance. Each room has a bathroom with showers and flush toilets. There is no hot water. Mosquito nets, bedside tables and hammocks or lounge chairs are also included. Each room has a large window facing the forest and a second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, to keep the rooms well ventilated. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, allowing for a great view of primary rainforest. This “open-air” design was possible because mosquitoes are not a problem around the Lodge clearing. Between the five room modules there is an open, roofed structure with hammocks where people can relax and socialize. The dining area can hold 80 people and is designed to be used as a conference room, as well as for audio-visual presentations. Self-serve three course meals are provided at Posada Amazonas. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course and deserts combining Peruvian and International cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are completely disinfected before serving. Unlimited amounts of water are provided at all times, while coffee or tea, fruit juices are served at all meals. The water used is boiled and cooled. Special meal requests or needs that you or members of your group may have are fulfilled upon request. Please let us know prior to your arrival. Posada Amazonas is in daily HF radio contact with Puerto Maldonado and Lima. From both of these locations connections to the outside world by fax, phone and e-mail are available. Posada Amazonas has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day for participants to recharge camera batteries and for Lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, we recommend that each participant bring a good flashlight or head-lamp.
Activities: Because of its’ accessibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities, potential for local cultural interaction and comfortable accommodations, Posada Amazonas is ideal for individuals/groups looking for an introduction to the rainforests of SE Peru lasting from 2-5 days. Included below is a list and brief description of activities available at Posada Amazonas.
Canopy Tower:
Twenty minutes walking distance from Posada Amazonas Lodge is a metal tower ~120 feet high, which provides safe and effortless access to the rainforest canopy. Here visitors can walk up a banister staircase, stopping on any of the tower’s twenty platforms to observe the myriad of life forms not visible from ground level. It also provides spectacular views of vast expanses of standing rainforest, with the Tambopata River winding through the middle.
Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake:
Tres Chimbadas, an oxbow lake, is 30 minutes by boat and 45 minutes hiking distance from Posada Amazonas. Once there, you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran searching for a resident family of 9 giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, turtles, hoatzins, horned screamers and wading birds. Otters are most active from dawn to 8 or 9 am. If giant river otters are spotted during our outing you will fill out our standard Frankfurt Zoological Society otter monitoring cards. Using these you will register their location on a map of the Lake, track and time their activities (swimming, fishing, resting, alarm calls, etc.). Their white throat marks will also noted, as they are distinct for each individual. The otters are seen by ~60% of visitors to Tres Chimbadas. As noon approaches, animal activity decreases and the tropical heat makes it irresistible to take a swim in the Lake, so pack your swimsuit.
Parrot Clay-licks:
Two parrot clay-licks are found less than a mile from Posada Amazonas Lodge. From a blind located about 70 feet away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets here on most clear mornings. They come to ingest clay on the river bank. Species such as mealy and yellow-headed Amazons, blue-headed parrots and dusky-headed parakeets are common sightings. The clay-licks are usually active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. The noise level and superb photography at this distance complements the increased diversity and abundance of parrots and parakeets you can experience at the famous clay-lick found near the Tambopata Research Center (see our sample itinerary below).
Ethnobotanical Tour:
The community of Infierno’s (Ese'eja Native Community) hub is located about 45 downstream from Posada Amazonas. Although homes are scattered over ~25,000 acres, the “hub” centralizes a shared infrastructure, including a school, store, small medical clinic and meeting room. A communal organization, the Centro Ñape is found another 20 minutes downstream. Staff members here have designed a trail that explains the different medicinal and practical uses of selected plants. Many of these plants are used to provide traditional herbal medicines to community members who come to the medical clinic of Infierno. A Guided tour here is one of two cultural activities that have been integrated into options out of Posada Amazonas (see information on the “farm visit” below). It is also possible to hike the trails around Posada Amazonas with an Ese´eja Native Guide, who will explain the everyday uses of forest plants for medicine, construction, food and fiber.
Farm:
A 30 minute boat ride down-river will take you to the most complete farm in the community of Infierno. The owner grows a diverse variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. In his garden, just about every plant and tree serves a purpose. You will also visit a Native slash-and-burn farm. Slash and burn agriculture systems are often thought of as wasteful because the fields are burned, cultivated for a few years and then abandoned. Many resident studies, however, have shown that there are some exceptions. The secret of the success here is through mixed planting in small patches. Using this technique, crops are not decimated by disease and pests, which spread easily through monocultures. Plantings are also made up of a mixture of herbaceous and woody crops with genetic diversity. After your visit, you will better understand why the Ese´eja cultivation system has been sustainable over the long-term.
Trail Hikes:
There is an extensive trail system within easy walking distance of the Posada Amazonas Lodge. You will be able to use the trails during guided and unguided hikes at any time. Guided hikes will include interpretation of rainforest natural history, along with identification of flora and fauna that you may encounter. You will also learn from Ese´eja Native Naturalist Guides the way in which they utilize forest resources in everyday life.
Nocturnal Walks:
You will have the opportunity to hike on the same trails mentioned above at night. Certainly a head-lamp or flashlight will come in handy. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. These outings will provide excellent opportunities for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. You can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights/head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from the eyes of caimans.
The Ese'eja Ecoturism Project and Cultural Interaction:
The Infierno Community Ecotourism Project has been an attempt to prove that business and communal joint ventures in tourism are not only successful in empowering local communities and conserving natural resources, but also sound business practices. Posada Amazonas was built on a ~25,000 acre Reserve set apart 25 years ago within communal grounds by Community members to protect primary rainforest and wildlife populations. The Reserve is an ideal location for the Lodge, not only is it uninhabited, preventing travelers from disturbing the Community’s everyday life, but it also contains beautiful and wildlife-rich forests. This partnership was formed by the signing of a 20-year contract between Community Members and Rainforest Expeditions in 1996. Posada Amazonas opened in 1998. The use of Communal cultural resources to enhance Posada Amazonas has incredible potential, but the Community and Rainforest Expeditions have been very careful in integrating them into itineraries. A fundamental concept of the project has been a shared participation in decision-making processes, work procedures, project policies, marketing strategies, infrastructure and itinerary development. All decisions must be approved by the Native Community, as represented by its’ 10 member Ecotourism Board, and Rainforest Expeditions. Other fundamental concepts include the training of Community members to occupy all Lodge positions, purchase community products and the gradual incorporation of cultural resources into itineraries. Cultural tourism resources are identified through mechanisms that allow the Community to evaluate and decide which ones to share with visitors. Handicraft, cultural rescue and education projects have already produced economic and social benefits. We only visit the community with their authorization and reasons to do so, aside from natural history options in the Reserve, include educators and students meeting with Community instructors and Field Course participants wanting to hear community leaders speak first hand about the project. While you are here, the Project Director will go over the environmental, social, and economic impacts of Posada Amazonas from their perspective. Environmentally, results have also been important and, in the case of wildlife conservation, very clear. The realization that Posada Amazonas success depends in great measure on visitors seeing wildlife has generated a variety of conservation schemes. For example, eight large eagle nests located within Community grounds have been assigned Native guardians who receive money for every traveler that visits a nest. For years, although Community members respected them, they hunted these birds for feathers. Today, these same people are their principal protectors. The Community has attempted to curb poaching on their Reserve, a difficult endeavor because of its’ sheer size and vegetation density. Preliminary studies have shown that tourism and conservation in the Community are connected. The amount of land under annual cultivation and employment at Posada Amazonas have been inversely related, meaning that the more Community members work in tourism, the less they cultivate land or hunt. To date Posada Amazonas has been a good business decision and quoting anthropologist Amanda Stronza, "we can be cautiously optimistic that ecotourism at Posada Amazonas is helping to protect the rainforests of Tambopata while meeting the economic needs of the people in the Community of Infierno". A presentation on the Infierno Ecotourism Project is available every night from one of the Staff members. Published research papers on this project are available upon request.
Presentations:
Lectures and/or video presentations are available every night at the Interpretation Center. Topics include the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone; the Macaw Project; the History and Geography of the Department of Madre de Dios, from pre-Columbian times, through the rubber boom and oil exploration to current conservation and ecotourism interests.
Note: Many optional activities, such as hiring a private birding Guide to making arrangements for a Community Craft Workshop are available upon request.
Costs:
Posada Amazonas Lodge: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
3 Days and 2 Nights:
4 Days and 3 Nights:
5 Days and 4 Nights:
Extra Night:
Refugio Amazonas Lodge (RA):
Location: Refugio Amazonas is located on a ~300 acre private Reserve surrounded by the Native Community of Condenado, 2.5 hours by boat from Puerto Maldonado and 1 hour up-river from Posada Amazonas. The Reserve is located in the “buffer zone” of the 3.7 million acre Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone in the Amazon Basin of SE Peru. It is owned an operated by Rainforest Expeditions.
Access: You must fly from Lima (90 min.) or Cuzco (45 min.) to Puerto Maldonado, Peru on a daily scheduled commercial flight. Upon arrival, you will be met by our PERU B FIELD COURSE Staff and be driven (10 min.) to the Rainforest Expeditions Puerto Maldonado office. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in their gardens, you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for your Field Course experience. Extra luggage can be left in the office, where it will be stored safely. Your group will then be driven ~12 miles to the Tambopata River port and board a boat for the ride to Refugio Amazonas (~2.5 hours). If you choose to include Posada Amazonas Lodge in your trip, Refugio Amazonas it is ~1.5 hours upstream by boat. Upon arrival, the Lodge is located about 10 minutes walking distance from the river. Most of your first afternoon is spent on the river. Therefore, we recommend that you spend a minimum of 2-3 nights at Refugio Amazonas. This will give you a chance to fully explore the surrounding primary rainforest.
Facilities: Refugio Amazonas is a comfortable, 24 bedroom Lodge. It was built using a combination of traditional native materials, including wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. Local architecture used by native communities throughout the Amazon was also employed along with low-impact, modern, ecolodge technology. The roof of the Lodge was constructed using high quality crisneja palm fronds, whereas the floors are made out of tropical mahogany. The 24 rooms hold three beds comfortably, they are typically set up for two. The walls dividing each room were built using cane and clay, this combination acts as a thermal regulator and provides for a charming appearance. Each room has a bathroom with showers and flush toilets. There is no hot water. Mosquito nets, bedside tables and hammocks or lounge chairs are also included. Each room has a large window facing the forest and a second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, to keep the rooms well ventilated. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, allowing for a great view of primary rainforest. This “open-air” design was possible because mosquitoes are not a problem around the Lodge clearing. The Lodge consists of 3 wings, which house 8 rooms apiece. They are connected by raised boardwalks to a 2 story, 20 foot high “common area”. The common has area has a dining room, bar, shop, lobby and lounge. It provides great canopy views of the surrounding rainforest. Self-serve three course meals are provided at Refugio Amazonas. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course and deserts combining Peruvian and International cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are completely disinfected before serving. Unlimited amounts of water are provided at all times, while coffee or tea, fruit juices are served at all meals. The water used is boiled and cooled. Special meal requests or needs that you or members of your group may have are fulfilled upon request. Please let us know prior to your arrival. Refugio Amazonas is in daily HF radio contact with Puerto Maldonado and Lima. From both of these locations connections to the outside world by fax, phone and e-mail are available. Refugio Amazonas has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day for participants to recharge camera batteries and for Lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, we recommend that each participant bring a good flashlight or head-lamp.
Activities: As with Posada Amazonas, because of its’ accessibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities, potential for local cultural interaction and comfortable accommodations, Refugio Amazonas is ideal for individuals/groups looking for an introduction to the rainforests of SE Peru lasting from 2-5 days. Basically, the same activities are available here as at Posada Amazonas, with the addition of an authentic Brazil Nut Trail and Camp. By working together with surrounding river communities a more effective “buffer zone” conservation plan is being established to protect the fragile habitat bordering the TCRZ. Involving the communities with tourism and Refugio Amazonas, alternative sources of income based on conservation and sustainable development are being used rather than on exploitation, poaching and habitat destruction. This Lodge also makes a great stepping-stone for longer programs to the even more remote Tambopata Research Center. Included below is a list and brief description of activities available at Refugio Amazonas.
Note: There is also a rainforest canopy and ethnobotanical garden at Refugio Amazonas. They are not discussed below.
Sachavacayoc Oxbow Lake:
Sachavacayoc Lake is an oxbow lake, a 1.5 hour hike from Refugio Amazonas. While canoeing around the Lake, you will be on the lookout for giant river otters, turtles, hoatzin, and wading birds.
Parrot Clay-lick:
You will have the opportunity to visit a clay-lick near Refugio Amazonas. Species such as mealy and yellow-headed Amazons, blue-headed parrots, orange-cheeked parrots, cobalt-winged parakeets, dusky-headed parakeets and sometimes even the rare rock parakeet are found here. The clay-lick is usually active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. The noise level and superb photography at this distance complements the increased diversity and abundance of parrots you will experience at the famous clay-lick found near the Tambopata Research Center (see our sample itinerary below). This congregation creates a riotous and colorful wildlife spectacle where the greens, oranges, reds and blues of the parrots and parakeets dance around the bank as each individual parrot competes for their choice beakful of clay.
Peccary Clay-lick:
About 20 minutes hiking distance from Refugio Amazonas is a peccary clay-lick. Peccaries are seen here about 15% of the time. These wild rainforest pigs show up in herds of five to twenty individuals to eat clay in the morning.
Farm:
Five minutes down-river from the Lodge, you will travel to a farm owned and managed by a charismatic local farmer from the neighboring community of Condenado. He grows a wide variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. You will also visit a Native slash-and-burn farm. Slash and burn agriculture systems are often thought of as wasteful because the fields are burned, cultivated for a few years and then abandoned. Many resident studies, however, have shown that this is far from the rule. The secret of their success is through mixed planting in small patches. Using this technique, crops are not decimated by disease and pests, which spread easily through monocultures. Plantings are also made up of a mixture of herbaceous and woody crops with genetic diversity. After your visit, you will better understand why, in some cases, this cultivation system is sustainable over the long term.
Brazil Nut Trail and Camp:
A few minutes walk from the Lodge is a beautiful old growth patch of Brazil nut forest that has been harvested for decades. The remains of a camp used two months a year by Brazil nut gatherers is still present. You will witness the entire processing of Brazil Nuts, one of the rainforest’s few sustainable harvested products, including collection, transporting and drying.
Trail Hikes:
There is an extensive trail system within easy walking distance of the Refugio Amazonas Lodge. You will be able to use the trails during guided and unguided hikes at any time. Guided hikes will include interpretation of rainforest natural history, along with identification of flora and fauna that you may encounter. You will also learn from Peruvian and Native Naturalist Guides the way in which they utilize forest resources in everyday life. There will be a chance to hike the Children’s Rainforest Trail built by children from this part of the Peruvian Amazon.
Nocturnal Walks:
You will have the opportunity to hike on the same trails mentioned above at night. Certainly a head-lamp or flashlight will come in handy. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. These outings will provide excellent opportunities for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. You can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from the eyes of caiman.
Presentations:
Lectures and/or video presentations are available every night at the Interpretation Center. Topics include the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone; the Macaw Project; the History and Geography of the Department of Madre de Dios, from pre-Columbian times, through the rubber boom and oil exploration to current conservation and ecotourism interests and the Community Ecotourism Project.
Note: Many optional activities, such as hiring a private birding Guide or making arrangements for a Community Craft Workshop are available upon request.
Costs: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
Refugio Amazonas Lodge:
3 Days and 2 Nights:
4 Days and 3 Nights:
5 Days and 4 Nights:
Extra Night:
Tambopata Research Center (TRC):
Location: The Tambopata Research Center is located on a one acre clearing in the middle of an uninhabited portion of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone. It is adjacent to Bahuaja National Park and ~550 yards from the world’s largest known macaw clay-lick.
Access: You must fly from Lima (90 min.) or Cuzco (45 min.) to Puerto Maldonado, Peru on a daily scheduled commercial flight. Upon arrival, you will be met by our PERU B FIELD COURSE Staff and be driven (10 min.) to the Rainforest Expeditions Puerto Maldonado office. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in their gardens, you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for your Field Course experience. Extra luggage can be left in the office, where it will be stored safely. Your group will then be driven ~12 miles to the Tambopata River port and board a boat for the ride to Refugio Amazonas (~2.5 hours). We recommend that you spend a minimum of 1 day/night at Refugio Amazonas Lodge after arrival and before your final departure from Puerto Maldonado. Posada Amazonas Lodge can also be included in this itinerary as well. The TRC is ~4 hours upstream from Refugio Amazonas. Upon arrival at the TRC, it is a short walking distance from the River. Located in the middle of the 3.7 million acre Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone, regarded as one of the premier nature destinations in the world, we recommend a minimum stay of 4 nights at the TRC.
Facilities: The TRC was built using a combination of traditional native materials, including wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. Local architecture used by native communities throughout the Amazon was also employed along with low-impact, modern, ecolodge technology. It consists of one wing of 18 rooms, connected by raised boardwalks to 8 shared bathrooms with showers and flush toilets, the research quarters and dining room. Each room has beds, mosquito netting, bedside tables and a rack of clothes hangers. Each room has a large window facing the forest and a second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, to keep the rooms well ventilated. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, allowing for a great view of primary rainforest. This “open-air” design was possible because mosquitoes are not a problem around the Lodge clearing. There is no hot water at the TRC. The Research Center is a 2 story building, where Researchers and their Assistants do their work on the Macaw Project. The dining room is an open building that also serves as a meeting room and has a bar. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course and deserts combining Peruvian and International cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are completely disinfected before serving. Unlimited amounts of water are provided at all times, while coffee or tea, fruit juices are served at all meals. The water used is boiled and cooled. Special meal requests or needs that you or members of your group may have are fulfilled upon request. Please let us know prior to your arrival. The Tambopata Research Center is in daily HF radio contact with Puerto Maldonado and Lima. From both of these locations connections to the outside world by fax, phone and e-mail are available. The TRC has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day for participants to recharge camera batteries and for Lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, we recommend that each participant bring a good flashlight or head-lamp.
Activities: The Tambopata Research Center was built in 1991 to house researchers and travelers, as well as to protect the nearby, world renowned macaw clay-lick. Upon arrival, you will be ~100 miles up-river from Puerto Maldonado and in the uninhabited heart of the CTRZ. Here, the surrounding wilderness is untouched. The TRC is an excellent location for in-depth exploration of the rainforests in SE Peru. The forest surrounding the Tambopata Research Center is unique in that seven different life zones are found here. Over 15 miles of trails are cut in concentric loops around the Lodge, designed to allow visitors easy access to all of them. Within a 30 minute walk from the Lodge there are well-studied areas of 3 types of terraced floodplain, terra firme and bamboo forests, palm swamps, as well as the TRC clearing. An abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities exist here, such as the macaw clay-lick and frequent encounters with troops of dusky headed titi, spider, brown caphuchin, squirrel and red howler monkeys, along with saddle-back tamarins. Capybara, agouti and caimans are also seen on a regular basis. Although, difficult to see, jaguar and herds of white-lipped and collared peccary, as well as tapir are all at their carrying capacity in this part of the Reserve. It should be noted that a portion of each visitor's fee contributes to ongoing research and conservation here.
Macaw Clay-lick:
On most clear mornings of the year dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on a nearby Tambopata River bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story (January 1994). It begins with a description of the daily event: "When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in SE Peru and strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most dazzling wildlife gatherings is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a pulsing, 130-foot-high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay-lick throughout the day, but this midmorning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the macaws.” You can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family, including red-and-green, blue-and-gold, scarlet, red-bellied, chestnut-fronted and blue-headed macaws; mealy and yellow-crowned Amazons; blue-headed, orange-cheeked and white-bellied parrots; dusky-headed, white-eyed, cobalt-winged and tui parakeets, along with dusky-billed parrotlets. This show will continue until the macaws sense danger, usually in the form of an eagle, and depart simultaneously in an explosion of sound and color. The clay-lick is ~1600 feet long and only ~550 yards from the TRC. Tapir, capybara, howler monkeys and pigeons are also commonly spotted here. By visiting the clay-lick, you will be taking part in the long-term Macaw Project. This will include counting macaws every fifteen minutes, estimating and recording how many fly in, how many are perching, how many are on the clay lick, etc. Any abnormal activities will also be noted. This data will all be fed into the Macaw Project data base. Published research papers on the Macaw Project are available upon request.
Trail Hikes:
There is an extensive trail system within easy walking distance of the Tambopata Research Center. You will be able to use the trails during guided and unguided hikes at any time. Guided hikes will include interpretation of rainforest natural history, along with identification of flora and fauna that you may encounter. You will also learn from Peruvian and Native Naturalist Guides the way in which they utilize forest resources in everyday life. The forest surrounding the Tambopata Research Center is unique in that it presents a tapestry of 7 distinct rainforest habitats and their respective transition zones. Included are 3 types of terraced floodplain, terra firme and bamboo forests, palm swamps, as well as the TRC clearing. This diversity is all found within an area of ~3 square miles. Trail hikes are kept at a 6:1 Participant to Guide ratio, increasing wildlife encounter opportunities. Each trail near the TRC focuses on a distinct habitat providing visitors the opportunity to explore and study each in-depth. Additionally, a short boat ride away, are trails around both, thriving and drying oxbow lakes. There is also a 3 mile trail that leads into the foothills of the Andes, where a mere 1600 foot increase in elevation reveals an entirely different forest life zone. In terms of bird diversity, as one example, all of this translates into more than 480 bird species on the 16 miles of trails around TRC alone. Other than macaws, larger birds easily found include pale rumped trumpeteer, spix´s and common piping guan, razor-billed curassow, yellow-ridged and Cuviers toucans. Other colorful, spectacular birds that are commonly seen include the blue-crowned motmot, six species of trogons, the bluish-fronted jacamar, scarlet-hooded barbet, band-tailed manakin and numerous tanagers. Endemics to the Madre de Dios Department and the TCRZ are also found here. Some of these include the white-lined antbird, Manu antbird, white-cheeked tody tyrant and the rufous-fronted antthrush, to name a few. Over 25 macaw nesting sites have been identified nearby and are being studied. The Lodge clearing is almost as good as the trail system for encounters with certain mammals. These include the agouti, tayra, nocturnal pacarana and ocelot. The forest directly in front of the lodge is used by brown capuchin, squirrel and red howler monkeys. Included below are brief descriptions of several trails/sites located near the TRC.
Palm Swamp:
A 30 minute hike from the TRC will bring you to the palm swamp. Dead aguaje palms serve as nests and preferred roosts to red bellied and blue-and-gold macaws. An elevated boardwalk and 65 foot-high scaffolding tower allow eye-level observation of macaws, as they fly in and out of their nests. Although there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year-round, the most exciting time to visit is from October to March. This is the nesting season, when macaws will land on their nests and stand for several minutes, interacting with other individuals less then 20 feet from you. These scenes, especially with the late afternoon sun at your back, make prized photo opportunities. As you walk near the edges of the swamp keep your eyes open for the rare tapir.
Toucan Trail:
An entirely different habitat characterized by smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes is covered on this 3 mile trail. Habitat here is characterized by smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes. The landscape is also characterized by beautiful, pristine creeks that wind their way through the hills. Saddle-back tamarins are frequently found here. The community of birds and other wildlife that lives in the hilly terra firme forest is very different from that of the bamboo or mature floodplain.
Overlook Trail:
This 2-3 mile hike will take you to overlooks commanding magnificent views of the Tambopata River winding its’ way down from the Andes. The forests on this trail are good for red howler and dusky titi monkeys.
Floodplain Trail:
This 3 mile trail takes you through lowland rainforest with immense trees. It is criss-crossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahiacos you will want to be on the lookout for squirrel, brown capuchin and spider monkeys as well as peccaries.
Ocelot Trail:
This 1.5 mile trail is another example of quintessential lowland, subtropical rainforest. The surrounding forest, estimated to be 200-300 years old, includes huge ceiba trees and strangler figs. It is home to several mammals commonly sighted, including saddle-back tamarins, squirrel and brown capuchin monkeys, along with collared peccaries. It is on this trail that the tracks of ocelots, pumas and jaguars are often spotted. Seeing any of these large cats is rare, but it does happen.
Bamboo Trail:
You will have the opportunity to hike the Bamboo Trail. Three unique species of birds are common sightings here. During your hike, data will be collected helping us to determine the territories of birds making this habitat their home. You will use audio recordings to assist in mapping out their territories based on the locations of their responses.
Pond:
10 minutes upriver from the TRC is a small pond, actually an oxbow lake that is drying up, with a platform in the middle. It is an excellent site for waterfowl, such as the muscovy duck, sunbittern, ibis, hoatzin, along with woodpeckers, oropendolas, flycatchers, chachalaca and parakeets. Fish studies can also be done here to relate community characteristics and abiotic (low oxygen) conditions.
Nocturnal Walks:
You will have the opportunity to hike on the same trails mentioned above at night. Certainly a head-lamp or flashlight will come in handy. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. These outings will provide excellent opportunities for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. You can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from caiman’s eyes.
Bahuaja National Park Day-trip:
This trip requires a 4 hour boat trip up the Tambopata River, as far upriver as we can go with an outboard motor. Here, you will reach the foothills of the Andes and Bahuaja National Park. We will then paddle up the Tavara River, and enter a region that has been uninhabited for decades except for a small research station. This pristine valley is renown for encounters with tame tapir and huge catfish catches.
Rainforest Workshops and Independent Research Projects:
Tambopata Research Center is an excellent place for individuals to come and pursue their own research projects. Workshops are also run for individuals/groups. The latter promote hands-on learning experiences about field research techniques and general rainforest biology. In either case, standard field research techniques are used to collect data. Aside from being able to participate in legitimate scientific work, Peruvian students are often here, so there is the added benefit of being able to interact with a different culture. Independent research projects and our Workshops have had a large impact on the environmental perspective of future decision-makers. A sampling of past project topics include forest regeneration; abiotic water condition studies; frog surveys; bird territory delimitations; mammal censuses; tree climbing, forest camping and trail mapping; botany; role of seed predation on the natural regeneration of palm trees; ornithology; herpetology; mammology; ichthyology and entomology. Workshops are led by Biologists/Researchers conducting their own research. Individual research projects and Workshops have yielded incredible results, ranging from the discovery of a new orchid species during an inventory of a 5 acre plot, to finding surprising mechanisms by which freshwater fish survive in local seasonal ponds. There are professional researchers here most of the time. This potential interaction provides an obvious additional benefit, while doing your own research. Please contact Rainforest and Reef about one of our Rainforest Workshops or doing your own independent research project at the TRC. This can be done by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
Interaction with Researchers:
In addition to our Staff of Native and Peruvian Naturalist Guides who conduct on-site research, many experienced professional Peruvian and foreign researchers conduct their own research at the TRC. They often share meals and quiet time with visitors. Additionally, the presence of researchers throughout the year presents ample opportunity for interaction. There are two state-of-the-art, long-term research projects on-going at the TRC. They are The Macaw Project and the Areas Project. Contact Rainforest and Reef for detailed information and pertinent research publications.
Presentations:
Evening presentations by resident researchers and Staff include past and present research done at the Tambopata Research Center and surrounding TCRZ. The on-going Macaw Project is also a popular topic. It takes an in-depth look at the biology of macaws, feeding habits, theories for their clay-lick use, breeding biology and the threats to their survival. A variety of videos are also available on subjects, such as Conservation in the TCRZ, Rainforest Ecology, etc.
Other options available at the Tambopata Research Center:
Sea Kayaking:
After a few practice strokes with our Kayaking Guide you will be ready to navigate the Tambopata River at a natural pace for one full morning or afternoon. Kayaks give you the chance to explore narrow creeks and river turns our boats can't navigate. Navigating with kayaks is silent and often produces unique, close-up opportunities to view wildlife. No previous kayaking experience required.
Birding Programs:
While our Guides are excellent Naturalists, a trip that is focused on birds alone requires a Specialist Birding Guide. Please see the “Birding Tour” link at our website: http://www.rainforestandreef.org or http://www.birdingtours.org (being updated).
Private Guides:
If you want to guarantee that your group receives exclusive Guiding rather being mingled with other individuals, please contact Rainforest and Reef.
Note: This will not give you private access to boats or activities, but will assure your Guide is dedicated exclusively to your group.
Costs: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
5 Days and 4 Nights:
(2 Nights at PA or RA and 2 Nights at the TRC)
6 Days and 5 Nights:
(2 Nights at PA or RA and 3 Nights at the TRC)
7 Days and 6 Nights:
(2 Nights at PA or RA and 4 Nights at the TRC)
Extra Night:
Note: Add 28.00 per person for Reserve entrance fee for all TRC programs.
Our Suggested Itinerary/Itineraries below are only samples.
Itineraries for Groups of all sizes, including Family Groups are completely Customized, as we focus on Your Special Interests and Needs.
Please look under “Fixed-departure Destinations/Dates 2015/Registration Form” along the menu bar of our home page, to find Fixed-departure Destinations and Dates for 2015.
Length: 8 Days/7 Nights
Cost: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
Extension suggestions:
What's Included: link
What's not included: link
Meal Codes: B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
Note: On the Participant Information Form that you will be receiving shortly after registration, please make us aware of any Special Meal Requests and/or Dietary Restrictions….Vegan, Vegetarian or Medical Restrictions that You or Members of Your Group may have. We will be pleased to fulfill Your Requests/Needs.
Your Daily Itinerary:
DAY 1: ARRIVAL PUERTO MALDONADO, PERU-TAMBOAPATA RIVER BOAT TRIP to REFUGIO AMAZONAS LODGE-PERU B FIELD COURSE ORIENTATION-MOON-LIGHT HIKE to the TAMBOPATA RIVER. Following your arrival in Puerto Maldonado, gateway to the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone (TCRZ), you will be greeted by our Peru B Field Course Staff and travel by boat up the Tamboapata River to the Refugio Amazonas Lodge (2.5 hours). Our boat trip from the Tambopata Port to the Lodge will take us past the Community of Infierno into the buffer zone of this 3.7 million acre (one-third the size of Costa Rica) conservation unit. During our trip, keep an eye out for bird species typical of the river or forest edge, such as black skimmers, pied lapwings, capped herons, jabiru storks, roadside hawks along with several species of kingfishers, swallows and flycatchers. Upon arrival, we will hike about 10 minutes from the river and settle in at the Lodge. Following dinner, there will be a general orientation session to our Peru B Field Course, followed by a hike to the edge of the Tampopata River. Here, we will listen for and attempt to observe nocturnal birds as well as attempt to spot caiman with our flashlights/head-lamps. Overnight Refugio Amazonas. L D
Boat Transportation: All boats used for transfers are 20 foot long, roofed canoes with 55 hp outboard motors. Daily arrivals and departures from every port are scheduled to meet each airline’s arrival and departure time with a maximum two hour wait.
DAY 2: SACHAVACAYOC OXBOW LAKE HIKE-GIANT RIVER OTTERS-RAINFOREST CANOPY EXPERIENCE-EVENING PRESENTATION on the TAMBOPATA-CANDAMO RESERVE ZONE. Following an early breakfast, a 2 hour hike will take us to Sachavacayoc Oxbow Lake. Upon arrival, we will paddle around the Lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of five giant river otters (seen by about 30% of Lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. If we see giant river otters during our outing we will record their location on a map of the Lake. We will also track and time their activity (swimming, fishing, resting and alarm call) and observe their white throat marks, which are distinct for each individual. This is all done on standard Frankfurt Zoological Society otter monitoring cards. For those who do not want to take the long hike, Condenado Lake, 30 minutes from the Lodge, is a less strenuous option. Following lunch at the Lodge, our group will take a 30 minute hike to the nearby canopy tower. This 115 foot scaffolding tower is built so that you can safely climb using the internal staircase with verandas on each side. Observation platforms are present every 6 or 7 feet. We hope to see a variety of canopy birds, including toucans, macaws and raptors, along with monkeys. We will also have spectacular views of the meandering Tambopata River below and vast expanses of the adjacent TCRZ. After dinner this evening, Refugio Amazonas Staff will speak about conservation threats, projects and opportunities in the TCRZ. Overnight Refugio Amazonas. B L D
DAY 3: PECCARY CLAY-LICK VISIT-BRAZIL NUT TRAIL and CAMP HIKE-NIGHT HIKE. After another early breakfast, our group will hike for 20 minutes to a nearby clay-lick. Peccaries are seen here about 15% of the time. These wild rainforest pigs show up in herds of five to twenty individuals to eat clay in the morning. Following lunch at the Lodge, we will hike to the Brazil Nut Trail and Camp. A beautiful old growth patch of Brazil nut forest that has been harvested for decades (if not centuries) is found here. A local Brazil nut concession manager will lead us on our visit. He will describe the concession system, its’ role in the family economy and the future of the industry. Anecdotes and first-hand accounts will complete the picture of life as a “castañero”. Our group will also observe the remains of an old, abandoned camp used two months a year by Brazil nut gatherers. While here, the entire process of Brazil nut collection, transport and drying will also be discussed. In the late afternoon, we will return to the Lodge. Following dinner, we will go on a night hike. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. This outing will provide an excellent opportunity for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. We will also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections the eyes of caiman. Overnight Refugio Amazonas. B L D
DAY 4: RAINFOREST FARM VISIT-RAINFOREST TATOO-BOAT TRIP on the TAMBOPATA RIVER from REFUGIO AMAZONAS to the TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER (TRC)-MACAW CENSUS-EVENING PRESENTATION on the MACAW PROJECT. Following breakfast, we will travel 5 minutes from the Lodge to the farm of Don Manuel. He grows a wide variety of popular and little-known Amazon crops. In addition to focusing on the ecology, diversity and productivity of small rainforest farms, he will help us gain insight into the challenges presented by markets, politics, demographics and infrastructure in the Department of Madre de Dios. At Don Manuel’s farm, we will prepare a paste from the fruit of huito and achiote to draw dark blue and red tattoos on ourselves. They last for several days. Our group will return to Refugio Amazonas for lunch, say farewells to Staff and depart by boat for the Tambopata Research Center (~4 hours). Our trip will take us across the northern boundary and into the 1800 acre uninhabited, pristine heart of the Tambopata Candamo Reserve Zone. Sightings of capybara, caiman, geese, macaws and other large animal species are common. During our River voyage we will be given data registration cards to note species of macaws sited, number of individuals and location as part of an on-going macaw population census. This data will be plugged into the general Macaw Project data set. This Project has been counting individuals present in trail and river transects in an effort to estimate macaw population variations on a seasonal basis. Upon arrival arrive at the TRC, our group will be greeted by the Chicos, a flock of semi-wild, rescued macaws. The Lodge is a short walking distance from the River. After we settle in, there will be a brief orientation session about the TRC. Following dinner resident Scientists and Staff will provide an in-depth look at the biology of macaws, their feeding habits, theories for use of the clay-lick, breeding and feeding ecology, population fluctuations and the threats to their conservation. Overnight Tambopata Reserve Center. B L D
DAY 5: MACAW CLAY-LICK-PALM SWAMP HIKE-NIGHT HIKE. At dawn this morning we will hike across the Tambopata River and visit the world-famous Macaw Clay-lick. On most clear mornings of the year dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on the River bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story (January 1994). It begins with a description of the daily event: "When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in SE Peru and strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most dazzling wildlife gatherings is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a pulsing, 130 foot-high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay-lick throughout the day, but this mid-morning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the macaws.” You can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family: red-and-green, blue-and-gold, scarlet, red-bellied, chestnut-fronted and blue-headed macaws; mealy and yellow-crowned Amazons; blue-headed, orange-cheeked and white-bellied parrots; dusky-headed, white-eyed, cobalt-winged and tui parakeets, along with dusky-billed parrotlets. This show will continue until the macaws sense danger, usually in the form of an eagle, and depart simultaneously in an explosion of sound and color. The clay-lick is ~1600 feet long and only ~550 yards from the TRC. Discretely located, ~200 feet from the cliff, we will take part in the Macaw Project. Following Macaw Project research procedures that have been applied for several years, we will monitor parrot presence at the clay-lick. This will involve counting macaws every fifteen minutes, estimating and recording how many fly in, how many are perching, how many are on the clay-lick, etc. Any abnormal activities will also be noted. This data will all be fed into the Macaw Project data base. We will return to the TRC for lunch. This afternoon, participants will hike 2 miles to the Palm Swamp. Here, dead aguaje palms serve as nests and preferred roosts to red bellied and blue-and-gold macaws. An elevated boardwalk and 65 foot-high scaffolding tower allow eye-level observation of macaws, as they fly in and out of their nests. Although there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year-round, the most exciting time to visit is from October to March. This is the nesting season, when macaws will land on their nests and stand for several minutes, interacting with other individuals less then 20 feet from us. These scenes, especially with the late afternoon sun at your back, make prized photo opportunities. As you walk near the edges of the swamp keep your eyes open for the rare tapir. Following an exciting afternoon, our group will return to the TRC to rest and have dinner. This evening, there will be an opportunity to participate in a night hike. Night is commonly known as “the insect hour” because they leave their diurnal (day-time) hiding places in order to feed and reproduce. Nocturnal frogs, birds and mammals are commonly seen on night hikes as well. This is also a good time for photographers to get outstanding macro shots of frogs, colorful insects and other spectacular invertebrates. We can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from caimans’ eyes. It is highly recommended that participants bring a good flashlight or better yet, a head-lamp, some type of magnifying glass and gloves. Overnight Tambopata Research Center. B L D
DAY 6: HIKE the TERRA FIRME RAINFOREST TRAIL (Toucan Trail)-OCELOT TRAIL HIKE-FLOOD PLAIN TRAIL HIKE-EVENING PRESENTATION on the STRUCTURE of the RAINFOREST. Our main objective today will be to hike in several different rainforest habitats fairly close to the TRC. Following breakfast this morning, we will hike the 3 mile Terra Firme Rainforest Trail. Habitat here is characterized by smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes. The landscape is also characterized by beautiful, pristine creeks that wind their way through the surrounding hills. Saddle-back tamarins are frequently found here. The community of birds and other wildlife that lives in the hilly terra firme forest is very different from that of the bamboo or mature floodplain. We will then hike the 1.5 mile Ocelot Trail. Although at this time of day mammals and birds are not as active as in the early morning, we will concentrate on the forest itself and discuss general rain forest ecology. The surrounding forest, estimated to be 200-300 years old, includes huge ceiba trees and strangler figs. It is home to several mammals that are often encountered, including saddle-back tamarins, squirrel and brown capuchin monkeys, along with collared peccaries. It is on this trail that the tracks of ocelots, pumas and jaguars are often spotted. Actually seeing any of these large cats is rare, but it does happen. We will then return to the TRC for lunch. This afternoon, our group will depart for the Floodplain Trail. This 3 mile trail covers prototypical rainforest with immense trees criss-crossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahuacos we will look for squirrel, brown capuchin, and spider monkeys as well as peccaries. More specific and detailed topics can be discussed/observed while at the TRC. A sampling includes: seed dispersal and predation; general botany; social insects….termites and ants; general insect studies; fish; the ecology of ponds and their inhabitants; amphibians and reptiles; birds and bird identification; mammals of the region; relationships….commensalism, mutualism, parasitism and adaptations to habitat….stilt roots, feeding niches,succulent leaves, along with physical characteristics of the Amazon Basin. After dinner, we will be treated to an evening presentation on rainforest structure, as we attempt to relate what we have earlier in the days. The horizontal and vertical layout of rainforest around all of our Lodges will be discussed. Included will be an explanation for the stratification of the forest in levels….ground, understory, mid-canopy and rainforest canopy, as well as the properties inherent to each. Habitat variety will also be considered….palm swamps, riverine, bamboo, terra firme and flooplain forest, along with tree fall gaps. Overnight Tambopata Research Center. B L D
DAY 7: TAMBOPATA RIVER BOAT TRIP from the TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER to POSADA AMAZONAS LODGE-CANOPY TOWER EXPERIENCE-ETHNOBOTANICAL TOUR-FAREWELL DINNER-EVENING PRESENTATION on the ESE'EJA ECOTURISM PROJECT. After breakfast this morning, we will depart downstream by boat to Posada Amazonas Lodge (~5.5 hours). Upon arrival, we will settle in. Twenty minutes walking distance from Posada Amazonas Lodge is a metal tower ~120 feet high, which provides safe and effortless access to the rainforest canopy. Here visitors can walk up a banister staircase, stopping on any of the tower’s twenty platforms to observe the myriad of life forms not visible from ground level. It also provides spectacular views of vast expanses of standing rainforest, with the Tambopata River winding through the middle. The community of Infierno’s (Ese'eja Native Community) hub is located about 45 downstream from Posada Amazonas. Although homes are scattered over ~25,000 acres, the “hub” centralizes a shared infrastructure, including a school, store, small medical clinic and meeting room. A communal organization, the Centro Ñape is found another 20 minutes downstream. Staff members here have designed a trail that explains the different medicinal and practical uses of selected plants. Many of these plants are used to provide traditional herbal medicines to community members who come to the medical clinic of Infierno. A Guided tour here is one of two cultural activities that have been integrated into options out of Posada Amazonas. It is also possible to hike the trails around Posada Amazonas with an Ese´eja Native Guide, who will explain the everyday uses of forest plants for medicine, construction, food and fiber. After dinner, we will have a presentation about the the Ese'eja Ecoturism Project. Overnight Posada Amazonas Lodge. B L D
DAY 8: PARROT CLAY-LICK VISIT-TAMBOPATA RIVER BOAT TRIP POSADA AMAZONAS-PUERTO MALDONADO DEPARTURE. Early this morning we will visit one of two parrot clay-licks found less than a mile from Posada Amazonas Lodge. From a blind located about 70 feet away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets here on most clear mornings. They come to ingest clay on the river bank. Species such as mealy and yellow-headed Amazons, blue-headed parrots and dusky-headed parakeets are common sightings. The clay-licks are usually active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. The noise level and superb photography at this distance complements the increased diversity and abundance of parrots and parakeets you experienced at the famous clay-lick found near the Tambopata Research Center. We will then return to the Lodge for breakfast, say farewells to staff and return to Puerto Maldonado by boat (~1 hour). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight to Cuzco or Lima. B
Note: Due to weather conditions and circumstances beyond the control of Field Course Staff, certain activities may be changed or done on different days in the best interest of the group.
Our PERU B FIELD COURSE partner is a local Peruvian tour operator, Rainforest Expeditions, with offices in both Lima and Puerto Maldonado. They own and operate 3 separate Lodges adjacent to or in the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone (TCRZ) of SE Peru….Posada Amazonas Lodge (shared ownership with the Ese'eja Native Community), Refugio Amazonas Lodge and the Tambopata Research Center. Descriptions, along with activities available at each site are outlined below. Information about the TCRZ is also included. We have included a “sample” PERU B FIELD COURSE itinerary below of 8 Days/7 Nights. It should be emphasized that this is only a sample. We can customize an itinerary for any group/individual based on interests, needs, time available and budget. After you read about Posadas Amazonas Lodge, Refugio Amazonas Lodge and the Tambopata Wildlife Center, you can decide what combination is best for you. We will also be pleased to make recommendations after learning more about your interests and needs. While we use 3 Lodges located in this region of Peru, some choose to use just one or two. It is our recommendation that you plan a trip to SE Peru for a minimum of 7 days and 6 nights. There is too much to see and do to make your visit here any shorter, even though it is possible. It should also be noted that our profits are not based on the length of your trip, we make the same per person on a 3 Day/2 Night itinerary as we do on longer programs. It is also a fallacy that you can arrange your travel plans “direct” and save money. Our prices are lower than “published rates” to all of these Lodges. You also have biologists/researchers, experienced instructors and travelers at Rainforest and Reef to assist in planning your trip. Our PERU B FIELD COURSE is designed to educate participants regarding the challenges presented by field research in this unique rainforest environment. We use professional data collection techniques and in the case of “Giant River Otter Observation” and “Macaw Census” data, that you will personally collect, it will become part of a larger, long-term data base being used for authentic scientific research. Aside from gaining an introduction to the Biology of flora and fauna found in the rainforest of the Peruvian Amazon Basin, you will be exposed to the interrelationships and laws that govern this complex ecosystem and the difficulties facing researchers here and elsewhere in the tropics. We also hope that you return home with a greater appreciation for the need to preserve our rainforests and all habitats on earth.
Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone
The Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone (TCRZ) is located ~400 miles NE of Cuzco and ~20 miles SW of Puerto Maldonado, Peru. The latter is one of the most important cities in the southeastern jungles of Peru. It’s the capital of the Madre de Dios Department and has a population of ~25,000 people. Puerto Maldonado sits on the banks of the Madre de Dios River, which connects it with Assis, Brazil and Rivera Alto, Bolivia. Today, Puerto Maldonado is still what it has been for centuries, a dynamic and bustling frontier city. The main economic activities here are forestry, gold panning, farming and ecotourism. Upstream from Puerto Maldonado, the TCRZ is a massive tract of subtropical rainforest comprised of 3.7 million acres (one-third the size of Costa Rica). Created by the Peruvian government in 1990, most people access the TCRZ and adjacent lands by boat from Puerto Maldonado. It covers the entire watersheds of the Candamo and Tavara Rivers, along with much of that of the Tambopata River. The Reserve is thought by many to have the highest biodiversity of any place on earth. Over 1300 bird species, ten percent of the world’s total, 200 different types of mammals, 90 frog species, 1200 kinds of butterflies and 10,000 species of vascular plants are protected within the Reserve. At least 13 endangered species are found here, including the jaguar, giant river otter, ocelot, harpy eagle and giant armadillo. The TCRZ's great biodiversity is due to its location at the convergence of lowland Amazon forest and several higher elevation life zones. The world's largest known mineral clay-lick (Collpa de Guacamayos), is located on a 130 foot, vertical river bank, where hundreds of brilliantly colored macaws and other parrots congregate daily to ingest a beak-full or two of mineral rich clay is also found within the TCRZ. This is a vital part of their diet and its’ purpose is still being studied today. The phenomenon was well documented by Charles Munn in the January 1994 issue of National Geographic. This is truly one of the most dazzling wildlife spectacles in the world. The clay-lick is located less than less than 550 yards from the Tambopata Research Center (see our PERU B FIELD COURSE itinerary below). Visits to jungle lodges in or on the outskirts of the TCRZ are generally more accessible and less expensive than those in neighboring Manu Biosphere Reserve (see our PERU C FIELD COURSE). Adjacent to the northwestern corner of the Reserve is Infierno (Ese'eja Native Community), adding ~25,000 acres of communally-owned and managed rainforest to what is also protected by the TCRZ. Posada Amazonas Lodge is found on land that makes up part of this Community and is run in conjunction with our PERU B FIELD COURSE partner, Rainforest Expeditions. Refugio Amazonas Lodge (located in the buffer zone of the TCRZ) and the Tambopata Wildlife Center (located in the heart of the TCRZ). are all options for our PERU B FIELD COURSE and described below.
Lodges:
Posasda Amazonas Lodge (PA):
Location: Posada Amazonas is located on Infierno (Ese'eja) Territory and within the boundaries of the Ese'eje’s private 24,700 acre Reserve. It is owned and operated in conjunction with Rainforest Expeditions through a unique ecotourism partnership and is directly adjacent to the 3.7 million acre Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone in the Amazon Basin of SE Peru.
Access: You must fly from Lima (90 min.) or Cuzco (45 min.) to Puerto Maldonado, Peru on a daily scheduled commercial flight. Upon arrival, you will be met by our PERU B FIELD COURSE Staff and be driven (10 min.) to the Rainforest Expeditions Puerto Maldonado office. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in their gardens, you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for your Field Course experience. Extra luggage can be left in the office, where it will be stored safely. Your group will then be driven ~12 miles to the Tambopata River port and board a boat for the ride to Posada Amazonas Lodge (~1 hour). On the journey you will enter the Native Community of Infierno (Ese'eja) and their 24,700 acre primary rainforest Reserve. Upon arrival, the Lodge is located about 15 minutes walking distance from the River. Because of the short trip, your group can begin exploring the surrounding rainforest on the same afternoon you arrive.
Facilities: Posada Amazonas is a comfortable, 30 bedroom Lodge. It is jointly owned and operated by the Ese'eja Native Community of Infierno and local tour operator, Rainforest Expeditions. The Lodge was built using a combination of traditional native materials, including wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. Local architecture used by native communities throughout the Amazon was also employed along with low-impact, modern, ecolodge technology. The Lodge itself consists of a complex of four sections: rooms, dining area and kitchen, relaxation area and internal support facilities. The roof of the Lodge was constructed using high quality crisneja palm fronds, whereas the floors are made out of tropical mahogany. The 30 rooms hold three beds comfortably, they are typically set up for two. The walls dividing each room were built using cane and clay, this combination acts as a thermal regulator and provides for a charming appearance. Each room has a bathroom with showers and flush toilets. There is no hot water. Mosquito nets, bedside tables and hammocks or lounge chairs are also included. Each room has a large window facing the forest and a second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, to keep the rooms well ventilated. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, allowing for a great view of primary rainforest. This “open-air” design was possible because mosquitoes are not a problem around the Lodge clearing. Between the five room modules there is an open, roofed structure with hammocks where people can relax and socialize. The dining area can hold 80 people and is designed to be used as a conference room, as well as for audio-visual presentations. Self-serve three course meals are provided at Posada Amazonas. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course and deserts combining Peruvian and International cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are completely disinfected before serving. Unlimited amounts of water are provided at all times, while coffee or tea, fruit juices are served at all meals. The water used is boiled and cooled. Special meal requests or needs that you or members of your group may have are fulfilled upon request. Please let us know prior to your arrival. Posada Amazonas is in daily HF radio contact with Puerto Maldonado and Lima. From both of these locations connections to the outside world by fax, phone and e-mail are available. Posada Amazonas has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day for participants to recharge camera batteries and for Lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, we recommend that each participant bring a good flashlight or head-lamp.
Activities: Because of its’ accessibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities, potential for local cultural interaction and comfortable accommodations, Posada Amazonas is ideal for individuals/groups looking for an introduction to the rainforests of SE Peru lasting from 2-5 days. Included below is a list and brief description of activities available at Posada Amazonas.
Canopy Tower:
Twenty minutes walking distance from Posada Amazonas Lodge is a metal tower ~120 feet high, which provides safe and effortless access to the rainforest canopy. Here visitors can walk up a banister staircase, stopping on any of the tower’s twenty platforms to observe the myriad of life forms not visible from ground level. It also provides spectacular views of vast expanses of standing rainforest, with the Tambopata River winding through the middle.
Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake:
Tres Chimbadas, an oxbow lake, is 30 minutes by boat and 45 minutes hiking distance from Posada Amazonas. Once there, you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran searching for a resident family of 9 giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, turtles, hoatzins, horned screamers and wading birds. Otters are most active from dawn to 8 or 9 am. If giant river otters are spotted during our outing you will fill out our standard Frankfurt Zoological Society otter monitoring cards. Using these you will register their location on a map of the Lake, track and time their activities (swimming, fishing, resting, alarm calls, etc.). Their white throat marks will also noted, as they are distinct for each individual. The otters are seen by ~60% of visitors to Tres Chimbadas. As noon approaches, animal activity decreases and the tropical heat makes it irresistible to take a swim in the Lake, so pack your swimsuit.
Parrot Clay-licks:
Two parrot clay-licks are found less than a mile from Posada Amazonas Lodge. From a blind located about 70 feet away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets here on most clear mornings. They come to ingest clay on the river bank. Species such as mealy and yellow-headed Amazons, blue-headed parrots and dusky-headed parakeets are common sightings. The clay-licks are usually active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. The noise level and superb photography at this distance complements the increased diversity and abundance of parrots and parakeets you can experience at the famous clay-lick found near the Tambopata Research Center (see our sample itinerary below).
Ethnobotanical Tour:
The community of Infierno’s (Ese'eja Native Community) hub is located about 45 downstream from Posada Amazonas. Although homes are scattered over ~25,000 acres, the “hub” centralizes a shared infrastructure, including a school, store, small medical clinic and meeting room. A communal organization, the Centro Ñape is found another 20 minutes downstream. Staff members here have designed a trail that explains the different medicinal and practical uses of selected plants. Many of these plants are used to provide traditional herbal medicines to community members who come to the medical clinic of Infierno. A Guided tour here is one of two cultural activities that have been integrated into options out of Posada Amazonas (see information on the “farm visit” below). It is also possible to hike the trails around Posada Amazonas with an Ese´eja Native Guide, who will explain the everyday uses of forest plants for medicine, construction, food and fiber.
Farm:
A 30 minute boat ride down-river will take you to the most complete farm in the community of Infierno. The owner grows a diverse variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. In his garden, just about every plant and tree serves a purpose. You will also visit a Native slash-and-burn farm. Slash and burn agriculture systems are often thought of as wasteful because the fields are burned, cultivated for a few years and then abandoned. Many resident studies, however, have shown that there are some exceptions. The secret of the success here is through mixed planting in small patches. Using this technique, crops are not decimated by disease and pests, which spread easily through monocultures. Plantings are also made up of a mixture of herbaceous and woody crops with genetic diversity. After your visit, you will better understand why the Ese´eja cultivation system has been sustainable over the long-term.
Trail Hikes:
There is an extensive trail system within easy walking distance of the Posada Amazonas Lodge. You will be able to use the trails during guided and unguided hikes at any time. Guided hikes will include interpretation of rainforest natural history, along with identification of flora and fauna that you may encounter. You will also learn from Ese´eja Native Naturalist Guides the way in which they utilize forest resources in everyday life.
Nocturnal Walks:
You will have the opportunity to hike on the same trails mentioned above at night. Certainly a head-lamp or flashlight will come in handy. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. These outings will provide excellent opportunities for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. You can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights/head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from the eyes of caimans.
The Ese'eja Ecoturism Project and Cultural Interaction:
The Infierno Community Ecotourism Project has been an attempt to prove that business and communal joint ventures in tourism are not only successful in empowering local communities and conserving natural resources, but also sound business practices. Posada Amazonas was built on a ~25,000 acre Reserve set apart 25 years ago within communal grounds by Community members to protect primary rainforest and wildlife populations. The Reserve is an ideal location for the Lodge, not only is it uninhabited, preventing travelers from disturbing the Community’s everyday life, but it also contains beautiful and wildlife-rich forests. This partnership was formed by the signing of a 20-year contract between Community Members and Rainforest Expeditions in 1996. Posada Amazonas opened in 1998. The use of Communal cultural resources to enhance Posada Amazonas has incredible potential, but the Community and Rainforest Expeditions have been very careful in integrating them into itineraries. A fundamental concept of the project has been a shared participation in decision-making processes, work procedures, project policies, marketing strategies, infrastructure and itinerary development. All decisions must be approved by the Native Community, as represented by its’ 10 member Ecotourism Board, and Rainforest Expeditions. Other fundamental concepts include the training of Community members to occupy all Lodge positions, purchase community products and the gradual incorporation of cultural resources into itineraries. Cultural tourism resources are identified through mechanisms that allow the Community to evaluate and decide which ones to share with visitors. Handicraft, cultural rescue and education projects have already produced economic and social benefits. We only visit the community with their authorization and reasons to do so, aside from natural history options in the Reserve, include educators and students meeting with Community instructors and Field Course participants wanting to hear community leaders speak first hand about the project. While you are here, the Project Director will go over the environmental, social, and economic impacts of Posada Amazonas from their perspective. Environmentally, results have also been important and, in the case of wildlife conservation, very clear. The realization that Posada Amazonas success depends in great measure on visitors seeing wildlife has generated a variety of conservation schemes. For example, eight large eagle nests located within Community grounds have been assigned Native guardians who receive money for every traveler that visits a nest. For years, although Community members respected them, they hunted these birds for feathers. Today, these same people are their principal protectors. The Community has attempted to curb poaching on their Reserve, a difficult endeavor because of its’ sheer size and vegetation density. Preliminary studies have shown that tourism and conservation in the Community are connected. The amount of land under annual cultivation and employment at Posada Amazonas have been inversely related, meaning that the more Community members work in tourism, the less they cultivate land or hunt. To date Posada Amazonas has been a good business decision and quoting anthropologist Amanda Stronza, "we can be cautiously optimistic that ecotourism at Posada Amazonas is helping to protect the rainforests of Tambopata while meeting the economic needs of the people in the Community of Infierno". A presentation on the Infierno Ecotourism Project is available every night from one of the Staff members. Published research papers on this project are available upon request.
Presentations:
Lectures and/or video presentations are available every night at the Interpretation Center. Topics include the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone; the Macaw Project; the History and Geography of the Department of Madre de Dios, from pre-Columbian times, through the rubber boom and oil exploration to current conservation and ecotourism interests.
Note: Many optional activities, such as hiring a private birding Guide to making arrangements for a Community Craft Workshop are available upon request.
Costs:
Posada Amazonas Lodge: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
3 Days and 2 Nights:
4 Days and 3 Nights:
5 Days and 4 Nights:
Extra Night:
Refugio Amazonas Lodge (RA):
Location: Refugio Amazonas is located on a ~300 acre private Reserve surrounded by the Native Community of Condenado, 2.5 hours by boat from Puerto Maldonado and 1 hour up-river from Posada Amazonas. The Reserve is located in the “buffer zone” of the 3.7 million acre Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone in the Amazon Basin of SE Peru. It is owned an operated by Rainforest Expeditions.
Access: You must fly from Lima (90 min.) or Cuzco (45 min.) to Puerto Maldonado, Peru on a daily scheduled commercial flight. Upon arrival, you will be met by our PERU B FIELD COURSE Staff and be driven (10 min.) to the Rainforest Expeditions Puerto Maldonado office. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in their gardens, you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for your Field Course experience. Extra luggage can be left in the office, where it will be stored safely. Your group will then be driven ~12 miles to the Tambopata River port and board a boat for the ride to Refugio Amazonas (~2.5 hours). If you choose to include Posada Amazonas Lodge in your trip, Refugio Amazonas it is ~1.5 hours upstream by boat. Upon arrival, the Lodge is located about 10 minutes walking distance from the river. Most of your first afternoon is spent on the river. Therefore, we recommend that you spend a minimum of 2-3 nights at Refugio Amazonas. This will give you a chance to fully explore the surrounding primary rainforest.
Facilities: Refugio Amazonas is a comfortable, 24 bedroom Lodge. It was built using a combination of traditional native materials, including wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. Local architecture used by native communities throughout the Amazon was also employed along with low-impact, modern, ecolodge technology. The roof of the Lodge was constructed using high quality crisneja palm fronds, whereas the floors are made out of tropical mahogany. The 24 rooms hold three beds comfortably, they are typically set up for two. The walls dividing each room were built using cane and clay, this combination acts as a thermal regulator and provides for a charming appearance. Each room has a bathroom with showers and flush toilets. There is no hot water. Mosquito nets, bedside tables and hammocks or lounge chairs are also included. Each room has a large window facing the forest and a second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, to keep the rooms well ventilated. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, allowing for a great view of primary rainforest. This “open-air” design was possible because mosquitoes are not a problem around the Lodge clearing. The Lodge consists of 3 wings, which house 8 rooms apiece. They are connected by raised boardwalks to a 2 story, 20 foot high “common area”. The common has area has a dining room, bar, shop, lobby and lounge. It provides great canopy views of the surrounding rainforest. Self-serve three course meals are provided at Refugio Amazonas. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course and deserts combining Peruvian and International cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are completely disinfected before serving. Unlimited amounts of water are provided at all times, while coffee or tea, fruit juices are served at all meals. The water used is boiled and cooled. Special meal requests or needs that you or members of your group may have are fulfilled upon request. Please let us know prior to your arrival. Refugio Amazonas is in daily HF radio contact with Puerto Maldonado and Lima. From both of these locations connections to the outside world by fax, phone and e-mail are available. Refugio Amazonas has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day for participants to recharge camera batteries and for Lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, we recommend that each participant bring a good flashlight or head-lamp.
Activities: As with Posada Amazonas, because of its’ accessibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities, potential for local cultural interaction and comfortable accommodations, Refugio Amazonas is ideal for individuals/groups looking for an introduction to the rainforests of SE Peru lasting from 2-5 days. Basically, the same activities are available here as at Posada Amazonas, with the addition of an authentic Brazil Nut Trail and Camp. By working together with surrounding river communities a more effective “buffer zone” conservation plan is being established to protect the fragile habitat bordering the TCRZ. Involving the communities with tourism and Refugio Amazonas, alternative sources of income based on conservation and sustainable development are being used rather than on exploitation, poaching and habitat destruction. This Lodge also makes a great stepping-stone for longer programs to the even more remote Tambopata Research Center. Included below is a list and brief description of activities available at Refugio Amazonas.
Note: There is also a rainforest canopy and ethnobotanical garden at Refugio Amazonas. They are not discussed below.
Sachavacayoc Oxbow Lake:
Sachavacayoc Lake is an oxbow lake, a 1.5 hour hike from Refugio Amazonas. While canoeing around the Lake, you will be on the lookout for giant river otters, turtles, hoatzin, and wading birds.
Parrot Clay-lick:
You will have the opportunity to visit a clay-lick near Refugio Amazonas. Species such as mealy and yellow-headed Amazons, blue-headed parrots, orange-cheeked parrots, cobalt-winged parakeets, dusky-headed parakeets and sometimes even the rare rock parakeet are found here. The clay-lick is usually active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. The noise level and superb photography at this distance complements the increased diversity and abundance of parrots you will experience at the famous clay-lick found near the Tambopata Research Center (see our sample itinerary below). This congregation creates a riotous and colorful wildlife spectacle where the greens, oranges, reds and blues of the parrots and parakeets dance around the bank as each individual parrot competes for their choice beakful of clay.
Peccary Clay-lick:
About 20 minutes hiking distance from Refugio Amazonas is a peccary clay-lick. Peccaries are seen here about 15% of the time. These wild rainforest pigs show up in herds of five to twenty individuals to eat clay in the morning.
Farm:
Five minutes down-river from the Lodge, you will travel to a farm owned and managed by a charismatic local farmer from the neighboring community of Condenado. He grows a wide variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. You will also visit a Native slash-and-burn farm. Slash and burn agriculture systems are often thought of as wasteful because the fields are burned, cultivated for a few years and then abandoned. Many resident studies, however, have shown that this is far from the rule. The secret of their success is through mixed planting in small patches. Using this technique, crops are not decimated by disease and pests, which spread easily through monocultures. Plantings are also made up of a mixture of herbaceous and woody crops with genetic diversity. After your visit, you will better understand why, in some cases, this cultivation system is sustainable over the long term.
Brazil Nut Trail and Camp:
A few minutes walk from the Lodge is a beautiful old growth patch of Brazil nut forest that has been harvested for decades. The remains of a camp used two months a year by Brazil nut gatherers is still present. You will witness the entire processing of Brazil Nuts, one of the rainforest’s few sustainable harvested products, including collection, transporting and drying.
Trail Hikes:
There is an extensive trail system within easy walking distance of the Refugio Amazonas Lodge. You will be able to use the trails during guided and unguided hikes at any time. Guided hikes will include interpretation of rainforest natural history, along with identification of flora and fauna that you may encounter. You will also learn from Peruvian and Native Naturalist Guides the way in which they utilize forest resources in everyday life. There will be a chance to hike the Children’s Rainforest Trail built by children from this part of the Peruvian Amazon.
Nocturnal Walks:
You will have the opportunity to hike on the same trails mentioned above at night. Certainly a head-lamp or flashlight will come in handy. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. These outings will provide excellent opportunities for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. You can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from the eyes of caiman.
Presentations:
Lectures and/or video presentations are available every night at the Interpretation Center. Topics include the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone; the Macaw Project; the History and Geography of the Department of Madre de Dios, from pre-Columbian times, through the rubber boom and oil exploration to current conservation and ecotourism interests and the Community Ecotourism Project.
Note: Many optional activities, such as hiring a private birding Guide or making arrangements for a Community Craft Workshop are available upon request.
Costs: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
Refugio Amazonas Lodge:
3 Days and 2 Nights:
4 Days and 3 Nights:
5 Days and 4 Nights:
Extra Night:
Tambopata Research Center (TRC):
Location: The Tambopata Research Center is located on a one acre clearing in the middle of an uninhabited portion of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone. It is adjacent to Bahuaja National Park and ~550 yards from the world’s largest known macaw clay-lick.
Access: You must fly from Lima (90 min.) or Cuzco (45 min.) to Puerto Maldonado, Peru on a daily scheduled commercial flight. Upon arrival, you will be met by our PERU B FIELD COURSE Staff and be driven (10 min.) to the Rainforest Expeditions Puerto Maldonado office. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in their gardens, you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for your Field Course experience. Extra luggage can be left in the office, where it will be stored safely. Your group will then be driven ~12 miles to the Tambopata River port and board a boat for the ride to Refugio Amazonas (~2.5 hours). We recommend that you spend a minimum of 1 day/night at Refugio Amazonas Lodge after arrival and before your final departure from Puerto Maldonado. Posada Amazonas Lodge can also be included in this itinerary as well. The TRC is ~4 hours upstream from Refugio Amazonas. Upon arrival at the TRC, it is a short walking distance from the River. Located in the middle of the 3.7 million acre Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone, regarded as one of the premier nature destinations in the world, we recommend a minimum stay of 4 nights at the TRC.
Facilities: The TRC was built using a combination of traditional native materials, including wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay. Local architecture used by native communities throughout the Amazon was also employed along with low-impact, modern, ecolodge technology. It consists of one wing of 18 rooms, connected by raised boardwalks to 8 shared bathrooms with showers and flush toilets, the research quarters and dining room. Each room has beds, mosquito netting, bedside tables and a rack of clothes hangers. Each room has a large window facing the forest and a second small window on the opposite side, set up very high, to keep the rooms well ventilated. The side that looks out to the forest does not have a wall or screening of any kind, allowing for a great view of primary rainforest. This “open-air” design was possible because mosquitoes are not a problem around the Lodge clearing. There is no hot water at the TRC. The Research Center is a 2 story building, where Researchers and their Assistants do their work on the Macaw Project. The dining room is an open building that also serves as a meeting room and has a bar. Meals consist of soup or appetizers, salad, main course and deserts combining Peruvian and International cuisine. All fresh fruits and salads are completely disinfected before serving. Unlimited amounts of water are provided at all times, while coffee or tea, fruit juices are served at all meals. The water used is boiled and cooled. Special meal requests or needs that you or members of your group may have are fulfilled upon request. Please let us know prior to your arrival. The Tambopata Research Center is in daily HF radio contact with Puerto Maldonado and Lima. From both of these locations connections to the outside world by fax, phone and e-mail are available. The TRC has no electricity. Light is provided by numerous kerosene lamps and candles. A generator is turned on once a day for participants to recharge camera batteries and for Lodge facilities. At night it is very dark, we recommend that each participant bring a good flashlight or head-lamp.
Activities: The Tambopata Research Center was built in 1991 to house researchers and travelers, as well as to protect the nearby, world renowned macaw clay-lick. Upon arrival, you will be ~100 miles up-river from Puerto Maldonado and in the uninhabited heart of the CTRZ. Here, the surrounding wilderness is untouched. The TRC is an excellent location for in-depth exploration of the rainforests in SE Peru. The forest surrounding the Tambopata Research Center is unique in that seven different life zones are found here. Over 15 miles of trails are cut in concentric loops around the Lodge, designed to allow visitors easy access to all of them. Within a 30 minute walk from the Lodge there are well-studied areas of 3 types of terraced floodplain, terra firme and bamboo forests, palm swamps, as well as the TRC clearing. An abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities exist here, such as the macaw clay-lick and frequent encounters with troops of dusky headed titi, spider, brown caphuchin, squirrel and red howler monkeys, along with saddle-back tamarins. Capybara, agouti and caimans are also seen on a regular basis. Although, difficult to see, jaguar and herds of white-lipped and collared peccary, as well as tapir are all at their carrying capacity in this part of the Reserve. It should be noted that a portion of each visitor's fee contributes to ongoing research and conservation here.
Macaw Clay-lick:
On most clear mornings of the year dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on a nearby Tambopata River bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story (January 1994). It begins with a description of the daily event: "When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in SE Peru and strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most dazzling wildlife gatherings is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a pulsing, 130-foot-high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay-lick throughout the day, but this midmorning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the macaws.” You can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family, including red-and-green, blue-and-gold, scarlet, red-bellied, chestnut-fronted and blue-headed macaws; mealy and yellow-crowned Amazons; blue-headed, orange-cheeked and white-bellied parrots; dusky-headed, white-eyed, cobalt-winged and tui parakeets, along with dusky-billed parrotlets. This show will continue until the macaws sense danger, usually in the form of an eagle, and depart simultaneously in an explosion of sound and color. The clay-lick is ~1600 feet long and only ~550 yards from the TRC. Tapir, capybara, howler monkeys and pigeons are also commonly spotted here. By visiting the clay-lick, you will be taking part in the long-term Macaw Project. This will include counting macaws every fifteen minutes, estimating and recording how many fly in, how many are perching, how many are on the clay lick, etc. Any abnormal activities will also be noted. This data will all be fed into the Macaw Project data base. Published research papers on the Macaw Project are available upon request.
Trail Hikes:
There is an extensive trail system within easy walking distance of the Tambopata Research Center. You will be able to use the trails during guided and unguided hikes at any time. Guided hikes will include interpretation of rainforest natural history, along with identification of flora and fauna that you may encounter. You will also learn from Peruvian and Native Naturalist Guides the way in which they utilize forest resources in everyday life. The forest surrounding the Tambopata Research Center is unique in that it presents a tapestry of 7 distinct rainforest habitats and their respective transition zones. Included are 3 types of terraced floodplain, terra firme and bamboo forests, palm swamps, as well as the TRC clearing. This diversity is all found within an area of ~3 square miles. Trail hikes are kept at a 6:1 Participant to Guide ratio, increasing wildlife encounter opportunities. Each trail near the TRC focuses on a distinct habitat providing visitors the opportunity to explore and study each in-depth. Additionally, a short boat ride away, are trails around both, thriving and drying oxbow lakes. There is also a 3 mile trail that leads into the foothills of the Andes, where a mere 1600 foot increase in elevation reveals an entirely different forest life zone. In terms of bird diversity, as one example, all of this translates into more than 480 bird species on the 16 miles of trails around TRC alone. Other than macaws, larger birds easily found include pale rumped trumpeteer, spix´s and common piping guan, razor-billed curassow, yellow-ridged and Cuviers toucans. Other colorful, spectacular birds that are commonly seen include the blue-crowned motmot, six species of trogons, the bluish-fronted jacamar, scarlet-hooded barbet, band-tailed manakin and numerous tanagers. Endemics to the Madre de Dios Department and the TCRZ are also found here. Some of these include the white-lined antbird, Manu antbird, white-cheeked tody tyrant and the rufous-fronted antthrush, to name a few. Over 25 macaw nesting sites have been identified nearby and are being studied. The Lodge clearing is almost as good as the trail system for encounters with certain mammals. These include the agouti, tayra, nocturnal pacarana and ocelot. The forest directly in front of the lodge is used by brown capuchin, squirrel and red howler monkeys. Included below are brief descriptions of several trails/sites located near the TRC.
Palm Swamp:
A 30 minute hike from the TRC will bring you to the palm swamp. Dead aguaje palms serve as nests and preferred roosts to red bellied and blue-and-gold macaws. An elevated boardwalk and 65 foot-high scaffolding tower allow eye-level observation of macaws, as they fly in and out of their nests. Although there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year-round, the most exciting time to visit is from October to March. This is the nesting season, when macaws will land on their nests and stand for several minutes, interacting with other individuals less then 20 feet from you. These scenes, especially with the late afternoon sun at your back, make prized photo opportunities. As you walk near the edges of the swamp keep your eyes open for the rare tapir.
Toucan Trail:
An entirely different habitat characterized by smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes is covered on this 3 mile trail. Habitat here is characterized by smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes. The landscape is also characterized by beautiful, pristine creeks that wind their way through the hills. Saddle-back tamarins are frequently found here. The community of birds and other wildlife that lives in the hilly terra firme forest is very different from that of the bamboo or mature floodplain.
Overlook Trail:
This 2-3 mile hike will take you to overlooks commanding magnificent views of the Tambopata River winding its’ way down from the Andes. The forests on this trail are good for red howler and dusky titi monkeys.
Floodplain Trail:
This 3 mile trail takes you through lowland rainforest with immense trees. It is criss-crossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahiacos you will want to be on the lookout for squirrel, brown capuchin and spider monkeys as well as peccaries.
Ocelot Trail:
This 1.5 mile trail is another example of quintessential lowland, subtropical rainforest. The surrounding forest, estimated to be 200-300 years old, includes huge ceiba trees and strangler figs. It is home to several mammals commonly sighted, including saddle-back tamarins, squirrel and brown capuchin monkeys, along with collared peccaries. It is on this trail that the tracks of ocelots, pumas and jaguars are often spotted. Seeing any of these large cats is rare, but it does happen.
Bamboo Trail:
You will have the opportunity to hike the Bamboo Trail. Three unique species of birds are common sightings here. During your hike, data will be collected helping us to determine the territories of birds making this habitat their home. You will use audio recordings to assist in mapping out their territories based on the locations of their responses.
Pond:
10 minutes upriver from the TRC is a small pond, actually an oxbow lake that is drying up, with a platform in the middle. It is an excellent site for waterfowl, such as the muscovy duck, sunbittern, ibis, hoatzin, along with woodpeckers, oropendolas, flycatchers, chachalaca and parakeets. Fish studies can also be done here to relate community characteristics and abiotic (low oxygen) conditions.
Nocturnal Walks:
You will have the opportunity to hike on the same trails mentioned above at night. Certainly a head-lamp or flashlight will come in handy. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. These outings will provide excellent opportunities for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. You can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from caiman’s eyes.
Bahuaja National Park Day-trip:
This trip requires a 4 hour boat trip up the Tambopata River, as far upriver as we can go with an outboard motor. Here, you will reach the foothills of the Andes and Bahuaja National Park. We will then paddle up the Tavara River, and enter a region that has been uninhabited for decades except for a small research station. This pristine valley is renown for encounters with tame tapir and huge catfish catches.
Rainforest Workshops and Independent Research Projects:
Tambopata Research Center is an excellent place for individuals to come and pursue their own research projects. Workshops are also run for individuals/groups. The latter promote hands-on learning experiences about field research techniques and general rainforest biology. In either case, standard field research techniques are used to collect data. Aside from being able to participate in legitimate scientific work, Peruvian students are often here, so there is the added benefit of being able to interact with a different culture. Independent research projects and our Workshops have had a large impact on the environmental perspective of future decision-makers. A sampling of past project topics include forest regeneration; abiotic water condition studies; frog surveys; bird territory delimitations; mammal censuses; tree climbing, forest camping and trail mapping; botany; role of seed predation on the natural regeneration of palm trees; ornithology; herpetology; mammology; ichthyology and entomology. Workshops are led by Biologists/Researchers conducting their own research. Individual research projects and Workshops have yielded incredible results, ranging from the discovery of a new orchid species during an inventory of a 5 acre plot, to finding surprising mechanisms by which freshwater fish survive in local seasonal ponds. There are professional researchers here most of the time. This potential interaction provides an obvious additional benefit, while doing your own research. Please contact Rainforest and Reef about one of our Rainforest Workshops or doing your own independent research project at the TRC. This can be done by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
Interaction with Researchers:
In addition to our Staff of Native and Peruvian Naturalist Guides who conduct on-site research, many experienced professional Peruvian and foreign researchers conduct their own research at the TRC. They often share meals and quiet time with visitors. Additionally, the presence of researchers throughout the year presents ample opportunity for interaction. There are two state-of-the-art, long-term research projects on-going at the TRC. They are The Macaw Project and the Areas Project. Contact Rainforest and Reef for detailed information and pertinent research publications.
Presentations:
Evening presentations by resident researchers and Staff include past and present research done at the Tambopata Research Center and surrounding TCRZ. The on-going Macaw Project is also a popular topic. It takes an in-depth look at the biology of macaws, feeding habits, theories for their clay-lick use, breeding biology and the threats to their survival. A variety of videos are also available on subjects, such as Conservation in the TCRZ, Rainforest Ecology, etc.
Other options available at the Tambopata Research Center:
Sea Kayaking:
After a few practice strokes with our Kayaking Guide you will be ready to navigate the Tambopata River at a natural pace for one full morning or afternoon. Kayaks give you the chance to explore narrow creeks and river turns our boats can't navigate. Navigating with kayaks is silent and often produces unique, close-up opportunities to view wildlife. No previous kayaking experience required.
Birding Programs:
While our Guides are excellent Naturalists, a trip that is focused on birds alone requires a Specialist Birding Guide. Please see the “Birding Tour” link at our website: http://www.rainforestandreef.org or http://www.birdingtours.org (being updated).
Private Guides:
If you want to guarantee that your group receives exclusive Guiding rather being mingled with other individuals, please contact Rainforest and Reef.
Note: This will not give you private access to boats or activities, but will assure your Guide is dedicated exclusively to your group.
Costs: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
5 Days and 4 Nights:
(2 Nights at PA or RA and 2 Nights at the TRC)
6 Days and 5 Nights:
(2 Nights at PA or RA and 3 Nights at the TRC)
7 Days and 6 Nights:
(2 Nights at PA or RA and 4 Nights at the TRC)
Extra Night:
Note: Add 28.00 per person for Reserve entrance fee for all TRC programs.
Our Suggested Itinerary/Itineraries below are only samples.
Itineraries for Groups of all sizes, including Family Groups are completely Customized, as we focus on Your Special Interests and Needs.
Please look under “Fixed-departure Destinations/Dates 2015/Registration Form” along the menu bar of our home page, to find Fixed-departure Destinations and Dates for 2015.
Length: 8 Days/7 Nights
Cost: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
Extension suggestions:
What's Included: link
What's not included: link
Meal Codes: B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
Note: On the Participant Information Form that you will be receiving shortly after registration, please make us aware of any Special Meal Requests and/or Dietary Restrictions….Vegan, Vegetarian or Medical Restrictions that You or Members of Your Group may have. We will be pleased to fulfill Your Requests/Needs.
Your Daily Itinerary:
DAY 1: ARRIVAL PUERTO MALDONADO, PERU-TAMBOAPATA RIVER BOAT TRIP to REFUGIO AMAZONAS LODGE-PERU B FIELD COURSE ORIENTATION-MOON-LIGHT HIKE to the TAMBOPATA RIVER. Following your arrival in Puerto Maldonado, gateway to the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve Zone (TCRZ), you will be greeted by our Peru B Field Course Staff and travel by boat up the Tamboapata River to the Refugio Amazonas Lodge (2.5 hours). Our boat trip from the Tambopata Port to the Lodge will take us past the Community of Infierno into the buffer zone of this 3.7 million acre (one-third the size of Costa Rica) conservation unit. During our trip, keep an eye out for bird species typical of the river or forest edge, such as black skimmers, pied lapwings, capped herons, jabiru storks, roadside hawks along with several species of kingfishers, swallows and flycatchers. Upon arrival, we will hike about 10 minutes from the river and settle in at the Lodge. Following dinner, there will be a general orientation session to our Peru B Field Course, followed by a hike to the edge of the Tampopata River. Here, we will listen for and attempt to observe nocturnal birds as well as attempt to spot caiman with our flashlights/head-lamps. Overnight Refugio Amazonas. L D
Boat Transportation: All boats used for transfers are 20 foot long, roofed canoes with 55 hp outboard motors. Daily arrivals and departures from every port are scheduled to meet each airline’s arrival and departure time with a maximum two hour wait.
DAY 2: SACHAVACAYOC OXBOW LAKE HIKE-GIANT RIVER OTTERS-RAINFOREST CANOPY EXPERIENCE-EVENING PRESENTATION on the TAMBOPATA-CANDAMO RESERVE ZONE. Following an early breakfast, a 2 hour hike will take us to Sachavacayoc Oxbow Lake. Upon arrival, we will paddle around the Lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of five giant river otters (seen by about 30% of Lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. If we see giant river otters during our outing we will record their location on a map of the Lake. We will also track and time their activity (swimming, fishing, resting and alarm call) and observe their white throat marks, which are distinct for each individual. This is all done on standard Frankfurt Zoological Society otter monitoring cards. For those who do not want to take the long hike, Condenado Lake, 30 minutes from the Lodge, is a less strenuous option. Following lunch at the Lodge, our group will take a 30 minute hike to the nearby canopy tower. This 115 foot scaffolding tower is built so that you can safely climb using the internal staircase with verandas on each side. Observation platforms are present every 6 or 7 feet. We hope to see a variety of canopy birds, including toucans, macaws and raptors, along with monkeys. We will also have spectacular views of the meandering Tambopata River below and vast expanses of the adjacent TCRZ. After dinner this evening, Refugio Amazonas Staff will speak about conservation threats, projects and opportunities in the TCRZ. Overnight Refugio Amazonas. B L D
DAY 3: PECCARY CLAY-LICK VISIT-BRAZIL NUT TRAIL and CAMP HIKE-NIGHT HIKE. After another early breakfast, our group will hike for 20 minutes to a nearby clay-lick. Peccaries are seen here about 15% of the time. These wild rainforest pigs show up in herds of five to twenty individuals to eat clay in the morning. Following lunch at the Lodge, we will hike to the Brazil Nut Trail and Camp. A beautiful old growth patch of Brazil nut forest that has been harvested for decades (if not centuries) is found here. A local Brazil nut concession manager will lead us on our visit. He will describe the concession system, its’ role in the family economy and the future of the industry. Anecdotes and first-hand accounts will complete the picture of life as a “castañero”. Our group will also observe the remains of an old, abandoned camp used two months a year by Brazil nut gatherers. While here, the entire process of Brazil nut collection, transport and drying will also be discussed. In the late afternoon, we will return to the Lodge. Following dinner, we will go on a night hike. Many animals of all sizes and shapes are only active and observable after the sun goes down. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. This outing will provide an excellent opportunity for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates. We will also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections the eyes of caiman. Overnight Refugio Amazonas. B L D
DAY 4: RAINFOREST FARM VISIT-RAINFOREST TATOO-BOAT TRIP on the TAMBOPATA RIVER from REFUGIO AMAZONAS to the TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER (TRC)-MACAW CENSUS-EVENING PRESENTATION on the MACAW PROJECT. Following breakfast, we will travel 5 minutes from the Lodge to the farm of Don Manuel. He grows a wide variety of popular and little-known Amazon crops. In addition to focusing on the ecology, diversity and productivity of small rainforest farms, he will help us gain insight into the challenges presented by markets, politics, demographics and infrastructure in the Department of Madre de Dios. At Don Manuel’s farm, we will prepare a paste from the fruit of huito and achiote to draw dark blue and red tattoos on ourselves. They last for several days. Our group will return to Refugio Amazonas for lunch, say farewells to Staff and depart by boat for the Tambopata Research Center (~4 hours). Our trip will take us across the northern boundary and into the 1800 acre uninhabited, pristine heart of the Tambopata Candamo Reserve Zone. Sightings of capybara, caiman, geese, macaws and other large animal species are common. During our River voyage we will be given data registration cards to note species of macaws sited, number of individuals and location as part of an on-going macaw population census. This data will be plugged into the general Macaw Project data set. This Project has been counting individuals present in trail and river transects in an effort to estimate macaw population variations on a seasonal basis. Upon arrival arrive at the TRC, our group will be greeted by the Chicos, a flock of semi-wild, rescued macaws. The Lodge is a short walking distance from the River. After we settle in, there will be a brief orientation session about the TRC. Following dinner resident Scientists and Staff will provide an in-depth look at the biology of macaws, their feeding habits, theories for use of the clay-lick, breeding and feeding ecology, population fluctuations and the threats to their conservation. Overnight Tambopata Reserve Center. B L D
DAY 5: MACAW CLAY-LICK-PALM SWAMP HIKE-NIGHT HIKE. At dawn this morning we will hike across the Tambopata River and visit the world-famous Macaw Clay-lick. On most clear mornings of the year dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on the River bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story (January 1994). It begins with a description of the daily event: "When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in SE Peru and strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most dazzling wildlife gatherings is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a pulsing, 130 foot-high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay-lick throughout the day, but this mid-morning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the macaws.” You can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family: red-and-green, blue-and-gold, scarlet, red-bellied, chestnut-fronted and blue-headed macaws; mealy and yellow-crowned Amazons; blue-headed, orange-cheeked and white-bellied parrots; dusky-headed, white-eyed, cobalt-winged and tui parakeets, along with dusky-billed parrotlets. This show will continue until the macaws sense danger, usually in the form of an eagle, and depart simultaneously in an explosion of sound and color. The clay-lick is ~1600 feet long and only ~550 yards from the TRC. Discretely located, ~200 feet from the cliff, we will take part in the Macaw Project. Following Macaw Project research procedures that have been applied for several years, we will monitor parrot presence at the clay-lick. This will involve counting macaws every fifteen minutes, estimating and recording how many fly in, how many are perching, how many are on the clay-lick, etc. Any abnormal activities will also be noted. This data will all be fed into the Macaw Project data base. We will return to the TRC for lunch. This afternoon, participants will hike 2 miles to the Palm Swamp. Here, dead aguaje palms serve as nests and preferred roosts to red bellied and blue-and-gold macaws. An elevated boardwalk and 65 foot-high scaffolding tower allow eye-level observation of macaws, as they fly in and out of their nests. Although there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year-round, the most exciting time to visit is from October to March. This is the nesting season, when macaws will land on their nests and stand for several minutes, interacting with other individuals less then 20 feet from us. These scenes, especially with the late afternoon sun at your back, make prized photo opportunities. As you walk near the edges of the swamp keep your eyes open for the rare tapir. Following an exciting afternoon, our group will return to the TRC to rest and have dinner. This evening, there will be an opportunity to participate in a night hike. Night is commonly known as “the insect hour” because they leave their diurnal (day-time) hiding places in order to feed and reproduce. Nocturnal frogs, birds and mammals are commonly seen on night hikes as well. This is also a good time for photographers to get outstanding macro shots of frogs, colorful insects and other spectacular invertebrates. We can also scan the river’s edge with flashlights and head-lamps to catch the reddish reflections from caimans’ eyes. It is highly recommended that participants bring a good flashlight or better yet, a head-lamp, some type of magnifying glass and gloves. Overnight Tambopata Research Center. B L D
DAY 6: HIKE the TERRA FIRME RAINFOREST TRAIL (Toucan Trail)-OCELOT TRAIL HIKE-FLOOD PLAIN TRAIL HIKE-EVENING PRESENTATION on the STRUCTURE of the RAINFOREST. Our main objective today will be to hike in several different rainforest habitats fairly close to the TRC. Following breakfast this morning, we will hike the 3 mile Terra Firme Rainforest Trail. Habitat here is characterized by smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes. The landscape is also characterized by beautiful, pristine creeks that wind their way through the surrounding hills. Saddle-back tamarins are frequently found here. The community of birds and other wildlife that lives in the hilly terra firme forest is very different from that of the bamboo or mature floodplain. We will then hike the 1.5 mile Ocelot Trail. Although at this time of day mammals and birds are not as active as in the early morning, we will concentrate on the forest itself and discuss general rain forest ecology. The surrounding forest, estimated to be 200-300 years old, includes huge ceiba trees and strangler figs. It is home to several mammals that are often encountered, including saddle-back tamarins, squirrel and brown capuchin monkeys, along with collared peccaries. It is on this trail that the tracks of ocelots, pumas and jaguars are often spotted. Actually seeing any of these large cats is rare, but it does happen. We will then return to the TRC for lunch. This afternoon, our group will depart for the Floodplain Trail. This 3 mile trail covers prototypical rainforest with immense trees criss-crossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahuacos we will look for squirrel, brown capuchin, and spider monkeys as well as peccaries. More specific and detailed topics can be discussed/observed while at the TRC. A sampling includes: seed dispersal and predation; general botany; social insects….termites and ants; general insect studies; fish; the ecology of ponds and their inhabitants; amphibians and reptiles; birds and bird identification; mammals of the region; relationships….commensalism, mutualism, parasitism and adaptations to habitat….stilt roots, feeding niches,succulent leaves, along with physical characteristics of the Amazon Basin. After dinner, we will be treated to an evening presentation on rainforest structure, as we attempt to relate what we have earlier in the days. The horizontal and vertical layout of rainforest around all of our Lodges will be discussed. Included will be an explanation for the stratification of the forest in levels….ground, understory, mid-canopy and rainforest canopy, as well as the properties inherent to each. Habitat variety will also be considered….palm swamps, riverine, bamboo, terra firme and flooplain forest, along with tree fall gaps. Overnight Tambopata Research Center. B L D
DAY 7: TAMBOPATA RIVER BOAT TRIP from the TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER to POSADA AMAZONAS LODGE-CANOPY TOWER EXPERIENCE-ETHNOBOTANICAL TOUR-FAREWELL DINNER-EVENING PRESENTATION on the ESE'EJA ECOTURISM PROJECT. After breakfast this morning, we will depart downstream by boat to Posada Amazonas Lodge (~5.5 hours). Upon arrival, we will settle in. Twenty minutes walking distance from Posada Amazonas Lodge is a metal tower ~120 feet high, which provides safe and effortless access to the rainforest canopy. Here visitors can walk up a banister staircase, stopping on any of the tower’s twenty platforms to observe the myriad of life forms not visible from ground level. It also provides spectacular views of vast expanses of standing rainforest, with the Tambopata River winding through the middle. The community of Infierno’s (Ese'eja Native Community) hub is located about 45 downstream from Posada Amazonas. Although homes are scattered over ~25,000 acres, the “hub” centralizes a shared infrastructure, including a school, store, small medical clinic and meeting room. A communal organization, the Centro Ñape is found another 20 minutes downstream. Staff members here have designed a trail that explains the different medicinal and practical uses of selected plants. Many of these plants are used to provide traditional herbal medicines to community members who come to the medical clinic of Infierno. A Guided tour here is one of two cultural activities that have been integrated into options out of Posada Amazonas. It is also possible to hike the trails around Posada Amazonas with an Ese´eja Native Guide, who will explain the everyday uses of forest plants for medicine, construction, food and fiber. After dinner, we will have a presentation about the the Ese'eja Ecoturism Project. Overnight Posada Amazonas Lodge. B L D
DAY 8: PARROT CLAY-LICK VISIT-TAMBOPATA RIVER BOAT TRIP POSADA AMAZONAS-PUERTO MALDONADO DEPARTURE. Early this morning we will visit one of two parrot clay-licks found less than a mile from Posada Amazonas Lodge. From a blind located about 70 feet away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets here on most clear mornings. They come to ingest clay on the river bank. Species such as mealy and yellow-headed Amazons, blue-headed parrots and dusky-headed parakeets are common sightings. The clay-licks are usually active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. The noise level and superb photography at this distance complements the increased diversity and abundance of parrots and parakeets you experienced at the famous clay-lick found near the Tambopata Research Center. We will then return to the Lodge for breakfast, say farewells to staff and return to Puerto Maldonado by boat (~1 hour). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight to Cuzco or Lima. B
Note: Due to weather conditions and circumstances beyond the control of Field Course Staff, certain activities may be changed or done on different days in the best interest of the group.