· 22-day exacting three-country expedition-type jungle trip
· Animal watching and shamanic ceremony in the Amarakeiri, Tambopata & Manu
National Parks in Peru, Bolivia & Brazil
· Stay in jungle settlements without any road connection in Peru, Bolivia & Brazil
· River expeditions on expedition boats in Peru & Bolivia
· Amazon Metropolis Manaus with visits to Opera House, Harbor and Market, incl. boat tour to the famous giant water lilies
· Freighter ride on the Amazon river from Manaus throgh Santarem to Belém

· Stay at the Amazon Beaches of "Alter do Chão”

· Visit of the "Market of Magician" and the famous market "Ver-O-Peso" in Belém

 

 

Day 1 – Arrival in Peru / Lima
Arrival from Europe or North America by airplane at the capital city of Peru. We are welcomed by our tour guide who takes us to our small colonial hotel. In the evening, we hold our expedition meeting, during which our tour guide will once again go through the exact tour program and pleasantly answer all the questions we may have.

 

Days 2 to 5 – Jungle Tour Peru (Animal Watching & Matsiguenkas Indians) in Manu and Amarakeiri National Parks
In the early morning, we fly from Lima to Cuzco. In Cuzco, we meet all the other pre-tour participants. On off-road routes and onboard a jeep, we take a ride down through the mighty High Andes into the steaming Amazon basin, where for some days we share the lives of the  Matsiguenkas Indians, whose village is protected by a social project. These once very wild Indians were christianized only at the beginning of the 20th century by Spanish Franciscans. We explore the protected rainforest on foot, take a revitalizing bath in hot volcanic springs, visit an orchid farm and watch parrots at mineral licks and tapirs in the jungle. Deep in the rainforest and far away from any civilization, we are able to watch many exotic animals: macaws and parrots, capybaras, monkeys, caimans, sloths, butterflies, toucans and tropical birds in the brightest of colors. With some luck, we may even spot big cats, boas, anacondas and tarantulas. On our walks through the rainforest, we get a genuine impression of the flora and fauna in the primary rainforest. Up to 55 m high saiba trees, chestnut trees, countless types of palm trees, lianas and strangler fig trees are only some of the species we will be able to see. We visit many Indian villages, among them Boca Manu, once founded by the legendary Fitzcarraldo in times of the rubber boom.

                                                                      

Day 6 – Puerto Maldonado / Peru (Market, Butterfly Farm & Custom Formalities)

From the Manu National Park, on adventurous paths, we ride directly to the small town of Puerto Maldonado, full of motor bikes. There, we undergo the customs formalities for our crossing into Bolivia, visit a colorful market and a butterfly farm, and in the evening enjoy a local dance bar, where a cumbia band performs live music!

 

Day 7 – Shamanic Ceremony at the Tambopata National Park

Today we enter the Tambopata National Park and visit a shaman living isolated in the wild. After being shown the shaman’s magical herbs garden, we have the opportunity of trying ayahuasca, of course supervised by the shaman. Ayahuasca, in the Quechua language meaning "Liana of the Soul" or "Liana of the Dead", is a beverage used by shamans to communicate with the world of the spirits. Certainly a highlight of our expedition! We spend the night at the shaman’s abode in camp beds with mattresses and bedcovers!

 

Days 8 & 9 – River Expedition Peru (Monkey Island, Animal Watching, Piranha Fishing)

We continue to the “monkey island”, where we meet five different species of monkeys. After that we go on a small 12 km long and 2m wide branch of the river through the deepest jungle. We head to a romantic jungle lake where we fish for piranhas for our dinner. Tonight we spend in camp beds in a small village of fischermen.

 

Days 9 to 11 – River & Off-Road Expedition Bolivia (Gold Seekers & Brazil Nuts)

From Peru, onboard a covered motorized boat we cross the border into Bolivia – an adventure of its own, very special kind! We will spend the night with local jungle farmers in a small supply village, visit small Brazil nut plantations and even illegal gold panning sites, where tiny gold dust is being washed out of the jungle rivers.

 

Days 11 & 12 – Riberalta / Bolivia

Then we ride on an open pickup vehicle or truck through the deep jungle on to colonial Riberalta. During this exciting trip, we cross some rivers on adventurous ferries. At Riberalta, we visit a processing plant of Brazil nuts and spend the night in an enchanting colonial house owned by the local rubber baron.

 

Days 13 & 14 – Porto Velho (Massive Jungle Deforestation in Rondónia, Fish Markets & Old Railways)

Today we reach the remote area of Rondónia, where until some months ago massive deforestation and slash-and-burn clearings were common things to see. There, we visit the interesting railway museum from the times of the rubber barons, the market and the harbor, and undertake a little boat ride to the waterfalls of the Rio Madaira. Before the railway arrived there, some 150 years ago and organized a settlement in the Amazon region around Porto Velho, it was completely virgin jungle. Then we will spend the night in a small and simple hotel in Porto Velho.

 

Days 14 to 16 – Amazon Metropolis Manaus

On day 14, we will get to Manaus by plane, the "Gateway to Amazonia" bustling with South American vitality and multicultural joie de vivre. Manaus is the capital city of the Brazilian Federal State of Amazonas. We undertake a boat trip to the famous giant water lilies and visit its world famous opera house. A festive dinner (mostly with a 1 m long fish!) rounds out this unforgettable expedition! We spend the night in a beautiful 4-star hotel near the harbor – what a feeling of luxury after the past days in the deepest jungle!

 

Day 16 to 19 – Freighter Trip in Brazil to Santarem & the beautiful Amazon beach of Alter do Chão

From the harbor of Manaus we start our journey to Santarem. Onboard a wooden freighter on mighty Amazonas river, this trip will be a unique experience. We spend the nights on deck, sleeping in hammocks. Contact with the native population is vivid and close, and our tour guide pleasantly assists us in translating the many interesting conversations with the locals. Once we arrive in Santarem, we head to the village Alter do Chão. Here we have time to relax on caribbean-like beaches and take a bath in the fresh sea. If you look for more activity, you will also have many possibilities. Different tours are available, for example a boat ride on Rio Tapajós o Rio Jari, a visit of the natural reserve of Tapajós or the settlements of Caboclo, Ford or Belterra.  Do you look for more adventure? Then you can participate in kayaking, a canoe tour, snorkeling or fishing. Tonight we stay in a comfortable **hotel right near the beach or a small, familial posada right next to the boardwalk.

 

Day 19 to 22 – Freighter Trip to Belém (Delta of the Amazon) & Belém with the “Market of Magicians” & “Huge fish market”

After this short side trip to the “Caribbean” we go on another adventure on a freighter on the 20th or 21st day. Along the mighty Amazon river we head from Santarem to Belém, the gateway to the Amazon. As we are already used to it, we will spend the night in hammocks on the deck of the freighter. At the end of this trip another highlight of our journey already awaits us. You can amuse yourselves fantastically with the sensual and fun-loving Amazons in the spirited city of Belém with its large dance halls of the periphery, where Samba, Forrò and Lambada dominate. During day time we go on our city tour and get to know the old and authentic part of Belém with its main square Praça de Sé, the old and colorful facades, the imposing Teatro da Paz as well as the old cathedral. The highlight is certainly the famous market “Ver-O-Peso” in the old harbor where herb-women sell “health” from the Amazonian forests.

 

Day 22 – Departure

The time has come to say good-bye to South America and a trip we will keep in our memories for the rest of our lives. After breakfast we head to the airport where our flight back home already awaits us.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

The departure time on Day 22nd should not be before 10H00!

 

Services Included

· English-speaking expedition guides from Lima / Peru (with 4 & 5 Pax from Cuzco) to Belém (Brazil)
· Natural guides, professional cook, coxswain, several assistants and porters in jungle expeditions & hikes
· Complete expedition equipment, expedition cooker etc. in the jungle
· All flights (Lima/Cuzco), rides, transfers, excursions, hikes as stated in tour program
· Accommodation:  ***(*)Hotel / Manaus (2x), **(*)Hotel / Lima, Puerto Maldonado, Porto Velho, Alter do Chão, Belém (6x), very simple family jungle pension with shared bathroom / Pillcopata, Shintuya & Boca Manu (3x), Tapir observation platform in the jungle without bathroom (1x), jungle-settlements and on camp beds with mattresses, bedcovers & mosquito net (4x), colonial house / Riberalta (2x), Amazon freighter in hammocks (3x)
· Full board in the jungle & on freighter, breakfasts in towns / hotel overnights (7x full board, 10x breakfast, 4x half-board)

· Half double room guaranteed

 

Not Included:

 

· Tips, personal expenses
· Drinks in meals in towns
· Entrance fees, domestic + international airport + exit taxes, entrance fees for National Parks and Ayahuasca intake (approx. 200 US$ – to be paid locally), surcharge single room

Requirements

 

This tour is an expedition demanding abdication of comfort; it also requires tolerance and openness toward the native population and fellow travelers as well as adaptation and flexibility to sometimes unfamiliar conditions and environments.

 

Number of Participants: 4 - 12 Pax

 

Travel Dates

 

31.03. - 21.04.2012

28.07. - 18.08.2012

06.10. - 27.10.2012

 

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available |

please check availability |

fully booked

 

 

Please note

• Participants must have a valid international health insurance.
• We reserve the right to change the tour program due to force majeure, weather or organizational reasons.

• Please be aware that your departure time on Day 22nd should not be before 10H00!

 

 

Information “Project America”

The participants of the expedition tour „Mythical Amazonia“ help children in Bolivia

 

Since spring 2006 we have visited the little Indian village of “America” in Bolivia as part of our tour “Mythical Amazonia”. The geniality of the inhabitants but also the appalling conditions of the small hospital ward as well as the school (children from 4 to 15 years are attending one and the same class) have prompted us to actively support this community together with the participants of our expedition. This project ensures that the children get e.g. all the school books, notebooks, pens etc. needed. Furthermore all the important drugs can now be found in the hospital ward. These are often brought from Europe by doctors who participate in our expedition. Besides that you can always donate clothes, especially clothes for children are highly appreciated.