A great adventure !
Highlights
- Accomplish an expedition, with no external assistance, of a “world first” type in the Amazon
- You will be accompanied by Jean-Patrick Costa, one of the world’s leading experts on Amazon Indians in Peru and Ecuador
- An immersion in a wild and untamed natural environment
After a first full crossing of the Matses territory in 2015, Jean-Patrick managed to convince his Indian friends to organize a crossing that they have not realize since 2008, date of the formal delimitation of their territory. We switch from the waters of the Rio Blanco to the Yaquerana waters, about a 50 km straight line, without any trails, which we plan to carry out in 7 days in complete autonomy on the basis of an "Indian crossing": In the morning walking and fishing, hunting and building a camp every afternoon. Animals are numerous in this very little hunted area. At the end of this expedition, we arrive at the Brazilian border, at the foot of the Sierra del Divisor, where the Indians of Puerto Alegre come to pick us up by pirogue. After a short stay at home in their new maloca, we return to Iquitos by private seaplane. For Westerners this is a world first. Expeditions Unlimited is the only organization in the world that can offer such an expedition.
Overview
In April 2015, Jean-Patrick accompanied participants in a scouting journey to meet the Matses, a people which for nearly forty years was uncontacted by Westerners. Invited by them, they would carry out a first full crossing of their territory in the jungle a few kilometers away from never contacted tribes.
The Matses opened to the outside world in 1970 only to immediately close themselves off for 30 years with two American missionary sisters, Harriet Fields and Hattie Kneeland, also known as Luisa and Enriqueta. Since their departure in 2002, no Westerner had come in contact with them. We were the first to rediscover them and certainly the first to cross their entire territory on foot. The April 2015 expedition was a great success. The one we are planning to do here is even further south and requires more physical commitment than the on from April 2015 because even the Matses will not have prepared for it. It is therefore mainly aimed at physically active participants who want to discover the "great forest" in the ancestral way of the native peoples.
Discover images of the Matses people :
Itinerary
DAYS 1 & 2: ARRIVAL AT IQUITOS
Day 1
Flight to Lima generally at the end of the evening on day 1. Flight Lima-Iquitos the next day, welcome and transfer to the hotel. Evening in the heart of Iquitos with Jean-Patrick.
DAYS 3 & 4: TRAVEL UPSTREAM THE UCAYALI, TAPICHE AND BLANCO RIVERS
Day 3
Transfer to Nauta by taxi. It is in a humid and tropical climate that we take a boat to undertake the three rivers Ucayali, Tapiche and Blanco. During two days of navigation, we leave the immense waters of the Amazon and the Ucayali to penetrate the black waters of the Tapiche and finally branch off into the white waters of the Rio Blanco, each time more enclosed by the forest. We gradually arrive in Matses territory and meet the first Indian communities. We pass the military and control post of Curinga and realize the privilege we have to be here because few Westerners are allowed to pass. An hour later, we land on the banks of the river for our first bivouac.
DAYS 5 TO 11: WORLD FIRST CROSSING OF THE FOREST IN COMPLETE AUTONOMY
Day 5
This morning, accompanied by our Matses friends and Jean-Patrick, we leave our bivouac for our first day of walking. We will make this crossing "Indian style". The rhythm should look like this: wake up around 6 o’clock am for a departure around 7:00 / 7:30 am. We arrive at your next bivouac point around 1:30 pm. In the afternoon, we divide the tasks and practice activities according to our desires. We build camp, fish and hunt. Animals should be bountiful in this area.
It would take us 7 days at this rate to reach the Yaquerana basin without formal hiking trails. We will cross dozens of rivers and marshes thanks to the accommodations we build along the way, using tree trunks. At the end of this expedition, we arrive on the Brazilian border, at the foot of the Sierra del Divisor, in an untouched area of the village.
DAYS 12 & 13: MATSES VILLAGE OF PUERTO ALEGRE
Day 12
This morning, we meet other Matses Indians to descend the Yaquerana by motorized canoe and reach the village of Puerto Alegre. We arrive by the end of the day. We spend the evening with the elders who perhaps initiate us to their rituals. Then we sleep under a tent or in a hammock in a magnificent Maloca, which was built at the end of our first trek, in the Summer 2015. The next day, we take the time to meet the village authorities and observe the daily life of this village. We can participate in various activities.
DAYS 14 & 15: RETURN TO IQUITOS IN A PRIVATE SEAPLANE / SPARE DAY
Day 14
We will take a privatized seaplane to return directly to Iquitos. We plan a reserve day for this flight depending on the weather conditions. If we can fly on day 14, we spend a day in the charming town of Iquitos. If we can only fly on day 15, then we enjoy one more day at Puerto Alegre.
DAYS 16 & 17: RETURN TO EUROPE
Day 16
We are accompanied to the airport where we take our return flight to Europe by Lima (arrival the next day).
END OF EXPEDITION
For reasons that cannot be foreseen at this stage, such as unpredictable weather, the physical fitness or lack of fitness of participants or other circumstancess (customs formalities, road conditions, traffic, landslides, force majeure, etc.), your expedition leader may have to adapt the program, if necessary, to ensure the smooth running of your trip. He remains the sole judge and the one who guarantees your safety. Activity times are given as an indication and may vary from one participant to another.
The itinerary for all our expedition programs, or the ascent program for our high-mountain expeditions, are given here as a guide only. They are flexible enough to adapt to weather conditions with a few contingency days. In any case, you should follow the recommendations of your guide, who may suggest that you cancel your expedition due to weather, safety or physical conditions.
It is important to remember that this is a truly unsupported expedition, and that anything can happen. Expeditions Unlimited, your expedition leader, your guide or our local teams can in no way be held responsible.
Any costs incurred as a result of a change in the expedition schedule (extra nights' accommodation, extra flights) will be borne by the participants and not by the organizers. "Contingency days" refer to the expedition in the strict sense of the term (base camp/base camp in the mountains, departure point/exit point on a traverse, etc.).
Any early return of the expedition or of certain members only (early success, abandonment, etc.), generating costs for accommodation, meals, changes to air tickets or other activities not provided for in this program, will be charged in full to the participants.
Trip notes
Difficulty level
Level rated: challenging
This expedition calls for regular practice of trekking the rest of the year or of another endurance sporting activity. It is accessible to anyone with a good physical condition.
The difficulty of this expedition lies in the climatic conditions (heat and humidity), the very rudimentary comfort in the forest and the uncertainties of a ground that we are not familiar with beforehand. Progress will be difficult on a route without any hiking trail. 7 days of forest treks are planned, in a hilly environment with many rivers to cross. To this is added the isolation of this program that requires to be in top physical and mental form and to walk on a regular basis. However, our backpacks are carried by our Matses escorts. We only carry our smaller day bag.
Compagnies aériennes internationales
As indicated in the program: at the restaurant in Iquitos (not included due to flexibility), with the natives or in a small restaurant during the descent, what we hunt and some small additions during the expedition and finally, the local food of the Matses in Puerto Alegre: banana-based dishes, imported rice, cassava, meat and fish, fruits, etc.
Accommodations
As stated in the program: single rooms in a hotel at Iquitos at the heart of the city. In a small hotel in a single or double room according to availability in Requena. Bivouac in the forest under a tent, in shelter or under the stars during the expedition. In a maloca or hammock in Puerto Alegre.
Group size
The group is composed of 2 to 3 participants maximum. The number of participants is deliberately limited to allow for greater immersion, to avoid embarrassing our hosts, and to develop freedom and flexibility. However, the maximum number may be exceeded if the last person to register wishes to travel with one or more other people. The services will not be modified, and the conditions of the trip will remain the same.
Equipment
Personal equipment is not provided. However, a complete list is provided to allow you to check that you are taking what is necessary.
Our commitments to sustainable development
Our commitment to a better planet has been a reality since the beginning of our story but we always need to do more and better. Please find out more about our charter and our commitments in terms of sustainable development. We have drafted our charter and take action through six themes on which we act as concretely as possible, most often with you: social equity and cultural respect, preservation of water, waste management in expedition, protection of biodiversity, raise public awareness on these subjects and finally, the optimization and recovery of CO2 emissions.
Regarding carbon emissions, most of which are due to air travel, we calculated and communicated in 2018 on the carbon footprint of each of our programs, expressed in tonnes of CO2.
These calculations made us aware of the importance of the total carbon emissions generated by our activity. Also, we have committed in 2022 to a carbon reduction that we believe is unprecedented in the tourism industry, aiming to reduce the total emissions of our activity by 5% per year, taking 2019 as the reference year (3,430 tonnes of CO2). This commitment is in line with the trajectory of the Paris climate agreements of 2015, the current benchmark. Thus, in 2030, we will not entitle ourselves to exceed 2,160 tonnes of C02 and until then, each year, as soon as the carbon footprint budget is reached, we will stop taking any reservations for the current year. Thus, our maximum “carbon” budget for 2024 is 2,950 tonnes and for 2025, this budget will be reduced to 2,800 tonnes. And so on until 2030. To find out more about all of our calculations and our commitments in terms of reducing our carbon emissions.
In addition, since 2019, we have been encouraging you when you book for your journey to contribute with a donation to an independent NGO, among the two we have selected that share the commitments made in our charter. We matched the amount of this donation to this program's carbon footprint. Thus, the journey you are considering generates 4,38 tons of CO2, which corresponds to a 100% donation of €131 for an estimated value today of €30 per tonne of CO2. This donation remains of course optional and you can decide to give between nothing and 100% of this amount. Since 2019, including covid years of 2020 and 2021, we have been able to collect thanks to you nearly €7,000 for these associations.
Please do not hesitate to come back to us with any questions you might have regarding this carbon footprint mechanism, our other sustainable développement commitments or even to share with us your experience through a chat or a mail at contact@secret-planet.com.
Jean-Patrick Costa
Recruited by Pharmaciens Sans Frontières to open a mission in the Ecuadorian Amazon among the Shuar and Achuar Indians (Jivaros) over 20 years ago, Jean-Patrick is a great traveler at heart, and one of the best connoisseurs of Amazonian Indians, shamanism and traditional medicines.
The author of several books on the subject, he spent three years in total immersion among the Jivaros. In the early 90s, he set up the Arutam association to support indigenous peoples, enabling him to maintain close contact with the Indians, their shamans and their leaders, particularly in Peru and Ecuador. He tells us:
"The Matses, like other peoples of the Amazon rainforest, are well aware that their forest is dying, that their territory is shrinking by the day. The privilege they offer us by welcoming us is a response to the need for them to open up a little to the outside world, to make it more aware of their issues. Their survival depends on a certain knowledge of the modern world. For the past 20 years, I've been engaged in the field, trying to restore these people's confidence in their culture and traditions. This means making them aware that their identity and know-how have value in the eyes of the so-called "developed" world. The participants in our expeditions have this role of valorizing indigenous culture, this responsibility."
Jean-Patrick accompanies other journeys with Secret Planet (Tamera), immersing himself in the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon Indians, as well as the Mayas of Yucatan, Mexico.
Departures and pricing
Please find below all dates and prices for this expedition. Prices are quoted "from" and may be adjusted notably according to the number of participants (see trip notes for details). Please note that dates and prices for years beyond 2024, when given, are for guidance only and are subject to change and readjustment to take account of current economic realities.
No date works for me!
I initiate a new datePrice includes
Transfers tel qu’indiqués dans le programme. Accommodations tel qu’indiqués dans le programme. Meals tel qu’indiqués dans le programme. Guiding tel qu’indiqués dans le programme. Equipment tel qu’indiqués dans le programme. Travel folder tel qu’indiqués dans le programme.
Price does not include
Drinks and personal “extras”. The “single” supplement or a different hotel category. Other supplements linked to a lower number of participants registered, your desire to customize or privatize the expedition. The mandatory expedition complementary insurance.
Your custom expedition
We put our expertise, our knowledge of the terrain, our creativity, our experience, the quality of our guides and the reliability of our partners at your service to build your custom expedition. We can also personalize an expedition to your wishes as soon as you form a "closed" group, whatever the number of participants.
This means that, unless you authorize us to do otherwise, no outside participants join you, and we can personalize your expedition by adapting it to your own pace, with the program extensions you desire, a higher level of comfort, certain activities, other encounters, etc.
Every expedition of this type is subject to a specific quotation. To get in touch with us now, please fill in the short questionnaire below. One of our experts will get back to you to refine your request and make you a proposal.
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