THE GREAT NORTH FOREST

THE TOURS AT THE ORIGIN OF AMAZON RIVER : Allpahuayo-Mishana and Pacaya-Samiria reserves

Bird watching ( 6 Días / 5 Noches )

Outstanding program for birders by two protected areas in which we can find a good group of bird species including endemic species and recent discoveries.

DAY 01 IQUITOS / NATIONAL RESERVE ALPAHUAYO-MISHANA

Arrival at the airport in Iquitos and reception.
Transfer to the National Reserve Alpahuayo-Mishana located 25 km. (15 miles) from Iquitos, near the road that links this city with Nauta. This reserve has 57600 hectares of forest on white sand or varillales in which they are 300 species of trees per hectare, 130 species of reptiles, 460 species of birds, of which, about twenty, are associated with this type of forest, being at least 5 endemic ones ( the best mark among the protected areas in the world ) .

The "little antbirds of Gentry" or "Old" (Herpsicochmus gentry)
The "Tiranuelo" of Mishana (Zimmerius villresol)
The "little brown tile antbirds"- brown tile (Mirmeciza castena centuculorum)
The Perlite of Iquitos (Polioptila clementsi)
The "little antbird" of Allpahuayo (Percnostola arenarum)

Accommodation in the Research Center of the reservation. Hiking trail for the first observation for the rest of the morning.

Lunch .

Walk by another trail with the possibility of observing endemic species as "The Perlite of Iquitos." We see some species of toucans, "cotingas" and little aenteaters.

Returning to the research center.

Dinner and overnight.

DAY 02 R.N. ALPAHUAYO-MISHANA

Early in the morning, walking n' searching to see other species like manakins, trogons-barbets. It will also be possible to observe in the walk to the poisonous frogs (Dendrobates).

Breakfast at the research center.

Walking by Highway Nauta Iquitos in order to see several species of parakeets, parrots ( that eat fruit trees along the path ) , warlords, "oropéndolas", tanangers and "cotinga" pompadour.

Returning to the research center and lunch.

In the afternoon we will continue walking down different trails, not only for the purpose of observing birds but also variety of primates ( like "pichicos" ), "blacks handsomes" and stumps that abound in Allpahuayo-Mishana.

Dinner and overnight.

DAY 03 R.N. ALLPAHUAYO-MISHANA/R.N. PACAYA-SAMIRIA

Breakfast.

We make the same way to the Pacaia Samiria Reserve by Nauta and observing a variety of birds including herons, hawks, camungos, jacanas, parrots and parakeets. Likewise it is possible to see pink dolphins of the Amazon along the river.

Lunch on board.

Arrive to the community of Arequipa where he will install the first camp.
Dinner and overnight.

DAY 04 NATIONAL RESERVE of PACAYA-SAMIRIA

Early, before breakfast : excursion by boat on the Yanayacu river to see parrots, toucans, face-sided, macaw, camungos and carrion birds such as yellow-headed vulture living on the banks of rivers.

Return to camp. Breakfast.

Walk flooding jungle in order to observe "shansho" or hoatzín, prehistoric-looking bird that eats leaves and whose birth is having claws in the middle of their wings, lost in the adulthood. Generally It's located at the shores of the lakes.

Return to camp. Lunch.

End of the camp.

In the afternoon we'll continue exploring the River Yanayacu-Pucate to discover the variety of wildlife. The place for the second camp is determined during the journey.
At night there will be an excursion on the river to observe alligators and birds as the common potoo night, the great potooo and a variety of owls.

Dinner and overnight.

DAY 05 NATIONAL RESERVE PACAYA SAMIRIA

Early, we may watch more birds leaving their nests and searching river food like cotingas, macaws, parrots, the real vulture, and maybe the big "Harpía" Eagle (Harpia harpyja).

Return to camp. Breakfast.

Hiking trail where it is possible to observe hummingbirds, mahakins, antbirds, flycatchers, tanangers, finches and others.

Lunch.

Navigation downstream to the mouth of the River Yanayacu-Pucate, spending last night at the place where the next day we start the trip back to Nauta.

DAY 06 PACAYA-SAMIRIA / NAUTA / IQUITOS / LIMA

Breakfast and start the return downstream by Marañón River to the City of Nauta. A car or bus will take us back to Iquitos and an airplane to Lima .

PACAYA-SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE

Yanayacu-Pucate river basin ( Interior zone of the Reserve ) ( 5 Days / 4 Nights )

(4 Nights in tents )

Unforgettable experience in one of the richests areas in biodiversity that still exist on the planet. Not only will have the opportunity to get closer to the most representative species of the Amazon but enter their domains. To be in contact with local population living in the perimeter of the reserve; conducting programs for conservation and sustainable development to maintain unalterable one of the last great tropical forests flooded.

1st day IQUITOS / NAUTA / PACAYA-SAMIRIA

Reception at the Iquitos airport and transfer to the city.
During a tour, we know this vibrant and historic Iquitos city in the hearth of the Tropical Amazonan peruvian forest.

It has some tourist attractions from the XIXth century getting it , the most important river port in the Amazon, gaining also a surprising condition during the so-called "Rubber Fever."

In Iquitos we meet our naturalist guide and go to Nauta, next to Marañón river ( 100km - 2 hours ) for starting the boat trip to the Reserve.
The road pass across a great variety of ecosystems including the wetlands of forest National Park of Quistococha, shrubs, a sandy soil in which is located the National Reserve Allpahuayo Mishana, an ideal place for observing birds wildlife ( including endemic species ).

Before addressing the boat that transported to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, we have time for a short walk around Nauta and enjoy a delicious lunch.

We begin the Navigation River. The Marañon one with the Ucayali one create the Amazon River, which begun to be explored and colonized since the sixteenth century by Spanishs.

Travelling by boat 2 ½ hours we access the inner zone in the Pacaya-Samiria River Basin Yanayacu-Pucate (180Km. to Iquitos SE):

Beautiful landscapes that stretches in front of their eyes. The vegetation and the endless blue sky with capricious clouds, shape up, along with chocolate color of Marañon, a framework for assessing special flocks of parrots, macaws and white herons flying from one shore to another; beyond the pink on the Water : the presence of a dolphin or bufeo that challenges us to observe .

Admission to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Sail for the Yanayacu River ( where appreciate the dark color of its waters to allow a clear reflection ) and checkpoint of Santo Domingo.

Then, after an hour sailing, we install the first camp, located near the community of Arequipa, in the banks of Yanayacu. We rest, take pictures or make a short walk with nearby community residents.

Dinner and planning the next day over the stars and with the jungle sounds.

DAY 02 PACAYA-SAMIRIA

Early, we may watching the birds leaving their nests and searching food from the river.
Breakfast and departure by Yanayacu-Pucate river with great prospects to observe more wildlife towards Shansho Cocha lake, located an hour and a half of travel.
We observe, as highlights, the beautiful scenery of the giant trees Lupuna (Ceiba pentandra), Capirona, Capinurí (Heliocóstilis scabra), as well as the Toucan birds (Pteroglossus), the Red and Yellow Guacamayos , the Big White Heron (Egreta alba), Martin Fisherman (Chloroceryele).

Upon arrival Shansho Cocha we can watch the Hoatzín or "Shansho" (Opysthocomus hoazin), with prehistoric bird features nesting and feeding at the edge of this gap.

Return to camp and lunch.

After a short break, continue the tour of the Yanayaquillo Gorge where it's possible to observe friars monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis), "pichicos" (Saguinus fuscicollis) and lazies (Bradypus variegatus).

Returning to camp, dinner and rest.

DAY 03 PACAYA-SAMIRIA

Breakfast.

Walk by the Japan Creek and Lagoon Yanta where apart for a sighting of these birds while they feed, we will have time to fish. Among the fish species that abound in the reserve, we see the piranha (Serrasalmus), tarpon (Brycun americus), sardines (Triportheus), among others.

Return to camp.

Lunch and return by boat to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the reserve and birds nesting at night.

Dinner and guide final comments

We spend the night.

DAY 04 PACAYA-SAMIRIA

Breakfast

Very early we leave the camp and navigate two hours by the River Yanayacu while we appreciate the presence of the lovely pink dolphins (Inia geoffrenssis), "taricayas" ( special river turtles ) (Podocnemis unifilis) , river Wolves (Ptenerura brasiliensis), skilled swimmers and fishermen. Arrival in the area of destination and installation of the camp. Lunch riverside contemplating the magnificent landscape and walk appreciation to know flora and fauna of this area.

Sunset and dinner .

DAY 05 PACAYA-SAMIRIA / NAUTA / IQUITOS / LIMA

Breakfast and last chance to take pictures in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Then we leave the camp and start the return downstream by Marañón River to the City of Nauta. A car or bus will take us back to Iquitos and an airplane to Lima .