15-Day Expedition to the Matses Indigenous Territory

15 days

About this activity

Day 1 and 2:
Departure from the hotel or the Amazon Explorer office.
Flight with a light aircraft or hydroplane. One hour flight from the Air Force Base to the town of Angamos located on the Brazilian border.
Meeting with indigenous Matses. Organization of supplies and logistics before to start navigation. Motorboat into one of the least explored areas of the Amazon rainforest, the Matses Reserve. Observe the flora and fauna.
Arrival to the Community of the “feline tribe” the Matses.
Accommodation: Overnight in a typical house in the tribal community.

Day 3 to 10:
Live in a tribal community beyond civilization. Learning their customs and way of life.
During this time we will be doing the following activities:
- Harvesting food from their “Chacras” (plantations and crops).
- Navigation and hike to a “Colpas” (deposit of clay containing mineral salts where a large number and variety of animals gather).
- Set up camp.
- Hiking in primary jungle.
- Identification of medicinal plants.
- Drinking water from forest vines “Soga de agua”.
- Identification of animal tracks and footprints.
- Learn how to use their weapons for hunting.
- Learn to construct traps to catch animals in the native way.
- Searching for the giant tree, largest of the jungle "Lupuna".
- Excursion in search of primates.
- Fishing for piranha (Serrasalmus nattereri) and other species.
- Primitive fish with “Barbasco” (toxic plant).
- Canoe trip in search of wildlife.
- Nocturnal exploration on in search of alligators, snakes, tarantulas and other species.
- Ancient stories tell of senior Matses.
- Tobacco sniffing or “Nënë” ceremony (optional).
- Frog ceremony or Frog Medicine “Kambo” (optional).
- Buying or bartering for handicrafts and authentic weapons (optional).
- Overnight in a typical house in the tribal community or in the jungle

Day 11 to 13:
Motorboat to the Lobo River. Bird watching. Hike through primary jungle to the town of Requena (50 km or 31 mi). Crossing of rivers and streams.
Overnight in the jungle.

Day 14 to 15:
Arrive by foot to the town of Requena. Public boat “Lancha” to Iquitos (12 hrs). 4 am Arrival to Iquitos city.

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Included

All meals provided for duration of trip (basic food)
Discount at Emperador Terraza, a small and central hotel in Iquitos
Indigenous Matses guides.
Land and river transportation included in the program.
Materials/Gear: Mosquito nets, sheets, sleeping pad, and rubber boots.
Purified water.
Support to local indigenous communities.
Taxes.
Tour leader.
Transfer from Iquitos airport.

Not included

Additional costs in Iquitos, if Iquitos-Angamos flight is postponed
Gratuities

Additional

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not wheelchair accessible
Because there a high risk that those flights are postponed (Iquitos-Angamos), we suggest that your flight out from Iquitos has extra days or flexible dates, to recover days lost waiting for the flight to Angamos. Also, this is recommended in order to avoid losing your flight out.
For camping, in order to sleep we use rectangular mosquito nets, sheets and sponge sleeping pad
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Important: Air transport used for this expedition is subject to pre-established dates by the local airline. However, according to weather conditions, flights may be delayed. The route is from Iquitos to Angamos
In the case your Iquitos-Angamos flight is postponed, we will not pay expenses of your stay in Iquitos (accommodation, food, etc.)
Information required for each traveler: Names, passport or ID number, nationality, date of birth, shoe size, physical condition and weight, detailed food requirements (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.), allergies or medical conditions, Flight's information (airline, flight number and arrival/departure hours), name of your hotel in Iquitos (All our travelers have a discount at Emperador Terraza, a small and affordable hotel in Iquitos)
It is recommended that travelers have their own insurance
It is suggested to arrive in Iquitos a day before to avoid issues caused by flight delays. Flight out must be taken a day or, much better, days after the program
The return trip requires hiking in the jungle for 3 days (50 km or 32 miles)
This program is for adventurers. We spend the night in a villager's traditional house and camp. We do not offer eco-lodges
We provide financial support for the villages and Matses people
We reserve the right to change the activities listed in the itinerary, in case they cannot be performed due to weather conditions or due to water levels of rivers in different seasons