See them while they last!  Twenty-five percent of the earth’s mammal species are presently facing extinction.  Seeing Amazonian mammals in the wild will one day be impossible.

https://www.greentracks.com/

 

See them while they last!  One third of all insect species are endangered and their biomass—the sum total of all insects on Earth—is shrinking by 2.5% annually.  This means a lot of things, none of them good. Seeing and photographing some of the Amazon’s fabulous arthropods won’t in its self save them, but it does inspire a new awareness to do what we can to protect those that remain.


https://www.greentracks.com/

 

See them while they last!  Forty percent of the world’s amphibian species are now threatened with extinction.  We support all efforts to stop the decline, but at the same time we’re traveling to observe them in the wild every chance we get.

https://www.greentracks.com/

 

'Extinct' Galapagos tortoise found after 100 years

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/galapagos-tortoise-considered-extinct-discovered-intl-trnd/index.html

GreenTracks offers natural history tours in the Galapagos.

https://www.greentracks.com/Galapagos.htm

 

The danger of mis-identification.

 

Photo: Tomb of Lord of Sipán


10% Discount on Northern Peru Programs

Northern Peru: The Coast

The civilizations of the Northern coast of Peru are known for their stunning achievements in architecture, ceramics and metallurgy.

The Moche culture (also known as Mochica), 100 to 600 A.D., located along the coast between Trujillo and Chiclayo, were known for their pyramids and ceramic work which often documented social activities. The temples of Moon and Sun illustrate the wealth and power of the Moche leaders in their murals and burial sites, including the tomb of the Lord of Sipan.

 The Lambayeque culture (also known as Sican), 750 to 1375 A.D., built the town of Tucume in an area now known as the Valley of 26 Pyramids near present day Chiclayo. They also expanded the canal system for use in agriculture. The Museum of the Royal Tombs and the Museum of Sican are filled with exquisite gold and ceramic artifacts.
There are also forests that are home to the Spectacled Bear, the only bear species in Peru and birdwatchers can see the 40 unique species of birds in the area including the Marvelous Spatuletail Hummingbird. Near Trujillo are the haciendas where the famous “Paso Fino” horses are bred and raised. These horses are known for their smooth ride and ambling gait.

The Chimu culture, 1200-1470 AD,  covered territory from north of Lima all the way up to Tumbes, near the present day Ecuadorian border. Their capitol, Chan Chan, near Trujillo, where the palaces of the Chimu kings can be found, is the largest pre-Hispanic settlement in the Americas. This culture focused on agriculture but was also adept at metallurgy and ceramics. The Spanish were so impressed with the metal works that they moved the metal workers to Cuzco. The Chan Chan site is notable for its very tall walls, some as high as 26 feet, that separated the kings from the “commoners”.

https://www.greentracks.com/Nothern-Coast-Chiclayo-Trujillo.htm

GreenTracks offers 9 tour programs in Northern Peru from 3 to 8 day lengths.
https://www.greentracks.com/Northern-Peru-Tour-Programs.htm

And, for map lovers, like us here at GreenTracks, we have a great map of Northern Peru.
https://www.greentracks.com/Map-of-Northern-Peru.htm

Stay tuned as we have even more to pique your interest in Northern Peru.

 

People hiking to the Revash funerary complex nestled in limestone cliffs overlooking the Utcubamba River


Northern Peru - The Interior

The Chachapoyas civilization (1st to 15th century) was one of the last pre-Inca cultures to be defeated by the Spanish, in the second half of the 15th century. The Chachapoyas built one of South America’s archaeological wonders, the mountain fortress of Kuelap, which contained homes,  palaces and temples surrounded by a 70 foot stone wall. Nearby is the Revash mausoleum & the Mummy museum at Leymebamba. 

The Cajamarca people inhabited an area south-west of Chachapoyas for over 2,000 years before being conquered by the Incas. This area is best known for the Battle of Cajamarca, in 1532, when the Spanish, led by Francisco Pizzaro, captured Cajamarca and the Inca leader Atahualpa. Even though the Spanish were offered a room filled with gold and silver in exchange for his release Atahualpa was executed and the treasure was taken. The Ransom Room still exists and  is open to visitors. Located a short distance from Cajamarca is the Ventanillas de Otuzco, a mortuary enclosure built into the side of a cliff. It is believed that most of the bodies were either moved, or looted, at some point although some skeletal remains and ceramics can still be seen. Nearby is Cumbemayo with its rock pillars covered in petroglyphs and the 3,00 year old aqueduct system that is one of the oldest in South America,

https://www.greentracks.com/Chachapoyas-1.htm

GreenTracks offers 9 tour programs in Northern Peru from 3 to 8 day lengths.
https://www.greentracks.com/Northern-Peru-Tour-Programs.htmhttps://www.greentracks.com/Northern-Peru-Tour-Programs.htm