GreenTracks News

December Getaway - GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Wildlife Cruise

2011-11-08T15:44:00.004-07:00

Explore the Amazon on a historic riverboat Wildlife Cruise to the Pacaya Samiria Reserve in Peru with GreenTracks this December. Experience the flora and fauna of the largest rainforest on Earth.

The GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Wildlife Cruise is an adventure cruise aboard a restored rubber boom-era riverboat. There are several excursions daily off the riverboat, led by the GreenTracks Naturalist Guides. By small excursion boat, you will explore the creeks and oxbow lakes in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in search of wildlife. There are both day and night hikes on rainforest trails in search of interesting animals, multicolored butterflies, bizarre insects, exotic flowers and gigantic trees.

Travel on the restored rubber boom-era riverboat - the M/F Ayapua. Steamboats were at the heart of the rubber boom trade, carrying raw rubber from remote regions of the rainforest to Amazon River port cities such as Iquitos, Peru and Manaus, Brazil. But, the steamboats are gone and virtually all of the original boats have disappeared. Fortunately, the M/F Ayapua has been restored to approximate it’s original splendor, converted to diesel for efficiency and is now the only operating riverboat of it’s type left from that era.

This is a 7 day/6 night cruise operating December 17 - 23, 2011. The riverboat has plenty of room to spread out and relax. Each cabin is air conditioned with a private bath. There is an enclosed air-conditioned dining room and an outdoor bar area. Meals of both international and regional cuisine are served buffet-style. A GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Cruise is fun, stimulating and educational. With 20 years of operation GreenTracks has provided memorable experiences of the Amazon to thousands of travelers.

Click here for more info...

GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Wildlife Cruise

Magical Christmas in Cuzco with GreenTracks

2011-09-08T15:10:00.006-06:00

The ancient Inca capitol of Cuzco blends a traditional Christmas with the Andean culture to provide a unique and magical setting for an unforgettable experience. As Christmas approaches hundreds of artisans gather in Cuzco’s Plaza de Armas for one of the largest craft fairs in Peru, the Santuranticuy market, on December 24th. The Santuranticuy (meaning Saints for sale) market harks back to the days of the Spanish conquest and here can be found, laid out on blankets, Christmas figurines, handmade ceramics, superb Andean textiles, Nativity scenes in Huamanga stone, retablos (sophisticated Andean folk art in the form of portable boxes) featuring images related to Christmas and carved gourds called mates burilados decorated with Yuletide scenes. The festive glow of lighted Biblical animals and the Andean version of Baby Jesus, el Niño Manuelito, are seen throughout the Plaza. Another important part of Christmas Eve is the Chocolotadas, where hot chocolate, bread and toys are given out to the poor by churches and local businesses. Street vendors sell ponche, a traditional hot, sweet rum punch to counter the chill of the Andes. At midnight everyone gathers to watch magnificent fireworks displays.

On Christmas Day itself the Plaza de Armas is cleared, traditional religious ceremonies take place and families spend the day together in their homes that are intricately decorated with Nativity scenes, retablos and lights. Peruvians, being a warm and hospitable people, often invite visitors into their homes to share this occasion.
On December 26th there is a Holy Births Contest aimed at promoting Christmas spirit with art. Judging takes place and prizes are given out. And then on December 27th is the time for the Situa Raymi, an Inca ceremony celebrating the Moon. On December 29th there is a New Year celebration with a video, light and sound show to highlight ancestral culture.

GreenTracks offers programs to Cuzco that include visits to the Cathedral, the Inca Temple of the Sun, the nearby ruins at Sacsayhuaman and the Inca Bath at Tambomachay plus a visit to the famed citadel of Machu Picchu, without a doubt the most important attraction in Peru and one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites. It was recently voted to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Built by the Incas on the summit of Machu Picchu (Old Peak), over-looking the deep canyon of the Urubamba River in a semi-tropical area 75 miles from the city of Cuzco at 8,000 feet above sea level. It is thought to have been a sanctuary or temple inhabited by high priests and the "Virgins of the Sun".

Visit the GreenTracks website

GreenTracks EcoTravel's Channel

2011-08-22T08:20:00.008-06:00

Greentracks has now added a new video to our YouTube Channel - Flight of the Egrets and Cormorants.

You can also see our videos on Bushmasters, Oropendolas, Anacondas and more.

Click on the link to see all the videos -

GreenTracks EcoTravel's Channel

GreenTracks’ tours combine an Amazon Riverboat Cruise and Machu Picchu

2011-07-19T08:28:00.004-06:00

This exciting GreenTracks package combines the grandeur of the mightiest river in the world, the Amazon, with the mystery and incredible sights of Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Experience diverse geography, culture and history in one unforgettable trip.

Years of experience exploring the Amazon allows GreenTracks to offer a unique cruise experience. The GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Cruise is a wildlife adventure cruise. There are several excursions daily off the riverboat led by bilingual Naturalist Guides. Using small excursion boats explore the creeks and oxbow lakes in search of wildlife in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. After dark do the same in search of caiman and colorful frogs and hear the incredible night sounds of the jungle. There are also hikes on rainforest trails in search of interesting animals, multicolored butterflies, bizarre insects, exotic flowers and gigantic trees.

These are 7 day cruises departing from Iquitos, Peru, on scheduled dates. Group size is always small, typically 8 - 12 people. The Amazon riverboat has plenty of room to spread out and relax. Each cabin is air conditioned and has private bath & shower. There is an enclosed air-conditioned dining room and an outdoor bar area. Meals of both international and regional cuisine are served buffet-style in the air-conditioned dining room.

A GreenTracks Wildlife Cruise is fun, stimulating and educational. With over 20 years of operation GreenTracks has provided memorable experiences of the Amazon for thousands of travelers.

Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire is now a modern small city that has retained much of its colonial charm. A tour of Cuzco includes visits to the Cathedral, the Inca Temple of the Sun, the nearby ruins at Sacsayhuaman and the Inca Bath at Tambomachay. Cuzco is an excellent place to purchase wonderful arts and crafts. Plan on picking up some of the local Alpaca wool sweaters.

The Legendary "Lost City of Machu Picchu" is without a doubt the most important attraction in Peru and one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites. It was recently voted to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Built by the Incas on the summit of Machu Picchu (Old Peak), over-looking the deep canyon of the Urubamba River in a semi-tropical area 75 miles from the city of Cuzco at 8,000 feet above sea level. It is thought to have been a sanctuary or temple inhabited by high priests and the "Virgins of the Sun".

The Combination Trip can start with any of the scheduled Amazon Riverboat Cruise dates and continue with a 3, 4 or 6 day program to Cuzco and Machu Picchu the following week. Call 1-800-892-1035 or click on the link below

Amazon Riverboat Cruise and Machu Picchu Combination program

Guaranteed Jaguar sightings on Pantanal Wildlife tours

2011-05-31T10:38:00.003-06:00

GreenTracks now offers trips to the wildlife-rich Pantanal of Brazil featuring the Southwild Pantanal Eco-Lodge and the Southwild Jaguar Camp, with guaranteed Jaguar sightings.

GreenTracks has now added another exciting wildlife destination in South America - the Pantanal. The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and the world's largest wetland of any kind. It lies mostly within Brazil as well as portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated to be as much as 195,000 square kilometers (75,000 sq mi). Its seasonally-flooded savannahs and tropical forests offer some of the finest wildlife viewing in Latin America. 80% of the Pantanal flood plains are submerged during the rainy seasons, nurturing an astonishing biologically diverse ecosystem.

GreenTracks offers two spectacular locations (or a combination of both): the Southwild Jaguar Camp and the Southwild Pantanal Eco Lodge.

Southwild Jaguar Camp is the world's leading location to see and photograph wild Jaguars. Southwild Jaguar Camp is the only lodge in history that guarantees viewing of Jaguars. As the Jaguars are at world-record density and spend most of their time on the river edge hunting their favorite prey, namely Paraguayan Caimans and Capybaras, you can see the cats regularly without resorting to any Africa-style baiting or feeding. The term “guaranteed Jaguars” means that if you stay three nights and four days at SWJC and do not see a Jaguar, or if you do not see a Giant Otter, we will give you two nights and three days for free, either right away, or within 24 months.

Southwild Jaguar Camp is open all year for Jaguar viewing. Although most of the Pantanal is hard to access from January through April, Southwild Jaguar Camp is accessible all year thanks to the “Transpantaneira”, the only long, raised road that penetrates the wild heart of the Pantanal.

The Southwild Pantanal Eco Lodge offers the Pantanal’s best value for serious birders, naturalists, and photographers. We offer boat outings that feature the world’s tamest Giant Otters. Other exclusives are the Pantanal’s only mobile canopy towers strategically located at fruiting and flowering trees and silent, electric river catamarans for photographers using long lenses on tripods. We also offer horse rides, cattle drives, walks on scientifically-designed forest trails, research lectures, mammal spotlighting, and Brazilian barbecues.

Click here for more info - Pantanal of Brazil

GreenTracks offers discounts on Amazon River cruises

2011-05-11T08:42:00.019-06:00

GreenTrack is now offering one of our most popular cruises at a $200 discount. Selected dates are available on both 4 and 5 day cruises, aboard elegantly appointed riverboats. On these cruises you will travel to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve of Peru, home to some of the largest populations of wildlife in all the Amazon. Hordes of pink and gray river dolphins, packs of howler and squirrel monkeys, massive flocks of brilliant macaws, huge lagoons covered in giant lily pads teeming with fish of all sizes and colors....all of these and more mark the region as Another World. Activities include wildlife viewing, hiking in the rainforest and visits to a riverside villages. Two luxurious riverboats to choose from - The Delfin I and Delfin II.

Delfin I - The newly refurbished Delfin I takes you one step beyond luxury, where comfort and grace combine effortlessly with the wilderness in the most unique vessel ever to cruise the Amazon River. In a setting of understated elegance and world-class hospitality this classic river vessel features 4 spacious Deluxe Suites, all with private terraces and two of them with a private Jacuzzi.

Delfin II - The new Delfin II has fourteen large guest suites, including four Master Suites with 180° panoramic windows and ten Suites – four of which can be interconnected to accommodate families - providing all the comforts of world-class suites, yet preserving the spirit of casual and refined elegance. The dining room on the second deck, the observation deck, bar, entertainment center, library, and our special hammock sun deck will be the perfect gathering places for all our guests.

Visit the GreenTracks website for $200 off of standard rates on selected dates.

Visit Delfin Amazon Riverboat Cruises

Or Call 800-892-1035 or 970-884-6107 for information.

Showmanship vs. Reality on reality TV wild animal shows

2011-04-08T07:00:00.007-06:00

by Bill Lamar, GreenTracks, Inc.

The abundance of nature oriented television shows is a blessing and a curse. After an auspicious beginning with properly researched and well-filmed documentaries, ratings—largely a function of the preferences of the sofa-set—began to change their direction. One can see the transition from inspired work such as the films by Sir David Attenborough to features that showcase sweating pseudo-Tarzans spewing words like “jungle,” “aggressive,” “survival,” etc. They have devolved into tired depictions of Man vs. Nature that inevitably cast the natural world as something dangerous and in need of conquering….and, of course, they showcase anything with blood. What was a lofty and necessary pursuit has degenerated into cheap thrills.

Television programs are stories and making them is tedious, unromantic, difficult, and expensive. The teams who actually do the filming are marvelously talented and dedicated to their craft. Not surprisingly, the home office is replete with “suits” who live in fear of irate advertisers, the internet, and who cast a dry and often timid eye on the programming choices. Placing a team in the field is, in fact, so costly that time is at a premium, so naturally most animals are procured in advance and wrangled for the scenes. This is perfectly reasonable as long as it is performed by experts who understand the ecology and natural history of their subjects and as long as the research, writing, and editing is rigorously pursued. While all of this is integral to wonderful films produced by and for BBC, Nature, and Nova, it is increasingly rare among the other networks, big names notwithstanding.

The problem arises owing to the innocence of the viewing public. Networks, ever wary of the bottom line, have realized that many, perhaps most, viewers are ill-equipped to distinguish between films featuring solid science and those that stress hyperbole and exaggeration. Risk analysis, a fine science that we use in nearly all aspects of our daily lives, is woefully lacking when it comes to our concepts of wildlife. In brief, the ceiling above you could fall down. That is a hazard. But what is the risk factor, the likelihood that it will happen? While we have a fairly accurate idea as to how high this is, lay-people inappropriately assign high risk factors to all animal hazards. This silliness remains essentially unchanged since the dawn of civilization. And it permits huge liberties to be taken by showmen who know the risks are usually low.

Thus we are now pained to view competent fishermen gasping for breath and trying to portray powerful but essentially harmless fishes as something to be feared; folks molesting terrified snakes while calling them “aggressive,” and “jungles” depicted as places to be subdued. Ditto that for the hokey survivalists, pest controllers, etc. There have been a few legitimate authorities who have presented programs for television, but the majority is anything but that. Additionally, one has the constant problems of animal management. A short scene will often require considerable preparation time for lighting and equipment, yet wild animals are not built to go five rounds. Their reactions—be they defensive or feeding responses—are sudden and of short duration. So by the time the hero hurls himself on top of the anaconda, the snake has long since grown accustomed to being held in readiness off-camera. For those familiar with wild animals, the machinations (not to mention bad acting!) that accompany such staged scenes are ludicrous. Yet the public does not realize this at all.

The film industry has a strict and frequently unrealistic code of ethics when it comes to handling animals and to their credit they try mightily to adhere to it. Yet paradoxically the new genre of so-called survival shows is routinely allowed to violate these rules. I have seen one situation in which the couple who starred in the show, while “lost” deep in the Amazon forest, “found and captured” a large nonvenomous snake which they then dispatched, cooked and ate. The scene was filmed behind the comfy lodge where everyone was staying and the hapless snake was purchased at a local market. And all of this in contrast to standard wildlife films where one cannot even set up a natural feeding sequence with, say, a mouse and a snake. A strange business, to be sure!

Films about the natural world are crucially important education tools and the public needs them now more than ever. Habitats are imperiled and shrinking. Unless attitudes toward our fellow creatures and the places they inhabit become attuned to modern realities, the future will not be a bright one. We need excellent documentaries; if only we could convince the networks of that.

Cuzco/Machu Picchu/Sacred Valley

2011-03-26T06:02:00.007-06:00

This GreenTracks six-day program visiting Cuzco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley is an unforgettable experience of the history, culture and archeology of the Andes and the Incas. GreenTracks provides Private Service, you will have your own guide throughout, the best way to get the most out of the experience and expert knowledge of your guide.

The program begins with your arrival to Cuzco, the historic capital of the Inca Empire. Your full afternoon private guided tour of Cuzco includes the Plaza de Armas; the Cathedral that was begun in 1580 and took nearly a century to complete; the Twelve Angled Stone, an example of Inca architectural achievement that continues to amaze the world; the Koricancha Temple, known as the "temple of the supreme Sun God "; the nearby ruins Sacsayhuaman, a massive fortress made of large stones, including one weighing 125 tons, arranged in a zig-zag shape in three platforms that presently serves as the location for the Inti Raymi Festival (Festival of the Sun) held every year on June 24; and Kenko, another great example of skilled Inca masonry work consisting of a large limestone slab covered with carvings, thought to have been used for ritual sacrifices. The multilingual, experienced guides will bring these places to life as they detail the rich history.

The next day is a free day to enjoy Cuzco, exploring the many shops with colorful, diverse creative handicrafts. These include hand-made textiles from alpaca wool, ceramics, religious imagery, dolls, gold and silver jewelry and more. There are colorful fruit and vegetable markets that are a photographer’s dream. There are many fine restaurants in Cuzco where one can enjoy the delicious regional foods or just sit and have coffee or a drink and soak in the ambiance of this historic city.

Day three is a full-day tour of the Sacred Valley with your private guide. The first stop is Awanakancha, a beautiful Exhibition Center of Textiles and South American camelids such as llamas, vicuñas, and alpacas. Then on to the Urubamba Valley of the Incas, considered the historic heart of the Inca Empire. Here you will see the stone fortresses of Ollantaytambo and visit the colorful native market at Pisac. Ollantaytambo was the site of a major battle during Manco Capac's Inca rebellion against the conquistadors. Overnight at the Pakaritampu, a beautiful hotel surrounded by gardens of local plants and flowers.

The following day, again with your private guide, you ride the early morning Vistadome train, with its panoramic windows offering unsurpassed scenic views and photographic opportunities, to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, transfer by bus to Machu Picchu for a full-day guided tour of the Inca citadel including lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. Machu Picchu is one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites. Built by the Incas on the summit of the mountain of Machu Picchu (Old Peak), it overlooks the deep canyon of the Urubamba River in a semi-tropical area at 8,000 feet above sea level. Overnight at one of several great hotel options.

The next morning you can return to Machu Picchu for some time on your own to take in the splendor of this magnificent site. Those that wish can hike to Huayna Picchu, (Young Peak) via a well preserved Inca path and enjoy an astounding view of the citadel and the valley below. In the afternoon you will return on the Vistadome train to Cuzco and transfer to your hotel for the overnight. The following morning you will be transferred to the Cuzco airport for the flight back to Lima and home.

GreenTracks’ many years of experience in this region means only the best in guides and hotels. This is an unforgettable experience that will last a life time.

This trip can also be combined with one of GreenTracks’ renowned Amazon Riverboat cruises. Visit the GreenTracks website for other options and additions.

For more info click here

GreenTracks now on Facebook

2011-03-07T08:19:00.007-07:00

GreenTracks now has a Facebook page where you can find stunning photo slideshows of Amazon Flora and Amazon Wildlife. Coming soon will be a slideshow of Cuzco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Our Facebook page will also feature news, trip reports and more.

GreenTracks Facebook page

Check it out and LIKE us !

GreenTracks Christmas Riverboat Expedition

2011-01-04T04:51:00.016-07:00

On the 22nd of December the historic riverboat Clavero set sail from the town of Nauta on a 7day/6 night GreenTracks Riverboat Expedition to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. The Clavero was built in 1876 in Paris for the Peruvian Navy where it served as a gunboat, expedition boat and mail carrier. Restored and improved several times, currently the ship has 6 air conditioned cabins, an air conditioned dining room/bar and a top-deck observation area.

Besides enjoying the ambiance of the ship, and a sumptuous Christmas Eve dinner, the intrepid travelers participated in three or four excursions each day. By small boat they spotted a colorful array of birds, explored small creeks and fished for piranha. At night they went out by small boat to look for caiman, where they caught and released a 2 foot-long Black Caiman, and marveled at a star-filled sky and the night sounds of the rainforest. They hiked jungle trails in search of monkeys and saw ten Howler Monkeys, a troop of Squirrel Monkeys and heard Capuchin Monkeys. Oscar, the guide on this trip, pointed out and explained the use of many trees and plants by the people of the rainforest for medicines and construction materials. They also visited to two small villages to see how the local people lived in a rainforest environment and saw crops of bananas, yuca (manioc), papayas and corn.

Here are some photos from the trip. Click on photos to enlarge.

The Clavero on the Samiria River.

The Clavero navigating upriver to explore the rivers and inland lakes and view the diverse wildlife.

Cabins on the Clavero have been painstakingly restored in the style of the 19th century.

The Clavero Dining Room boasts a native hardwood floor and a panoramic view.

Christmas dinner included a turkey, jungle sweet potatoes and Piranha that had been caught that same day.

The giant oriole known as the Crested Oropendola uses hanging nests to protect them from predators.

Massive buttresses support this Ceiba tree, which actually has a very shallow root system.

Blue and Yellow Macaws display their colors in flight.

Famed for its reflective rivers the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is known as the "Espejo de la Selva" or Jungle of Mirrors.

And for good reason. This is the same photo as above, but upside down.

One never knows what will be found when hiking through the rainforest.

The Giant Water Lilies (Victoria Amazonica) can get up to 5 feet in diameter.

Spectacular sunsets are common like this one of a rainy sunset on the Marañón River.

For more information on GreenTracks Riverboat Expeditions click here

Christmas in Peru

2010-12-16T05:35:00.005-07:00

Christmas is the one of the most important celebrations of the year among Peruvians and is very family oriented. Christmas in Peru is called as La Noche Buena, which means "The Good Night" in Spanish.

Christmas is celebrated on 24th with much fanfare. In the evening, there is a family get-together to celebrate Christmas which is also called the Christmas for Children as this is the time children open gifts. There is preparation of pavo (turkey) in most of the houses as well as apple sauce and tamales. Panatones (sweet breads) are also very popular. The Christmas meals is served at midnight along with homemade hot chocolate made with rich chocolate, cinnamon and cloves.

After the dinner and the children are put to bed the party starts with furniture moved aside to allow for dancing. These parties often go on until daylight. Christmas Day itself becomes a day of well-needed rest.

Nativity scenes are placed in churches, homes and the main plaza. They often have a regional flare as can be seen in the photos of the Nativity scene from the Plaza de Armas in Iquitos below.

Click on photos to enlarge

GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Expeditions

2010-12-06T06:41:00.004-07:00

A cruise aboard a comfortable riverboat is your best opportunity to see the magic of the rainforest and the Amazon River, one of the most exciting places on earth, with GreenTracks, a company that is known world-wide for it's intimate knowledge of this exotic land. You will have the Amazon Riverboat experience of a lifetime.

Our cruises on the Ayapua & Clavero riverboats travel to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, the largest protected natural area in Peru, with 5,139,680 acres - 10,800 square miles, it stands today as one of the largest and most important wildernesses in all the tropics. The Pacaya-Samiria is home to some of the largest populations of wildlife in all the Amazon. Hordes of pink and gray river dolphins, packs of howler and squirrel monkeys, massive flocks of brilliant macaws, huge lagoons covered in giant lily pads teeming with fish of all sizes and colors....all of these and more mark the region as Another World. Simply put, it is one of the least visited and most beautiful parts of the Amazon Basin.

The Ayapua is the only boat still operating that was used to transport rubber on the remote rivers of the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon during the early part of the 20th century. She was built in Hamburg, Germany in 1906 and from 2004 to 2006 she was restored to her original splendor with many original features incorporated.

The Clavero is the oldest historic riverboat on the entire Amazon. She was originally built in Paris, France in 1876 and brought over to the Amazon for use as a Peruvian naval boat. The Clavero was used for government expeditions exploring the Peruvian Amazon and as a mail boat. She was completely restored between 2007-2009 with many of her original features incorporated.

On the 7 Day cruise, you will observe wildlife along the Samiria River with activities to include: Small boat excursions for river dolphin, macaw, monkey and other wildlife observation, rainforest hikes in search of wildlife, piranha fishing, nighttime caiman observation and night hikes in the forest. There is a lot of wildlife to observe and a lot of excellent photo opportunities. Visit to a local Cocama indigenous village and meet the people and see how they live and interact with the rainforest.

Read more...

Ornamental fish of the Peruvian Amazon

2010-10-13T07:19:00.013-06:00

The Amazon is, not surprisingly, home to the greatest richness of fish species in the world. They range from tiny parasitic fishes to gigantic catfish built like sharks. Many are dark or dull in coloration, but just as many are brilliantly patterned. Here, we celebrate Amazon fish diversity by offering just a few of the ornamental fishes we encounter during our ecotours.
All photographs by D. Fenolio for GreenTracks, Inc.

Suckermouth Catfish (Pseudancistrus sp.). There are many new species of odd, armored catfish in the Amazon, but few are as imposing as this one.

Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare). Another famous ornamental fish, the angelfish exists in a number of colors and patterns. The one pictured here is a typical one from the Amazon.

Ringed Catfish (Merodontotus tigrinus). This uncommon and strikingly patterned fish is known locally as “María zúngaro.” It can reach about three feet in length and so is both consumed as well as collected for the ornamental fish trade. The habitat is in rivers.

Severim Cichlid (Heros efasciatus). This imposing cichlid is known locally by the name of “Corbata rojo” (red tie) in reference to the male’s spectacular breeding colors. They reach around ten inches in length and inhabit oxbow lakes.

Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri). The “lapicero” is a classic aquarium fish which gets its name because of its habit of orienting itself at a downward tilt.

Red pencilfish (Nannostomus marginatus). Stripes and red color, while arresting in an aquarium, actually serve to protect the fish in the wild as they become difficult to see.

Leaf Fish (Monocirrhus polyacanthus). The “pez hoja” has a clever feeding strategy: it relies on its amazing resemblance to a leaf and drifts with the current until it is close enough to capture unwary fish! That same appearance makes this a very difficult species to observe in the wild.

Amazon Cichlid (Apistogramma sp.). This is a small cichlid of immense popularity among aquarists owing to the brilliant colors displayed by males during breeding season. Although they are only about 3 inches long, these little fish are pugnacious. They inhabit small streams and quiet backwaters.

Flame blue tetra (Boehlkea fredcochui). Tetras generally are tiny and brilliantly colored. They occupy quiet waters in oxbow lakes and lagoons.

Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi). Neon tetras are a mainstay of the aquarium industry and countless numbers are bred in artificial ponds in Florida. But it wasn’t always that way; the first tetra brought into the USA fetched a hefty price back in the 1950s.

Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus). Long a favorite in aquariums, the elegant dish-shaped discus has a number of distinct populations that vary according to color. They are among the most sought after aquarium fishes. They occupy deep, quiet water around fallen trees.

Lake Titicaca, Peru and Bolivia

2010-09-14T05:50:00.004-06:00

Tucked away high in the Andes between snow-covered peaks, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake on the planet. The high altitude and crystal-clear air combine for stunning panoramas during the day and at night the sky is jam-packed with stars horizon to horizon.

Lake Titicaca straddles the border between Peru and Bolivia at 12,580 feet above sea level. The average depth is 328 feet (100 meters) and the deepest point is over 900 feet (281 meters.) The Andean people refer to it as “The Sacred Lake” and believe the first Inca rose from deep within the lake to found the Inca Empire. The people of the lake still make offerings to ensure sufficient totora reeds for building boats, for successful fishing, for safe passage on its waters and for a mild climate.

Go to - Lake Titicaca programs

FREE GreenTracks CD-Rom

2010-09-11T05:35:00.003-06:00

Be sure to request your....

FREE GreenTracks CD-Rom of Amazon Information with an Amazon Slide Show.
Features over 200 images of animals, plants, people and scenes from the Amazon.
Photos taken by our tour leaders on GreenTracks tours.

Go to - GreenTracks Amazon CD-ROM

A LOOK AT BOOKS

2010-09-07T06:16:00.003-06:00

Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon
by Michael Goulding, Ronaldo Barthem, Efrem Ferreira. 2003.
Smithsonian Books. Washington.

The authors, all respected authorities on the region, treat the Amazon from its source high in the Peruvian Andes, to its mouth. They describe the Amazon based on its thirteen largest tributaries, each with a unique personality shaped by geography, ecology, recent geologic history, and mankind. The photographs are outstanding, and there are 150 color maps. This is the best overview ever written on the subject. “I was entranced when I saw [from orbit]...the mirror of the Amazon Basin, with its swamps and backwaters, like the bewitching eye of the continent...”– Oleg Markarov, cosmonaut.

Jungle lodge on the Quebrada Oran

2010-09-03T06:11:00.008-06:00

This lodge is situated on a small tributary of the Amazon called the Quebrada Oran. The Oran region is rich in biodiversity and the lodge is near both high and lowland habitat, the Amazon River and many black-water lakes. The region behind the lodge is one of the seven Climatic Refuges in the Amazon Basin and is one of the highest in biodiversity of plants and animals. GreenTracks' itineraries can be customized to meet the guests interests.

Short or long nature hikes - Learn about the rainforest, relationships of animals and plants, lifecycles of the trees, water and epiphytes.

Bird watching - Macaws and parrots, prehistoric appearing hoatzin birds, horned screamers, hawks, eagles, falcons, herons.... hundreds of species!

Canoeing and boat excursions - explore oxbow lakes, lagoons, beaches, islands, flooded tahuampa forest, fishing, wildlife viewing.

Ethnobotany, Medicinal plants - hikes, talks, visits with shaman healers, gardens.

Indigenous cultures - Visit a Yagua Indian village, make bows and spears, weave baskets and bracelets. Purchase native arts and crafts - bracelets, necklaces, dresses, statues, blowguns, paddles, pottery and handbags.

Observe - giant water lilies, pink dolphins, frogs, giant river turtles laying eggs, enormous trees, strange insects, exotic plants, monkeys, maybe even an ocelot or jaguar.

Nocturnal excursions - by boat, on foot, looking for caiman and other nocturnal wildlife.

Go to - GreenTracks Lodge program

GreenTracks in USA Today

2010-08-30T07:13:00.006-06:00

After a nice profile of GreenTracks in National Geographic Explorer recently our Two Day program to Ceiba Tops has now been featured in the USA Today Travel Tips section.

Explore a spectacular section of the Peruvian Amazon in two days with the Ceiba Tops tour package presented by Green Tracks, a Colorado-based eco-tourism specialist. The tour begins with a guided tour of the historic city of Iquitos, Peru's main port on the Amazon River. Cruise 25 miles down the Amazon to Ceiba Tops, a luxury lodge in the rainforest. Enjoy an afternoon hike into the reserve, followed by dinner and a live musical performance in the evening. The second day of the tour begins with a morning boat ride to visit a small Yagua Indian village and learn about the local culture. You may spot Amazon river dolphins during the trip.

Go to - GreenTracks 2 day/1 night Ceiba Tops Program

Over the Rainbow

2010-08-27T05:57:00.006-06:00

Deep in Peru’s Amazon, visitors on a storied steamboat discover a bounty of colorful wildlife, from pink dolphins and scarlet macaws to giant river otters and black caimans.

Over the Rainbow
Audubon magazine July 2010
By Susan Cosier

At first their calls are distant. I grasp the iron railing circling the boat’s deck and peer into the forest, determined to spot brightly colored red, yellow, or blue feathers among the densely packed emerald leaves. Harsh croaks give the birds away before their flapping wings and long trailing tails are visible. Trees rustle, and above the canopy there appear two, no, three macaws. From where we’re standing, it’s hard to tell which of the five species known to live in this locale are coloring the sky. Then we see their fire-engine-red fronts and electric-blue flight feathers: scarlet macaws. Their strident squawks continue well after distance darkens the departing birds’ colors.

We motor farther into the flooded forest. Blue-and-yellow and chestnut-fronted macaws cross from one side of the river to the other. Iridescent Amazon kingfishers wing just above the water’s surface, tightly hugging the shoreline.

We are heading toward the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Nearly the size of New Jersey, this five million acres of pristine Amazon rainforest in northeastern Peru is sandwiched between the Ucayali and Marañón rivers, and accessible only by boat. Our goal is to observe the extraordinary mix of wildlife that can be seen here and almost nowhere else—mythical pink river dolphins, menacing black caimans, giant river otters, raucous red howler monkeys, and an entire rainbow of some 500 bird species, from endangered scarlet macaws to wattled curassows.

In the past few days we have followed the trail that only a few thousand other people will trace this year, flying from points around the globe to Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, then driving an hour and a half in sweltering heat to Nauta, a small fishing village. There we board a boat that appears straight out of Werner Herzog’s film Fitzcarraldo. Once a decaying carcass of steel, the restored steamboat used a century ago by rubber companies and now fueled by diesel, is a dead ringer for the ship in Herzog’s award-winning 1982 picture portraying Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (played by the enigmatic Klaus Kinski), a man obsessed with building an opera house in the middle of the jungle.

Our Fitzcarraldo is Richard Bodmer, 50, a biologist determined to save this forest. So intent is he, in fact, that with parts from eight different boats, he built a floating research vessel fit for luxury cruising through the heart of Peru’s Amazon. For the next five days Bodmer, a British-born bloke fond of gingham shirts, khakis, and loafers, will play the role of gracious host while four traveling companions and I double as tourists and scientists. Our mission: help Bodmer and his six-person crew ply this sunken forest for the scientific clues that will help keep it pristine into the next century.

Turning a bend in the river, our boat ripples the forest’s perfect watery reflection at flood stage, revealing to us why locals call this swath of forest “the jungle of mirrors.” More than 10 million years ago the Amazon basin we’re cruising through formed when the Andes rose to sky-piercing heights, trapping the water to create an inland sea. As the salt water drained, fresh water rained down, filling rivers and the low-lying jungle. “The result of that is these huge areas of flooded forest,” says Bodmer. “It has a very unique ecosystem in terms of the birdlife, the fish, and other wildlife.”

Beginning with the rubber boom in the 1880s, foreign barons steamed deep into the forest and, for a minimal fee, hired Indians to etch small channels in the bark of rubber trees, forcing them to weep the white sap that would form rubber. By the early 1900s the barons were making the equivalent of $2 million on each trip, and since the rubber tapping didn’t kill the trees, they returned to their leased lands again and again.

After the rise of rubber plantations in Asia ended the South American boom, the logging and mining industries moved in, filling the void. Trees were cut down, oil was sucked out of the earth, and the workers joined the local people in living off of wild game and plants, driving down wildlife populations. Although much of the forest remained intact, development was steady.

In 1984 Bodmer saw an opportunity to work with Peruvians to reverse the destruction. While earning his doctorate in zoology, he began studying Amazonian peccaries. He met and fell in love with Tula Fang, a local Iquitos woman who was also studying biology, and they married in 1986. Today Bodmer, Tula, their son, William, 22, and their daughter, Carolina, 19, split the year between Kent, England, where Bodmer teaches at the university, and Peru’s jungles, where he conducts wildlife surveys and hosts students and volunteers.

In the same forests where Bodmer met Tula, he also encountered Pablo Puertas, a sharp-witted Peruvian primatologist with a wide smile and a shoulder-shaking laugh who was one of the first to document the reserve’s 13 primate species. Today the two of them work with the 21 local Cocama-Cocamilla Indian communities in Pacaya-Samiria to preserve the wildlife.

So far their research is yielding good news in Pacaya-Samiria. “Most of the key wildlife species are recovering, including paiche, the giant freshwater fish,” says Puertas. “Giant river otters, manatees, macaws, river turtles, woolly monkeys, howler monkeys, and caimans are also coming back. The results show that we’re succeeding.”

The setting sun tints the clouds a vivid pink that darkens with each passing moment. Powder-scented flowers perfume the night air. Silhouettes of macaws show against the darkening sky, and a lone toucan flies in the distance. Leaf-nosed bats appear out of nowhere, flying erratically over the river, feasting on insects. We hear a strong roar through the trees; it’s a troop of howler monkeys, which have the loudest call of all New World animals. Though they weigh only as much as a small terrier, their vocalizations can travel three miles through the dense forest.

Bodmer invites us to the boat’s canvas-covered upper deck before dinner, as the rubber barons would have done. In the small bar Enrico Caruso’s scratchy voice sounds from a gramophone speaker. Bodmer pours Iquiteña, a locally brewed beer, and we clink glasses. “I’ve always been interested in history, so what better way than to link biology and biodiversity and culture and history all in one?” he says. “I wanted to do something more real, not just academic. That’s what conservation is.”

Soon he summons us to the formal dining room outfitted with a long carved table that’s topped with lace and surrounded by 20 red velvet-covered chairs, each with the name of our ship, Ayapua, carved in the back of its heavy mahogany frame. Mouth-watering smells of salted fish, pan-seared plantains, and fried manioc, a starchy tuberous root, whet our appetites.

After dinner we pile into a small wooden motorboat to explore nocturnal wildlife. Soon Magalay Rengifo, a 28-year-old biology student at the University of Iquitos, switches on a spotlight and scans the shore. Slowly sweeping from left to right, the beam illuminates the forest at the water’s edge. Rengifo is looking for reflective points the size of marbles.

With her long black hair kept in check with a bandana, she scribbles notes on paper secured to her clipboard. “Alli!” she shouts, pointing to a snag jutting from the water like a broken bone.

Our captain, Odilio Recopa, a Cocama-Cocamilla Indian villager from the area, points the boat in the direction of Rengifo’s finger. We pitch to the right. Near shore, Recopa cuts the motor, keeping the light trained on an eye just inches above the water’s surface. Slowly we drift toward the caiman. Recopa readies a lasso-like wire and leans precariously over the bow. With a quick pull he snares the foot-long primordial reptile.

The alligator-like black caiman tries to escape, thrashing water in every direction. Within seconds, Rengifo’s skilled hands have taped the dark-skinned juvenile’s four-inch jaws shut. Its tiny, scaly legs helplessly wave in the air until Rengifo secures them with a piece of rope.

She places the caiman on the boat’s seat, and measures it. Even though it’s so small, this reptile belongs to the largest species in the Alligatoridae family, and individuals can top 12 feet. After she weighs the caiman, she peels the tape off his snout and eases him back into the murky water.

Catching even one black caiman is more than researchers could have hoped for less than 20 years ago. “They were overhunted because of the pelt trade,” says Bodmer. “Now we see very large ones quite frequently.” Researchers find nearly two black caimans every two-thirds of a mile on surveys, which makes them almost as familiar as their cousins, common caimans, which compete for the same food and habitat. The black caiman’s resurgence is now helping scientists to learn more about how the ecosystem can support both species.

The air around us fills with the distinct stench of rotting flesh. A dead caiman, floating belly up, appears in the beam of our spotlight. Rengifo explains: In spring males will fight to the death over a female, creating a floating cemetery of beaten caiman corpses.

After counting dozens of eyes glowing in the dark and another carcass, Rengifo turns off the spotlight and tells Recopa it is time to head back to the Ayápua. We are engulfed by darkness and the heavy smell of night-blooming jasmine. The flooded forest’s shadows creep in and several light-colored branches take flight: great egrets flapping into the darkness.

Daybreak’s cool turns muggy by mid-morning. On shore, we’re eager to explore shading palm fronds and buttressed ceiba trees covered in twisted vines. Clearing a path with a long machete, our scout, Recopa, leads Puertas and me into the jungle. With each step, thick mud slurps at my boots. Recopa points toward the high branches of a kapok tree, and Puertas whispers: “brown capuchin.” In the next several hours we spot 10 of the 13 primate species found in the reserve, including spider, uakari, and titi monkeys. Without Recopa’s expertise, we might have missed them all.

Cocama-Cocamilla Indians’ experience and knowledge wasn’t always so respected; in fact, they were once considered outlaws in their own land. The Peruvian government first protected the area now known as Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in the 1940s, establishing it as a fisheries reserve in an attempt to save the endangered paiche. But the government’s designation of the region as a full reserve in 1982 actually amounted to a defeat for the local people dependent on the land for survival.

Anybody caught hunting—even for food—was declared a poacher. Rangers from outside the area manned guard stations, confiscating fishing poles, nets, hunting spears, and knives. Hostilities mounted between those living on the land and those managing it. As a result, the Indians were forced to sneak into the reserve, hunting what they could. Wildlife populations plummeted. “We saw much less in the 1990s. And much more of the smaller species,” says Bodmer. No one knew how the wildlife would fare in the long term.

Tensions exploded in 1997 after a ranger confiscated an expensive new net from a fisherman. Enraged, the fisherman attacked a guard station. “Three people were killed, two of them biologists,” says Bodmer. In response, the government, with some convincing from Peruvian and American researchers, changed its policies and began involving locals in the reserve’s management.

“If we don’t work with local people, we’re going to fail in our conservation,” says Puertas. When the Indians are included in managing the forest, he adds, they take responsibility for protecting the wildlife, plants, and resources within it.

The government permits communities to take a certain number of animals each year to eat and sell, which curtails excessive hunting. “What the locals want are their resources for their future,” says Bodmer. “They don’t have a mortgage, they have a canoe; they don’t have an income, they have a forest. The key to conservation is to find ways to help people, to find ways to help guarantee that the use of the forest will continue for a long time.”

The next day we head toward a pocket of the Samiria River where we hope to see the reserve’s holy grail: the pink freshwater dolphin. Across the Amazon, indigenous people regard these dolphins as humans who live below the muddy water’s surface and revere them more than almost any other animal. “When one was killed accidentally,” offers Bodmer, “the fisherman gave it a human burial.” Robust dolphin populations show scientists that the Amazon’s rivers are healthy.

Anhingas perch on branches with their wings open, drying their feathers. Wattled jacanas with their bright-yellow beaks creep along the shore. We’re scanning the surface for dolphins, straining our eyes to see deeper into the water. Minutes pass. Then we hear it: hooonnnkk. A bubblegum-colored dolphin breaks the surface. We hear a forceful sigh behind us and turn in time to see the bulbous head, beady eyes, and long, thin beak of a second pink dolphin.

Soon the arching backs of five gray dolphins, a smaller freshwater species, join them, shining in the sun as they crest. They dart through the water, chasing fish. “At first it was hard to tell between pink and gray dolphins,” says William Bodmer. Following in his father’s footsteps, the quiet, dark-haired young man is tallying the aquatic mammals we see. “Now I think it’s easy.”

Last year researchers counted more than 220 pink and gray river dolphins per square mile, more than ever before and double the tally for 2008. Bodmer says good fisheries management is boosting numbers, and oil exploration in the nearby Tigre River may also push some dolphins deeper into the reserve, possibly increasing the count. “Nearby rivers haven’t been conserved in the same way, so we’ve seen a real increase,” he says. “It’s a very top predator in the aquatic system, a very intelligent animal, and there’s a very strong tradition around it because of the strong taboos.”

The greater the leeway the government gives energy companies operating in the Amazon, the greater the threat to the forest. “[Pacaya-Samiria] acts as a refuge for these important species that you don’t find in those numbers in other places,” Bodmer says. “It’s a huge flooded forest, with great diversity.”

Back on the boat, Bodmer discusses his plans to expand his operations. This spring he opened a restored rubber baron’s house in Iquitos and is currently in the midst of setting up a rubber-tapping community. He envisions forest managers extracting the resource and selling it to high-end carmakers at a premium. Automobiles with those tires could receive an environmental credit, while companies could prove that they’re contributing to conservation.

Although the idea is still just that, it seems more realistic than Fitzcarraldo’s vision of building an opera house in Iquitos. Herzog’s hero and ours are both visionaries in their own ways. One was fixated on bringing music to the jungle. The other simply chooses to listen to those refrains while steering his ship through a landscape that he hopes will always feature the live soundtrack of birdsong and howling monkeys.

Go to - GreenTracks Ayapua/Clavero Riverboat Cruises

Hot nightlife, restaurants and bars in Cusco, Peru

2010-08-24T06:09:00.008-06:00

Published in Vamos! by El Comercio
Adapted from Spanish by Diana Schwalb

After February's closing of Peru's Machu Picchu, much of the nearby city of Cusco was in suspended animation. Now Machu Picchu is open and the city is more ready than ever to welcome visitors with new restaurants, bars and botique hotels.

An exotic ravioli plate at La Cicciolina

Cusco constantly reinvents itself. The presence of travelers from around the world contributes to this mixing of cultures that coexist with the locals and creates an original feeling that shines throughout its streets, squares, cafes, restaurants and active nightlife which receives every night of the week this cosmopolitan visitors with new tastes, ideas and flavors.

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AmphiBios

2010-08-19T06:12:00.006-06:00

Tim Paine is a passionate herpetologist and top-notch photographer who has traveled with us to Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. From the first time we met Tim it was obvious that he was a kindred spirit and we have enjoyed his company, his quiet humor, and his keen powers of observation. And now comes his wonderful new website, amphibios.org, and, like Tim, it is meticulous, logical and represents a lot of thought. The photographs are beautiful and we highly recommend this excellent internet contribution.

AmphiBios is about reptiles and amphibians. It is about photography, travel, and conservation. It is part science and part adventure. It is a mix of high tech camera gear and quietly watching animals move about the forest. These are my stories as I strive to capture images of amazing animals in amazing places.
Timothy D. Paine

Spiny-headed Treefrog (Anotheca spinosa)

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans)

AmphiBios.org

Trip report - Delfin cruise

2010-08-16T06:25:00.013-06:00

We received this letter and photos from Patricia Neale, who recently traveled with us on one of our Delfin cruises.

I recently took my trip of a lifetime which Green Tracks arranged for me. I began my journey with a cruise of the Amazon Basin aboard the Delfin II.

The Delfin II is an incredible riverboat built about 2 years ago and made from local products which reflects the area that it plies. The attention to detail from the table settings, the folded bath towels and the food were as spectacular as the flora and fauna that we explored each day. My swim with the pink river dolphins, in water that was surprisingly so cold I thought my limbs would fall off, is a memory that I’ll remember even if I should have Alzheimers. The owners of the Delfin help the economy of the village people along the river by purchasing walking cat fish and other food products as we stopped along the river that was prepared for dinner each night by an extraordinary chef. The crew entertained us with music after dinner playing Peruvian songs, dancing and singing as we slowly floated down the river. In addition, the village people have started producing crafts that reflect the animals in the area as well as baskets and bowls made from local gourds and grass enabling them to provide a better life for their families and to educate their children.
At the end of my cruise, I stopped in Iquitos and had dinner with Scott who gave me insight to that quirky, Bangkok-like town on the Amazon River.

I proceeded to Machu Picchu. There are no words to describe and no pictures that can compare to the reality of Machu Picchu. You just have to go there, but be prepared to deal with the high altitudes of Cusco and surrounding areas.

Now if that wasn’t enough, I headed to Galapagos to cruise the “Darwin Islands”. All the animals in the Galapagos are totally unafraid of people and you can walk so near them that you feel they look at you like you are one of them.

It was an unforgettable experience thanks to Green Tracks because they provided me with superb hotels, guides, and flights leaving me with no worries. Everywhere I went I felt a personal touch and warmth from all the people that I came in contact with. What for an incredible experience! Thanks.

Newly Identified Monkey Species Revealed in Colombian Amazon

2010-08-13T05:56:00.002-06:00

soalfs.com

A scientific expedition to the Colombian Amazon has revealed a new species of monkey. The species of titi monkey (Callicebus caquetensis) is a cat-size creature that is critically endangered because of rapid habitat loss and its small population. The discovery was announced today by the environmental nonprofit group Conservation International.

Research from 30 years ago hinted that a previously unknown primate species might be living in Colombia's Caquetá region, near the Ecuadorian and Peruvian border, but violence and insurgent fighting kept the area off limits for decades. It was only in 2008 that scientists Thomas Defler, Marta Bueno and student Javier García of the National University of Colombia proved the rumors true.

SPOTLIGHT ON FAUNA - Horned Screamer

2010-08-10T05:54:00.006-06:00

When we travel on the Amazon it is always hard to see the big river as anything but straight. But the truth is, like all rivers the Amazon twists and turns like dribbled honey. And it changes its course, often cutting loops off and leaving them as isolated lakes which we call "Ox-bows" owing to their distinctive shape. In Peru they are known by a Quechua term, "cocha." The fauna of cochas includes fishes and birds not usually found along the river itself, so we visit these lagoons to see special creatures. And one that never fails to interest and amuse us is a ponderous bird that looks for all the world like one of Dr. Seuss' creations. It is the Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta), one of only two species of bird that comprise the family Anhimidae. Aside from the cumbersome body, this vegetarian sports huge feet to help it walk across islands of floating vegetation. There is a long, bony spike protruding from the head, and an additional pair at each shoulder. Although graceful in flight, watching these immense birds struggle to take flight, seeing them walk and observing them uncomfortably perched in palm trees is somehow funny. Up close they look and act like the original Godzilla model. They just don't seem like birds!

Ranging from Venezuela and Colombia south through the Amazon Basin to Bolivia, these strange creatures suffer hunting pressure in several countries. Fortunately, in Peru they lead fairly tranquil lives so we are usually fortunate in seeing them, and they can almost always be heard. Their sonorous honking sounds like anything but a bird calling and the sound is the subject of several popular jokes told by local fishermen.

50 Best Twitter Feeds To Stay On Top Of Green News

2010-08-06T06:00:00.001-06:00

With the green movement consistently gaining momentum thanks to the passionate efforts of activists worldwide, those interested in learning more about its philosophies and applications desire to dig up as many news stories as possible. Fortunately for them, a wide variety of mainstream and independent media outlets, individuals, communities and businesses keep running Twitter feeds to keep audiences updated about the progress of every environmentalist element available. Microblogging formats such as the ubiquitous blue, bird-themed juggernaut allow for fans of the green movement to browse the latest headlines quickly and efficiently. From there, they can zero in on the ones that pique their interest most and move on to the corresponding articles.

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Luxury Jungle Lodge and Canopy Walkway

2010-08-02T05:56:00.004-06:00

Ceiba Tops, the only luxury jungle lodge on the Amazon River, offers air conditioned rooms and cottages, private bathrooms with hot water, swimming pool, prime rainforest habitat and excursions to the Rainforest Canopy Walkway.

The Canopy Walkway is an experience unequaled in the rainforest! At a height of over 115 feet and extending for one-third of a mile, the Canopy Walkway provides a view of the rainforest from the treetops, a great vantage point for observing Amazon wildlife and epiphytic vegetation. The suspended walkway is spread between 14 of the area's largest trees and is one of the longest canopy walkways in the world.

Ceiba Tops Jungle Lodge

Peruvian Independence Day

2010-07-28T05:51:00.009-06:00

Feliz Día de la Independencia Perú - El 28 de Julio

Following an uprising led by José de San Martín of Argentina and Simón Bolívar of Venezuela Peru proclaimed its independence from Spain in Lima on July 28, 1821. San Martín declared, "... From this moment on, Peru is free and independent, by the general will of the people and the justice of its cause that God defends. Long live the homeland! Long live freedom! Long live our independence!"

from the Amazon

to the Andes

Peru offers a diversity of cultures, geography and natural history.

www.GreenTracks.com

Amazon Rainforest Inhabitants Loved Avatar

2010-07-24T05:53:00.008-06:00

from PopEater.com

You think you loved Avatar? Well there's no way your ardor could have matched the near-obsession of the few movie watchers who live the film every day of their lives.

The Peruvian Amazon is about as close to Pandora as can possibly exist on this planet and in June, the 3-D phenomenon finally made it to the Amazon port city, Iquitos -- a metropolis of about 700,000 reachable only by plane and boat. This was long after the Academy Awards, but the film was an instant hit with the folks who live in the rainforest and were able to canoe upriver to see the blockbuster in Iquitos' only movie theater.

While most of the Amazon's residents couldn't make it , the ones who did opted to see the film again and again and are anxious for James Cameron to make a sequel that sheds more light on the plight of natural environments like the one that they live in.

Julio Parano Garcia, a rainforest guide with the Explorama lodge, from a small village on the Ucayali River, spends nearly everyday educating foreigners about the forest. He saw the movie reluctantly at the urging of his wife and daughter. It is now his favorite flick.

"I could identify with that spiritual world. It reminds me of how the rainforest is supposed to be owned by the indigenous people and how the intruders are trying to change their life and make it a different world," Garcia said.

For him, the jungle's signature ceiba tree (a structure strikingly similar to the Tree of Life in the movie) represents a Pandora unto itself. "For me the ceiba tree is Pandora. It is an ecosystem all it's own, you have birds nesting, monkeys hiding, wasps, bats, snakes, insects all in one place, living together, interconnected."

Garcia recalls a story he heard from a friend of his (a tale that has the underpinnings of a local urban legend more than village gossip), the message of which echoes Cameron's sentiments in the movie where the plot centers on greedy Corporate developers destroying the forest for it's natural resources.

"My friend was a man who cut firewood. One day he found a huge ceiba tree and he said he would make a fortune by cutting this tree down. He built a platform in the middle of the tree and when he laid down to take a break he had a dream. In the dream all the animals, the monkeys and the bats and the birds came and tried to strangulate him and they asked why are you taking our home? He then realized that the tree was the world and the tree was alive and he took down his platform and became a protector of the tree," Garcia said.

From glow in the dark fungus (mycena), to birds with claws on their wings and spiked plumes that make them look like flying dragons (the hoatzin), hot pink freshwater dolphins and gigantic blue butterflies the size of your head (the morpho), the Peruvian Amazon is indeed a little like Pandora without the necessity of 3-D glasses.

"The things you see in the movie, they are real here," said Amazon native and guide Cliver Riojas, who also saw the film in Iquitos last month. "Sometimes we take too much from nature without realizing how much we hurt nature. Nature is what provides us life, medicine and a place to survive. For many centuries many people survived without western world and the western world brings mostly good things, but for the jungle it brings some things that are bad. "Avatar" shows us how important it is to preserve the culture. The people of the Amazon have so much to share with the world about their medicine and life, peace and language and we need to preserve that. Another film will help to show people how important it is to preserve it."

Both Garcia and Rioja are hungry for more of Cameron's "Avatar" message, because it teaches people about the importance of conservation and could just save their livelihoods. "When we live down here we don't think our world is disappearing because we can't see it form the outside, but scientists who look at the rainforest through satellites tell us that they can see it is disappearing and someday our life and out history will be gone forever. If Mr. Cameron makes another movie and everyone goes to see it again, maybe the message will start to sink in," Garcia said.

The 5th Annual Belen Festival

2010-07-20T06:04:00.002-06:00

Living in Peru
16 July, 2010
by John Glick, Director, Gesundheit Global Outreach

The 5th Annual Belen Festival in Iquitos, Peru will be celebrated Aug 4-14, 2010 as 100 clowns from around the world join the people of Belen and local organizations to promote health and happiness through art, play, health care, education and collaborative volunteer work.

Belen, population 60,000, is a low income district in the city of Iquitos, Peru in the heart of the Amazon rain forest. Pueblo Libre, the section of Belen closest to the Itaya River, is home for 14,000 people, whose houses either float or are built on stilts, an adaptation to seasonal flooding.

Dr. Patch Adams, founder and director of Gesundheit! Institute and Wendy Ramos, founder and director of Lima-based Bolaroja Clown Doctors, led a group of clowns visiting Iquitos hospitals in 2006. While clowning in the streets of Belen — against the advice of local tour leaders — they were moved by the poverty and the joyful welcome they received. Adams and Ramos pledged to return, and during a community meeting the following year with Belen citizens, Gesundheit and Bolaroja pledged to bring clowns back once a year to paint every house in Pueblo Libre. Thus the Belen Project was born.

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Machu Picchu sunrise

2010-07-16T06:16:00.011-06:00

click on photos to enlarge

SUNRISE

AFTERNOON

GreenTracks Machu Picchu programs

Delfin Amazon cruises

2010-07-12T06:09:00.008-06:00

Cruise the Amazon in upscale comfort aboard an elegantly appointed riverboat to visit the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, the largest protected natural area in Peru. Excursions to view wildlife, hike in the rainforest and visit a riverside village.

The best alternative for those wishing to explore the Amazon from a comfortable riverboat but who can not devote a week as with our 7 day program.Even though these are technically Amazon River Cruises, you won't be stuck on the cruise vessel. As the boat travels the Amazon River and its tributaries, you will enjoy frequent off-boat excursions, such as hikes through the rainforest and small-boat trips in search of wildlife. Expert naturalist guides will give explanations of the incredible plants and numerous species of captivating animals that you'll see. You will even visit several riverside villages and meet some of the true natives of the Amazon.

Click on map to enlarge

5 day/4 night and 4 day/3 night programs available.
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Tropical Biodiversity Is About the Neighbors

2010-07-08T06:38:00.005-06:00

ScienceDaily
June 28, 2010

Home to jaguars, harpy eagles and red-eyed tree frogs, tropical forests support some of the rarest species on the planet and are the most biodiverse ecosystems on land. Understanding why some species are common while others are exceedingly rare has been a challenge in these mega-diverse forests. New results from a massive study at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute show that interactions among community members play an important role in determining which organisms thrive.

"Based on information about the survival of more than 30,000 seedlings of 180 species of tropical trees, we found that seedlings of rare species are much more sensitive to the presence of neighbors of their own species than seedlings of common species are," said Liza Comita, the primary author on the study and now a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. "Not only does this tell us where to look for the mechanisms that explain why certain species are rare, but it also provides potential clues about how to conserve rare species that are most vulnerable to extinction."

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'Sea monster' fossil found in Peru desert

2010-07-05T05:59:00.004-06:00

Hilary Whiteman
CNN

Researchers scanning the Peruvian desert for whale fossils have stumbled upon the remains of a "sea monster" three times the size of a modern day killer whale.

The teeth of "Leviathan Melvillei" were so large it was initially assumed they were elephant tusks.

"There were no elephants in South America before 3 million years ago, and the specimens found have an age of 12 to 15 million years, so that was impossible," said Professor Jelle Reumer, one of the team of scientists who found the fossil in the Pisco-Ica desert in coastal Peru.

Strong winds had shifted sand to expose a three-meter long fossilized skull. The skull of today's blue whale, still the largest animal ever known to have existed, is around six meters long.

The fossilized remains found in Peru include a jaw bone and several teeth, each around 12 centimeters in diameter and up to 36 centimeters in length.

Aerial views of the Andes

2010-07-01T07:49:00.011-06:00

When we fly from Lima to Cuzco we get some spectacular views of the Andes.
Click on photos to enlarge.

A LOOK AT BOOKS

2010-06-28T06:03:00.005-06:00

The River of Doubt - Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
by Candice Millard. 2005.
Doubleday, New York

Easily the best treatise of Roosevelt’s famous trip to Brazil. A fascinating read with clear documentation and an excellent bibliography. The only shortcoming we detected was the author’s lack of familiarity with the Amazonian fauna. Owing to that, she was unable to point out the fact that Roosevelt and crew often labored under the mis-perceptions of the time. This in no way diminished their courage, just as Columbus braved the flat-earth theorists when he set sail. Today, we know much more about the behavior of piranhas, anacondas, and jaguars, to name a few, and much of the fear at the time was unnecessary. “And an ingenious Spaniard says, that rivers and the inhabitants of the watery element were made for wise men to contemplate, and fools to pass by without consideration.”– Izaak Walton

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In Memory of Peter Jenson

2010-06-23T10:21:00.009-06:00

Forty-six years ago Peter Jenson, an American archaeologist & geologist, started one of the first jungle lodges in the Iquitos, Peru, area. Since then Amazon Explorama Lodges has expanded to
become a complex of four lodges and ACTS (Amazon Conservatory of Tropical Studies), a field station for research and a spectacular canopy walkway. During this time countless Peruvians built careers and reputations while working under Peter's tutelage. Peter also started a program for student groups to come learn about the rainforest. His love for the rainforest and the local people fueled his work over the years. He loved to laugh and tell stories and educate people about the rainforest.

Peter was diagnosed with cancer last September and after treatment at the Mayo Clinic he returned to the rainforest he loved so much. In his final weeks he discussed how things could continue to be improved. Sadly, Peter passed away June 20th. Hundreds of people lined the river to honor Peter, and emails of condolence and stories of Peter's impact on so many people have come pouring in.

Peter was friendly and kind to all and will be deeply missed. His wish was to be cremated and to have his ashes scattered from the top platform at the canopy walkway, over the rainforest he loved.

GreenTracks Amazon Riverboat Expeditions

2010-06-21T06:19:00.008-06:00

UPDATE - Saving Darwin's Frogs

2010-06-15T07:18:00.006-06:00

Most everyone knows it is not a good time to be an amphibian. Chytrid fungus, global warming, rampant contamination of air and water....it's depressing just writing about it. GreenTracks got to lend a helping hand when Bill Lamar went to Santiago, Chile, last September to assist in setting up breeding units to aid in conservation of Darwin's Frog.

Not only is the frog, a native of South America's southern temperate rainforests, a beautiful creature, but also we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of its namesake: Charles Darwin. Darwin discovered this little frog during his epic voyage on the HMS Beagle.

Funded by the Atlanta Botanical Garden the new facility is in Chile's excellent National Zoo, and without their enthusiastic help, the task of getting everything assembled would have been impossible, and a lot less pleasant. The project is also funding critical field work in order to establish how much suitable habitat and how many frog populations remain. GreenTracks is committed to conserving the Earth's resources and we join all Chileans in the hope that this project will be a success.

We are all very pleased with how the climate control worked through the heat of Santiago’s summer. We wanted to wait to add frogs to the facility until we were sure all environmental systems were on line and working properly. We also added some safety precautions just in case something interrupted power or water services. One of our interpretive features includes a large statue of a Darwin’s Frog built by Chilean artist Bernardo Oryan. Our hope is that the large figure will draw in folks to the breeding center where they can investigate the frogs and our project.

Update - May 14, 2010
Once all of the environmental systems in our captive breeding facility checked out, we added our first group of frogs. Somewhat surprisingly, the frogs immediately began enacting reproductive behavior. We had calling and a bit of dancing around between males and females. We are happy to report that we already have at least one male frog holding developing young in his vocal sac!

This is the the female that we believe bred with our male. Her job is now done. Female frogs deposit eggs and the male frogs take over from there.

This is the male Darwin's Frog that is holding developing young in his vocal sac.

Saving Darwin's Frog

Machu Picchu artifacts held by Yale belong to Peru

2010-06-12T06:12:00.004-06:00

Living in Peru
11 June, 2010

Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, who visited Latin America last week, said it was time for Yale University to return a collection of Peruvian antiquities taken from the Incan site of Machu Picchu nearly a century ago. “The Machu Picchu artifacts do not belong to any government, to any institution, or to any university. They belong to the people of Peru. I plan to work with both parties to resolve this dispute quickly, amicably, and return the artifacts to their rightful owners,” he said in a statement.

“Yale is a remarkable institution whose countless contributions to our society extend far beyond academia alone. And for years, I have worked with Yale and Peru to seek a solution to this disagreement over the artifacts discovered at Machu Picchu, and housed at the Peabody Museum in New Haven," he added.

Peru filed a lawsuit against Yale over the artifacts in 2008, and its tourism leaders say they may launch a media campaign to raise awareness about the dispute.

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Madidi National Park, Bolivia

2010-06-08T06:07:00.005-06:00

For those looking for a profoundly “real” Amazon experience, Bolivia's Madidi National Park offers everything available in the more well-traveled areas...and more. This region has been described as the archetype of what the Amazon used to be like and it has it all; dense rain-forest, vast open savannas, winding tropical rivers, large numbers of birds and mammals, and the seldom seen indigenous people of the tropical rainforest.

Because of the wide range of altitudes found in the Madidi National Park there is a huge diversity of ecoregions where it is estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 plants are found. There 733 species of fauna listed as living in Madidi National Park. These include almost all taxonomic groups of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. 620 species of birds have been registered although there are an estimated 1,100 species in the Park - around 90% of the birds found in Bolivia.

The 20-person lodge is owned and operated by the natives of the village of San Jose - a few hours by boat up the Tuichi River from Chalalan. Residents of this region for generations, these Quechua-Tacana people have the skills to guide you safely along the rainforest trails viewing the abundant wildlife. Day and night hikes will reveal the diversity of animals and plants that make this park one of the most exciting in the world. You will certainly have a profound experience of a truly wild region of the Amazon.

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FREE GreenTracks CD-Rom

2010-06-05T05:58:00.000-06:00

Inti Raymi: Peru's Inca Sun Festival

2010-06-02T06:16:00.006-06:00

El Comercio
Adapted from Spanish by Diana Schwalb

The city of Cusco will dress up again to worship the Inca god as Peru's ancestors once did. The Inti Raymi ceremony brings together over 500 performers on June 24 at the center of the Sacsahuamán archaeological park esplanade. As usual, hundreds of foreigners and Peruvians are expected.

According to the Municipal Company of Festivities in Cusco (Emufec), organizer of this event, over 40 percent of tickets have been purchased by foreign tourists who come to live the most important holiday of the empire.

The big celebration will begin in the morning in the temple of Coricancha. Then, the Inca and his entourage will go to the Plaza de Armas of Cusco and finally, after noon, the main ceremony will take place in Sacsahuamán.

You can enter freely to the first two venues, so be prepared to get there several hours in advance. To be part of the main ceremony, you must have tickets.

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The GreenTracks Naturalist

2010-05-28T07:22:00.014-06:00

Faces of Nature

Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus). This spectacular bird of the Andes, with a wingspan of 10 feet, is on the decline. It has been used traditionally in a brutal ceremony that involves tying an adult condor to a horse’s back and eventually beating the bird to death. Fortunately, there are now captive breeding and re-introduction programs for this great bird.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna). This unmistakable bird can still be seen in small flocks along the Amazon and its tributaries. The flight call is a rasping screech that brings visions of Long John silver to mind.

Brown-chinned three-toed Sloth (Bradypus marmoratus). Surely this sleepy denizen of the trees was the inspiration for ET!

Yellow-handed Titi Monkey (Callicebus torquatus). Titis are among the most secretive and beautiful of all primates. They are difficult to observe because they tend to stay in dense undergrowth of rainforests.

White-fronted Capuchin Monkey (Cebus albifrons). One of the most intelligent of primates, the capuchin often makes use of leaves and branches while foraging. It cracks palm nuts by banging them against trees.

Brown Capuchin Monkey (Cebus apella). Like other capuchin species, this inventive monkey uses all manner of clever tricks when foraging. In addition to fruits and leaves, Brown Capuchins will devour any small animal they can capture.

Giant Amazon Snail (Megalobulimus popelairanus). This massive creature is the heaviest terrestrial snail in the world, being exceeded in length only by a species found in Africa. Seeing one of these imposing creatures, spread out to dinner-plate size, as it cruises about on the rainforest floor is an unforgettable spectacle.

Gibba Turtle (Mesoclemmys gibba). Gibbas are secretive and nocturnal, never emerging from the water to bask. The barbells on the chin are highly enervated and may play a role in either prey or mate location.

Eyelash Palm Pitviper (Bothriechis schlegelii). Eyelash Vipers, perfectly camouflaged for life in the trees, range from southern Mexico to northern Peru. This is a venomous snake but it seldom is the cause of bites in humans.

A LOOK AT BOOKS

2010-05-25T06:14:00.003-06:00

Explorers of the Amazon
by Anthony Smith. 1990.
University of Chicago Press, Chicago

Smith does a top-notch job capturing the adventure and excitement, the sacrifices, suffering, and heroism displayed by the men and women drawn to investigate and open the grandest river on the globe. Well researched and written, Smith’s book is an introduction to the history of a fabled region, and an adventure story as well.

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Railway Cusco-Machu Picchu to be fully repaired by June 30

2010-05-21T06:06:00.002-06:00

Living in Peru.com
12 May, 2010
by Isabel Guerra

Ferrocarril Transandino (Fetransa), railway concessionaire in Peru's south and east, issued a press release stating that their crews are working “intensively” to repair completely the damaged ways and restore the connection between Cusco and Aguas Calientes, aka Machu Picchu Pueblo as soon as possible.

After the reopening of the Piscacucho – Machu Picchu Pueblo, that took place on March 29, now the railway connection between Poroy and Ollantaytambo stations has been restored, too.

“At present, nine Fetransa teams are working between Chilca and Piscacucho, where there are four spots yet to repair, being the most difficult one at the kilometer 79. These works have been delayed because of the river surges, but it's been a month of intensive work,” states the company's press release.

The official statement concludes that if weather conditions keep on being favorable, works are expected to be completed by June 30, thus restoring completely the railway from Cusco to Machu Picchu.

The railway had been severely damaged by last January's heavy floods, that destroyed several spots.

Trip report

2010-05-17T07:06:00.003-06:00

We received this letter from Florence Dodington who recently took a GreenTracks trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu.

I cannot thank you enough for having arranged our travels in Peru - or my dear friend, Bonny, for having put me in touch with you! The trip was absolutely fabulous. The three of us agreed that it was one of the very best we had been fortunate to have.

We were upgraded to the owners' rooms at Inkaterra, which was one of the nicest accomodations we have been in anywhere. What a perfectly lovely spot, and how fortunate we were to have stayed there instead of at The Sanctuary! All of the other parts of The Inkaterra - the birding, orchids, tea making, as well as the food and excellent staff made it unforgettable. I don't know why we were upgraded, we were told that after all, we were staying there for two nights, but it was superb! If you had anything to do with it, we thank you.

All of the guides, airport greeters and drivers were excellent and the vans very clean and comfortable. We were tremendously impressed by the Peruvian people and their pride in their country. It is the cleanest of any south or central American one I have visited!

Thank you for your help and planning for us. I have already recommended you highly to friends who have asked about our trip.

Very sincerely,
Florence Dodington

New GreenTracks Tour Packages in Peru

2010-05-11T14:27:00.009-06:00

GreenTracks has put together a series of Standard Tours that combine some of the diverse and fascinating areas of Peru. These programs make it quick and easy for travelers to find and book a tour that includes the destinations they desire. Peru is a land of unrivaled landscapes, the most biologically rich ecosystems on the planet, including almost untouched tropical rainforest, communities of indigenous people, a rich colonial history, and well-preserved vestiges of ancient civilizations.

Amazon Expedition Cruise & Machu Picchu (14 Days/ 13 Nights) The classic Peru tour that includes an Amazon riverboat cruise, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

The Inca Experience (6 Days/ 5 Nights) This program gives those with limited time the opportunity to see Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Peru Eco Adventure (9 Days/ 8 Nights) For people interested in ecosystems, wildlife and culture and history a trip that includes Sandoval Lake Lodge in the Amazon, the Sacred Valley, Short Inca Trail hike and Machu Picchu.

Inca Odyssey (9 Days/ 8 Nights) Designed for people interested in light adventure that includes Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Classic Inca Trail hike and Machu Picchu.

Ancient Cultures & Treasures (10 Days/ 9 Nights) Gives those with a love for archeology and history the opportunity to see the Northern Kingdoms of the Lambayeque, Chimu and Moche, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Footprints of the Incas (10 Days/ 9 Nights) The most popular trek in the world - the Discovery Inca Trail hike. This program also includes Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Taste of Peru (17 Days/ 16 Nights) An exploration of the southern part of Peru that includes the colonial city of Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and the Amazon rainforest at the Heath River Wildlife Center.

Peru Explorer (19 Days/ 18 Nights) An all inclusive journey that includes Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, the altiplano, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Short Inca Trail hike, Machu Picchu, Manu Wildlife Center, Ballestas Islands and a flight over the Nazca Lines.

With these programs GreenTracks combines great experiences, adventure, wildlife, archeology and culture, all in Private Service. GreenTracks has nearly 20 years of experience in Peru and provides the best service and tours available. A GreenTracks vacation is fun, stimulating and educational.

www.GreenTracks.com

The GreenTracks Naturalist

2010-05-07T09:35:00.007-06:00

The Western Emerald Treeboa (Corallus batesi)

One of the classic Amazonian animals is the beautiful Emerald Treeboa (Corallus caninus). Strictly arboreal, this slow moving snake is seldom seen, even by local residents. Recently, based on DNA studies in which GreenTracks was a participant, the Emerald Treeboa was shown to consist of two species. The snake found in the Upper Amazon Basin is now called Corallus batesi, a name that honors Henry Walter bates, who wrote a classic 19th century book, The Naturalist on the River Amazons. All photos shown here are of Corallus batesi.

Like the Emerald Treeboa, Corallus batesi undergoes a remarkable transition, starting life as a red snake and eventually becoming green.

This marvelously camouflaged reptile has been known to remain in on spot for days. They are active at night and we find them on GreenTracks trips by using flashlights to spot the reflective eye in the trees.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS - ECUADOR

2010-05-04T06:16:00.008-06:00

The equatorial Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean some 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador and consist of thirteen main islands.

(Click on map to enlarge)

The archipelago's climate is sub-tropical and its flora and fauna are so unique that this group of islands is considered to be one of the planet’s natural paradises. You will find unending beaches of marble-white sand, such as those of Tortuga Bay, lava tunnels, spectacular areas for snorkeling and diving, a marine reserve, not to mention the incredible animals and colorful birds you’ll observe.

The best way to explore the Galapagos Islands is by boat and GreenTracks offers acclaimed programs utilizing several different size ships. Galapagos trips can be combined with land programs on the Ecuador mainland and easily combine with our tours in Peru of the Amazon, Cuzco and Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Nazca and more.

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Indigenous communities protecting their environment

2010-04-30T08:55:00.010-06:00

World Wildlife Fund

Extremely rich in biological and cultural diversity, the Abanico del Pastaza Wetlands Complex and the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in northeastern Peru are priority areas for conservation efforts in the Amazon. Since 1999, WWF has helped more than 50 indigenous communities from the Candoshi, Achuar, Quechua, Urarina and Cocama peoples manage threats to the area and protect themselves from the negative effects of commercial oil development and overfishing.

Candoshi woman preparing fish caught in Lake Rimachi.

Decades of petroleum production polluted drinking water and commercial overfishing reduced fish populations - the main source of food and income for these communities. Through local partner organizations such as Racimos de Ungarahui and Fundación Amazonia, WWF has trained indigenous groups so that they can better defend their right to the sustainable use of natural resources in their territories by oil and commercial fishing companies. A crucial part of this work is strengthening their negotiation skills and teaching local communities to use their legal system more effectively.

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Amazon River Dolphins

2010-04-27T14:17:00.011-06:00

We include the following because it features superb photographs of Pink Dolphins made by an excellent wildlife photographer. The press release however, is breathy and riddled with the typical inaccuracies that always seem to accompany any news from the Amazon. The place where these dolphins frolic is on the Rio Negro and GreenTracks has made several trips there so that everyone can enjoy swimming and playing with these tame animals. They are free swimming but have long been accustomed to interacting with people. And nobody wears more than a simple bathing suit, unlike the protective suits discussed in the news release. Fun place! We can put together custom trips out of Manaus, Brazil, that could include swimming with these dolphins along with other rainforest activities.

From the Daily Mail, April 22, 2010

These never-before-seen pictures of bubblegum pink Amazon river dolphins are a fascinating glimpse into the behaviour of these elusive creatures. Unlike their playful cousin, 'Flipper', these dolphins live in the murky, sediment covered depths of the giant Amazon river 50 miles south of the city of Manaus and are in fact freshwater creatures.

Captured on film over a total of three weeks by Seattle based photographer Kevin Shafer, the dolphins distinctive pink colouring develops with age and is exaggerated by the red silty Amazonian water. Swimming with up to six of the nearly blind, seven foot long pink dolphins, Kevin braved the parasitic, piranha-infested waters of the world's largest river in search of that perfect shot.
Deciding to travel himself to photograph the dolphins, Kevin found a fishing village where the dolphins congregate because they feed off fishing scraps of the villagers.

Advised to wear a full body wet suit to prevent infection by the rivers parasites or even attack by the notorious piranha, Kevin decided to ignore the advice after a day or two. 'I wanted freedom of movement within the water to take my pictures and the suit was quite restrictive,' said Kevin. 'I was able to enjoy the experience more without the suit. The water is so dense with silt that has flowed down from the Andes that they evolved to not use their eyes. This also cause them to develop their distinctive pink skin, which begins as quite greyish when they are young, but develops over the years to the stark bubblegum pink colour that you can see.'

Pink River Dolphins (Inia geoffrensis), known in Brazil as Botos and in Peru as Bufeos, are members of a primitive family of toothed whales with only five species worldwide. They are nearly blind, possess sophisticated echo-location capabilities, and have flexible necks. This species is found in the Orinoco and Amazon river systems. Up to 8 feet in length, Bufeos feed primarily upon
fishes. Little is known about their population status but they are commonly seen by humans and sightings are frequent in the upper Amazon of Peru, especially around the mouths of tributaries. They are equally abundant in silty rivers as well as clear blackwaters.

Saving El Dorado's freshwater giants

2010-04-24T06:34:00.007-06:00

Text and photos by Walter M. Wust

Aiming to save the paiche, the biggest freshwater fish in the world, a small group of local fishermen from Loreto decided to work for their conservation. The result was a successful example of how resource management is beginning to bear fruit.

If Brazil has the Pantanal and Botswana the Okavango Delta, then Peru should feel proud to count Pacaya-Samiria among its protected natural areas. More than two million hectares of lakes, swamps and wetlands form this corner of the Amazon forest, creating a true magnet for wildlife.

It is, without doubt, the kingdom of aquatic species, among which the gigantic paiche stands out. Weighing in at up to 300 kilos and measuring some 3 meters, it is the biggest freshwater fish in the world. In the heart of Pacaya-Samiria lies El Dorado Lake, a remote place of incomparable beauty. Here, among the ancient forests and rivers that resemble mirrors, nature seems to have been protected since the beginning of time.

Read more...

Iquitos, Peru

2010-04-21T06:23:00.006-06:00

Iquitos is a fascinating city both culturally and historically. Here we present links to two blogs that are filled with photos from Iquitos' Rubber Boom days as well as Iquitos as it is today.

The Pinasco building, 1910. Originally a warehouse for rubber.

The Pinasco building, 2010. Now a restaurant and ice cream shop.

A photographic record of Iquitos, Peru - Part 1.

A photographic record of Iquitos, Peru - Part 2

THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY

2010-04-16T05:59:00.009-06:00

Throughout the southern Andean uplands, weaving is the coin of the realm. Using back-strap and stationary looms, weavers--mostly women--create mantas that are rich in colors and technically impressive. The designs are traditional and date from Huari to Inca cultures. In some communities it is possible to determine a persons age and marital status simply by interpreting the complex designs. When not weaving, people can be seen spinning and dyeing
wool and alpaca for later use. Mantas serve to provide warmth, and they make excellent baby carriers and backpacks. And their singular beauty is uniquely Andean.

Lima Airport chosen as the best in South America

2010-04-14T06:03:00.007-06:00

Living in Peru
12 April, 2010
by Isabel Guerra

President Alan Garcia said that the Lima International Airport Jorge Chávez has been chosen as the best in South America, according to the votes of 10 million travelers.

“Lima Airport Partners, the company that manages our airport, brings us this excellent news,” he said.

García said that the Jorge Chavez Airport obtained more votes than other Latin American Airports such as Sao Paulo and Ezeiza, and this is a source of pride for the Peruvians, and also shows the importance it has for the airlines.

In March, the Jorge Chavez's Airport Sumaq VIP Lounge & Business Center was chosen as the best in the world for the second year in a row.

Machu Picchu

2010-04-10T06:05:00.003-06:00

The Legendary "Lost City of Machu Picchu" is without a doubt the most important attraction in Peru and one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites. Built by the Incas on the summit of Machu Picchu (Old Peak), over- looking the deep canyon of the Urubamba river in a semi-tropical area 120 Km. (75 miles) from the city of Cuzco at 7,000 feet above sea level.

Machu Picchu is also one of the Inca's best kept secrets. They did not leave written records and Spanish chronicles make no mention of the citadel. Discovered in 1911 by the American professor Hiram Bingham. The building style is "late imperial Inca". It is thought to have been a sanctuary or temple inhabited by high priests and the "Virgins of the Sun". Excavations revealed that of the 135 skeletons found, 109 were women. No signs of post-Conquest occupation were unearthed.

GreenTracks offers several options for experiencing Cuzco and Machu Picchu: tour the area for either three, four or six days lodging in picturesque hotels, hike the Inca Trail for two to five days. You can even tack one of these trips onto one of our Amazon tours for an incredible experience of the diverse nature and cultures of Peru.

Read more...

Guest video

2010-04-06T06:11:00.005-06:00

1937 Glimpses of Peru
James A. Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks The Voice of the Globe.

The Inca Trail

2010-04-03T06:17:00.005-06:00

The Inca trailed formed an important communication and transportation link within the empire, connecting a large area including Cusco and Machu Picchu. Although steep in places, Inca engineers designed it for efficient travel with carefully constructed stone staircases and tunnels. The important archeological ruins we will visit in this adventure are Llactapata, Runkurakay, Phuyupatamarca, Winay Wayna and finally Inti Punco, all on the way to Machu Picchu.

GreenTracks’ years of expertise with the Inca Trail has allowed us to put together three options that will allow you to choose the one that most fits your desires.

Short Inca Trail - 2 days/1 night (no camping)
This trip allows a taste of the Inca Trail without days of hiking and camping.

Inca Trail Classic - 4 days/3 nights (all camping)
This is the classic four-day trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Inca Trail Discovery - 5 days/4 nights (3 nights camping, 1 night hotel)This is our best recommendation. Our five-day program allows the traveler time to explore and enjoy the amazing archaeological sites, landscapes and nature along the way. While most other programs force trekkers to speed through the stunning high-altitude Inca Trail, we take the time to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

On the above hikes you will share the trail services of a guide, camp staff and porters with a group of hikers. Hiking groups are kept small. Private Service hikes are also available. GreenTracks also offers alternative treks to Machu Picchu.

(Click on map to enlarge)

To follow the Inca's footsteps on the royal highway to Machu Picchu is an unforgettable experience. Few other hikes in the world can offer the variety of breathtaking scenery: from high sierra to tropical jungle. GreenTracks is the Inca Trail expert.

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Machu Picchu reopened to visitors

2010-04-01T06:48:00.003-06:00

Machu Picchu, the 15th Century Inca ruin and most visited site in Latin America, is set to open to the public again today after being closed since January when heavy rains and flooding damaged the rail line. The Citadel itself was not damaged.

Partial rail service has been restored and, for the time being, tourists will travel by bus from Cuzco to Piscacucho where they will board the train for the rest of the journey to Aguas Calientes. On Friday, Juan Carlos Zevallos, the president of Peruvian transport regulator Ositran, announced after inspecting the train line that it is “in perfect condition to begin operations between Piscacucho and Aguas Calientes.”

Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) said on Monday it will limit the number of entrance tickets to Machu Picchu to ensure the Inca citadel isn’t inundated by visitors. The INC also said that the Inca trail will only be open to hikers who have confirmed seat on the train from Machu Picchu to Piscacucho. Entrance tickets onto the Inca Trail are already sold out for April and May.

The re-opening of Machu Picchu will begin with a “Payment to the Earth” ceremony at the Explanade of the Koricancha Temple, located in Cuzco. Two large screens will be set up to show images of Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Following that a group dressed as Incas and accompanied by musicians and dancers will offer a tribute to Pachamama Raymi or Mother Earth. The ceremony will conclude with fireworks and music.

Hugo Gonzáles, regional president of Cuzco, said Tuesday he is interested in working with the National Institute of Culture to emphasize other attractions besides Machu Picchu. “This disaster should give us an opportunity to redesign the tourism activity, we can’t focus everything on Machu Picchu,” Gonzáles said. “Cuzco is there with all of its wonder, Moray, Tipón, Pikillacta, Sacsayhuamán, Pucapucara, Quenqo, Tambomachay.”

Tourism is one of Peru’s largest sources of revenue, and Machu Picchu is the main attraction. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism reports that the Inca Citadel attracted more than 850,000 tourists in 2008.

NOTICE of NEW Carry-on Baggage Allowance for TRAIN to Machu Picchu:
Each passenger may take 1 bag or backpack, maximum weight of 11lb, and 62 inches (length + height + width combined). Extra luggage can be kept at your Cuzco hotel.

The GreenTracks Naturalist

2010-03-30T05:58:00.007-06:00

AMAZONIAN LIZARDS

There are around five dozen species of lizards in the Iquitos region, and they have exploited all sorts of habitats: treetops, leaf litter, creeks and rivers. Amazonian lizards range from tiny geckos barely an inch in length to tegus, iguanas, and caiman lizards that can reach three to five feet. There are lizards that resemble their backgrounds and others that sport impressive colors. Herewith, a few for viewing.

Northern Caiman Lizard (Dracaena guianensis). Caiman Lizards are the reptilian equivalent of otters, diving for huge aquatic snails and surfacing to crack the shells with their powerful jaws.

Crocodile Tegu (Crocodilurus amazonicus). This graceful swimmer was known only from Brazil and Colombia until we rediscovered a population barely 80 miles from Iquitos.

Amazon Wood Lizard (Enyalioides laticeps). Wood Lizards are elusive inhabitants of the understory and forest floor deep in primary rainforest. When threatened they often remain motionless and are difficult to detect.

Amazon Streak Lizard (Gonatodes humeralis). Streak Lizards are tiny geckos that live among the roots and trunks of trees in rainforest. Males, like the one pictured here, can sport beautiful colors during breeding season.

Cocha Whiptail (Kentropyx altamazonica). This speedy lizard spends much of its time on floating islands of vegetation and it can actually run across the surface of the water for several yards.

Collared Streak Lizard (Gonatodes concinnatus). This beautiful gecko is actually rather scarce in the Iquitos region, and we have only found them along two river systems. Like other Streak Lizards they can be seasonally quite colorful.

A LOOK AT BOOKS

2010-03-26T06:19:00.004-06:00

A Land of Ghosts. The Braided Lives Of People and the Forest in Far Western Amazonia.
By David G. Campbell. 2005.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

It is a bit difficult to decide just how to categorize this book. It is an adventure, in fact a scientific adventure, but it is also an achingly beautiful distillation of feelings, thoughts, and experiences. The author’s descriptions of river, forest, flora, fauna, and above all the people whose lives are intertwined with the place make for what we feel is the finest piece of nature writing ever produced. We have spent over three decades in the Amazon and Orinoco Basins and Campbell has told the story we feel inside, but he has done it with an eloquence we could never emulate.

More info/Order

Aerial views of Iquitos, Peru

2010-03-23T06:03:00.010-06:00

Iquitos is a city surrounded by rivers - the Itaya, the Nanay and the Amazon. (Click on map or photos to enlarge.)

Plaza 28 de Julio. (July 28 is Peruvian Independence Day.)

Looking East - The Itaya River in the foreground, the Amazon River in the background.

Downtown and the Plaza de Armas.

Looking at Iquitos across the Nanay River.

Downtown Iquitos. The runway of the old airport can be seen on the left.

Quistococha (Lake Quisto) The zoo/park is at the upper left.

Peruvian cuisine

2010-03-19T06:09:00.004-06:00

Peruvian Cuisine Blog
12 March, 2009

Sitting in front of a delicious ceviche, Julio - the founder of Kiniro and all of the following projects - thought of a website that would spread the Peruvian cuisine taste all over the world. That was the first step for the creation of his web site, which is now one of the most important sites dedicated to the gastronomy in Peru.

Rocoto Relleno (Stuffed Hot Peppers)

Peruvian cuisine is as varied as the geography and the cultures here. This site contains some wonderful recipes (including the Pisco Sour - Peru's national drink). One of the many delights in a visit to Peru is trying new dishes. Buen provecho!

Pisco Sour

Read more...

Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2009

2010-03-16T06:03:00.003-06:00

en Peru
11 January, 2010

Peru - the land that never ceases to amaze and whose history is so long and plentiful that we've barely been able to scratch the surface. Find out what archaeologists have discovered just during 2009.

While today Peru might be a quiet unassuming place that only rarely surfaces on the international radar, it was once, over the course of a healthy 6000 years, one of the principle centers of human civilization, home to various distinct civilizations who built awe-inspiring monuments and achieved the riches and glory of empire.

The Lord of Ucupe - A Moche King

Royalty, priests, pre-Incan cities, temples and sculptures are just some of the exciting discoveries of 2009.

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Machu Picchu will be open to tourists soon

2010-03-12T05:23:00.003-07:00

Machu Picchu, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a World Heritage Site, is expected to reopen to the public very soon, with reinforced and safe entrance roads.

After a meeting of officials from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Peruvian Government’s Program for Road Building, Ferrocarril Transandino (owners of the railroad), the Peruvian Service of Meteorology and Hydrology, the Vice-Ministry of Tourism and the Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board, it was announced that the work involved in the reopening of Machu Picchu to tourists had achieved important advances to the access and entrance routes of the Inca citadel.

Commercial route to Machu Picchu

The route to be used to get to Machu Picchu and will be divided into two parts. The first one will be by bus or car from Cuzco to the provisional railway station in Piscacucho, and from there the train will complete the trip to the railway station in Aguas Calientes.

Ferrocarril Transandino, the private company in charge of the southern and southeastern Peruvian railways, has already finished repairs of the railway route between Km. 82 and Km. 90, as well as the route between Km. 106 and Km. 110. Provided the weather is favorable, these advances will make the route Piscacucho (Km. 82) – Aguas Calientes (Km. 110) operative by Monday, March 29

As for the road, the existing asphalted route between Cuzco and Ollantaytambo has not suffered any damage. The 10-kilometer stretch of road connecting Ollantaytambo with Piscacucho will be repaired and widened to allow the safe transit of tourist buses.

Northern route to Machu Picchu

Also, there is a second route combining road and railway, known as the Northern Route, which connects Ollantaytambo with Alfamayo and on through Santa María, Santa Teresa, Puente Carrilluchayuc and Estación Hidroeléctrica. At that point, visitors can take the train to Aguas Calientes. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, this road has suffered damage from the January rainfall and is still being repaired. It is expected that it will be operative in approximately three months.

The Machu Picchu Sanctuary itself is in perfect condition and has not suffered any damage from the rainfall.

Inca Trail

It was also announced that the Inca Trail – the trekking route to Machu Picchu – is not open to tourists at the moment due to safety concerns about the bridges on the route that may have deteriorated.

The mysterious ruins of the Peruvian 'warriors of the clouds'

2010-03-09T05:50:00.005-07:00

Living in Peru
19 January, 2007
by Wolfy Becker

Centuries ago the mysterious people of the Chachapoya fought together with the Spanish conquistadores against the Incas, before they were destroyed by epidemic diseases such as the measles and smallpox. A new discovery of ancient ruins could disclose the secret of the "cloud warriors".

Only little is known about the Chachapoya. The first worldwide publication came from the American scientist Gene Savoy in 1965 when he discovered one of their city ruins. The Chachapoya are a civilization that flourished in the upper Amazon, between its Huallaga and the Marañón tributaries, from about the ninth to the fifteenth century AD.

They resisted the Incas and after the arrival of the Spaniards they fought side by side with the colonial rulers against their joint rival. Because the Chachapoya lived in the misty rain forest of present day Peru, they are now referred to as the "cloud people" or "fog warriors" - according to the name's origin which derives from Quechua, Peru's second official language spoken mainly by the indigenous population.

Read more...

The GreenTracks Naturalist

2010-03-05T05:04:00.015-07:00

Frogs in the Amazon

For those who admire art, spending time in the Amazon Basin is a visual treat, although the works on display tend to be alive. For the past twenty years we have taken delight in all that there is to see in the rainforest. From stunning birds to bizarre and gaudy insects to colorful frogs, it is all a visual feast. Herewith, a few of our fine froggie friends.

Amazon Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cornuta).This is essentially an animated mouth. With steel-trap jaws this predator ambushes other toads and frogs unwary enough to venture near it on the forest floor.

Napo Poison Frog (Amereega bilinguis).This frog is deceptively marked. The bright yellow spots actually help to break up the outline of this frog when it is fleeing a predator.

Amazon Clown Treefrog (Dendropsophus leucophyllata).This frog calls in enormous choruses from floating islands of vegetation.

Milk Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix). Named owing to the milky toxins it secretes to protect itself, this is one of the few frogs that uses a water-filled tree hole for rearing its young.

Giant Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor). Frogs come in all sizes, although most are small. That's not the case with this aptly named frog, which descends from its home in the treetops only to mate and lay its eggs.

Snouted Toad (Rhinella dapsilis). Toads have a lot of personality. This rare one reminds us of an old prize fighter.

Red Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa atelopoides). One of the rarest and most unusually colored amphibians in the Amazon and, unlike its relatives, this little frog is primarily terrestrial.

Banded Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa tomopterna). Like their relatives, they are able to sleep exposed on leaves in the dry canopy of rainforest. They accomplish this by protecting themselves with a waxy cuticle that effectively seals their delicate skin during the day.

Yellow-striped Poison Frog (Ranitomeya flavovittatus). This frog advertises its toxic skin via brilliant colors.

Red Poison Frog (Ranitomeya reticulata). This tiny frog looks like a jewel as it darts about in the leaf litter of upland rainforests.

Peru poison frog reveals secret of monogamy

2010-03-02T05:23:00.004-07:00

BBC Earth News
22 February, 2010
By Matt Walker

The first monogamous amphibian has been discovered living in the rainforest of South America. Genetic tests have revealed that male and females of one species of Peruvian poison frog remain utterly faithful.

More surprising is the discovery that just one thing - the size of the pools of water in which they lay their tadpoles - prevents the frogs straying. That constitutes the best evidence yet documented that monogamy can have a single cause, say scientists. Details of the frog's sex life is to be published in the journal The American Naturalist.

"This is the first discovery of a truly monogamous amphibian," says biologist Dr Jason Brown, then of East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, who made the discovery with colleagues Dr Victor Morales and Professor Kyle Summers.

The monogamous frog species Ranitomeya imitator, known as the mimic poison frog, is already known to science. In recent years, Dr Brown and his colleagues have extensively studied many of its habits, which were filmed by the BBC natural history documentary series Life in Cold Blood.

Read more...

History of the M/F CLAVERO

2010-02-27T05:19:00.005-07:00

The magnificent steam boats of the late 19th and early 20th century that navigated the majestic Amazon River were crucial to the culture and economy, and changed the scenery from scattered missionary outposts to steamship routes.

The M/F Clavero is a historic naval boat of the Peruvian Amazon and is the oldest boat still traveling on the Amazon River. The Clavero was built in Paris, France, in 1878 and its original name was the Cahuapanas. The Peruvian Navy bought her in 1892 to be used on the Amazon.

The Cahuapanas was one of the most important ships on the Amazon for her service to protect the Peruvian Amazon from invaders, to explore unknown tributaries and to provide communication and mail in the Amazon. The Cahuapanas was used to fight the Ecuadorian Navy on the Rio Napo in 1903 and also was part of an expedition to the Rio Purus in 1905. In 1911 the ship was used to deliver mail on the Marañón and Ucayali rivers which come together to form the Amazon River.
In 1933 the ship was sold to the Morey Shipping Company and was used to carry cargo. It was re-named the Clavero for Manuel Clavero Mugua who was the Captain of the M/V America and a hero of the Peruvian Navy.

The Clavero is a 28 meter long and 5 meter wide boat of steel construction. She was completely rebuilt in 2007-2009. The Clavero is a restoration project in a holistic approach that conserves Amazonian history and the Amazon rainforest. She has been used by Earthwatch, Wildlife Conservation Society and GreenTracks. Expedition cruises travel to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve of Peru or the Lago Preto Conservation Concession on the Yavari River.

GreenTracks Clavero Riverboat Expeditions

The GreenTracks Naturalist

2010-02-23T05:30:00.012-07:00

SHAPES AND COLORS: AMAZON INSECTS

Thorny Devil (Panacanthus cuspidatus). While crickets and katydids may seem inoffensive, a bite from this beast will change that notion.

Passion Vine Bug (Anisoscelis sp). As they fly from plant to plant while feeding, these bugs look like shimmering jewels.

Ox Beetle (Strategus aloeus). Perhaps rhino would be a better name, as these beetles use their horns to defend their territory against other Ox Beetles.

Giant Wood Borer (Euchroma gigantea). The iridescent wing covers of this beetle are used to make elaborate earrings by several tribes of Indians.

Tortoise Beetle (Eugenysa sp). True to their name, when attacked these beetles pull their legs beneath the shell-like wing covers for protection.

Leaf Mantid (Acanthops tuberculata). Any insect failing to detect this camouflaged predator must pay a high price.

Ornate Hopper (Family Fulgoridae). This tiny nymph is too young to be reliably identified, but it already sports an impressive outfit!

Ornate Hopper (Family Fulgoridae). Interesting things can come in small packages; this one is the size of a peppercorn!

Peruvian Stick Insect (Oerophoetes peruana). Despite the bright color, when a stick insect stops moving it is nearly impossible to detect in the foliage.

Flying Stick (Family Phasmidae). Some stick mimics like this one can fly to safety and they also can spray a repellent in order to protect themselves.

Pleasing Fungus Beetle (Erotylus sp). Yes, they do live and feed on fungus but are they pleasing? You decide.

Bark Weevil (Rhinastus latisternus). With their peculiar eyes and ludicrous snouts, weevils seem like they were designed by Dr. Seuss.

Virgen de la Candelaria Festival - Puno

2010-02-20T05:17:00.007-07:00

Living in Peru
17 February, 2010
Photos and essay by Andrew Dare

The first two weeks of February sees one of the largest fiestas in South America in Puno, next to lake Titicaca: the spectacular Festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria.

Puno’s Virgen de la Candelaria statue — Mary with a child in one hand and a green candle in the other — was brought from Spain sometime between 1580 and 1590. It is thought to have been made in Seville or Cadiz.As the local story goes, in the 1700s, the Spanish rulers in Puno were under attack from an Inca uprising lead by Tupac Amaru. Some 12,000 men were gathered in the hills round Puno, many more than in the city itself. The worried locals took the statue of the Virgin de la Candelaria out from the church for a long procession round the town, they say, coupled with dancing and loud music that lasted into the night.
The story goes that this put off the imminent attack, as the rebels left worried and unsure just how powerful and how many people were actually in Puno. Ever since, the Virgin is venerated and held high as the patron of Puno.

Read more...

GreenTracks Lake Titicaca/Puno programs

Cuzco mural by Juan Bravo

2010-02-17T05:14:00.007-07:00

Famed Peruvian muralist Juan Bravo completed a history of the Incas and Cuzco in 1992. It is located on the Avenida del Sol in Cuzco. These photos come from the blog of Faviana Rodriguez with photos by estria/transistor6.com

The left-hand side of the mural.

The Building of Cuzco.

The Inca and the Puma. The Puma was sacred to the Incas.

The middle part of the mural. The main figure is one of the Inca’s most powerful rulers Pachacutec.

The festival of Inti Raymi that the Quechuas used to honor the sacred Sun.

The killing of Tupac Amaru, who lead a revolt against the Spanish in 1781.

Right hand side. The Independence of Cuzco.

The Independence of Cuzco showing the textile industry, the symbolic rainbow of Cuzco and the Inca looking to the future.

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SPOTLIGHT ON FAUNA - Spectacled Bear

2010-02-13T04:28:00.003-07:00

Long before the time of the Huarí and the Inca, something else roamed the hills and valleys of the Andes. The Spectacled or Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the only member of the bear family present in South America. Its name derives from the rings of white fur around the eyes of many individuals that give the impression of eyeglasses. Usually living anywhere from 1,800 to 3,300 meters above sea-level, Spectacled Bears will venture into the lowlands to raid cornfields when food supplies are low. Although these bears reach nearly 400 lbs, they manage to sustain themselves on a diet of roots, tubers, and shoots, supplemented by an occasional rodent or other small animal.

Spectacled Bears range from Venezuela and Colombia south into Argentina, always in the Andes Mountains or in smaller associated cordilleras. Much of the habitat is remote and of difficult access, but bears are still hunted for medicinal purposes or because of crop raiding. Even inspired hikers and trekkers count themselves lucky if they glimpse this impressive creature in the wild. The zoo in Cusco has several extremely large specimens, and there are others in some US zoos. We have been privileged to see Spectacled Bears in the high páramo of the Colombian Andes while they fed on massive Puya bromeliads. But the all-time prize goes to a GreenTracks group visiting Madidi National Park in Bolivia: in one week they saw a Spectacled Bear and two jaguars!

When we hike the Inca Trail or visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, our thoughts naturally turn to the ancient civilization that once occupied the region, but we are always aware that we are also in territory still inhabited by the Spectacled bear.

History of the M/F AYAPUA

2010-02-10T05:39:00.015-07:00

Steamboats were at the heart of the rubber boom trade, carrying hundreds of millions of dollars of raw rubber from the depths of forest to Amazon River port cities such as Iquitos, Peru and Manaus, Brazil. But, the steamboats are gone and virtually all of the original boats have rotted away or been taken apart for scrap. Fortunately, the M/F Ayapua has been restored to approximate it's original splendor, converted to diesel for efficiency and is now the only operating riverboat of it's type left from that era.

The Ayapua, named after Lake Ayapua in Brazil, was built in Hamburg, Germany in 1906 and transported rubber along the Purus, Japua, Jura, Putumayo and Yavari rivers in Brazil and Peru during the early part of the 20th century. Work to restore the Ayapua was performed from 2004-2006. While the majority of the ship is original it took some serious searching in Brazil and Peru to find some missing parts and all told there are pieces from eight different rubber boom era ships on the Ayapua. She has three decks and is 108 feet long and 20 feet wide.

The original steam engine has been replaced by two marine diesels, but the smokestack remains as does the steam whistle (now run by compressed air.) In the wheel house one will find the original wheel and compass. The dining room, library and cabins are outfitted in period pieces, including pictures and drawings from the rubber boom era. All are now air-conditioned. There is even a working Victrola in the dining room. The bar and both covered and uncovered observation areas are on the upper deck.

Dining Room

Victrola

Cabin

Stairway to upper deck

Ship's Library

Original smokestack with steam whistle

Anchor winch

Original ship's wheel

Ship's bell (from the M/V Chandless)

The Ayapua is a restoration project in a holistic approach that conserves Amazonian history and the Amazon rainforest. She has been used by Earthwatch, Wildlife Conservation Society and GreenTracks. Expedition cruises travel to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve of Peru or the Lago Preto Conservation Concession on the Yavari River.

GreenTracks Ayapua Riverboat Expeditions

Win a cruise on the Delfin II Amazon Riverboat!

2010-02-07T07:08:00.006-07:00

Win an Amazon Cruise valued at $3616! The winner of our random drawing will receive.....

One cabin on the Delfin II for 2 people on a 4 Day/3 Night departure in 2010.

Congratulations to our winner! Steve Jobes

GreenTracks thanks Delfin Amazon Cruises for their generous sponsorship of the contest.

Cruise the Amazon in upscale comfort aboard an elegantly appointed riverboat to visit the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. The Pacaya-Samiria is home to some of the largest populations of wildlife in all the Amazon. Hordes of pink and gray river dolphins, packs of howler and squirrel monkeys, massive flocks of brilliant macaws, huge lagoons covered in giant lily pads teeming with fish of all sizes and colors....all of these and more mark the region as Another World. Excursions to view wildlife, hike in the rainforest and visit a riverside village.

GreenTracks Delfin Riverboat Cruises

www.GreenTracks.com

Mudslide near Machu Picchu

2010-01-26T05:20:00.005-07:00

Mudlsides triggered by torrential rains near Machu Picchu have stranded nearly 2,000 travelers and have damaged homes and businesses as well as knocking out transportation to and from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu. Five people have lost their lives, including an Argentine tourist and her guide were killed while in their tent on the Inca Trail. The Peruvian military and several private companies have sent in helicopters with relief supplies and to transport people out. The US government has also sent four helicopters they have based in Peru to assist in the effort. Continued rain has hampered the evacuation.
"It's worrisome. We didn't think it would take this long," Tourism Minister Martin Perez told Lima's RPP radio. "We can evacuate 120 tourists per hour; now the only thing we need is for the climate to help us out a little bit." Meteorologists forecast moderate rain for the rest of the week.

Urubamba River

Waiting for evacuation

Schools will be opened to house those unable to get into the already full hotels. Free health care, food and water will be provided and tourists have organized themselves into teams of volunteers to distribute food and aid. One restaurant is offering free food and several hostels have lowered their rates. In Cuzco, Telefonica, the Peruvian phone company, has made pay phones free of charge so people can notify loved ones.

While this was nothing on the scale of Haiti it does show how a rapid response by the authorities and people’s willingness to work together can lessen the stress and trauma of a natural disaster. Peru is hoping to have Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes again open for visitors to the majestic area in three weeks.

THE GOOD GUYS - The Prince's Rainforest Project

2010-01-22T05:59:00.004-07:00

The Prince's Rainforests Project (PRP) was set up in 2007 by HRH The Prince of Wales following reports from leading climate change experts confirming the high level of carbon emissions caused by tropical deforestation, with the goal of “making the forests worth more alive than dead”.

The PRP's work has focused on two very specific aims. The first, to identify appropriate incentives to encourage rainforest nations to slow their deforestation rates. The second, to raise awareness of the link between rainforests and climate change.

www.rainforestsos.org

Quistacocha Park & Zoo

2010-01-18T05:26:00.003-07:00

The Quistacocha Park & Zoo, located on the outskirts of Iquitos, is home to a wide variety of tropical animals, including two aviaries with macaws, parrots, toucans and other bird species, Monkey Island (home to a troop of Spider monkeys), dolphins, caiman, several species of monkeys, jaguars and ocelots, an aquarium room and much more. There are also flower gardens and medicinal plant gardens. Quista Lake has a white-sand beach and is popular for swimming, volleyball and just relaxing. Food and cold beer are available.

Spider monkeys (Ateles chamek)

Northern Caiman Lizard (Dracaena guianensis)

Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris)

Striped Owl (Otus clamator)

White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

Hotels and Tours in Iquitos

GreenTracks Travel Tips

2010-01-13T06:15:00.004-07:00

The GreenTracks website offers extensive information to help plan your trip to Peru. Subjects include general information on Peru, clothing and gear to bring, currency used, weather and much more.

Peru in General

Riverboat Expeditions

Jungle Lodges

Cuzco & Machu Picchu

Nature's Showcase

2010-01-08T05:37:00.005-07:00

Charles Marie de La Condamine observed that the Amazon forest is a perfect symbiosis of land, vegetation, and water. Nothing--not land, not plants, not trees-- is free of water in the Amazon Basin. Water modifies everything it touches, from permanently inundated rivers and oxbow lakes to flood forest and marshes. In terms of expanse and quantity, this water system ranks as the most imposing in the world.

But it is the plant life that makes all else pale by comparison. The innumerable rivers and streams from which the Amazon derives all come from rains which in turn are the product of a climate controlled by…vegetation. Indeed the sheer force of plant energy enriches the warm, tropical waters. And when they recede the exposed land is immediately converted to forest and the spaces within the trees are filled with epiphytic plants.

For years we considered the lowland rainforest to be a rather simple ecosystem. Thanks to satellite imagery, soil studies, and waves of biological investigation, we know that the entire Amazon basin is characterized by the greatest richness of plant and animal species the world has ever known and by an extreme variety of habitats and ecosystems. Far from being a simple forest, the basin is more like a massive green quilt composed of distinct patches, each with characteristic plants, animals, and soils, yet all seamlessly stitched together.

The Peruvian Amazon is exceptionally rich biologically, as seen from some of the more studied groups: over 300 large tree species on just 2.5 acres of land, and that number would more than double if other types of plants were added; nearly 200 species of reptiles; nearly 200 species of amphibians; 16 primate species; and over 700 species of birds. There is no other place in the world that can boast these kinds of numbers. And the Amazon River itself holds over 2000 species of fishes!

The diverse habitats that host this cornucopia of life remain poorly understood. Biologists are describing new species annually from the Iquitos region and still we have barely scratched the surface. For the scientist, adventurer, or nature lover there is simply no better spot on earth!

Guest video

2010-01-04T05:35:00.003-07:00

Giant waterlillies (Victoria amazonica)
BBC Wildlife - The Private Life of Plants

Wildlife filming in the Amazon

2009-12-29T05:33:00.003-07:00

Over the past 15 years, GreenTracks has organized filmshoots for companies ranging from Discovery and Animal Planet to National Geographic, the BBC, and The History Channel. Temperamental animals, recalcitrant equipment, and inclement weather coupled with heat, humidity, and mosquitos can make a filmshoot the most heroic undertaking. Through it all we have enjoyed getting to know the talented, smart, humorous and capable people who make these stories appear on your television screen. We all know, or at least try and remind ourselves, that television is fiction (although we try to make it as accurate as possible), but the real stories are the ones behind the scenes.....the heroes who get the job done. We tip our hats to all of them.

If you ever wondered how they do those slow-motion rotating shots around a character, as in the Matrix films, this is how it is done - with videos cameras on each end of a set of still cameras.

Rainforest conservation: a year in review

2009-12-23T05:22:00.013-07:00

mongabay.com
December 2009
By Rhett Butler

2009 may prove to be an important turning point for tropical forests.

Lead by Brazil, which had the lowest extent of deforestation since at least the 1980s, global forest loss likely declined to its lowest level in more than a decade. Critical to the fall in deforestation was the global financial crisis, which dried up credit for forest-destroying activities and contributed to a crash in commodity prices, an underlying driver of deforestation.
2009 saw major developments reflecting the implications of the shift from poverty-driven deforestation to enterprise-driven deforestation, a trend that continues to accelerate with urbanization and abandonment of government-sponsored colonization projects.

Read more...

The City of Lima, a Box Filled with Surprises

2009-12-19T09:40:00.004-07:00

Living in Peru
14 December, 2009

Photos and Essay by Armando Alcázar

The city of Lima was founded by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in the year 1535.
From that point on, things have changed a lot, and at my 50 years of age, I have been able to see a lot of those changes. The city, due to the pass of time, is a more modern place, but plenty of its impressive colonial architecture still graces the landscape.

Read more...

The GreenTracks Naturalist

2009-12-17T05:11:00.015-07:00

BIRDS IN AMAZONIAN PERU

When you travel in Peru the most conspicuous vertebrates (aside from humans) are birds, and they are as varied and wonderful as the country itself. Taken as a whole, Peru has over 1800 species of birds of which over 100 species are endemics (known only from Peru). The lowland rainforests of the Amazon Basin in northeastern Peru comprise but one of the nine life zones in the country, yet they contain some 700 species of birds, or 38% of the country’s total.
Birds exploit practically every type of habitat ranging from the high Andes to the Pacific Ocean. In the Peruvian Amazon birds have exploited the aquatic realm, wading and shore birds use the water’s edge, birds live in swamp forest, upland forest, secondary and primary growth, scrub and the high canopy. It is impossible to convey the rich diversity of Amazonian birds with a few photographs, so we’ll show a few and revisit the subject many times in upcoming contributions.

Masked Crimson Tanager Ramphocelus nigrogularis. Peru has a richness of magnificently colored tanagers and fortunately many are conspicuous inhabitants of pasture land and other areas of secondary growth.

Cream-colored Woodpecker Celeus flavus. This unmistakable beauty is best located along river margins and in swamp forest.

Barred Forest Falcon Micrastur ruficollis. Although forest falcons are difficult to observe they may be the most dominant predatory bird group in the Peruvian Amazon where no fewer than five species can be found.

Wattled Curassow Crax globulosa. Curassows are the size of turkeys and as such are hunted for food. Most of them are now restricted to the more remote regions of forest. Interestingly, locals examine their crops for gold flecks the big birds consume.

Blue and yellow Macaw Ara ararauna. Macaws rank among the most spectacular and noticeable of Amazonian birds and a raucous flock of Blue and yellow Macaws makes for an unforgettable sight.

Scarlet Macaw Ara macao. The classic pirate’s pet, Scarlet macaws are familiar the world over. Sometimes we see mixed flocks of Scarlet with Blue and yellow macaws. It looks like an airborne (and noisy!) festival when they fly over our boat.

Ferruginous Pygmy-owl Glaucidium brasilianum. One of the smallest owls in the country, this tiny predator is often active by day. It prefers riverside and swamp forests and second-growth. The distinctive call is often heard just prior to dawn.

Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoatzin. This bizarre bird is in its own family. It is herbivorous and the newly hatched young can swim and have claws on their wings to help them climb back into the spiny palms where these strange creatures nest.

Pied Lapwing Vanellus cayanus. This boldly colored plover is a fairly common resident along sandy beaches and adjacent open areas.

Sun Bittern Europyga helias. This interesting bird hunts for food along streams, rivers and the edges of forest lakes. When threatened it spreads and raises the wings exposing a pair of imposing eye spots.

Birds of Peru.
by Schulenberg, T.S., D. F. Stotz, D. F. Lane, J. P. O’Neill, and T. A. Parker III. 2007
Princeton University Press.

At last! The long awaited comprehensive guide to the avifauna of Peru, featuring sumptuously beautiful color plates and treating 1,800 species. The range maps are adjacent to the illustrations and the book is handy despite its 656 pages. It is a shame comparative info for diagnosing species could not be included but the authors obviously opted for the critical coverage provided by plates and maps and they chose wisely.

More info/Order

Delfin Riverboats Last-Minute Discounted Departures

2009-12-14T13:24:00.002-07:00

We are offering a special 30% discount on selected departures in January on both the Delfin I and Delfin II.

Read more...

An incredible 16 day, 2,000 mile voyage on the Amazon from the Atlantic to the Peruvian rainforest.

2009-12-12T05:09:00.004-07:00

We at GreenTracks get quite a few inquiries every year about longer Amazon cruises. People ask about trips from Belem to Iquitos or the opposite direction. We are now pleased to be able to offer just such a cruise aboard the Clelia II where you will enjoy elegant accommodations, intimate surroundings, and superb service while covering over 2,000 miles of the Amazon.

As you cruise between Belem, near the mouth of the Amazon on the Atlantic, along the wide snaking length of the world’s longest river, deep into sinuous tributaries and flooded forests, to Iquitos in the Peruvian rain forest, you will have the opportunity to see and experience all the incredible sights Amazonia offers. In addition to our own onboard expert naturalist guides, we are privileged to have on these expeditions a stellar team of lecturers

Now more than ever, a cultural or an expedition voyage can be an antidote to these changing times, but we recognize the need for increased incentives. That is why for this exceptional voyage the ship's operators are offering unprecedented incentives, including rates that are substantially lower than their normal prices as well as waiving the single supplement for solo travelers. Lowering the prices, however, does not mean that they have compromised the quality and standards of operation, or that they have taken away services and arrangements they normally include.

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Amazon Cruises

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A cruise aboard a comfortable riverboat may be the most enjoyable way to explore the Amazon region. You will experience "timeless" travel on the worlds' largest river and observe the diverse flora and fauna of the rainforest.

Even though these are technically Amazon River cruises, you won't be stuck on the cruise vessel. As the boat travels the Amazon River and its tributaries, you will enjoy frequent off-boat excursions, such as hikes through the rainforest and small-boat trips in search of wildlife. Expert naturalist guides will give explanations of the incredible plants and numerous species of captivating animals that you'll see. You will even visit several riverside villages and meet some of the true natives of the Amazon.

We offer Amazon River Cruises of:

7 Day on the Ayapua & Clavero riverboats

M/V Ayapua

M/V Clavero

4 Day and 5 Day on the Delfin riverboats

Delfin I

Delfin II

FREE GreenTracks CD-Rom

2009-12-07T05:00:00.001-07:00