Adventures
Our Vision
It is a great curiosity that Perú--centered in the most biologically, geographically, culturally, and recreationally diverse region of the world--tourists and travelers tend only to be exposed to a well-trodden, oft-photographed sliver of what the country has to offer. Andes to Amazon seeks to change that, introducing you to experiences and places that are, in every sense of the term, "off the beaten path". Instead of staged photo ops, manufactured authenticity, and over-marketed vistas you've seen in media, we focus on the raw, exhilarating core of western South America.
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What we Offer​
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Our adventure trips and packages take a number of forms and our fares include national flights, transportation, food, and lodging. Some center around physical activities like hiking, backpacking, camping, and (beginning in 2024) river rafting and rock climbing. These trips often overlap closely with trips geared towards nature-focused ventures like exploring strange and poorly-known ecosystems and their fauna--many with thousands of yet-to-be described species. Thirdly, we offer cultural tours through local community partners, in which you explore the rich pre-Columbian heritage of the region alongside national experts.
Individual Routes are best suited for visitors wanting specific experiences that often feature a unique activity. Lodging ranges from hotels to basic camping. Durations typically range from 8 to 12 days.
Package Tours are designed for wider regions and getting the most out of what those areas have to offer on a variety of fronts; lodging is typically in hotels but may include camping. Each 3-week main package is divided into three one-week sub-packages, which can be purchased individually or combined with individual sub-packages from another main package.
Jungle Expeditions are up-and-coming options desgined for intrepid travelers interested in accessing often very remote, rugged areas (often to look for flora and fauna); lodging will almost exclusively be primitive tent camping! Expeditions will be slated to run a few times a year.
Individual Routes
Adventures with itineraries targeting specific sites or activities.
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The world's fifth-tallest free-leaping waterfall, the Gocta Cataract is a genuine marvel of the Andes. Its existence was long kept a secret, known only to local communities until as recently as 2002 when it was first officially surveyed! At 700 m (2500 ft) and nestled in the misty heights of the montane cloud forest, this cataract is a magnificent sight to behold. On our journey from Tarapoto we will spend a few nights in the mystical Alto Mayo reserve, a poorly-known montane cloud forest, and walk its fabled "Royal Trail" through enchanting landscapes.
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Duration: 8 days
Fare: $1600-2000
Package Tours
Maximum 3-week adventures centered on wider regions and the entirety of their attractions.
Note: National flights, food, transportation, and lodging are included in all trip costs.
HISTORY AND CULTURE
Amazonas Province: from Jaén
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Ancient city of Kuélap
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Mummy-tombs of Carajía
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Hidden caves of the Kings
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Colonial Spanish sites
7 days from $1470
CLASSIC NORTH ANDES ​
Amazonas Province: from Tarapoto
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Magnificent alpine lakes and exploration of unique puna habitat
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Camping in the Páramo
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Horseback riding excursions
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Trout fishing, local gastronomy, and sacred medicinal plants
7 days from $1470
ALTIPLANO EMPIRE
Southern Peru: from Cusco
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Exploration of the Incan world
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Classic traditional culture of the high andes--from huaynos to cui and chicha
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Highland plains studded with extinct volcanoes, psychedelic geology, flamingoes, and wild guanacos
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Trip end with class journey through Sacred Valley to Macchu Picchu
7 days from $1800
ANDES 101:
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE
$4740 --> 21 days from $3500 !
BANKS OF THE AMAZON
Loreto Department: from Yurimaguas
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Canoeing flooded forests in search of river dolphins, manatees, caimans, giant catfish, and anacondas
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Exploring waterfalls, springs, and poison frogs of the beautiful Escalera Foothills
7 days from $1540
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WONDERS OF UCAYALI ​
Ucayali Department: from Pucallpa
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Visit the Boiling River, an unexplained steaming river flowing through jungle!
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Explore the Sierra de Contamana, one of the world's most remote mountains
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Meet with our associates from the Shipibo community, famous for their intimate knowledge of medicinal plants
7 days from $1540
THE SOUTHERN JUNGLE
Madre de Dios Dpt.: from Puerto Maldonado
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Participate in mist-netting and banding of birds under the supervision of licensed conservation biologists
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Embark on night walks through primary forest in search of legendary reptiles like the elusive bushmaster and emerald tree boa
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Participate in surveys for mammals like jaguar, puma, tapir, and peccary
7 days from $1400
SELVA VIVA:
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE
$4480 --> 21 days from $3700 !
FROGS OF SAN MARTÍN
Loreto Department: from Tarapoto
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Tour the last surviving population of the nominal morph of Ranitomeya fantastica
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Search for species like Ameerega bassleri and Hyloxalus nexipus, and Ranitomeya summersi in the environs of the Tunutunumba Fall
7 days from $1400
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5 days from $999
FROGS OF THE COLÁN
Loreto Department: from Tarapoto
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Traverse the highlands between 1500-2000m in search of two elusive colorful frogs, the polka-dotted Excidobates mysteriosus and potentially three rare, almost unknown species of beautiful endemic Atelopus toads
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FROGS OF THE NORTH
Amazonas Dpt.: from Jaén
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Travel to the remote Cordillera Cóndor on the border with Ecuador for a chance to find dozens of poison frogs and other anurans, including many species yet to be described! Possible finds include, among many more:
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Excidobates captivus​
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Atelopus cf. spumarius
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Nymphargus cochranae
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Centrolene charapita
10 days from $2000
DENDRO QUEST:
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE
$4399 --> 22 days from $3500 !
Jungle Expeditions
Long-form explorations of remote areas in the company of native experts.
Note: Our expedition routes are still under planning. Anyone interested in future planned expeditions, inquire here.
Signals the presence of a region in which tribal communities are known to be living in voluntary isolation. These are no-go zones not only by Peruvian law, but for the safety of both parties. Accidental contact can transmit outside diseases to which tribes lack immune defenses, and can also result in travelers being killed--often on sight. All our expeditions operate outside regions utilized, or thought to be utilized, by uncontacted tribes and we strongly affirm these various Panoan- and Arawakan- speaking groups' territorial autonomy.
Signals an area largely controlled by settled indigenous groups. Access to such territories by outsiders is often restricted to individuals and groups who have established ties with community members, as is the case with A2A personnel. Spanish may not be spoken widely in these areas, and literacy rates remain low.
Paths to destinations typically involve vehicle routes to start points or short plane flights from major cities. Depicted paths do not represent exact routes. Tarapoto (Loreto), Jaén (Amazonas), Iquitos (Loreto), and Pucallpa (Ucayali) are the main start points for various expeditions.
Designed for intrepid explorers who wish for a true rugged rainforest adventure, our up-and-coming expedition options bring you to the most untrammeled and truly wild parts of the Amazon. The majority of the regions we explore are free of excessive mammal hunting, uninhabited by communities, and comprise endless tracts of primary forest. All of the regions selected for our routes have either been extremely poorly scientifically documented or virtually not at all, meaning the opportunities for coming across new species of plants, herpetofauna, and invertebrates is genuinely high!
Note that these multi-day--sometimes multi-week--excursions into such regions are for experienced travelers only, and rain-proof hiking and camping gear (including rubber boots) are an absolute must. As rustic and disorientating trekking through the Amazon can be, being surrounded by an eden of green, sensing life behind every leaf, and feeling truly disconnected from human civilization is an experience few ever forget in their lifetimes. Of course, client safety is our top priority in these ventures; all expeditions will be replete with knowledgable local personnel and porters, and we carry necessary medical equipment in case of emergencies.
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The Cordillera Sira
Difficulty level: 5/5
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In central Peru, where the Apurimac River meets the mighty Ucayali, a mountain massif arises of over 2300m in height. This impressive range is extremely steep and rugged, filled with thick undergrowth and cascading streams--and also replete with life. One of our signature tours in the past, we are upgrading trips to Sira to expedition status in order to embark for longer periods of time and explore new, uncharted sections of the mountain range. This is a mecca for poison frogs and is the namesake of Ranitomeya sirensis, which boasts multiple color morphs depending on elevation. Other possible finds are Micrurus surinamensis, a host of other snakes, and a mind-boggling diversity of Aracean and Bromeleaceaen plants. Traversing sections of this range, especially if willing to trek up to the páramo (elfin forest) habitat near its summit, will take at least 15 days!
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The Javary Footpath
Difficulty level: 3/5
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The Valle del Yavarí (Vale do Javari) is emblematic of the conflict--often indescribably violent--between illicit extractive industries and indigenous communities in Amazonia, in which injustices against the latter (and the journalists who defend them) often go unprosecuted. However, the Javary River is huge, forming the northeastern border between Peru and Brazil, and not all its portions are dangerous or unwise to visit. Our Javary expedition is based on a specific route connecting the Ucayali River at Genaro Herrera to the town of Angamos on the Javary River. Due to its reputation, knowledge of the forests anywhere near the Javary is scant, and many biological marvels likely abound. It is our hope that this expedition can help (however minutely) to kick-start ecotourism as a viable option at the margins of a region in which sustainable economic practices are so direly needed, and also to assess the health of forests in the area, whose level of disturbance is not fully understood.
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The Jeberos Triangle
Difficulty level: 1/5
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Accessible from the town of Yurimaguas is a small town by the name of Balsa Puerto, situated on the east side of the Cordillera Escalera. Our route moves north into primary forest towards a region of forest equidistant from the towns ofJeberos and Challavitas. The terrain is a mix of terra firme and varzea (semi-flooded) forest. The expedition duration is estimated to be 7-10 days in length.
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The Cordillera del Cóndor
Difficulty level: 4/5
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North of the river Marañon, the mighty mainstem of the Amazon itself, rise a series of outlying mountain ranges petering out from the much higher Andean core to the east. This lush valley is the territory of the Awajún, a defiantly independent people who have resisted invaders for centuries. Though local chieftains prohibit outsiders from entering the territory to reach the mountains beyond the river, our Awajún partners thankfully grant us access to this remarkably biodiverse world. We expect to spend around 2 weeks exploring small trails traversing the region, which is so poorly studied that new amphibian species are recorded from the Cóndor almost yearly!
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The Sierra de Contamana
Difficulty level: 2/5
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Just beside the town of Contamana, on the banks of the River Ucayali, runs the 600m-tall ridgeline of the Contamana range. Being unconnected to the Andean massif, this is one of the Amazon basin's only genuine sky islands! Here, we focus on sites on the lush west slope of the mountains, where illegal logging and local Isconahua people are not present. Hidden waterfalls and strange biotopes adorn these hills, which if they were better studied, would certain reveal rates of endemism (species found nowhere else). A goal for the expedition will be to try and determine the presence of certain frog species and the Acre antshrike (Thamnophilus divisorius) at the site, both known from a range just to the east. The expedition is expected to be around 8 days.