Amazon Institute Itinerary

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2019 Tentative Itinerary

Tuesday, July 9
Fly from Raleigh, NC to Miami
Fly from Miami to Lima, Peru
Shuttle bus from airport to hotel
Group meeting- goals; agenda; daily team responsibilities
Lodging: Hotel Melodia (Lima)

Wednesday, July 10
Fly from Lima to Iquitos
Quick driving tour of Iquitos (including Belen Market and Pasaje Paquita (a street that sells medicinal plants))
Boat trip down the Amazon River to Explorama Lodge
Orientation to the Lodges, and first hike in the rainforest.
Night excursion
Lodging: Explorama Lodge

Thursday, July 11
Early morning birding and wildlife watching
Visit Lake Caceres -look for sloths in Cecropia trees, giant water lilies and jacanas
Hike along “Bushmaster Trail” (tree biodiversity hot spot), look for poison dart frogs and squirrel monkeys
Night excursion
Lodging: Explorama Lodge

Friday, July 12
Early morning birding and wildlife watching
Culture and Craft Fair with the Yagua indigenous community
Walk with the Yagua to their historical communal house “Cocamera”
Boat Excursion along the Amazon – look for pink and gray river dolphins
Fishing for piranha
Visit to EKOAMAZON Sustainability and Educational Center (formerly CONAPAC library)
Visit to sugar cane rum factory
Night excursion
Lodging: Explorama Lodge

Saturday, July 13
Early morning birding and wildlife watching
Boat trip down the Amazon and up the Napo River to ExplorNapo Lodge, visit Yanamono Medical Clinic en route to learn about local health issues
Visit ReNuPeRu Ethnobotanical Garden with shaman to learn about local uses for medical and spiritual healing
Night boat ride along Sucusari stream to listen to night sounds and look at constellations of the southern sky
Lodging: ExplorNapo

Sunday, July 14
Early morning birding and wildlife watching
Boat trip along Sucusari stream to visit Maijuna indigenous community
Visit Maijuna cultural center to learn about Maijuna history and sustainability
Boat trip to oxbow lake – look for elusive Hoatzin bird
Night excursion
Lodging: ExplorNapo Lodge

Monday, July 15
Early morning birding and wildlife watching
Boat trip to local river community and school
Community service project
Hike to Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies (ACTS) Research Station
Canopy Walkway with Sunset viewing
Night excursion
Lodging: ACTS Research Station

Tuesday, July 16
Sunrise from the Canopy walkway
Exploration of local trails and Canopy walkway
Sunset from the Canopy walkway
Night hike to view the bioluminescent fungus patch
Lodging: ACTS Research Station

Wednesday, July 17
Sunrise from the Canopy walkway
Hike back to ExplorNapo
Boat trip down Napo River and upstream on Amazon to Ceiba Tops
Boat trip to visit to Monkey Island reserve (look for wooley, saki, and titi monkeys, as well as tamarins and marmosets)
Night excursion to look for caiman
Lodging: Ceiba Tops Resort

Thursday, July 18
Early morning hike to lake
Wrap-Up & closing ceremony, say goodbyes to our local friends
Boat trip upstream to Iquitos
Fly from Iquitos to Lima, Peru
Fly from Lima to Miami

Friday, July 19
Fly from Miami to Raleigh, NC
Arrive back home, final goodbyes until November