Amazon Frontier River Expedition
A small-boat expedition trip into remote regions.
A custom trip on a small boat, takes you into seldom visited regions of the Amazon rainforest. These trips can be of one week to several weeks duration. We will organize a trip to fit your schedule.
Your guide is Gary Lighthall, who has been traveling in the Amazon since 1991. Gary has lived full time in Iquitos, Peru since 1998. He is married to a local Indian woman and they have two fantastic children. His travels have taken him to visit Indian tribes in Brazil (Matis, Mayoruna) and Peru, (Bora, Yagua, Witoto, and the Shimacu). His favorite area of exploration for the last three years has been the northeastern parts of Peru.
Gary is currently making frequent trips to explore a remote area upriver from Iquitos, Peru. He has friends among the Shimacu Indians who live in a remote area along several tributaries of the Rio Marañón, one of the two great rivers that merge to form the Rio Amazonas. He has a standing invitation to visit several Indian villages. Gary's friends will be your hosts during your adventure. You will be introduced the the Amazon rainforest by people living in intimate relationship within this environment. 
The Shimacu livelihood consists of farming small garden plots called “chacras”, fishing and hunting. Their main source of carbohydrates are rice, plantains and yuca. Their main source of protein is meat: monkey, paca and peccary... hunted by blowgun or shotgun. Their favorite drink is masato made of fermented yuca. The woman still dress in the traditional manner of their ancestors, but the men now wear short sleeve shirts and pants/shorts that they obtain from lumber traders that visit the region. The traders will only pay them for the trees they sell off their land in goods such as clothing, soap, kerosene, shotgun shells, etc. The Shimacu have little use for money.
- TRIP: Amazon Frontier River Expedition to Rio Chambira.
- NUMBER OR PARTICIPANTS: 1 - 8 people.
- PRICE: See chart below.
- AGE RESTRICTIONS: 16 years and up.
- DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Moderate.
- MEANS OF TRAVEL: Transfer from Iquitos to the embarkation village of Ollanta by private car/bus and speed-boat. Trip up the Rio Chambira by small covered wood boat (Pamacare), with the expert guidance of Gary Lighthall and crew of 6 consisting of a cook, boat and camp staff. Return from Ollanta by speed-boat and private car/bus to Iquitos.
- DURATION: from 9 - 22 days.
ACTIVITIES: Travel by typical local small-river craft up smaller Amazon tributaries into remote regions. Jungle hikes. Wildlife viewing. Visits to local Indian camps and villages. Fishing and swimming. - LODGING: At riverside villages in either the private houses of Indian families or a community building. Group lodging. No private lodging possible. One night lodging in Iquitos at end of trip. SINGLE at the hotel is +$50.
- HYGIENE: Your toilet facilities are the jungle. Your bathing facilities can be either the river or buckets of river water in the camp.
- FOOD: Simple faire prepared over wood fires. Rice, potatoes, yuca, chicken, ham, fish (when locally available), spaghetti, juice, coffee, tea, oatmeal, cookies. Bottled water, beer, soft drinks (cold while the ice lasts).
- Does not include airfare to the departure city of Iquitos.
This is NOT a trip suitable for everyone. As with all GreenTracks tours, we require an application from each person desiring to participate and a phone call interview to determine your eligibility for this trip. Due to the remote areas traveled, the primitive conditions and the cautious and reserved nature of the local peoples we visit, certain activities and behaviors may be inappropriate and not allowed.
A list of required gear and recommendations pertinent to this trip will be provided to you upon acceptance of your application and receipt of your deposit.
| Length of Trip | # Travelers - Price per person | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 + | |
| 9 Days / 8 Nights | $ 6632 | $ 4240 | $ 3774 | $ 3452 | $ 3331 |
| 15 Days / 14 Nights | |||||
| 22 Days / 21 Nights | |||||
It is possible to use of a floatplane to transfer you from Iquitos to the expedition boat in Ollanta and back at the end of the trip. The cost of the floatplane is not included in the above prices. Estimate is $3640 for the round trip charter flights. This is price per plane, not per person. The plane only holds up to 726 lbs of people and gear, possibly only 3 people. We would back-out the price of private car/bus and speed-boat from the above prices. The car/bus and speed-boat is less expensive.
Please call 1-800-892-1035 for further information.