Expedition Itinerary
Experience a revolutionary eight day journey that will go to the source of a meaningful life.
Embark on a life changing journey to the Ucayali, the indigenous heartland of Perú, and the emerging “hot spot” for exploration in the Peruvian Amazon. Travel to the bustling jungle town of Pucallpa to explore river and rainforest in one of the most biodiverse regions of the planet. Learn the secrets of “Buen Vivir” (the good life) with a Shipibo community dedicated to living their ancestral traditions. Come home inspired and with renewed energy and passion.
*Everyday, we’ll gather for optional reflection exercises on the meaning of happiness. Exact topic, exercise, and timing will shared in our detailed itinerary included in our registration package.
Days 1-2
Pucallpa, a Vibrant Amazon City
Begin your adventure in Pucallpa, a bustling rainforest frontier city on the Amazon frontier that is becoming the place to to experience authentic Amazon culture and traditions.
Day One: Pucallpa and Orientation
We will meet at Wakaya Eco lodge for our orientation session. From there, we will venture on a walking tour of the city and learn about the colonial history of Pucallpa. After lunch in the city centre at a regional restaurant, we will visit the studios of the famous Amazonian visionary artist, Pablo Amaringo, and his students who work with Amazon teacher plants for inspiration and knowledge.
Day Two: Food is Happiness El Tuyuyo and Madre Selva
The next morning, we will head to El Tuyuyo, a restaurant known for its groundbreaking Amazon fusion cuisine with master chef and food innovator, Blanca Perez, for lunch and a sensorial workshop on Amazon foods and their relationship to health and well being.
Following lunch, we’ll head out to visit the unique organization, Madre Selva, whose mission is education on the medicinal benefits of Amazon whole foods and such as cacao (that it produces on its own grounds). We will then prepare a special ceremonial chocolate drink known to raise serotonin levels that we will drink during an evening ceremony lead by an Ashaninka shaman. That evening, we will retire under the incredible star-filled sky in specially designed tents.
Days 3-4
Santa Clara and its Ecological Vision of Happiness
Day Three: Medicine and Magic
On the morning of day three, we’ll embark on a fascinating eco-tour of the Ucayali River, the Amazon’s largest tributary, en route to Santa Clara, a unique community that is living its ancestral traditions. On the way, we’ll stop by to greet the resident sloths at Cinco de Mayo, a river community that has become known as “Sloth village” due to its growing population of rescued sloths that live in the surrounding trees.
After arriving at Santa Clara, we will be greeted by community presentations on Shipibo culture (dance and music) and then have a community traditional lunch of patarasca (grilled river fish in banana leaves). After lunch, guests will take a tour of the community before a special meeting with Shipiba Maestra Chono Benxo on the Shipibo cosmovision of nature and well being. That evening guests will prepare for a sacred Pachamama (Sacred Mother Earth) ceremony in their maloca (ceremonial round house) by taking baños de floricimientos (floral baths) and special herbal teas to stimulate dreaming.
Day Four: Nature and Community
The next morning, we will delve into the world of Amazon Medicine and learn about the ancient practice of Amazon permaculture with Marcos Urquía and how it relates to the significance of connection of nature and community to an Amazon vision of the good life. After lunch, we will learn about the vital role Amazon plants played during the pandemic and to prepare essential remedies to boost immunity and mitigate stress with Rao Banabo, an indigenous initiative to revitalize ancestral knowledge of Amazon Traditional Medicine amongst local communities.
In the afternoon, we head back to Pucallpa but not before visiting the neighbouring village of San Francisco for a hands-on workshop on the ancient art of Shipibo slip-fired pottery and learn the meaning behind the mysterious Kené designs.
Days 5-7
Explore A Magical Rainforest Reserve.
The next morning, we’ll head to Santuario Huishtín and the Aguas Thermales Reserve, an ancient region rich in flora, fauna, and unusual natural phenomena including a “Boiling River of the Amazon,” that travels seven kilometres through the rainforest.
Day Five: The Boiling River of the Amazon
We leave early for the a trip by road and river to Santuario Huishtín eco-lodge where we meet with Maestro Santiago Enrrique for a tour of the “boiling river.” Then we will spend the evening relaxing after a special Amazon dinner at the centre. Depending on weather, we’ll immerse ourselves in a star-gazing session to observe the incredibly clear and unique night sky over Santuario.
Day Six: The Vegetalista Path to Knowledge and Self Realization.
The next morning, we’ll gather to discover the magical world of vegetalismo (Peruvian mestizo plant shamanism), the important of immersion in nature and the “Amazon diet” in health and well being in a presentation with Maestro vegetalista, Santiago Enrrique Paredes Melendez. Following, we will experience a forest immersion in the surrounding rainforest, learn to identify rare medicinal plants, and connect with the spirits of powerful palos (teacher trees). That evening, we will participate in a Vegetalista Traditional Healing Ceremony.
Days 7-8
Return to Pucallpa.
Day Seven: Return to Pucallpa for an evening of relaxation at Wakaya. For those with energy, we will go for Amazon fusion sushi made with paiche fish from the Ucayali River, and sample cocktails made with Amazon plants.
Day Eight: In the morning, we’ll gather at breakfast for a final time to connect and reflect on our journey before continuing our adventure to trip home.
Your Support
Funds from your participation in our programmes go directly to our projects to conserve Amazon ancestral culture and traditions. Help us build the first institute dedicated to Amazon medicine and culture.
