Jungle Survival Training Itinerary 8 Days / 7 Nights

Long before our award-winning lodge was constructed in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, Amazonia Expeditions gained renown as the Amazon’s first commercial wilderness adventure camping company. Tent camping– and our more in depth Jungle Survival itinerary (described below) are still available for our most adventurous clients. Guests interested in camping or the jungle survival experience must plan this itinerary well in advance at the time the initial deposit is made. Over the years we have refined our skills in offering hard core wilderness adventures, in a responsible and safe manner.

Hardcore Wilderness Camping

On Amazonia Expeditions’ jungle survival adventure in the remote Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, you can learn essential survival skills under the guidance of private, specialized local guides with firsthand knowledge and experience in Jungle survival. Learn the basics with your guide before you practice constructing shelters, starting fires in wet conditions, and finding pure water sources. Discover how to identify edible plants, craft fishing traps, and build rafts from native materials. Equip yourself with knowledge about natural mosquito repellents, traditional weapons, and survival medicines to navigate the jungle safely. Embark on this unforgettable adventure and immerse yourself in the true essence of Amazonian wilderness.

Total Land cost: USD $1,995 per person

  • Learn to survive in one of the most extreme environments on the planet with nothing but your hands, a machete, and some wisdom from one of our most experienced jungle guides.
  • (Recommended 8 days / 7 nights but shorter or longer trips available)
  • Includes all in Amazon (all transfers, lodging, meals, private guide, excursions customized to your liking, gear such as jungle boots, wifi, entrance fees, conservation fees, port taxes, etc.).
  • Optional expenses only: cola or beer drinks, souvenirs, tips, and laundry

Day 1 (trip starts after the arrival of people on LA 2240, scheduled to arrive just past noon)

• Trip starts after arrival of people on LA 2240, scheduled to arrive just past noon
• Transfer in from airport or hotel
§ If airport: Look for our booth in the baggage area of Iquitos Airport, by the
restrooms, with our logo (head of a hoatzin bird on a diamond shape).
§ If hotel: please let us know the address for where to pick you up.
• Speedboat transfer (note–is 4 hours) up the Amazon, then the Tahuayo tributary to our lodge.
• Evening excursion

Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 2-3

From Tahuayo Lodge

  • Acclimation to the Amazon rainforest and getting to know your guides; your guides getting to know you. A Long hike in varzea forest; exploring flood forest and the canopy experience.
  • Learning some survival skills such as the utilitarian use of palm fronds, natural sources of insect repellant, natural medicines and some sources of food and fresh water.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 4

Boat to the trailhead in terra firme forest 

  • Hiking to the interior of the wilderness to establish a campsite
  • Hiking into the interior of the wilderness to establish campsite, building a shelter with plants found in the forest.
  • NOTE: We choose a site for camping where we will not disturb wildlife. Also the movements and noise we create while camping will keep wildlife at some distance. So, while this is a great adventure in the Amazon wilderness, it is not the best wildlife viewing option.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5-6

At established campsite 

  • Training in the identification of plants and other material found in the forest to make a fire, capture food and find water.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 7

Boat to Main Lodge 

  • Morning exploration, then breaking down the campsite and returning in the afternoon by boat to the main lodge.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 8

  • Morning excursion
  • Afternoon boat to Iquitos
  • Transfer to airport or hotel

Breakfast, Lunch

 

Skills You Can Learn:

 

Construction of lean-to:

How to select site, soil and drainage aspects. What woods to use to set up framework; how to use irapay palm (Lepidocaryum tenue) fronds to rainproof

Construction of fire:

Recognition of wood that will have hard, dry interior even when waterlogged by rainforest humidity; use of copal resin as fire starter

Learn sources of pure water:

Immature yarina (Phytelephas macrocarpa) fruits; puca huasca vine (Doliocarpus dentatus) and cano huasca vine (Uncaria spp.)

Sources of food:

Palm fruits; palm hearts from Euterpe and Iriartea genera; edible beetle grubs; legumes, especially from Inga genus; using barbasco (Lonchocarpus species) sap to stun fish; canabrava (Gynerium sagittatum) to build fish trap; tamshi vine (Carludovica devergens) to make animal snare 

Raft construction:

Recognition of balsa wood, tied together with tamshi vine, oar from remo caspii (Styrax acuminatum)

Mosquito repellent:

Made from Nasutitermes termites 

Weapons:

Fishing spear from cumaceba (Cesalpina echinata); bow from cashapona (Iriartea exorrhiza), string from chambira (Astrocaryum chambira), arrowshafts from bamboo and arrowheads from cumaceba.

 

Survival Medicines

Venomous snakebite–piripiri leaves (Cyperus articulatus) 

Venomous insect–curarina bark (Potalia amara)

Fever–sanango root (Sanango durum)

Disinfectant–pichirina sap (Vismia angusta)

Field dressing–fiber inside bark of machimango (Ceiba species)

Antiparasitical–oje sap (Ficus antihelmintica)

Dysentery or gastrointestinal distress–hierba luisa leaves (Cymbopogon citratus)

Estefani Mishel Maytahuari

Mishel got her degree in tourism from Nauta Institute in 2016. After working as a guide with other companies, Mishel came to study with Amazonia Expeditions as a training guide in 2023. Mishel was promoted to head guide in 2025.

Leyner Arian Ijuma

Leyner got his degree as a tour guide in 2010 at the Nauta Institute and came to work at Amazonia Expeditions in 2021. He was promoted to head guide in 2023. He has biological field work experience from supporting Nicholas Gardner of the University of Florida who he helped study the adaptations of birds in seasonally flooded igapo forests. Birding is one of Leyner's strongest skills.

Julio Pacaya

Julio finished his studies as a tour guide at the Nauta Institute in 2016 and came to work as a training guide with Amazonia Expeditions in 2021. He was promoted to head guide in 2023. Nature photography and birding are among Julio's strongest skills. Julio is fluent in English and French, as well as his native tongue of Spanish.

Claudio Huayllahua Sánchez

Claudio was born and grew up in El Chino Village on the Tahuayo River. He studied primary school in El Chino and continued his education in Iquitos, earning a technical degree from SENATI Institute. He started working for Amazonia Expeditions in 2014 as a field research assistant with several biologists and as an assistant guide. Claudio was promoted to head guide in 2017 and is our camping and jungle survival specialist.

Hersog Chavez Yuyarima

Hersog first got the idea of becoming a guide after watching the tourist boats going by his village every day. He was fascinated that tourists would come to see his home and he loved the way that the guides he saw did their work. He knew that someday he wanted to be just like them. Hersog studied at technical school for 3 years leaning the basics of guiding. After graduating, Hersog worked as a guide for several years working with Peruvian tourists, later coming to work for Amazonia in 2017. Hersog was promoted to head guide in 2019. He has worked as a field research assistant in the study of the elusive pygmy marmoset. Hersog is known for his sharp eyes and his unique stories about the jungle.

Lander Juan Peña Ramirez

Lander was born in the remote jungle community of Santa Victoria. His boyhood dream was to become to best jungle guide in the Amazon. Lander studied at a local institute for several years where he learned basic English and the foundations of the being a tour guide. Later he worked for several years at other jungle loges as a guide, honing his skills as a survival camping guide. Lander came to work for Amazonia Expeditions in 2017 and along with a strong interest in birding and fishing is also one of our lead camping and survival guides.

Aladino Jr. Hidalgo

Aladino was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River and attended school in the community of “Valentin” on the Tahuayo River. During this period, Aladino worked with his father as a trailblazer, assisting primate researchers who came to study at a local field station. Afterwards, he moved to Lima where he worked for several years while studying guiding & English. Upon returning in 2019, he was hired by Amazonia as a field assistant and actively supported researchers studying giant river otters, pygmy marmosets, and various bird species. He then joined Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was later promoted to head guide in 2022.

Jhony Hidalgo

Jhony was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River. He attended primary school in his home village and high school in the community of “Valentin” on the Tahuayo River. Jhony later pursued further studies in Iquitos, where he obtained a guide degree from the Milagro Fe & Alegria Institute. After graduating, he worked at the Amazon Rescue Center in Iquitos (CREA), guiding visitors to the center. In 2021 he joined Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was promoted to head guide in 2023.

Sila Hidalgo

Sila was born and raised in El Diamante Village along the Blanco River. She attended primary school in Diamante village and high school in the community of “El Chino” on the Tahuayo River. Her family moved to El Chino so Sila could attend high school, as it was the closest village offering secondary education. Later, Sila joined our Angels (AoA) scholarship program to further her education in Iquitos, where she earned a guide degree from the Milagro Fe & Alegria Institute. She completed her internship at Tahuayo Lodge. After graduating, Sila began her career with Amazonia Expeditions as a guide assistant and was promoted to head guide in 2022.

Welister Perez

Welister grew up in the small community of Padre Cocha just outside of Iquitos City. He lived there for most of his life, and later worked at several jungle lodges before starting at Amazonia Expeditions. Welister has proven himself as both a talented jungle man and team player with an eagle eye for spotting wildlife. After several months of training with Amazonia he was promoted to a head guiding position in 2017.

Javier Anibal Alván Arévalo

Javier has worked at the Amazonia Expeditions lodges for 10 years, starting as a young teenager as an assistant in building repair, then moving up to motorboat pilot, then camping assistant and assistant guide, and after passing his guide exams with high grades was promoted to head guide in 2014. Javier is also our Canopy Zipline specialist and has taken professional certification classes in Costa Rica. Javier is also a fishing specialist and is beloved by families with children.