September Matses Territory Peru Trip
Sept 16th - 23rd
PART ONE MATSES TERRITORY
This is truly the adventure of a lifetime for the right explorer. This trip is not for the faint of heart. We will not be going to any 5 star hotels, but instead traveling deep into the depths of the Amazon jungle with limited supplies. You will get dirty and rained on. All safety precautions will made, however, there is a chance you might get sick and bit by mosquitoes, which will lead to opportunities to try indigenous medicines to heal and gain experience with. You will firsthand meet people of the Matses tribe, most of whom only speak Matses and no other language. This will undoubtedly be an adventure of a lifetime for 16 lucky individuals.
We have a special certificate from the chief of all the Matses tribe as well as from various chiefs of individual villages within. We will fly from Iquitos, Peru by either military plane that holds a maximum of 18 individuals with limited baggage, however if it rains, the dirt runway in Angamos on the frontier of Brazil and Peru will be inaccessible, requiring us to fly by sea plane with a maximum capacity of 16 people.
After landing in Angamos, we will travel by river 4 hours in a flat bottomed boat. Possibly, we will have to clear fallen trees from previous storms that block our path, hopefully in good weather, but the depths of the amazon might decide otherwise. Our first destination will be the small village of Jorge Chavez. We will stay a couple nights with the few families that live there. On the third day, we will travel deeper into the amazon 1-2 hours to another village named San Mateo. We will stay two nights there, before traveling deeper to a third Matses village called San Juan. After two nights, we will travel back to Jorge Chavez and stay for one night, then return the following morning to Angamos, then Iquitos.
This is not a training, and you will not be required to do any sort of gauntlet of medicines. This is a full immersion and opportunity to explore another world and culture, learn of ancient medicines and ways of life, eat with an indigenous culture that was first contacted in 1969, and grow exponentially as a person. Although this is an incredible opportunity for for our cultures to learn from each other, know that we are going to their home and be doing the majority of the learning. Make sure to leave your ego at home.
We will have the opportunity to learn, gather, and use native medicines, go hunting with them for food, Catch the Kambo frog (Akaté, as the Matses say), receive Kambo from Matses Medicine women and men, extract medicine from the Kambo frog, hike through primal jungle and swamps, go canoeing and fishing, climb trees, do face painting, learn ancient songs and icaros, get to know their families and children, make clay pots with the older women, purchase handicrafts that are custom made for you specifically, and live in nearly untouched jungle.
Because of the magnitude of this epic adventure, it is important we only bring select individuals. The small group will be hand selected of adventurers who have worked with our team before, undergone different trainings, ceremonies, or friends. There is a slight possibility we will take newcomers that have undergone various interviews, background checks, zoom conversations, and ideally met in person. We only want good candidates and team players. You will sleep at times in difficult conditions and we only want people with a team mentality and high spirits.
SPACE WILL BE LIMITED, SO WE CAN FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF EACH PERSON.
We have taken 4 groups to the Matses territory before, that was a much more accessible village. 3 of the groups were amazing, however, In one of our the trips, we brought a few bad apples, who created a mass amount of problems and are actually banned from the Matses tribe for life. Because of this special invitation from the tribe, it is important that only respectful individuals come on this journey. We love the Matses tribe and their beautiful wisdom and ancient traditions. It is a world we can truly learn from. We value our precious and rare relationship with them and want to continue this connection, so that others may go in the future.
FOOD
Typical Matses food which consists of jungle meats they have hunted, as well as vegetarian options of organic crops they have grown. We will also bring in a lot of basic food from Iquitos that will be flown over several days prior.
Please notify us of any dietary restrictions so we can plan accordingly.
LODGING
in some of the large villages, we will have the possibility of renting out one of the Matses homes and live with them. The majority of the time you will be in a tent. We recommend you bring a 4 season tent to support the rain. You will also need a sleeping bag, bedding, and headlamp.
What is included:
1-All transportation from Iquitos and the entire trip within the Matses territory.
Includes flights from Iquitos to Angamos, riverboats, and canoes
2-All permits to enter the villages
3-All staff, translators and guides
4-All food in the jungle
5-Group first aid supplies
6- Group water filter and Water purification supplies
What is not included:
1-Your flight to Iquitos, Peru
2-Your flight leaving Iquitos, Peru
3-Your equipment and personal gear
4-Your mosquito repellent and net
5-Your meals in Iquitos
6-Your hotels in Iquitos
7-Your personal hygiene items
8- Purchased Kambo, medicines, handicrafts and souvenirs from the Matses.
9- One entire suitcase of clothes, coloring books, educational tools for the children, and other things to donate to the tribe.
10-Tent and bedding
11- Headlamp and lantern
12- rubber boots purchased in Iquitos.
13- snacks
14- Personal water filter
FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY
We will be bringing a small camera crew and microphones. We are continuing our work with the Kambo documentary we began a few years ago. We will be doing interviews of the Matses and filming other things as well as individuals in our group that allow us. If you choose to do this, you will be required to sign a release form. This is not mandatory in any way, and if you choose to not be a part of it, you will not be filmed.
You will be allowed to take photos and also make some small videos on your phones. You will NOT be permitted to bring any professional camera equipment and do any filming of your own that will be on your youtube channels, or professional productions.
8 Kilos per person is Included on the airplane. If you bring more, you will need to pay an extra 3 soles per Kilo for up to 30 kilos. We recommend you pack light and efficient.
We do not want to turn anyone away because of finances. If you need FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, please email us to discuss a payment plan.
SCHEDULE
The general schedule is more or less what will unfold. However, weather, the group dynamic, the jungle, and third world country, may delay things. We cannot control the weather, so basic timeframes might have to be adjusted. If things get adjusted we will do the best we can with it, but we should still manage to do everything promised.
September 14th
-Mandatory arrival in Iquitos, in case of delayed flights or other travel hiccups. We will suggest a hotel our entire group can book at that will cost around $30 per night and a second hotel nearby that is around $80, for those looking for nicer accommodations.
-Shopping for personal items and gifts. You will be allowed to leave things safely stored at the hotel for after you return from the jungle.
-You will be responsible for your food and lodging this day.
September 15th
-Mandatory check in, waivers signed on paper, money collected, and group shopping for mandatory supplies such as boots, hammocks, tents, rain gear, etc.
-Shopping for personal items and gifts. You will be allowed to leave things safely stored at the hotel for after you return from the jungle.
-Group dinner and introduction and Prep talk for the journey.
You will be responsible for your food and lodging, including the group dinner this day.
September 16th
-Morning flight from Iquitos to Angamos.
-Travel by boat to Jorge Chavez
-Make camp
September 17th
-Jorge Chavez village
September 18th
-Break camp and travel by boat to San Mateo village
September 19th
-San Mateo village
September 20th
-Break camp and travel by boat to San Juan
September 21st
-San Juan Village
September 22nd
break camp and travel by boat to Jorge Chavez
September 23rd
Break camp and travel by boat to Angamos
Fly from Angamos to Iquitos
Close of trip
COST PART ONE Matses Territory
Part of the funds for this trip will used to purchase gifts for the villages, including solar, generators, fishing supplies, pots and pans, and other much needed supplies. A lot of this will be transported prior to our arrival.
$1,850.00
($1,000.00 deposit online $850 in cash in Peru, paid upon arrival)