Stories
Wrapping up 2014 with Rainforest Expeditions
Every year, people from all over the world venture to the Southeastern corner of Peru. And it’s not hard to understand why; the Tambopata National Reserve lies in the Amazon Basin and boasts some of the most spectacular rainforest and wildlife this world has to offer. Jaguars, Macaws, Monkeys, Capybara, Giant river otters, and Harpy eagles are some of the notable megafaunas that can be observed in their natural habitat here. But not all of the impressive wildlife in the Amazon is large in size. In fact, the little creatures can be just as fascinating, if not more so.
Most of the planet’s biodiversity comes in the form of insects, worms, and other miniature living organisms, and new species are being discovered each day. Some of our top stories this past year included coverage of unknown species of insects and spiders that were found in close proximity to the Rainforest Expeditions jungle lodges in Tambopata recently!
Here are some of our top stories from 2014:
This Spider Makes Fake Spiders. But Why? 1.21.14. By Nadia Drake.
‘Decoy spider’ sitting at the top of its pseudo-spider structure. Photo courtesy of Lary Reeve
What I learned Hunting Decoy-Weaving Spiders in the Amazon. 6.16.14. By Douglas Main.
Lary (right) and Aaron (left) investigating the ‘Decoy spiders’
Expedition to Candamo: Venturing into ‘The Last Rainforest Without Men’. 11.2.14. By Aaron Pomerantz.
Aldo and his team push the boat through strong rapids to make it to Candamo
Predatory ‘Glow Worm’ Discovered in Peruvian Rainforest. 11.19.14. By Lisa Winter.
A beautiful Harpy eagle snatches a howler monkey for breakfast. Photo by Chris Johns
A bioluminescent insect larva protrudes its head from the earth and lures in prey to its powerful mandibles.
Closing out with a fruitful December expedition
This past December, I was joined by two incredible groups in the Amazon. Chris Johns, a friend and colleague of mine, is a graduate student at the University of Florida and assembled a team that rumbled through the jungle with me and guided Frank Pichardo for two weeks. We came across a myriad of amazing animals, including a Harpy eagle that had just snatched a howler monkey for breakfast, caiman, tailless-whip scorpions, monkey frogs, snakes (big snakes!), and much more.
A caiman smiles big for the camera. Photo by Chris Johns.
A large Yellow-bellied Puffing Snake was none too happy to see us
Chris, I think you’ve got a bug on your face…A tailless whip scorpion to be exact.
Then I was joined by Christie Wilcox, a rising science communication star who celebrated her successful Ph.D. defense by immersing herself in the Peruvian Amazon. In addition to taking in everything fascinating that the jungle has to offer, Christie was working to gather content for her book on venom (coming soon). This meant getting up close to potentially dangerous animals, including snakes, scorpions, wandering spiders, and bullet ants (ouch!). All in all, we had a safe trip and documented plenty of venomous fauna to satiate Christie’s toxic appetite.
A wandering spider displays a warning threat by raising her front pairs of legs. Don’t mess!
The stinger of a bullet ant, is supposedly one of the most painful insect stings one can experience. I’ll take your word for it…
Large bark scorpions in the Amazon can be found on night hikes.
Christie, you most CERTAINLY have a bug on your face
So what comes next with Rainforest Expeditions? Ongoing research projects for our peculiar spider and glow worm species push us to stay on top of the scientific literature and techniques so we can gather more data and publish our results. There are still many emerging questions that have yet to be answered. Is the ‘Decoy spider’ a new species? What purpose or purposes does the decoy structure serve? If it is indeed to avoid anti-predation, what predators pushed for the selection of this unique behavior in the spider? Are the ‘glow worms’ a new species and is this a new record of their occurrence in Southeastern Peru?
We’re also working to organize more trips over the course of the next year with scientists, photographers, and filmmakers, who are eager to come down to this area which is ripe with unknown animals and discoveries. What comes next isn’t entirely known, and that’s part of the adventure.
A perfect day in Tambopata, Peru
Last but certainly not least, I’d like to thank the people who helped me get here and who have been invaluable colleagues in the field this past year. Lary Reeves is a graduate student at the University of Florida who invited me to join him in the Amazon in May of 2014. What was meant to be a routine research expedition turned into a position working with the Tambopata Research Center (Rainforest Expeditions) as a Science Communicator, and I am thankful to Lary, as well as Jeff Cremer, for giving me the opportunity to come to this place.
Top left: Lary Reeves, Douglas Main, Augusto Bazan, and Nadia Drake composed an indispensable team in May where we made some more exciting discoveries about the ‘Decoy spiders’. Top right: In October I organized a team to venture into the remote Candamo region, and it couldn’t have been done without the help of Jeff Cremer, Mike Bentley, Geoff Gallice, Roy, Misael, Rodolfo, Gallo, Pedro, and Aldo. Bottom left: This December trip, I’d like to thank my amazing group with Chris Johns, Kai Moreb, Lauren Georges, Narayan Ghiotti, Frank Pichardo, and Nicole Lizares.
Bottom right: Christie Wilcox was a pleasure to have in the field poking at dangerous animals, and I hope we get to do it again soon. One last shout-out to Phil Torres and Jeff Cremer, who have been incredible sources of knowledge, friendship, and collaboration on projects in this part of the world. Wrapping up 2014 with Rainforest Expeditions has been an amazing experience thus far; I can only imagine what the top stories of 2015 will look like…Cheers to the New Year!
by Aaron Pomerantz
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What our guest say
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- Valuation Excellent
- 5/5
Alan U November 2024
Neal H November 2024
Sergio J October 2024
Megan Jackson October 2024
Hayley October 2024
Jonathan K October 2024
Jonathan Krejci October 2024
Hannah E October 2024
Dave L October 2024
Magnus O October 2024
David G October 2024
T T October 2024
I am normally not a nature-oriented person but spending a few days in the rainforest was mind-blowing. Our guide, Juan Carlos, was knowledgeable, passionate about his work, and a fun person to go on a several hours long hike to boot. He made sure we were taking the activities at our own pace, answered all our questions and had a seemingly endless knowledge of the plants and animals. The lodge is located in a protected area of the rainforest and as a result, the biodiversity is amazing and the staff are very respectful and protective of the wildlife. For a note on the lodging, late september is the end of dry season and also the hottest time of year. If I were to come back, I would upgrade to a room with a fan as there is no AC in the facility. Lodging was clean and I personally enjoyed the chance to unplug and sleep so close to nature. Without hyperbole this was a once in a lifetime experience and I cannot recommend it enough. Read all
We had the experience of a lifetime at Posada Amazonas! For our first trip ever to Peru, we wanted to see as much of the country as possible, and started our journey here. Everything went seamlessly- from the pick up at the airport, check in at the office, to the delicious lunch on the boat during our transfer. The next 3 days were filled with wonderful experiences including the canopy hike, oxbow lake cruise, sunset cruise and more. Luis was our guide extraordinaire. His knowledge and ability to spot interesting flora and fauna were amazing. The rooms are clean and spacious and perfect to experience the jungle. You haven't lived until you are awakened by the calls of howler monkeys at 4:15am! Highly recommended! Read all
We had a truly amazing time at Tambopata Research Center and its sister lodge, Refugio. Days were filled with long walks in the jungle to see all the incredible wildlife and plant life, the evening talks with the researchers were thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring, and meals with like minded travelers were a pleasure. Our rooms were extremely comfortable and well laid out, the food was varied, healthy and tasty, and the staff really went out of their way to ensure we had everything we needed and that our stay was going well. Truly couldn't recommend this experience more. Read all
My husband and I recently had the opportunity to visit the Tambopata Research Center in the Amazon rainforest, and it was truly an unforgettable experience! We did the 5 day, 4 night experience, which was so worth it. I personally think this is the perfect amount of time as it gave us the flexibility to have more opportunities to see wildlife, but also moments of relaxing at the lodge. We booked the trip through Tambopata Travel, with Mike. He was extremely helpful, very organized, and answered all 5 million questions I had haha. He was a very effective communicator and I would recommend anyone and everyone use him to help plan your rainforest experience. Before I get to my review, my only recommendation to the center would be for them to incorporate more of a variety of activities. A majority of the available activities are equivalent to walking around the rainforest looking for animals and learning about the surroundings. Which was amazing to me, but could lead to boredom for some. Thankfully, we had out guide Timo who made every walk through the rainforest interesting. Reaching the lodge does take about 3.5 hours, but if you embrace this part of the journey it only makes everything better. Once we arrived, I found the lodge to be absolutely amazing given its remote location. There will be bugs and there will be loud animal sounds, I think it’s important to remember we are guest in these animals home. Having spent 11 days in Peru prior to this trip, I can confidently say that the food at the lodge was the best we had consistently enjoyed throughout our travels. We also had the opportunity to work with other guides in Peru, all of whom were booked through reputable companies, but none compared to our guide, Timo, in terms of his English proficiency and extensive knowledge. The bar manager was also a highlight; he was very knowledgeable about alcohol and offered great recommendations and was able to make a variety of drinks based on what we were wanting to experience. All of the staff at Tambopata were very friendly and always had a smile on their face, especially the busser, I unfortunately missed his name, but he was great and so friendly. From start to finish, the trip was filled with incredible moments, largely thanks to our amazing guide, Timo. Timo was hands down the most knowledgeable guide I have ever encountered. His expertise about the rainforest was impressive, and he had an uncanny ability to spot wildlife that we would have completely missed without him. It was raining one day and we were willing to go out in the rain and Timo was right there with us. We had the chance to see a wide variety of animals, far exceeding my expectations.Timo also provided us with extensive knowledge about the plants and trees, helping us to understand the ecosystem as a whole. I was seriously blown away by how much he knew about the rainforest. Timo’s insights made the experience not just about the wildlife we saw, but also about the profound interconnectedness of life in the rainforest. We also appreciated Timo’s insight about the nature of wildlife viewing in the rainforest; some days were bustling with activity while others were quieter. I think it’s important for anyone wanting to travel to the Amazon to remember, this is a vast ecosystem with thousands of acres of wilderness- not a zoo. Overall, my time at the Tambopata Research Center was filled with awe-inspiring moments, and I learned so much about the rainforest. I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to connect deeply with nature. Just remember to go with the flow and appreciate the rainforest for what it is! Read all
Fantastic lodge and research station deep in the reserve and the Amazon forest far from all visible signs of humanity, dense rainforest teeming with birds, animals, insects - it balances the discomfort of the steamy forest heat and biting insects perfectly with a little luxury when you are not out on excursions in the jungle - exactly what one would want from an Amazon experience. Read all
This lodge is a bit of a splurge, but for me, totally worth it. The staff were, without exception, cheerful, friendly and helpful. Our guide, Dino, was a true professional: a calm presence and a genius at spotting wildlife, and having no more than seven people in our group at all times was a plus (the other Rainforest Expeditions lodges have up to ten). We opted for a Comfort Room, and it was lovely; spacious and attractive, with a hammock and a terrific shower. The biggest surprise for me was the food, which was consistently terrific. Finally, it is clear to me that Rainforest Expeditions is truly committed to environmental preservation and giving back to the local community. As for the rainforest itself, it was interesting and we saw lots of wildlife, but don't expect it to be like an African safari. You can walk for a long time without seeing much, and often the animals are far way or well hidden (this is one reason group size matters; we often took turns looking through our guide's high-powered telescopic lens). Also, your experience will depend a lot on the weather. Two of the days we were there were quite nice; the other two were oppressively, stultifyingly hot and humid. Read all
This lodge is a bit of a splurge, but for me, totally worth it. The staff were, without exception, cheerful, friendly and helpful. Our guide, Dino, was a true professional: a calm presence and a genius at spotting wildlife, and having no more than seven people in our group at all times was a plus (the other Rainforest Expeditions lodges have up to ten). We opted for a Comfort Room, and it was lovely; spacious and attractive, with a hammock and a terrific shower. The biggest surprise for me was the food, which was consistently terrific. Finally, it is clear to me that Rainforest Expeditions is truly committed to environmental preservation and giving back to the local community. As for the rainforest itself, it was interesting and we saw lots of wildlife, but don't expect it to be like an African safari. You can walk for a long time without seeing much, and often the animals are far way or well hidden (this is one reason group size matters; we often took turns looking through our guide's high-powered telescopic lens). Also, your experience will depend a lot on the weather. Two of the days we were there were quite nice; the other two were oppressively, stultifyingly hot and humid. Read all
We had an amazing time during our trip to the Tambopata Research Center. The staff make your stay as comfortable as possible, and the food is delicious. From the moment they collect you at the airport, you don’t have to worry about anything - you’ll be in good hands. Our guide, Boris, did an incredible job of planning our daily activities, and we were spoiled to see and learn about the incredible wildlife - parrots, macaws, monkeys, capybara, innumerable insects, and more! This is a fantastic trip is highly recommended if you are keen on science, nature, and not too fussed about some pretty big bugs! We did a 3-night, 2-day trip (with a travel day on both sides), and would recommend one more day if you can swing it! Read all
This is not a resort but rather a very nice and comfortable eco lodge to view wildlife with friendly and knowledgeable staff. Keep in mind that there is a lot of walking and stairs (almost 0.5 miles) to get to the lodge from the water transport river bank where you are dropped off. The clean spacious rooms are open air concept with mosquito nets for the beds and you can listen to rainforest creatures all night. The activities they offer are diverse (e.g., night hikes, water excursions to see caimans, otters and bird watching, visit to local farm and 40 meter observation tower). You are fed well with breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. Many thanks to our tour guide Luis M. for his extensive knowledge of the rainforest and keen eyes/ears to find hidden creatures while keeping our group safe. Read all
Fint och trevligt ställe inne i regnskogen. Maten var enkel men god, serverat som buffé. Vatten från egen brunn fanns för påfyllning i medhavda vattenflaskor (fanns att köpa om man missat). Kaffe och te fanns alltid tillgängligt men var oftast kallt och svagt. Mycket häftiga rum som är helt öppna mot naturen på en sida. Var beredd på besök av smådjur och insekter. Gästerna fick komma överens om vilka aktiviteter vi ville genomföra med guiden på plats. Turerna var bra men med mycket tidiga starter. För oss som hade värmebölja med temperaturer uppåt 40 grader passade detta bra. Read all
Our 3-night stay at the Tambopata research was an experience we will never forget. Everything was well coordinated starting with our pickup at the airport. We then took a 10 min bus ride to the Rainforest Expeditions office where a busload of us all repacked our stuff into 30 lb duffel bags. The remainder of our items stayed at the office. Next, we got back on the bus for a 90-minute ride to the boat dock. Along the way, we had a box lunch and had an overview of the area and our upcoming days. Once on the boat, the guides slowed down for wildlife photo ops of capybaras and the many birds we saw. When we arrived at the lodge, Mary gave an overview of the facility while our bags were taken to our room which was a 10-minute walk from the main lodge/dining area on an elevated boardwalk in the rainforest. The room as advertised was open on one side to the rainforest and yes, we did have some nighttime visitors, but the mosquito netting kept them off us. The room was spacious and well-appointed with a fridge, ceiling fan, water, etc. At dinner we met our own personal rainforest guide – Timo. We made our plans for the next day which included a 5AM boat ride to the clay lick where we saw the most amazing macaws. Timo was very knowledgeable, fluent in English and well equipped with a telescope which provided some great pix even with using just an iPhone. Timo also took us on several hikes around the facility and up to the top of the canopy tower where we saw various species on monkeys and more birds. Each evening there were lectures presented by the researchers on various topics. Then there was the food! Each meal was freshly made and well prepared. Quite a variety for all tastes. The food is amazing and goes quickly so be sure to load up your plate. And the bar had a decent variety of beer, wine and liquor! We spent more at Tambopata than we normally would, but I can say it was definitely well worth it!! Read all
Had an amazing stay of 3 nights here. Guide (Lucia) was fantastic, even having a phone attachment to allow you to take photos through her telescope and get fantastic shots, and much of the trip was solo with her. The lodge had blazing fast wifi, mix of craft beers, and was very comfortable (as long as you don't mind the odd butterfly or frog wandering into your room). Friendly service and really well organized w/ lots of variety of things to do - I happened to stumble across a giant Harpy Eagle right outside the lodge, just incredible. Only thing that could be improved is more variety of food and condiments to spice it up, but it is in the middle of the rainforest after all Read all
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July 06, 2018 How We Became Carbon Neutral — And Why It Should ...
The jungle that surrounds our Rainforest Expeditions lodges is healthy and full of life. Here inside the Tambopata Reserve, wildlife flourishes — and we do everything we can to...
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It's lunchtime, and as if the forest is listening, the sounds change. The wildlife takes a nap too, as it's the hottest time of the day. The playful sounds of parrots and macaws su...
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Our eco-lodge is strategically located in the Tambopata National Reserve, facing the Bahuaja Sonene National Park, and is part of a biodiversity corridor that includes the Manu Nat...
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