Copyright Greg Von Doersten

2018 – IS THE YEAR of the Rio Marañón!

Do not wait another year to sign up, this is the year! So many launch dates and themes to choose from! Each trip has its own unique flare, one is sure to fit your interest. Here are three different themes and lengths: 9-day “Work-Shared, Cost-Shared, Row-Your-Own” in October, 18-day (for the whitewater thrill seeker) in the summer and an 11-day trip in May which includes rafting the Rio Marañón and touring some of the best sites in northern Peru, such as: the pre-Inca citadel of Kualap and a hike to one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, Gocta Falls. Each trip has a different theme, but all trips have the opportunity to row a raft. Also all trips set aside a portion of the monies to donate to Rio Marañón river conservation and the local economies. Do not miss out; this is the year of the Rio Marañón; the variety of offerings for 2018 in PERU is astounding.

CONFIRMED DEPARTURES:

MAY 9 to 15: Heart of the Marañón (Confirmed)

MAY 9 to 19: Rio Marañón: Headwaters of the Amazon and a Tour of Chachapoyas Area: otherwise known as the People from the Clouds. Includes exploring the pre-Inca mountain top Fortress of Kuelap and hike to one of the tallest waterfalls in the world – Gocta Falls**. (Confirmed)

JUNE 11 to JULY 7: Upper Marañón Canyon: thrill-seekers delight (Confirmed). This is a custom journey, please inquire for details.

JUNE 30 to JULY 7: Special 8-Day itinerary supporting the Maranon Floating Film Festival.

AUGUST 19 to 25: 7-Day lower

OCTOBER 19 to 28: Work-Shared, Cost-Shared, Row-Your-Own. This is a nocoolers trip (Confirmed)

NOVEMBER 4 to 10: 7-Day Lower

OR – Put your own custom trip together any time of year – OR we can Outfit a Private ROW-YOUR-OWN expedition – Want to be out there for a month on the river? we can do that! – Only have a few days? we can do that too – Custom Itineraries available – please contact me with inquiries.

Low PROMOTIONAL PRICES and Group Discounts!

Use my CONTACT PAGE to ask questions and

tell me which trip you are interested in. I can email you detailed information.

WHY do the Rio Maranon?

Experience the Rio Marañón, a biodiversity hotspot of global importance. This valley has one of the highest levels of endemism in the world. The Rio Marañón is the main stem source of the Amazon River and is one of the last major free flowing tributaries to the Amazon, making it a vital link between the Andes Mountains and the Amazonian Jungles. The average low-water flow is 5,000 cfs, but with rain it can double in a short period of time. There are some exciting class IV and V rapids at high water, but there is also a fair amount of class II and III whitewater. Several of the hardest rapids are quite long and more difficult than the toughest rapids on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Our expedition takes us into one of the deepest river canyons in the world. We will hike to waterfalls, scenic grottos, explore pre-Incan ruins, camp on expansive white sand beaches and swim in the cascading pools of Quebrada Aquablanca.

The upper Amazon River, with its unique dry-forest, the flora and fauna, and the people that support themselves from its nutrient-rich waters are all under threat due to mega-dam projects. Join our expedition and feel good about your personal role in the conservation of this important waterway. We are working with others to protect the Rio Marañón, its ecosystem, and the lifestyle and culture of those that live along its path. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with the remarkable people that live along the Rio Marañón and maintain a lifestyle deeply connected to nature. You will learn about their history, customs and daily life. You will also hear about their efforts to maintain their way of life and preserve the Rio Marañón as a free-flowing river. See firsthand one of the 20 dam sites proposed for the Rio Marañón and interact with the villages of Tupén and/or Mendán, potentially the first to be drowned by the proposed reservoirs.

The expedition is all about participation. All experienced rowers will have the opportunity to share in rowing and the participants with recent big water class IV+ rowing experience will row a raft through the largest rapids. Please be honest about your rowing (and kayaking) skill set as once you are a designated rower there may not be the opportunity to  back down.

Our rafting equipment is supplied by established Peruvian outfitters that are presenting this unique opportunity to participants. For logistical support and transport, we hire local Peruvian companies. Our goal is to maximize the positive effects of tourism on the host communities and minimize any negative effects; this includes ensuring that tourism does not divert resources away from Peruvians or the local communities.

**The MAY 9 to 19 trip includes Kuelap and Gocta Waterfall

** Kuelap was the capital of the pre-Incan Chachapoyas culture (People of the Clouds). The city is built on top of a mountain (9,840 feet), surrounded by cloud forest and ancient block walls up to 65 feet high. While walking over the site and admiring the ancient architecture, you will also be surrounded by the nature of the highlands. The archeologists have cleaned and repaired many of the buildings, to give you a better idea of what this city must have looked like, but many of the 500 rustic walls, structures and buildings are still covered with lush vegetation, including bromeliads and orchids (especially in May).

**The Gocta Waterfall day starts with healthy breakfast at the hotel with distant view of Gocta waterfall (2,530 ft feet). After breakfast we depart for the hike to Gocta Waterfall. This waterfall is a recent discovery. On March 11, 2006 a team of specialists measured for the first time this hidden waterfall and discovered that it has height of 2,530 feet! This makes it one of the highest waterfall in the world. To reach this waterfall you will walk along a beautiful dirt trail of about 3 miles (~ 2 hours). Walking through the cloud forest towards and away from the waterfall you will see a great variety of plants and flowers and have a chance to see toucans, humming birds and maybe even some monkeys. Afternoon relax at the affinity pool overlooking one of the most beautiful waterfalls and canyons in Peru.