top of page
IMG_9723.jpg

 

MATSES CROSSING EXPEDITION​

 

​

 

 

 

Destination: Amazon Rainforest.

Country and Region: Peru - Loreto Region.

Arrival/Departure City: Iquitos.

Ethnic Groups Nearby: Matses.

Groups Classification: Sporadic and Permanent Contacted.

 

Accommodations: Tents/Mosquito Nets/Hammocks.

 

Main Objective: Exploration and Crossing of the Matses National Reserve for Wildlife Sighting, and Visit to Different Native Communities in the area, with the Purpose of Contacting the Oldest and Traditional Men and Women of the Matses Ethnic Group, and Belonging to a Last Generation Still Existing and with Fresh Memories of the Past.

  ​

Available Travel Months: January - November.

Best Travel Months: May - November.

Advance Booking Conditions: 1 Month Minimum.

Booking Payment Conditions: 50% Required. 

Booking Payment Method: All Major Credit Cards.

Remaining Payment Method/Deadline: Cash at Arrival.

Departure Days: Tuesdays, and Fridays.

​

WHAT TO EXPECT: ​

Matses Crossing Expedition 12 or 15 Days; This expedition will give travelers an adequate amount of time to explore several interesting jungle locations in the Matses territory, including a brief stop at some of the surrounding remote villages to identify the older traditional Matses men and women who are the last generation and the only ones that still keeping fresh in their memories their past life, and the unforgettable moments lived during their first contact with modern civilizations.

​

Counting the days that remain in our favor after listening to some of the good stories collected, we will continue our trip navigating in motorized canoes up the Galves and Remoyacu rivers, towards isolated areas where we will continue exploring and begin our long and challenging trek of approximately ( 40k) through its primary jungle, where our last remaining (3) days will simply be to finish our escape from this territory.

​

​

ABOUT THIS AMAZON TERRITORY: 

The Matses National Reserve (MNR); is a protected area of Peru located in the Loreto Region, Peruvian Amazon. It has an area of 420,635.34 has. (4,206.35 km²). The proposed establishment of the Matsés National Reserve is an initiative of the Matsés Native Community, which is located in the area adjacent to the Protected Natural Area, which constitutes one of the greatest strengths of the itself, given the commitment shown through their active participation in the process of preparing the establishment proposal.

​

The reserve will also support regional conservation, as it is part of a bi-national biological corridor with the Sierra del Divisor National Park in Peru and the Sierra del Divisor National Park and the Extractive reserves in Brazil - Alto Juruá Extractive Reserve and Alto Tarauacá Extractive Reserve.

​

In the 1960s, during the first contacts between the Matsés and Westerners, the former attacked the surrounding populations with bows and arrows and kidnapped their women. The Government's response was the bombing of their villages and the forced displacement of the indigenous people towards the border with Brazil, where they were subsequently handed over the first territorial reserve in the history of Peru.

In 1994, the Matsés, with the support of the NGO CEDIA, asked the Ministry of Agriculture to form a communal reserve that would guarantee them access to the food that the forest and rivers provide them. The Peruvian Government did not establish the reservation or explain the reasons for rejecting the proposal.

​

In the first week of October 2007, three letters from PerúPetro addressed to the Matsé community, reported on the upcoming signing of concession contracts for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on land owned by the natives and in other areas that for 14 years they had been proposing as a communal reserve for its great biodiversity.

​

In December of that year, the community informed the entities involved of its decision to "not allow companies to enter if the State did not first respond to their request.

​

Thus, after bureaucratic procedures, on August 27, 2009, the establishment of the Matsés National Reserve was made official.

​

​

ETHNIC GROUP IN THIS TERRITORY: ​

The Matses or Mayoruna; are indigenous people of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. The tribe's ancestral lands are currently being encroached on by illegal logging practices and poaching. These homelands are located between the Javari and Galvez rivers. The Matsés have guarded their lands against both other indigenous tribes and outsider colonials.

 

The approximately 3,200 Matsés people speak the Matsés language which belongs to the Panoan language family. In the last thirty years, they have become largely settled people living mostly in permanent forest settlements. However, they still rely on hunting and gathering for most of their subsistence. Their main source of income comes from selling peccary hides and meat.

​

​

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

  • Airport Pick Up and Drop Off Transportation.

  • Hotel/hostel search assistance upon arrival to Iquitos (if needed).

  • Fluvial transportation service to/from remote destinations (speed & slow boats).

  • Entry permits to indigenous territories.

  • Economic support to villages nearby.

  • First Responders Wilderness Kit for Emergencies.

  • Satellite Devices with Active and Unlimited 24/7 SOS Coverage.

  • Two-way communication radios. 

  • Daily meals provided during the expedition (based on traditional local food).

  • Filtered water during the expedition.

  • Lead Guide/Translator (English-Spanish).

  • Native Assistant Guides/Translators (Spanish-Any Local Indigenous Language).

  • Gear (tents, sleeping mats, and bags, machetes, set of personal flatware​).

​

​

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED: 

  • Airfare to and from Iquitos.

  • Personal Travel Insurance.

  • Hotel/hostel in Iquitos.

​

​

VERY IMPORTANT NOTES:​

  •  Booking in Advance is Highly Recommended; for the collection of personal information, to request authorization of entry to indigenous territories at all levels (national, regional, and communal authorities), logistic preparation, personnel assignment, etc.

  • Arrival and Departure Recommendation to and from Iquitos; arrive 2 full days before your trip and only purchase flexible departure airfare tickets from Iquitos, and all this is only in case we experience delays with hydroplanes departures to the Matses Territory due to weather conditions or other last-minute issues out of our control which may extend your stay.

  • Rucksack Size and Weight Recommendations; 65 liters and 10 kilos, excess weight will not be accepted on the hydroplane.

  • For Packing List Recommendations; visit our What to Pack page.

  • Be in Decent Physical Condition; as you will be responsible to carry your own equipment at all times.

  • All activities are subject to change due to weather conditions at any time of the year. The main rivers and the levels of the tributaries can vary and, therefore, it is possible that the navigation times and the excursions are modified at the discretion of your Lead Guide.

  • For Additional Information; visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

  • For Other Questions/Concerns or to Proceed with your Reservation; contact us via WhatsApp. at +51 999 116 499.

​

​

bottom of page