Descent into the fertile Majes River valley

Mount Mismi, Peru, May 2022

Very happy with my Altberg mountain boots, still going strong

Nice to be able to sleep inside a house now and then. Much warmer. Shop owners in pueblos often had a spare store-room.

Garmin tracking map to Caylloma. Peru.

Gregorio Callasi pet Alpaca and daughter Antoine

Map of the Amazon basin. “Tree Of Rivers”

Moon river. The stunning rock formations bordering the upper Apurimac.

Crossing the Q’eshwachaka rope bridge, it’s renewed every June.

A frequent sight  – Quechua people escorting their llamas, sheep and cows to fresh pastures.

Gregorio praises Pachamama, the river, and the rope bridge. You can just see the bridge in the distance. Queche Peru.

Mountain Mismi. The source mountain of the Amazon

Tupac Amaru

Strange wild cactus & wildflowers grow naturally in abundance along the Apurimac riverbank.

Wild horses roam freely 1500m above the Apurimac.

Another village overlooking the Apurimac. I had a steep 1000m climb to get to the next trail above this.

Gregorio Callasi and his brother play their Charangos. Daughter Antoine sings while weaving the grass rope. Queche Peru

Statue of Tupac at his house.

More Quechua people along the trails

Quechua residents still make mud bricks (adobe) to build their houses. An Incan construction method that dates back over 5000 years.

A silent village, with hardly any people apart from a few elderly Quechua residents. Note the adobe mud brick houses.

Curious llamas watch my progress. Llamas are bigger than Alpacas.

I crossed paths and had brief conversations with many Quechua residents on the mountain trails.

Gregorio his pet Alpaca and daughter Antoine

Statue of Tupac at his house.

Crossing the Q’eshwachaka rope bridge.

Crossing the Q’eshwachaka rope bridge, it’s renewed every June.

Close up of the Charango instrument.

Above 4000m selfie, freezing fog/clouds

Gregorio Callasi and his brother play their Charangos. Daughter Antoine sings while weaving the grass rope. Queche Peru

Blue and yellow flora bordering the Inca trails

Old colonial church in a remote mountain village

Elderly Quechua couple help me out to next village up a steep hill.

Hundreds of different potato’s are grown in the Andes

Picturesque Quechua village I stayed two nights here.

Quechua Village (Chonta) high above the Apurimac River

Carnival day in a mountain village.

Quechua lady kindly cooked me breakfast

Carnival celebration Quechua style

Valedor and daughter say goodbye as I leave the village of Chonta.

Quechua Mother & daughter. Chonta Peru

Mountain View near Chonta Peru.

View of Apurimac from Chonta Peru

Llamas at Machu Pecchu

Quechua residents and llamas. Cusco Peru.

Kucho sings to the mountain gods Apu) High above ruins of Machu Pecchu

Street scene in central Cusco.

Quechua ladies head back to their village after working their farmland

Machu Pecchu. Surrounded by clouds in rainy season.

Tracking map from Abancay to Chonta village

Tracking map to Chonta village.

The mind-boggling Inka stonework palace walls designed to withstand earthquakes. Cusco Peru.

The historic Central Plaza of Cusco Peru.

Quechuan lady carrying firewood back to her village.

A bit to close to the edge but great views of the Apurimac from the mountain trails.

Amazing landscapes at high altitude.

View from halfway up a 2500m climb. Bridge over Apurimac bottom right of photo.

One of the dogs that accompanied me for the 8 hour climb

Quechua people working the earth by hand high in a mountain village

Amazing landscapes at high altitude.

Altberg mountain boots. Very comfortable & zero blisters. Link to website on blog photo.

Altitude 3500m Early morning. Quechua village.

The Apurimac winding through the Andes.

Memorials to various accidents along the precarious curving mountain roads.

Pueblo San Fernando where I spent one night and re-supplied food.

Screenshot of my Fatmap location halfway up the 2,500m climb

No cement used ..Blocks of mud and stone used to build houses in the mountain villages.

Donkey’s are still used to carry goods up down and around mountain trails.

Local Quechua resident Herberth walks with me for two days.

The amazing Fatmap application helps me navigate the route.

Arrived in Pichari Peru.

Walking along the West Bank of the Apurimac

Garmin tracking map. Puerto Rico to San Francisco

Bamboo collected by some Ashaninka here sent to Lima to make Panpipes.

Garmin tracking map Puerto Prado to San Francisco.

Miques Quentisha Levi. Indigenous Ashaninka

Finally got my Covid vaccine a few weeks ago.

A daily round trip of 2k to collect yucca.

Angel Pedro Ballearo CARE president in him village

I made us I’d tags to display my mission.

Weaving a Cushma made from Cotton grown in the village chuckra.

First village I passed on the Rio Ene. Ashaninka women and children shelter from the scorching sun.

Ashaninka entering a large meeting in Puerto Prado.

The Tambo municipality building in Puerto Prado. Note the Ashaninka hat design.

Garmin tracking map, I walked close to the river

Pichari sign, central Plaza.

Header image. Traditional Quechua dance in the Plaza. Pichari Peru.

Road block in the red zone. Searching my pack, left of image.

Puerto Prado I met many Ashaninka people still using bows and arrows to hunt.

An armed escort for 1 day along the difficult steep at times rock bank of Rio Ene.

Tracking map Rio Ene-Complete.

The dye from this Urucum plant has been used for millennia by the Ashaninka to paint their face red.

My guide Miques village near Rio Urubamba.

Miques drinks Masato at every village we pass.

The crystal clear rock pools of Betania village on the Rio Tambo

Night shot of Miques house in his village.

Miques Quentisha in his village

Miques two daughters drinking coconut juice in their village

School in the village of Miques. Rio Urubamba

I attended an important meeting in Atalaya of the Ashaninka chiefs from lower Urubamba ( FABU)

Part of ancient trail that leads to Miques village is cut down by a company blocking the path to the river.

Ashaninka boy harvesting Cacao

Fresh cut timber ready for transit. Rio Tambo

Rio Tambo

Walking along a new cut road next to Rio Tambo

Fresh water cascading down the rock face of Rio Tambo

Map, Rio’s Tambo, Ene, Mantaro & Apurimac

Screen shot of my location on Fatmap app. Midd io Tambo.

I taught Miques how to read a compass. A fresh cut road surprised and disappointed us.

Ashaninka village Rio Sheshea

Ashaninka work together weaving a new roof for a house on the village. Rio Sheshea.

Ashaninka family walk barefoot! through jungle with us for 5 kilometers. Rio Sheshea. Peru

Ashaninka family Rio Sheshea. Still use Cushma robes here.

Ashaninka mother and children. Rio Sheshea Peru.

Weaving palm leaves for a new roof. Rio Sheshea Peru.

Google map showing Atalaya where I had to spend quite a few weeks.

Getting permission to pass various villages ahead from supreme Ashaninka chief Susana Morales in Atalaya.

Aerial view upriver. The Apurimac becomes the Rio Tambo.

Cacau trees (chocolate) are one of the most important cash crops for the Ashaninka.

Thanks to the generous & charismatic Ashaninka chief Guillermo Rosas who helped me in Atalaya

Tracking map. Rio Sheshea to Atalaya.

Tracking map east of Rio Ucayali.

Road out of Pucallpa

Gadiel

Ashaninka president using tech to help the Ashaninka people

Gadiel and me on road to Turnovista

Shipibo Village resident

Shipibo village

Arrived at a Shipibo village

Ashaninka village Rio Sheshea Peru

Cows & Horses in the Jungle

Panorama Jungle

Ashaninka president

Me in Iparia with mountain views.

Tracking map Pucallpa to Rio Sheshea

Drying Farina. Alto rio Tapiche, Peru

Learning new bushcraft skills. Alto Tapiche.

Walking in Pucallpa city

“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” Loren Eiseley

Port of Contamana

Roof construction. Rio Tapiche, Peru.

Weaving palm-leaf roof tiles.

Arial view of low river levels, Rio Tapiche.

Tracking map to Pucallpa, Peru.

Tree of rivers. Amazon basin map

A timeless Jurassic landscape.

Wild cat at the farm. Alto Tapiche, Peru.

Arial view of the forested mountains near to Contamana, Peru

Drying farina, Alto Tapiche, Peru.

“In every landscape, the point of astonishment is the meeting of sky & earth.” – Emerson. Photo Rio Ucayali Peru

Near to Pucallpa Peru gigantic Palm oil plantation we had to walk around.

The farmhouse. A pano photo at 5.30 am, my favourite time of day on the small farm. The river is on the right.

Marielisa at the farm, originally from Iquitos. Alto Tapiche Loreto Peru

Making Farina at the farm. Alto Tapachi, Loreto Peru.

I called this unusual looking tree a pot-belly tree, Pizarro knew the name but i can’t remember.

A large chameleon on a sandbank looks out over the low river next to the farmhouse i stayed at. AltoTapiche

View or Ucayali river from Contamana Peru.

Many thanks to Pizarro for being great company and parting with his vast knowledge as we walked. Photo: Port of Contamana Peru

The first concrete bridge 10km from Pucallpa city

A Jurassic landscape

Pizarro & me arrive in Pucallpa city

Walking into Pucallpa city the Shibibo-Conibo infulence strong here

Pigs sleeping at the farmhouse

Children in the Kapanawa community Fati

A captive young Howler monkey becomes a pet after its mother was killed to feed a family.

A Parakeet feeds on freshly crushed yucca before its made into Farina.Alto Tapiche Loreto Peru

The aptly named Frontera one of only two pueblos all of whom are Kapanawa. Alto Tapiche, Peru

Water The Elixir of Life.

Children in the Kapanawa community harvesting plantain, an important part of their daily diet. Limon Cocha, Alto Tapachi, Loreto Peru.

Pela Yucca – Community members peeling yucca

Making Farina

Harvesting sugar cane

Children of the Kapanawa community Frontera These gentle people are hunter gatherers they are some of the last remaining indigenous people on the frontier of so called modern civilisation, thankfully they have managed to retain their original language.

Palm thatching for the roof

Roof construction. Alto Tapiche Peru

Working for my food

Jake recieving urgent treatment for snake bite. Fatima Alto rio Tapiche Peru

Kapanawa people washing clothes. Limon Cocha Alto Tapiche Loreto Peru

Kapanawa boy helping to clear area to plant Yucca

Pizarro (Hoapa his Kapanawa name)

Moon Mars & Jupiter rising? Zero light pollution & a clear night sky is perfect for stargazing. San Pedro Rio Tapiche Loreto Peru

Shot-guns replace blow-guns. Rio Tapiche Loreto to Peru.

Wall painting. Tapichi Loreto Peru

Me washing in a small river. In 3 months time this river will be several meters higher.

At one community we were given the use of an empty building to sleep in. Jorge brushing teeth before we set off again. Rio Tapiche Loreto Peru.

Jorge chats to Blas at community Galica as he builds a house for his son. Rio Tapiche Loreto Peru

A typical kitchen set up. Community Galica Rio Tapiche Loreto Peru.

Many boats arrive in the bigger towns to sell their harvest. Requena Loreto Peru

A family live in this house on the riverbank, not sure i could sleep well if it were my home. Requena Loreto Peru

We are all on a journey. The returning boat to Santa Elena. Rio Tapiche Loreto Peru.

Boy staying cool under the tropical sun in a rain filled canoe. Santa Elena rio Tapiche Loreto Peru.

Kinder end of term party in Santa Elena. The children break for three months here, returning to school in March. Rio Tapiche Loreto Peru.

River of life. Santa Elena Rio Tapiche. Loreto Peru

Clearing the reed/grass on the dried out riverbank to plant crops before the water rises again.Tapiche Loreto Peru

A festive photo! A stark contrast to the endless green. They remind me of red wax candles with a flame. Loreto Peru

Facing the terrain. Satellite image of a section of the zig zagging rio Tapiche.

Joining the aquatic residents of the Tapiche. One of several swims i had to do to continue walking on the other side.

Plaza Santa Elena. Rio Tapiche. Panorama

A big thank you to Jorge who bravely accompanied me the last few months. He returns to the work he loves, teaching mathermatics in the new year. Loreto Peru

Clearing land to grow yucca for community.

Walking on a dry riverbed. Loreto Peru

Swim done across Rio Ucayali

Wall paintings Nauta Peru.

Nauta to Requena Track points.

Thanks to maths teacher Jorge who bravely accompanied me on the traverse from nauta to Requena, he modestly said “you are my guide” It was the first time walking & sleeping in the selva for him.

Old man fishing in the Rio Maranon

The boots sleep here!

Very rare to see a Caiman in the river near Iquitos.”They have all been eaten” said one of the locals.

Track Iquitos to Nauta

Track Rio Orosa to Iquitos

A large blue-footed caterpillar

Diego resting his back after carrying the heavy pack.

Trekking through jungle near to Rio Orosa Peru

Me about halfway through the 13 km swim crossing the Amazon river to the city of Iquitos

A cargo ship passes as i swim creating waves big enough to surf on (Near Iquitos Peru)

Earth machine in action. The forest making rain

Shipibo funeral. They sing for several nights.

Diego boarding the return boat to Rio Orosa.

A military parade every Sunday in Iquitos

Old Lady making chord sourced from the bark of a tree “ I am making a hammock, it takes me three months to make one” She told me. Rio Orosa Loretto, Peru.

Indigenous community member down river from Iquitos demonstrating blow pipe.

View of the Itaya bay and floating house in front of the tourist area in Iquitos

Satellite view of Iquitos Peru. You can see the Itaya bay Middle Left. Top left of the city is Belen the floating village where most of the poorest people in Iquitos live. Iquitos Loretto Peru.

Girl from the village with a pet monkey sleeping other head.

Old Lady making chord sourced from the bark of a tree “ I am making a hammock, it takes me three months to make one” She told me. Rio Orosa Loretto, Peru.

Myself and Diego (front) walking through relatively clean Un-touched jungle. 18km inland from Rio Amazon. Peru

Moto Taxi Iquitos. One of 25,000

Three kilometers from Alto Monte Israel. We were welcomed into this house for food and coffee.

One of the easier river crossings, when a fallen tree acts as a bridge.

Alto Monte Israel community members. Drying maze in the tropical sun after 5 days of rain.

Diego returns home to Atalaya in Brazil

An interesting large spine covered tree i had not seen before. No good for tying a hammock!

many naturally growing Heliconia plants are a welcoming contrast to the endless green flora of the jungle.

Slow boat back up the Yavari after getting my Peru entry stamp. Complex logistics but time & patience prevailed….

First small friendly community on the Rio Oroza after 13 days of challenging jungle. Diego chats in Spanish to the President.

Palmari to Eastiron

Atalaia do Norte to near Estiron. via Palmari on the Rio Javari & border.

Feijoal to Atalaia do Norte

Tracking map 3, showing Sao Paulo de Olivença to Eastiron – complete route.

Mouth of the Rio Javari at Benjamin Constant Port. Peruvian and Brazilian flags decorate many boats of upriver indigenous communities along the Rio Javari. Many people speak both Spanish and Portuguese.

Bald_uakari monkey We saw many of these recently.

After walking over 70 kilometres through the Jungle, Diego and I hit the 12 km mud road that leads to Benjamin Constant

run up to elections bring many people onto the streets. Benjamin Constant.

Many indigenous & religious people visit the early markets in Benjamin to buy and sell their produce.

The resident mischievous Tucan at Reserve Natural Palmari.

NASA flooded forest data. Light grey is flooded forest, but it was just starting to flood as we crossed to Eastiron from Benjamin Constant.

Street view. Atalaya de Norte Border of Peru

Diego and I arrive safe and sound at the community on the Peruvian Border on the Rio Javari, after a testing traverse. Relieved and happy. Rio Javari. Peru. Amazonas

A popular & cheap fish in the rivers of Amazonas

Banana tree

Crispin writes Tapier (Anta) in Ticuna

Cacaqui Nibson at Ticuna community Tupi, near Feijoal, Amazonas

Jonny fills his bottle with “Agua mineral” from one of the flowing small rivers.

Crispin carves the Ticuna name for a Tapir. Near Feijoal.

Crispin me and Jonny at Ticuna Jerusalem community.

Jerusalem community canopy view

Cooking fish at Jerusalem Ticuna community

Panorama view of Nova Informa community

Ticuna hunters from community Nova Informa walk with us to Tupi

Termites nest on tree?

Arrival at Nova Experenca community. Near Sao Paulo do Olivencia

Cacaqui Larindo. Rio Amatura

Tambaqui community

Jonny & Flavio return to Tambaqui

Crispin. Ticuna guide Aug Sept 2018

Ticuna Tambaqui community. Near Amatura

Bee on my backpack

Port view Amatura at high water

Church celebration Amatura, Amazons

Amazon in flood.View Orishimina, Para

Popular fish to eat.

Amateur painting guest house

Cacaqui Analdo & family. Nova Italia Rio Amatura

Two community members joined me for the last 4km. Rio Jutai

22km swim down the fast flowing Rio Jutai

Tree jump Rio Jutai community

Anderson gets tested positive for malaria. Sabastio checks the blood sample.

Brazilian flag. Ordem e Progresso

Welling boots have replaced my worn out Altberg boots!

Sleeping on a high set up

Our favourite site we camped at on this last leg i named the golden river camp.

Everaldo keeps community residents entertained recounting events from our traverse. Community Rio Jutai

Risky Log Crossings are part of every hour Walking

Ready to get going again after a rest and re-supply of food. Rio Jutai

Sleeping on a high, My cozy hammock sitting high off the ground.

View from the port of Amatura

Everaldo

Community members relax playing dominos and drinking coffee, after working all day making Farina.

Walking past the base of a freshly fallen tree.

Franscio and family overlooking the stunning Rio Jutai

Franscio and family at home

Rain season is upon us. The rain radar image

Tracking map Juruá to Amaturá

Tracking map Jurua to Amaturá

Tracking map Juruá to Amaturá

Tracking map. Leaving Jurua

Collecting clean sand filtered drinking water.

Brewing coffee above flooded forest. Juruá Amazonas.

Fisherman on the Rio Breu

Everaldo in front of a giant Kapok tree one of the biggest trees in the Amazon. Rio Breu Juruá Amazonas.

Google Earth map showing how we managed to reach terra firma.

NASA flood data image courtesy of NASA jet propulsion laboratory (NASA Wetlands JPL)

Fresh clean sand filtered water

Won’t get dehydrated here! Me crossing one of the smaller rivers. Amazonas

Sleeping above flooded forest

Zebeitich in his canoe returning to Juruá City.

Various colours of mushroom

Everaldo

Marie “I can make 7 a day if i have time”

Community members making farina

Caco do mato. We ate many of these naturally growing fruit

Giant red eye Piraña

Frog wouldn’t move when we cleared to make camp

Harvesting Brazil nuts

Tracking map 1 Tefe to Jurua

Tracking map 2 Tefe to Jurua

Tracking map 2 Coari to Tefe

Tracking map 1 Coari to Tefe

Myself and Erland on the final stretch to Tefé happy to find a road. Tefé: Amazonas: Brazil

An armed military escort: Lago Catuá: Tefé: Amazonas: Brazil

Jhonatan and Erland playing football. Check out the Woolley monkey in goal. Lago do Coari: Amazonas: Brazil

Erland Ribeiro da Cunha

A tiny nest and solitary humming bird egg. Amazonas: Brazil

A young captive Tapir. Amazonas: Brazil

Erland opening Brazil nuts, we feasted on these as it’s in season. Tefé: Amazonas: Brazil

Jhonatan and Erland near to Tefe

Erland & venomous snakeTefé: Amazonas: Brazil

Sleeping under a farinha processing hut. No need for a fly sheet! Coari:Amazonas: Brazil

Woolly monkey: Lago do Coari: Amazonas: Brazil

community member collecting manyoka for processing Lago do Coari: community São José da Boa Vista. Amazonas: Brazil

Terra Vermelha community Rio Purus

Boat from Beruri to Terra Vermelha

Pasquale and Jhonatan discuss route ahead

Terra Vermelha community

Giant caterpillar