We are ending this year, 2018, and we couldn’t have wished for a better way to do it.

This year we decided to do our first “Chocolatada”, in San Pedro de Tipishca, and we are as happy as human beings can be when they feel they have done the right thing.

San Pedro de Tipishca

Let’s backtrack a little bit so you can understand this story better.

The story

Wolfers, one of the co-founders of Amazon Experience, was born and raised in this small town (population: around 300-400 people) alongside the Marañon river, located three hours upriver by motorboat from Nauta. He lived there with his family until he was 16 years old. Then the whole family departed from San Pedro and went to live in Nauta, looking for better opportunities.

After Wolfers completed his studies to be a tourist guide, moved to Iquitos looking for a job, worked for many tourism agencies learning and perfecting his craft he decided it was time to start his own tourism agency, doing things in a different way… a better way.

Fast forward some years and Amazon Experience is now established in its niche, so the time had come for him to do what he always had in the back of his mind: Come back to San Pedro de Tipishca and share with his former neighbors.

Here is Wolfers (on the left). Wondering what’s in the big pots? Keep reading!

What is a Chocolatada?

The term chocolatada is a regional one, and it’s used to describe celebrations done near Christmas time where kids (and grown-ups too) are given hot chocolate along with “Panetón” (from the Italian Panettone, a kind of sweet bread).

Backstage: Panetones with added butter being delivered at speed of light

But a chocolatada is more than that!

It’s an occasion for community gatherings, bonding, and sharing. It is also a lot of fun when it involves sports, games, art, and music.

We partnered up with our talented friend Kasy, who is pushing the Amazonian Pop Art movement, so kids could saw a live canvas painting and participate in a “spontaneous art” workshop. The response from everyone involved was overwhelming, thanks to the little artists!

Almost everyone wanted to paint!
Kasy dropping some paint for the kids to play in the spontaneous art workshop
Painting is awesome. They know it.
Awesome work

We were very happy to see the community of San Pedro enjoying and participating in the soccer and volleyball championships organized. Congratulations to the winners!

Kids playing
And also the not-so-kids
Volleyball championship under the sun. What a match!

For us is very important to help foster the development and creativity of boys and girls so we thought it was important to share with them not only toys but notebooks for them to write and draw on, pencils, erasers (because everyone can make a mistake, right?) and puzzles.

A pencil is a tool for freedom

We share this because we want to encourage people and other organizations to keep this in mind when this kind of activities are done. We believe a piece of paper and a pen or some paint in his fingers are tools for expression and could have a great impact on them. Call us idealistic if you might, time will tell.

Let’s draw!

The opportunity to share with the people, boys and girls from San Pedro de Tipishca was amazing and we are very grateful for this.

Special thanks to the local authorities, the people from San Pedro that helped us with the logistics and to the IPAE students of business administration that volunteered to help us. We are also grateful for Wolfers’ family that joined us during this trip and Kasy, that made kids laugh, create and enjoy.

Wolfers and his friends from IPAE that volunteered to help
The one and only: Kasy (and his pop painted canvas on the right)

We hope 2019 will bring joy to everyone reading this.

For a new year full of love, laughter, learning opportunities, and adventures!

Who said you cannot cheer with soup?

¡Salud!

Hello wild people!

We have a quick question for you: Are you into bird watching or birding? Would you like to learn about the birds of Peru, especially about birds of the Amazon jungle?

Birds of Peru - Amazon Experience
Amazon Kingfisher – Chloroceryle amazona

If you answered yes, then this post is for you.

Peruvian Ornithology Congress

This year, 2018, the “Congreso Peruano de Ornitología” (Peruvian Ornithology Congress) it’s gonna be organized in Iquitos. This is the first time this Congress is available outside of Lima, so we decided to sponsor it and help with spreading the word.

With more than 900 bird species present in Loreto region (where Iquitos is located), this area is especially sought after for birdwatchers all over the world.

The “Congreso Peruano de Ornitología” (Peruvian Ornithology Congress) it’s going to take place between 23th and 28th of July, including one day (27th of July) with on-terrain training on bird recognition and other related topics. You can check the program here (Spanish).

Birds of Peru - Bird watching Iquitos, Peru
Slate-colored Hawk – Buteogallus schistaceus

This extract is taken, and translated, from the official website:

Imagine a moment and a place, where you will find people like you. The Peruvian Congress of Ornithology, is a space designed for you, for your passion, for your desire to learn and above all, for your desire to grow. Imagine an event where you can share with scientists, businessmen, artists, students and the general public that pleasure for BIRDS that motivates you so much. Imagine a meeting, where you can listen to Magisterial Speakers of the highest academic level, representatives of the most prestigious universities in the world. The time and place is already a reality: IQUITOS, the capital of the Peruvian Amazon, is the city chosen for this important ornithological event in 2018. Our slogan: “Let the birds fill your life with joy”, shows our interest in making the event, a real party. Come and enjoy Iquitos!

Birding in the Amazon Jungle. Iquitos, Peru
Capped heron – Piherodius pileatus

List of speakers at the Congress

The list of speakers for this Ornithology event in Perú is:

Amanda Rodewald, Ph.D.

Garvin Professor of Ornithology and Director of Conservation Science, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Bette Loiselle, Ph.D.

Director, Tropical Conservation & Development Program | Center for Latin American Studies Professor

John Marshall Bates, Ph.D.

Associate Curator, Birds Head, Life Sciences Science, and Education – Field Museum of Natural History

Scott Robinson, Ph.D.

Katharine Ordway Professor of Ecosystem Conservation at the Florida Museum of Natural History

Gustavo Bravo, Ph.D.

Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology & Museum of Comparative Zoology – Harvard

Kevin McCracken, Ph.D.

Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences Marine Biology & Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science

Stuart J. Marsden, Ph.D.

Prof. Stuart J Marsden. Professor of Conservation Ecology. Division of Biology & Conservation Ecology

Silverio Duri Valdivia

Guía Naturalista – Aves y Fotografía – Perú. Comunidad Nativa de Infierno – Madre de Dios – Perú

Birds of the Amazon rainforest, Birding and bird watching in Iquitos, Peru
Great Black Hawk – Buteogallus urubitinga

How can I attend the Congress?

You can reserve your spot on the official webpage. The price is 250 soles. There is a discount for students (both local and international). If you cannot make international bank transfers or just plainly want to avoid the hassle of a wire transfer, contact us at booking@amazonexperience.net so we can help you out.

What else can I do while I’m in Iquitos?

We encourage you to explore this beautiful city, get to know the people that live here, share some time with them and listen to their stories. Also, we recommend you go out of the city to explore the Amazon jungle.

Pacaya samiria national reserve tours, birding and birdwatching
Large-billed Tern – Phaetusa simplex

One of the best places for bird watching is the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, located approx. 180 kilometers to the South of Iquitos. We invite you to check out our tours, hop into a motorboat with us and prepare for an adventure of a lifetime, camping and looking out for birds and wildlife in one of the most pristine rainforests on Earth.

All of the pictures in this post have been taken in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

See you at the Congress!