Amaz_ Reiseprospekt_engl.

Experience
the Jungle
The peoples of the Amazon welcome you
The Amazon Basin in Ecuador
Ecuador is an ideal travel destination
In a narrow area, Ecuador combines the most exciting and significant regions
of South America:
The area on the Pacific coast with long, sandy beaches and the port of
Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city. The fertile back country is world famous for its
banana production.
The Andean Highlands, showcasing snow-capped volcanoes and the capital city of Quito, which is located at the equator at an altitude of 2,800 meters.
Its colonial old town is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The wonderful
Panamericana route from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego passes through Quito.
The Amazon region, which begins at the foot of the Andes, with several
headwater streams of the Amazon River. The country's last remaining cohesive
rain forest is located in the East and Southeast with eight indigenous peoples.
The Galapagos Archipelago, about 1,000 km off the coast. This unique
archipelago provides shelter for many animals and plants which only exist in this
area. It is also famous for its giant tortoises and animals which are not scared.
From the Galapagos Islands to its
Eastern border, Ecuador offers an immense wealth of biodiversity. Nature
reserves all across the country provide
attractions for tourists as well as researchers.
AMAZONICA works with the indigenous peoples of the Achuar and Shuar
in the Amazon rain forest, far away
from road infrastructure. The two sites
of the AMAZONICA Academy lie on
either side of the Pastaza River: Yuwints
in the hill country of the Morona Santiago province, Sharamentsa on the riverbank in the province of Pastaza.
Both destinations can be reached by
plane. Flight time from the "Shell" airport next to Puyo: 25 minutes to Yuwints and 50 minutes to Sharamentsa.
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Water, forest and clouds – the Amazon region of Ecuador – the Pastaza River at Sharamentsa
Dear readers
and future visitors,
What you are holding in your hands
is AMAZONICA's very first travel brochure! This is the next big step in our
decade-long history.
Finally, the AMAZONICA Academy is open to all visitors and
able to offer our indigenous partners a stage for presenting themselves as professional hosts with their own tourism enterprises.
Our charitable organizations, INDIO-HILFE e. V.*, the AMAZONICA Foundation, and the AMAZONICA Academy gGmbH**
have jointly reached an important milestone. In 1999, leaders
of the Shuar and Achuar ethnic groups in the Amazon Basin of
Ecuador told us: "We want our young people to have a healthy
future on our own territory. Education, income, conservation of
nature, and cultural retention are important to us. For this, we
need allies."
That has been AMAZONICA's task and this vision has been
shared with the Shuar and Achuar.
* INDIO-HILFE e.V. = "help for indigenous peoples", registered
association in Germany. ** gGmbH = non-profit company with limited liability, legal entity in Germany.
For 15 years, we developed and tested "the model for
modern living and working in the forest" in pilot projects.
Community development, the AMAZONICA Academy, and
the opportunity for you to visit this innovative project are all
significant milestones throughout our shared journey.
No matter what brings you to us, you will have exceptional
and unique experiences; tropical forest ecosystems with
mountain and river landscapes, indigenous peoples living in
their own territories, regional culture and hospitality, a project
based on German private development assistance to promote
decentralized solutions, international academic teaching and
research, entrepreneurship with sustainable benefits for all,
space, calm, harmony, and relaxation.
The jungle, the Shuar, the Achuar, and AMAZONICA welcome you to be a part of this. Go from reading this brochure
to visiting some of the most unique regions on our beautiful
Earth.
Sincerely,
Mascha Kauka
Founder of AMAZONICA
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The AMAZON, a source of life
With the highest water volume of any river on Earth,
the Amazon extends 6,448 kilometers from the
Andes to the Atlantic Ocean.
With over 1,000 headwater streams, the Amazon
Basin is the largest river and forest area and the
most important forest ecosystem for life on our
planet.
Ten of its tributaries are also among the top 25
rivers in the world in terms of water volume.
The Amazon Basin covers almost 5% of the Earth’s
land surface.
It contains and renews one third of the world's fresh
water and produces one fifth of our oxygen.
The equatorial tropical rain forest purifies the atmosphere by absorbing greenhouse gases and providing the most efficient CO2 storage.
The Amazon region harbors the greatest largely unexplored biodiversity: approximately one quarter of
all animal and plant species, including more fish than
in all other rivers on Earth combined.
The natural heritage of mankind
Responsibility and a stroke of luck
AMAZONICA, our indigenous partners and everyone who visits us enjoy the privilege of experiencing
an extraordinary piece of rain forest, which is so important for the Earth.
The forest area among the border triangle of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru survived the last Ice Age.
Due to the influence of the geological history and
its proximity to the Andes mountains, this region
has an especially high diversity of plants and animals,
ranked among the top 5 in the world.
This natural heritage is a treasure trove which we
can explore in order to use the findings to benefit
life on Earth. But no one dare destroy it!
We all have an obligation to conserve such a gift of
nature and to pass it on to the next generations.
That is what AMAZONICA is fighting for.
South America during the last Ice Age
Colombia
Venezuela
British
Guyana
The AMAZON – the lifeblood of our planet
The AMAZON – the lungs of the world
The AMAZON – the natural pharmacy of humanity
The AMAZON – the database of the future
Suriname
French
Guyana
Choco
Napo
Ecuador
Peru
Bolivia
Par
Pacific
Ocean
Brazil
agu
ay
Chile
Uruguay
Argentina
Atlantic
Ocean
Cordillera
of the Andes
Surviving rainforest
areas
Amazon Basin
The last Ice Age brought about big changes in the
Amazon Basin. The former tropical rain forest survived in only a few areas of refuge, the "islands"
highlighted in green on the map. One of them is
the "Napo" area in the West where we are located.
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A long-term research project by the
University of Applied Sciences of
Munich, Faculty of Geo-Information
Sciences and Aerospace:
With a drone they built themselves
and innovative software, scientists
study the characteristics and the
conditions of the rain forest.
Everybody talks about the future. AMAZONICA creates it!
AMAZONICA Academy
At the AMAZONICA Academy,
people from all around the world
are guests in the forest in order
to learn how to understand, respect, and protect it.
The first jungle academy of the
Amazon, serving indigenous peoples
and students from all over the world,
is situated in the tropical rain forest
of Ecuador.
There are two sites located in the
indigenous territories of the Shuar
and Achuar.
AMAZONICA facilitates access for
international research and teaching in
an eco-system of ever-increasing importance for mankind, and promotes
working responsibly in one of the last
areas of intact rain forest. Our partner
in Ecuador is the State University of
Cuenca: www.ucuenca.edu.ec
For the local indigenous peoples,
these training facilities create local
jobs and a local source of income.
Young women and men from both
peoples have been trained in gastronomy, hotel business, and as tour
guides. The academy also awards
scholarships so that young people
living in the forest can finish school
and access higher education.
The academy offers a wide range
of services. Many different interest
groups can work in a meaningful way:
from illiterate people, such as forest
farmers, who wish to improve their
methods, to indigenous and international graduates, to cooperations with
public and private institutions and
companies.
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Additionally, the academy also offers other visitors the opportunity to
become familiar with the model communitys, the adjacent villages and the
indigenous hosts. These are ideal destinations for study trips, an adventure
vacation, or if you just want to come
and relax. And nature lovers can explore a real paradise.
Companies that would like to hold
seminars for employees or customers
are also welcome as guests. Becoming
an "AMAZONICA PARTNER" enables
you to cooperate with us in the field of
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
and in product development.
Selection of shareholders in our
non-profit company also validates
the specialized structure of the AMAZONICA Academy. It was founded
under German law with headquarters
in Munich. Indigenous individuals and
village communities are involved in
the same way as the founders, friends,
and supporters.
Institutions participating in study
visits and Summer School events:
Ecuador: the University of Cuenca
and the Catholic University of Quito.
Germany: University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan – University of
Applied Sciences Munich – Technical
University Munich – Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich – University of
Applied Sciences Ostwestfalen-Lippe
with the locations of Höxter, Lemgo
and Detmold – University of Applied
Sciences Bielefeld – University of Applied Sciences Bochum – University of
Applied Sciences Freiburg as well as
the Straubing Science Center.
(Botany, Ornithology) – Climatology –
Construction Engineering – Ethnology –
Geo-Information – Hydrology – Hydromechanics – Landscape Architecture –
Mechanical Engineering – Media and
Design – Renewable Energies – Sociology – Soil Science – Tourism.
For more information, please refer
to the leaflet and our website:
www.amazonica.org
Faculties and disciplines represented:
Applied Chemistry – Architecture –
Aviation and Aerospace – Biology
The academy is carrying out research
on the harpy eagle along with other
rare or endangered species.
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AMAZONICA Academy
Hiking tours Yuwints
The airstrip in Yuwints and the center of the village in the forest.
The AMAZONICA Academy is to the right and the Kusutka River below.
Location YUWINTS
2°9'9"South / 77°34'64"West:
This is the location of the Yuwints'
village; the name "Yuwientsa" is used
on some maps. Yuwints means "water
of the small fish". It is an indigenous
community in the territory of the ethnic
Shuar group, in the Morona Santiagoprovince of Ecuador. Yuwints had 175
inhabitants in 2015 and this village is
far from the road network, however it
can be reached by plane in 25 minutes
from the "Shell" airport next to Puyo.
The forested hills, ravines and small
rivers in the foothills of the Kutukú
mountains characterize the lovely landscape. The climate, at an altitude of
492 meters, is moderately tropical.
During the day, temperatures can reach
over 30 °C / 86° F with high humidity.
However, due to the proximity of mountains, nights are rather chilly, especially
during the rainy season.
The ethnic Shuar group makes up
the majority of the population in the
province, but they also live in other
parts of Ecuador and in Peru.
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Historically, the Shuar were called
"Jívaro", a people with a long tradition, their own language, and a rich
culture which is still so important today that their language is one of the
three officially recognized national
languages in Ecuador.
AMAZONICA and its sister organization INDIO-HILFE e.V. have known
Yuwints since 1999.
At that time, several indigenous
leaders from the Amazon region made
contact and asked for advice and the
opportunity to work together on a
development project. They wanted to
provide their youth with future opportunities on their own territory.
Yuwints became a model community
in the pilot project and it was therefore
chosen to be one of the locations for
the academy.
Hiking tours and points of interest near Yuwints
☞ Travel time refers to hiking time only, without stops
Ceiba, a Jungle Giant
Easy – approx. 1 hour
Walk through flat terrain – see
traditional Shuar houses and gardens.
Tarzan experience on a liana swing –
Ceiba, the tallest and oldest tree of
the forest, seat of the Gods, and full
of healing powers.
Pool of Tsunki, a water God
Easy – approx. 1.5 hours
This trail is not difficult but has a
long ascent. Scenic landscapes with
pristine rain forest and a river bend
with lagoon (see picture on page 11) –
The Shuar will tell you about this holy
place. Ideal for swimming in clean
mountain water. Overnight stays at the
river can be arranged on request.
Yuwints Tuna
Medium difficulty – approx. 2 hours
Walk down a steep slope from the
academy to the banks of the Kusutka
River – Cross the small river in a dugout
canoe. Ascend to the Mashiant viewpoint – enjoy the fantastic panorama.
Return on the trail to the Yuwints Tuna
("Tuna" means waterfall) – diverse
landscapes.
River Tour in the Kusutka River
Medium difficulty – approx. 1 hour
A highlight in good
weather and also when the
water is low. Jump into
the Kusutka River in your
clothes and rubber boots
(or at least sturdy long
trousers and footwear),
walk along the riverbed,
slide over rocks, swim
down the river through
rapids and pools. Great
fun in a romantic river
landscape!
Yankunts Tuna
Difficult – approx. 2.5 hours
A tour for "off-road" hikers. Wade
through the Kaan River – A narrow
path with a steep slope through the
magical mountain jungle – Fantastic
views of the hilly landscape – Take a
break at the Yankunts Waterfall – Return over hill and dale.
Matai Pampa and Yuwi Tuna
Medium difficulty – approx. 4 hours
A full day excursion. Uphill and
downhill. "Hydromassage" at the
Matai Pampa cliffs and pool – visit the
Yuwi Tuna Waterfall.
Special program by request: overnight stay in the forest (starting at
noon and back before lunch the next
day) – Set up camp next to the Yuwi
Tuna, good food and conversation
around the campfire, sleep beneath
palm fronds like the natives or in tents
(depending on the weather).
Muntuch Mura – the "fingertip" over the Makuma River
Medium difficulty – approx. 5 hours
Not very difficult, but includes a
steep ascent to the highest viewpoint
in the area. At first, the trail goes
through flat cattle pastures – Wade
through the Kaan River, then hike uphill – dense and beautiful mountain
jungle – fantastic view of the torrential
curves of the Makuma River, the vast
lands of the Shuar and (with some luck)
the Sangay Volcano.
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The culture and artistic handicrafts of the Shuar
For guests of the Shuar – Service and support
For visitors, each stay in Yuwints
begins with the 'acto cultural' and the
'saludo típico'. This is the traditional
greeting of the Shuar in the form of
short performances with dances,
songs and flute playing. Men, women
and young people take part in their
traditional clothing, with face painting
and jewelry which they create themselves.
Reviving and maintaining their culture and customs was the desire of the
elderly villagers as well as an obvious
concern for AMAZONICA. Culture promotes identity, and identity provides
necessary power for all native peoples
to claim their territories so that they
are not uprooted.
It is a great experience for each
guest to learn about such traditions
at every step along the way. Arts and
crafts make beautiful gifts and souvenirs to take home: chains of palm fibers
and seeds, braided and woven belts,
bracelets, small bags, and earrings with
colorful feathers, painted ceramic bowls
and wooden carvings.
Another very friendly characteristic
of the Shuar is that they welcome every
reason to celebrate. Whether it's the
ripening of the fruits of the Chonta
palm or the successful treatment of
a snake bite – everything is celebrated
in a traditional way.
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The AMAZONICA Academy (see
the picture above, on page 8 and the
description on page 6) is an educational
institution as well as a hotel and an
event venue. It is also a great example
of the idea that the best proof of tradition, progress, natural healing methods,
and modern science all fit together well
under one thatched roof.
The establishment of the academy
also resulted in 17 Shuar families from
Yuwints jointly founding the first tourism company of their ethnic group.
It is called SUWA and is a shareholder
of the academy. The members of SUWA
manage the academy, ensuring that it
continues to exist and that the building
infrastructure is maintained. They were
trained with regard to these tasks for
many years. They are a confident group,
demonstrating that meaningful development assistance is possible.
The academy buildings are 200 meters from the village. A path leads
through a small forest from the runway
at the center of Yuwints. The academy
is located there on a wide courtyard,
70 meters above the Kusutka River.
On the other side of the clearing is the
area used for volleyball and badminton.
All hikes start from the academy, and
for those who want to jog, we recommend the runway, which is 600 meters
long.
Representatives of professional groups at SUWA – AMAZONICA: farmers,
waiters, gardeners, guides, janitors, cleaning crew, cooks and kitchen help,
artisans, carpenters, storekeepers, electricians, those responsible for the
internet, plumbers. Rear center: Mascha Kauka.
The Kusutka River, with its rapids, pools and lagoons, is the academy's natural
swimming pool. Here is the "Pool of Tsunki, a water God" (see page 8).
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AMAZONICA Academy
Location SHARAMENTSA
The main building is shaped like a
three-leaf clover and includes a large
round room and open spaces for eating,
workshops, meetings and performances
on two levels. The campfire burns in the
center. The ridge of the traditionally
built roof is 8 meters above a floor area
of 400 square meters, which means
there is plenty of room and air circulation for any weather.
Eight rooms with a total of 20 beds
are available to guests. They range
from rooms for four (with two bunk
beds) to single rooms. Each bed has a
mosquito net and screened windows
(no glass). There is also a transparent
mosquito net above the rooms (instead
of a ceiling). A roofed corridor leads to
the bathrooms and the janitorial area.
2°27'78"South / 76°59'58" West:
The village of Sharamentsa is located
directly on the left bank of the Pastaza
River at an altitude of 270 metres. In
the language of the Achuar, "Sharaam
entsa" means "Water of the Sharaam
parrots", which are macaws with red
and blue feathers. In 2015, the village
had a population of 142 inhabitants.
The river divides the Achuar territory
into the provinces of Pastaza and
Morona Santiago.
In comparison with Yuwints, Sharamentsa is many times farther away from
the road network. It is only 28 km to
the Peruvian border. The flight time
from Shell/Puyo is about 50 minutes.
The aerial view of the tropical forest
shown on the pages 4 and 5 was taken
on a flight to Sharamentsa.
The "forest adventure" begins here
with water, forest and clouds. Above
all, the forest surrounds you and extends all the way to the horizon, as
far as the eye can see since the floodplain landscapes of the Río Pastaza
are almost completely flat. When the
airplane descends, the river, with its
islands and sandbanks and the treetops, seems close enough to touch.
Surprisingly, in an almost surreal way,
the airstrip of Sharamentsa appears.
On the left and right there are lines
of huge "mushroom caps", the traditional houses of the Achuar.
The climate is tropical, hot and
humid. At night, the temperature
drops to 20 °C / 68° F or lower, ensuring restful sleep. Essentially, there
are two seasons. In the first half of
the year, it rains considerably more,
almost daily, but not continuously, and
the rain is warm. From August to December, it rains less. The lack of precipitation on several consecutive days
causes an increase in temperature.
But particularly here in the rain forest,
the effects of climate change are noticeable. The former weather conditions apply less and less frequently.
The cooperation between AMAZONICA and the Achuar, as well as
the Shuar in Yuwints (see page 8), has
existed since 1999. At that time, the
Achuar asked for support, and they
agreed on using the village of Sharamentsa as a model community. After
many years of development work in
all areas of life, a branch of the AMAZONICA Academy was also built here.
When traveling, you want to be well
fed. In the jungle, visitors are also curious about products and flavors they
are not yet familiar with. In Yuwints,
even connoisseurs are satisfied. The
chefs and cooks have been trained for
years and combine local food with the
needs and desires of foreign visitors.
Vegetarians will be happy here too.
Ercilia is chef de cuisine and
is a graduate of culinary training.
The traditional dish of fish and palm
hearts is called "Maitu" and is cooked
in leaves.
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Hiking tours and points of interest near Sharamentsa
☞ Travel time refers to hiking time only, without stops
Squirrel Monkey Route
Medium difficulty – approx. 2.5 hours
Starting this tour at sunrise (6:00) is
recommended so that along the way
you can observe parrots and turkeys at
their salt licks, the "saladeros". Canoe
trip of 15 minutes down the river. Walk
parallel to the river bank. Old pottery
and pottery fragments can be found
along the way, evidence of earlier settlements – The Achuar tell about the
history of the area and the foundation
of Sharamentsa. You will likely encounter crowds of squirrel monkeys that do
gymnastics in the treetops. See the
"saladeros" again on the banks –
Return by canoe.
The Ceiba of Sharamentsa –
A tree "born" when Columbus
sailed to the American continent
Easy – approx. 1.5 hours
A short trip to a great natural monument and on the way you'll be reminded
of Archaeopteryx. The hike takes visitors to two highlights and after 20 minutes on a forest trail, you will cross the
lagoon on a bed of reeds. On the banks,
nesting sites of the hoatzin (stink bird,
Wanchants Tuna
Opisthocomus hoazin), the missing
Easy – 2 hours
link between the Archaeopteryx and
An easy path on flat terrain, which
can become muddy when it is rainy –
At the destination are two waterfalls
that plunge into one pool. On the way
it is also possible to visit the shaman
Entsakwa.
Jaguar Path
the bird world of today. Walk uphill to
a Ceiba tree that is at least 500 years
old (according to forestry experts from
the University of Applied Sciences
Weihenstephan). Its buttress roots are
taller than any human being and its
lowest branches are 40 meters from
the ground. After that a short descent
to the river and then the return journey
in a canoe.
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Difficult – 6 - 7 hours or, by request,
with an overnight stay in the forest
This tour in the middle of the wilderness lives up to its name and it is
the most challenging hike over several
hills, across streams, and through a
large swamp area. The biodiversity of
plants and animals is particularly high.
You will spot traces of jaguars, pumas,
ocelots, giant armadillos, deer, tapirs,
and wild boars. Most of these large
animals are nocturnal and therefore
not seen by day; observe birds, squirrels, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, guenons, and sloths in the trees.
The trail leads to the Wayusentsa
Lagoon and then again to the Pastaza
River. The canoe trip back to Sharamentsa takes 30 minutes.
As a one-day trip, you will stop
to have a picnic. The Jaguar Path is
suitable as well for an overnight stay
on one of the hills by request as a
two-day trip.
Yankunts Tuna
Easy – approx. 1.5 hours
This destination is one of the most
sacred waterfalls. The beginning of
the path, leaving the academy premises, is the same as for the Jaguar
Path. Walk parallel to the river, cross
the small Putuimi River on a bridge.
Walk up to the stream which feeds the
waterfall – wade through the stream at
the edge of the falls, looking down
from above. Optional steep descent
to experience Yankunts Tuna and the
play of light from below – break and
picnic. The guides explain the importance of the sacred waterfalls as well
as the cosmology and mythology of
the Achuar.
Take the same way back and fish in
the Putuimi River or walk a short distance down to the Pastaza River for a
small rafting trip back to Sharamentsa.
Parrot Route
Medium difficulty – approx. 1.5 hours
(not including river cruise)
This excursion starts with either
a 10-minute canoe trip up the river
or the hike to the Yankunts Tuna Waterfall (5). The trees here attract parrots,
above all the blue and yellow macaws,
especially from June to September
(but you can observe and hear parrots
in other seasons as well). With some
luck, hikers
will spot hordes of monkeys or a lazy
sloth.
The trail ends
where the
Wayusentsa River flows into the Pastaza River.
A canoe takes visitors back to Sharamentsa in 20 minutes or it takes them to
a raft that floats to Sharamentsa
(approx. 2 hours) – a good opportunity
for fishing!
ground of countless species of birds
(including the hoatzin), alligators, capybaras, coypus, turtles, water snakes,
and piranhas; you can see why large
wild cats also hunt here. The Achuar
enjoy fishing in the lagoon and visitors
can try their luck as well. Back to the
Pastaza River – return to Sharamentsa
by canoe or raft.
Bird Island
Wayusentsa Lagoon
Medium difficulty – approx. 2.5 hours
This hike starts at the mouth of the
Wayusentsa River where the Parrot
Route (6) ends. A path crossing the
Wayusentsa River leads to the lagoon.
This biotope is the home and hunting
Easy – approx. 1.5 hours
(not including river cruise)
Canoe downstream for 15 minutes
to the island in the Pastaza River.
The hike is interesting for two reasons.
There is a variety of birds (a new species was discovered by ornithologists
in 2003) and it is a good example for
the origins of the rain forest: Approximately 40 years ago, the wooded island was still a sandbank. Return by
canoe. Combine with tour 1 or 2.
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Waterways into the forest
Visitors who truly want to experience the rain forest travel to Sharamentsa by plane, by foot, raft, and by
canoe. On one of these three-day tours,
you can travel along the Bobonaza
River or the Pastaza River and get to
know the landscape and its people.
Bobonaza-Tour
This tour depends on the weather.
It is only possible if the water level is
high enough. Decisions are made at
short notice. The Pastaza tour may
replace this tour. A car trip from the
provincial capital Puyo to Canelos –
board a canoe with an outboard engine.
The Bobonaza meanders through hilly
woodland to Sarayacu. Overnight
stay with the independent Kichwa of
Sarayacu.
Pastaza-Tour
Very sporty visitors need a day to
walk to the Pastaza River for the rafting
trip. They board the raft on the next
day. There is an alternative option to
fly from Yuwints to one of the Achuar
villages at the Pastaza River. Or fly to
the river directly from Shell/Puyo without stay in Yuwints.
Depending on the number of travelers, one or two rafts are available –
they are made, in the traditional way,
On the second day, the river widens; of balsa wood and lianas. The rafts are
along its banks, settlements of the
always accompanied by a canoe.
Kichwa appear. The small town of Mon- Because the Pastaza River located withtalvo was built around a military base,
in the road network is not navigable,
its population is very diverse. Camp on there is almost no traffic on the river
the lower stretch of the Bobonaza River. and only a handful of villages. On the
Directly on the border to Peru, the Boway to Sharamentsa, the rafts glide
bonaza River flows into the Pastaza
over small rapids through a pristine
River. Now the canoe travels upstream
river and forest landscape with many
through the pristine rain forest in the
islands. The campsites at the riverbanks
Achuar territory. After four hours the
are rustic, with tents around the camptour ends in Sharamentsa.
fire, and you will enjoy freshly caught
fish. Duration of the rafting trip: three
days with two overnight stays.
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The Pastaza and Bobonaza Rivers – by airplane, raft or canoe
This tour is almost always possible.
However, the months of August to
early December are preferable as it
rains less then. The tour starts with a
flight from Shell/Puyo to Yuwints, the
Shuar location of the AMAZONICA
Academy (see page 8) – You choose
the length of your stay here.
Sharamentsa landing place
Both tours are led by the indigenous guides from the AMAZONICA
Academy. Depending on the section of the route, local boat pilots
board or accompany the tour in
separate canoes or on an additional
raft. Return to Puyo from Sharamentsa by plane.
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The culture and artistic handicrafts of the Achuar
The Achuar
are fantastic
storytellers.
Dream interpretation is very
important.
The stories can
continue for
days, such as
those in the
1001 (Arabian)
Nights about
gods, souls,
people, animals, and a kind of creation
story based on their original animistic
beliefs.
Natural medicine and the skill of the
shamans are still of great importance
to the Achuar. AMAZONICA has always understood combining today's
necessary conventional medicine with
traditional healing methods. Not only
does the foundation provide grants
to paramedics and laboratory technicians who treat "modern diseases",
but it also awards scholarships to
future shamans.
Like the Shuar, the Achuar belong
to the ethnic group of the Jívaro. They
are related, but have their own characteristics. While the Shuar celebrate
many occasions, historically the Achuar
only had a single festive event upon
the happy return of the men after a
victorious war campaign. Today they
no longer go to war, so the only traditional occasion for celebration no longer exists.
Now they meet in friendly gatherings at Christian feasts, at football
or volleyball tournaments with neighboring villages, or with visitors of the
academy.
Dances and songs often have no
musical accompaniment. Musical instru18
For guests of the Achuar – Service and support
ments are played by men, mainly
flutes, hand drums and jaw harps,
and a one string violin.
Just as the Shuar, the Achuar wanted to be trained in skills that create
jobs in their own territory without
causing harm to the rain forest and
their culture. AMAZONICA is the result and it represents sustainability in
its purest form. Infrastructure supply
and visitor support is provided solely
by the Achuar in Sharamentsa.
Pottery is always done by women.
Men take care of carvings. Depending
on the object, anybody is in the position to make jewelry, weave, or braid.
The community has founded a
tourism company in which every
villager is involved. The company is
a shareholder of the academy.
An artistic handicraft is the construction of blowguns, still used for
hunting today. By request, visitors
can be shown how to use the blowgun. They can practice as much as
they would like with a papaya as the
target.
The oral transmission of legends
has a long tradition among both
ethnic group.
The two building complexes built
in traditional Achuar architecture are
located 150 meters and 250 meters
from the runway, high above the Pastaza River.
The houses have two sections: the
larger is for the rooms and a terrace;
the baths and the housekeeping area
are accommodated in the smaller oval.
The round building next to it is particularly popular amongst students:
an open cabin with campfire and many
hammocks. A comfortable wooden
staircase leads 30 meters down to the
landing pad. Halfway down is an outdoor seating area which is best viewpoint for sunsets.
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On the waterfront terrace there is
a volleyball court and a small cottage
with a fireplace, ideal for grilling out,
playing music, and having long conversations. If you wish, in the evening one
of the village elders can join the campfire to tell fairy tales and legends.
Special programs
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Ten rooms with 32 guest beds are
available. They range from rooms for
four (with two bunk beds) to single
rooms. Each bed has a mosquito net
and screened windows (no glass).
There is also a transparent mosquito
net above the rooms (instead of a
standard ceiling).
Walks with explanation of medicinal plants
Survival training in the woods and at the river (4 days)
Various methods of fishing
Using the blowgun
Night hikes
Raft trips
Traditional cuisine, cooking classes (2 days)
Pottery classes
Making traditional arts and crafts
Colors and patterns for face painting
Legends and myths at the campfire in the native
language with consecutive interpretation
About Us
Our charity organizations AMAZONICA Foundation,
AMAZONICA Academy and INDIO-HILFE e.V. are non-profit
institutions. Even their directors and shareholders work in an
honorary capacity. For over 30 years, we have managed and
financed cooperative development work with indigenous
peoples as well as nature conservation projects, relying on
donations and sponsorship.
We appreciate your donation! We also invite you to become
a member of INDIO-HILFE e.V. Please contact:
info@amazonica.org
Donations can be made via our website
www.amazonica.org by PayPal, or directly to our bank
account: Stiftung AMAZONICA,
IBAN DE31 7112 0077 0363 8664 09,
BIC/SWIFT: HYVEDEMMXXX 448
Thank you very much in advance for your support!
Six shower stalls, six toilets and
eight wash basins are available. The
bathrooms are tiled as are the floors
in the main buildings.
The architectural infrastructure of
the academy in Sharamentsa has not
yet been completed, so meals are
served in the central meeting house
of the village.
What already works perfectly,
however, are the culinary skills of the
Achuar women who draw on the cornucopia of nature. The Pastaza River
provides huge catfish and other fish,
and in addition to chicken, the forest
also supplies meat from wild birds
and boars.
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Different roots and tubers, palm
sprouts, herbs, spices, papaya, bananas and pineapple are traditionally
grown. But now lettuce and vegetables are also grown which the Achuar
did not used to be familiar with.
Sincerely,
Legal Information
Editor and Publisher
AMAZONICA Akademie gGmbH
Gabriel-Max-Straße 22, D-81545 München
Phone: 0049- (0)89-642 99 133
E-Mail: akademie@amazonica.org
Internet: www.amazonica.org
Editor in Chief: Mascha Kauka
Editor: Rebecca Tandler
Illustrations of the AMAZONICA mascot TUCO
© Florian Julino
Graphics and Production
Helma Strobel, Am Hügel 8, D-82319 Starnberg
Translation Team
Holger Klöpfel and Paula Trucks-Pape
(about.me/hua translation)
Printing
Druck & Medien Schreiber GmbH
Kolpingring 3, 82041 Oberhaching-München
1st Issue 2016
© Photographer
Photo on the cover: Pete Oxford; Small pictures – Title
page: York Hovest, Janna Nadjejda Ribow – p. 3: Markus
Heinsdorff, Helen Böhmler – pp. 4/5: Barbara Dombrowski – pp. 6/7: AMAZONICA, Enrique de la Montaña,
University of Munich, Steffen Rauer – pp. 8/9: York Hovest – p. 10: Dieter Menzel, Heinrich Unser, York Hovest
– p. 11 at top and bottom: York Hovest – p. 11 Group
portrait: Petra Dilthey – p. 12: York Hovest – p. 13:
AMAZONICA, York Hovest – p. 14: Dieter Menzel, York
Hovest – p. 15: Pete Oxford, Enrique de la Montaña,
York Hovest –pp. 16/17 Small pictures: York Hovest –
pp. 16/17 Panorama: Florian Tolksdorf – p. 18: Barbara
Dombrowski, Christian Spreitz, Astrid Knie, York Hovest
– pp. 19/20: University of Munich, AMAZONICA – p. 21:
AMAZONICA – pp. 22/23: Pete Oxford
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Entry requirements
Means of payment
EU citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays in Ecuador (for up to
90 days per year). A passport that is valid for at least six months upon
entry is sufficient.
The official currency in Ecuador is the US dollar. You can use this currency
to pay for items in indigenous territory (e.g. tips, goods bought, or services
booked on site including alcoholic beverages, arts and crafts as souvenirs
or laundry services). The academy invoice must be paid and credited to the
academy's account by the set payment date prior to departure.
Health information, travel and accident insurance
We ask all participants to seek advice from a travel health professional or
tropical doctor in time before departure. Before your trip begins, also make
sure you have a valid travel health insurance with return transport for medical
reasons, as well as an accident insurance. First aid care is provided by the
medical centers in the communities. In case of serious illness or accidents,
the air ambulance is called. The water in both academy locations comes from
springs with drinking water quality, and water sterilized by solar power is
also available.
Medication to bring along: Malaria prevention. The communities of Sharamentsa and Yuwints have not been affected by malaria for several years, but
they are located in an area susceptible to malaria: mosquito repellent (mosquito spray and suitable clothing or clothing with mosquito protection) / antiitch medication / pain medication / broad-spectrum antibiotics / antihistamines / diarrhea remedies / plasters and elastic bandage etc.
Transfers
Tips for travel
and your stay
Climate and clothing
From January to December, the daytime temperatures in Quito are between
20 and 24 °C / 68 – 75° F (night temperatures 16 °C / 61° F). In the rain forest,
average temperatures are 26 °C / 79° F during the day and 18 – 20 °C / 64.5 –
68° F at night. Humidity is high and there may be heavy showers on a daily
basis. Due to these climate conditions, clothing does not dry well, so bring
along one / two pairs of extra pants / shirts! Lightweight materials, no jeans.
Rubber boots will be provided upon arrival at the Shell airport.
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Telecommunications
In the forest there is no reception for mobile
phones. Instead, communication takes place via
shortwave, satellite phone and internet (email and
Skype), but ... everything depends on the weather
and the satellite channels. Usually, at least one of
the many options works. All connections are considerably more expensive than within the road system, so communication is only
possible at set times and upon payment. Emergency calls are excepted.
Electricity and water consumption
Electricity is available in the communities of Sharamentsa and Yuwints. It is
generated by a photovoltaic system and a water turbine and then stored.
In addition, generators are available. Voltage 110 V, adapters for the sockets
as in the US. All electrical devices can be charged, charging times are to be
agreed on with local advisors. For the water supply, springs have been tapped
and water lines installed across several hundred meters. The water is pumped
into containers on towers. Please be frugal with electricity and water.
Packing list
✔ Passport, vaccination records, credit card, airline ticket, booking documents
and copies of everything
Luggage in a large backpack, plus a small backpack for hiking
Water bottle
Flashlight
Sun protection (sun hat, sun glasses, cream with high sun protection factor
Lightweight, closed-toe shoes with a minimum of tread for use within the
village as well as flip-flops for the house (rubber boots are provided for all
hiking tours)
Long, lightweight pants and, ideally, long-sleeved shirts (protection from
mosquitos, thorns, sunburn etc.)
Extra pairs of socks (even in rubber boots,
socks get wet and must be dried)
Swim clothing
Raincoat/ poncho
First-aid kit
Both the Sharamentsa and Yuwints locations can be reached from Ecuador's
road system by plane only. We organize the flights to, from and between
the two locations for you, as well as the complete stay in the forest. For everything else – flights to Ecuador, transfer, transport within the road system,
tours in other parts of the country, lists of hotels, etc. – AMAZONICA is happy
to establish contact with our affiliated travel agency in Ecuador.
Behavior towards villagers
Encountering a foreign culture is often associated with confusion and uncertainty for the villagers. The following rules were established to keep this to
a minimum. After you have booked a trip, you will receive a detailed list of
rules and procedures.
● When greeting, do not directly offer to shake hands or hug. Observe how
● Please respect the privacy of the villagers. Visits to private homes are perthe individual villager acts with you.
Further information, terms
and conditions and booking
information can be found in
the enclosed information
sheet or by email or phone:
akademie@amazonica.org
0049 - (0)89- 642 99 133
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mitted only after registration with the municipal assembly or upon express
invitation.
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption in the presence of the villagers.
Visits to the community center are permitted only for meals, courses, or
formal occasions. Taking walks on the runway after dark is discouraged.
The women in the village will be glad to do the visitors' laundry: please
take advantage of this service. This supports the financial independence
of community members. Prices are posted (payment in US dollars, see also
"Means of payment").
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Study Trips
Research
Adventure Holidays
or Relaxation –
in the middle of the tropical
rain forest,
far away from any roads