Double occupancy means two adults per room in one of our classic rooms. CLASSIC ROOMS
Twenty-four rooms in the middle of the tropical rainforest allow guests to enjoy this unique ecosystem, even during their down time. Wild monkeys and birds are often visible from our signature windowless verandah, which also provides excellent ventilation. The rooms are built with local materials such as wood, bamboo, adobe mud and palm trees.
Rooms are double or triples, as requested. Each bed is equipped with its own mosquito net. Each room has a spacious private bathroom with hot water.
Numerous kerosene lamps and candles provide the lighting. Electricity and internet are available only in the common areas of the lodge.
"My Own Room". This service allows solo travellers to have their own private room while on tour.
SUPERIOR ROOMS (Posada Amazonas and Refugio Amazonas)
We have eight superior 45-m2 rooms overlooking the tropical rain forest. The fascinating sounds and colors of the forest are important elements of the experience during your stay in our Superior rooms. The entire decoration is based on Yanchama, a natural bark that is “harvested” by artisans from Eseeja community of Infierno.
The rooms are single, double or twin, as requested, Each one is equipped with a bed, a mosquito net, two hypoallergenic pillows per person, a hammock and a reading table.
Rooms have spacious private bathrooms with hot water. Electric lighting is available in the evenings until 10:00 pm, at your bedside table, your bathroom and an outlet to charge your electronics. Free Internet is available in every room.
Each visitor has access to a personal safe-deposit box, an umbrella for rain and a special set of eco-friendly amenities.
Rainforest Villa
This 180 m2 bungalow in the middle of the nowhere wraps you in beautiful views of the surrounding forest. It is completely independent: a home in the rain forest. You have no neighbors. Contact with the non-Amazonian world is strictly optional.
The rooms has a king bed and enough space to add a double bed if desired. It includes a large closet, 2 hammocks for relaxation, extra thick towels and extra soft sheets and 3 hypoallergenic pillows per person. It also has a fully equipped private dining lounge, with our signature panoramic rain forest view.
The spacious bathroom has hot water and a bathtub.
There is electric light 24 hours a day, and a ceiling fan.
Free Internet is available in each room and upon request cable TV.
Each person has access to a personal safe, an umbrella for the rain, a special set of eco-friendly amenities, a rechargeable flashlight and a courtesy bottle of white wine.
Services include a private dining, a private guide, a telescope and binoculars.
A full-time professional nature photographer, writer, and adventurer, Ian Plant has been photographing our natural world for almost twenty years. Ian travels the world in order to find rare convergences of light, composition, mood, and moment, looking to transcend mere scenery to produce a compelling view of his nature subjects.
His photographs and instructional articles have appeared in a number of books, calendars, and magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography, Le Monde de la Photo, Nature Photographers Online Magazine, National Parks, Common Ground, Blue Ridge Country, Adirondack Life, Wonderful West Virginia, and Chesapeake Life, among others. Ian also writes a regular blog column for Outdoor Photographer online.
Ian is the photographer/author of eight print books, including Chesapeake: Bay of Light (2007), which received critical acclaim from the Washington Post, Washington Times and Baltimore Sun, among others. Ian is also one of the lead authors and designer of The Ultimate Guide to Digital Nature Photography (2009). Most recently, Ian has authored a number of nature photography instructional eBooks, including Chasing the Light (2010), and several books in the Behind the Lens and Five Landscape Challenges series. Ian is also the author of a number of digital processing video tutorials.
Ian's mission is to educate, inspire, and entertain others in the art of nature photography. To that end, Ian launched the Dreamscapes photoblog, which is now a collaborative blog involving several other professional photographers.
Where: Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
When: November 3-10, 2012
Tuition: $3200
Deposit: $800 (full tuition is due 90 days before the workshop)
Class Size: 10
If you have any questions, or if you wish to register for this workshop, please email Ian Plant (ianplantphoto@gmail.com).
Looking to take your creative expression to the next level? Creative Vision Photo Workshops are designed to challenge you to reach new heights with your nature photography. Join Creative Vision instructors Ian Plan and Richard Bernabe on an intensive, multi-day field instructional workshop that will help you create photographs you've always dreamed of making!
The Destination
The Tambopata National Reserve is a 275,000 hectare conservation unit created by the Peruvian government in 1990 to protect the watersheds of the Tambopata and Candamo rivers. It is adjacent to the huge 1 million hectare Bahuaja Sonene National Park. Both conservation units protect some of the last untouched lowland and premontane tropical humid forests in the Amazon. This Connecticut-sized area of pristine forest contains 600 bird species, 32 parrot species (10% of the world’s total), 200 mammal species, 1200 butterfly species and over 10,000 species of vascular plants. Within Tambopata lie three lodges – Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center. They are a small part of the network of organizations and communities that are attempting to protect this amazing wilderness.
Sample Itinerary
DAY 1
Opening reception at Puerto Maldonado Headquarters; transfer by Boat from Tambopata River Port to Posada Amazonas
The forty five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas will take us deep into the rain forest.
Boxed lunch & orientation: Upon arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips.
Photography Lecture: After lunch we will have a photography presentation to discuss tips and techniques for photographing the rain forest.
Dinner
Night Photography: Night walks are great for photographing insects and frogs. We may be able to find praying mantis, cicadas, leaf mimicking grasshoppers as well as huge toads, shiny green tree frogs and bizarre horned frogs.
Overnight at Posada Amazonas
DAY 2
Breakfast
Photography at the PAL parrot clay lick: This clay lick is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a blind located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. From the blind next to this lick, even the amateur photographer can take good pictures of these wonderful birds.
Lunch
Photography from the Tower: A thirty minute walk takes us to this 30 meter tall scaffolding tower, which will add a whole new dimension to our Amazon birding experience: the forest canopy. We will wait for a canopy mixed flock to appear. We will see lonely raptors riding the thermals. This is your best chance for hawk-eagles and even harpy!
Dinner
Photo Review Session: After dinner we have time to pick our best photos and load them into the computer for a slide show. We will have time to analyze and talk about the day’s photography. Any questions about camera/lens usage, composition, etc. can be addressed.
Overnight at Posada Amazonas
DAY 3
Breakfast
Photography at Tres Chimbadas oxbow lake: Tres Chimbadas is thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. The lake provides wonderful opportunities to photograph majestic trees, water reflections and, if we are very fortunate, animal life.
Transfer by boat from Posada Amazonas to Tambopata Research Center: Six and a half hours by boat from Posada Amazonas, in the pristine heart of the reserve, lies the Tambopata Research Center. As we cross the confluence with the Malinowski River, we will leave the final traces of human habitation behind. Within the 700,000 hectare uninhabited nucleus of the reserve, sightings of capybara, caiman, geese, macaws and other large species will become more frequent.
Boxed Lunch
Orientation: Upon arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips.
Photography from Overlooks: A three to five kilometer hike will lead us to overlooks commanding magnificent views of the Tambopata winding its way into the lowlands. The forest on this trail, regenerating on old bamboo forest, is good for Howler Monkey and Dusky Titi Monkey. The overlooks provide excellent panoramic photo opportunities of the Tambopata winding its way down from the highlands. On a clear day, it will even be possible to view and photograph the snow capped Andean peaks in the distance. At each overlook we will have good chances of encounters at eyelevel at 30-50 yards with large turkey-like birds called guans and chachalacas, or toucans, or macaws roosting on the trees.
Dinner
Overnight at Tambopata Research Center
DAY 4
Macaw Clay Lick Photography from the Beach: On most clear mornings of the year dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on this large river bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story.
Breakfast
Photography in the floodplain forest: This five kilometer trail covers the prototypical rain forest with immense trees criss-crossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahuacos we will look for Squirrel, Brown Capuchin, and Spider Monkeys as well as peccaries. TRC is located within this habitat. Our principal focus will be general rain forest shots as well as portraits of the huge trees that are scattered throughout this forest.
Lunch
Photography on the Pond Platform: Ten minutes upriver from the lodge is a tiny pond with a platform in the middle. Opportunities to photograph beautiful birds will abound, as the lighting and visibility of the pond is excellent and these birds´ habits are predictable over short periods of time.
Dinner
Overnight at Tambopata Research Center
DAY 5
Breakfast
Photography around the TRC clearing: We will photograph herps around the TRC clearing: frogs, snakes and lizards. The chicos, a flock of semi-wild, hand reared macaws will provide additional photographic opportunities as they fly about around the lodge.
Lunch
Photography from the palm swamp tower: Although macaws nest from October to April, there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year round. From this vantage point we can photograph Blue and gold macaws landing and roosting on their nest holes in dead palms. The nests are all less than fifteen yards away, and only a yard or two above eye level. As the sun sets behind the birds´ golden chests we will have opportunities for close ups of superb quality.
Dinner
Night Photography
Overnight at Tambopata Research Center
DAY 6
Breakfast
Transfer by Boat from TRC to Refugio Amazonas: A three and a half hour boat ride brings us to Refugio Amazonas.
Boxed Lunch
Brazil Nut Trail and Camp: A few minutes hike from the lodge is a beautiful old growth patch of Brazil Nut forest that has been harvested for decades (if not centuries) where the precarious remains of a camp used two months a year by Brazil Nut gatherers can still be experienced. We will be demonstrating the whole process of the rain forest's only sustainably harvested product from collection through transportation to drying.
Dinner
Overnight at Refugio Amazonas
DAY 7
Breakfast
Transfer by Boat from Refugio Amazonas to Tambopata River Port
Transfer fro Tambopata River Port to Pto Maldonado Headquarters
Transfer Puerto Maldonado Headquarters to Airport
We retrace our river and road journey back to Puerto Maldonado, our office and the airport. Depending on airline schedules, this may require dawn departures.
Fitness Level
As noted above, we will do some hiking on this workshop. Hikes will typically be easy to moderate in difficulty, although decent physical fitness will certainly facilitate your enjoyment of this workshop. Every participant must complete and sign a standard liability waiver and medical form before participating in this workshop.
Getting There
Participants are required to get to Puerto Maldonado. To get to Puerto Maldonado, one usually must travel from Lima or Cusco first before reaching the Padre Aldamiz (PEM) airport in Puerto Maldonado.
Entry Requirements
A valid passport is required to enter and depart Peru. Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel. Visit the Embassy of Peru Website for the most current visa information. Peru does not require any immunizations for entry, although it recommends vaccination against Yellow Fever.
What's Included
Photography instruction
Double occupancy lodging (single supplement $500)
Local transportation to and from Padre Aldamiz airport
Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare to and from Puerto Maldonado; transfer from airport to hotel
Any applicable visa fees and local airport taxes
Recommended Equipment
Wide angle to normal zoom lenses (in the range of 17mm to 200mm)
Longer telephoto zoom for wildlife (100-400mm)
400mm or 500mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter
Electronic shutter release
Sturdy tripod
Sunscreen
Raingear
Waterproof boots
Bug repellant; headnet
Pack to carry photo and personal gear while hiking
Water bottle
Clothing for warm weather
Deposit Required
An $800.00 deposit will be required with the balance to be redeemed no later than 90 days before the workshop.
Questions?
If you have any questions, or if you wish to register for this workshop, please email Ian Plant (ianplantphoto@gmail.com).
Included
Programs based on double occupancy. Includes all meal, accommodations, and services, all river transportation, and transfer from and to the airport of Puerto Maldonado.
Not Included
International or domestic airfares, airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature.
Notes:
Programs to Refugio Amazonas : There is an additional $13 per person charge for entrance into the national park. This applies for tours to Refugio Amazonas Lodge
Programs to Tambopata Research Center : There is an additional $60 per person charge for entrance into the national park. This applies for tours to Tambopata Research Center Lodge
Lodge Transfers
Transfer-in (From Puerto Maldonado to Lodge): we have two departures daily at 13:00 and 14:30
Transfer-out (Lodge to Puerto Maldonado) : Two daily departures at 07:00 and 08:00 For other schedule possibilities please consult us
ESPAÑOL
Incluido
Programas en base acomodación en habitación doble. Todos los transportes terrestres y acuáticos de acuerdo al itinerario. Traslados Aeropuerto – Albergue - Aeropuerto. Todas las excursiones con guía bilingüe. Re-confirmación de vuelos nacionales desde Puerto Maldonado. Comidas especificadas en el itinerario.
No Incluido
Vuelos internacionales o nacionales, impuestos aeroportuarios, exceso de equipaje, noches adicionales por mal tiempo o cancelación de vuelos, bebidas alcohólicas, gaseosas o agua mineral embotellada, snacks, seguro de cualquier tipo, lavandería, llamadas telefónicas nacionales o internacionales, reconfirmación de vuelos internacionales.
Notas:
Programas a Refugio Amazonas : Hay un pago adicional de $13 por persona por la entrada al parque Nacional que aplica a los visitantes a Refugio Amazonas Lodge
Programas a Tambopata Research Center : Hay un pago adicional de $60 por persona por la entrada al parque Nacional que aplica a los visitantes a Tambopata Research Center
Transfer a los Albergues:
Traslado de llegada (Puerto Maldonado – Albergue): Tenemos dos traslados diarios a las 13:00 hrs. y 14:00 hrs.
Traslado de salida (Albergue – Puerto Maldonado) : Dos salidas diarias a las 07:00 hrs. y 8:00 hrs. Para otras alternativas de traslados por favor consúltenos.
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