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Local Profile: Gerson Pizango
  • Location:
  • Country: Peru
  • Speaks: english, spanish
  • Services: tours, accommodation, food
  • Cost: Between $33 and $50 ($US per day / per item)
  • Recommended by: Jules Lapprand, 28/07/09 21:58

Description:

Gerson is a young man from a small village by the name of Puerto Miguel, on the bank of the Ucayali River, about 260 km south of the city of Iquitos. He grew up there with his family working for many different organizations, but all of which were run by people from outside of the jungle. Now he has moved to Iquitos as his principle home base, offering people from out of the country an authentic, real jungle experience, from a local man who will take you to his hometown which will be used as a home base briefly at the house of one of his friends and experience the Junge Life. You'll be in good hands, but there will be no jungle lodges; simply camping outside, when you're not in the base camp on the way to the campsites. You may be up to 300 km away from Iquitos, away from where most people live.

In going with Gerson, you will also be supporting the local people, who often struggle to get by, and you can be sure your money will go to helping many survive. This was one thing that certainly attracted us too, knowing that we would be directly aiding Peruvians from the heart of the Amazon.

Many people dream about doing this sort of thing: this is it become reality, for an affordable price too. Activities include:
- Bird watching;
- Swimming in the river with dolphins;
- Night jungle walks, searching for tarantulas, scorpions, bullfrogs and other exotic species;
- Night boat rides, searching for caiman;
- Daytime jungle hikes, monkey spotting, giant trees, amazing plants, giant butterflies

Gerson has extensive plant & animal knowledge; the Jungle is his home. He is very pleasant & humble in character and will be at your disposition, as he has a real servant's heart. He is honest and genuine, and is full of interesting stories - he's had a very amazing life so far. Eager to share about his homeland, he is appreciative of all who have a desire to discover and experience the Amazon. He speaks excellent English and will come pick you up at the Iquitos airport; he'll take you to your hotel in Iquitos and arrange for a departure time the next day to go on the jungle adventure.
We spent a truly unforgettable time with Gerson and consider him a dear friend.

You may stay for the amount of time which is convenient for you. Some people will only go for a few days, others up to two or three weeks. My friend and I went for one week - six nights in the jungle (two nights at base camp, upon arriving and leaving, and four nights camping in the jungle itself).

Necessary equipment can be provided for if you require, including:
- Mosquito nets
- Flashlights
- Boots
- Tents
- Sheets
- Fishing rods
- Binoculars
- Rain coats
- Machetes

Food is included as well. The cooking is fantastic, you'll get to try "jungle spaghetti," which is palm tree innards mixed with vegetables and a delicious dressing. Clean drinking water is also provided.

Optional possibilities for trips include:
The Pacaya - Samiria National Reserve,
Aucayacu river trip, off of the Ucayali river,
Gálvez river to visit the Indian Matses and Mayrunas,
And all along the Amazon Basin.

Gerson will ensure that you get back to Iquitos safely including the airport itself.

Who it's appropriate for...
First thing is, I would say, is ˇˇmust not be afraid of insects!! as they are extremely numerous and come in all sizes, and many are poisonous. Once again, Gerson has excellent knowledge of this as well, and he will let you know everything you need to know to be safe. If you love discovering new things, being in a place that is truly alive in the literal sense of the word, hearing all kinds of amazing sounds, bird cries, insects flapping their wings, monkeys calling out to one another; new smells, of the fresh, rich and virgin Earth, humid, moist and cool under the forest canopy, sheltered from the sweltering tropical Sun; witness the torrential and majestic rainfalls of the place that is called "The Rainforest" for a reason; sights unlike anything you've ever seen: giant blue butterflies, colourful birds, large reptiles, giant insects, anthills the size of SUVs, beautiful flowers, incredible trees; exotic and rare plants (many of which bear medicinal ingredients to treat all kinds of illnesses), the elusive pink and grey river dolphins... and perhaps even an anaconda or a big caiman if you're fortunate enough! Or even a jaguar... though they will flee while you're still miles away... then this place is for you, like walking through a dream.

Details of costs...
You may contact Gerson directly for this; costs can vary according to how long you are staying (the longer, the cheaper the cost per day) or how many people you bring (the more people, the cheaper the cost per person). It will certainly be less expensive though than going to an Amazonian tourist agency!

Highly recommended for an experience you can tell your friends about back home for years to come. Custom-made trips according to where you want to discover!