Our Trips

Our tours are two and three weeks long, designed to give participants a close-up experience of different natural areas: rivers, jungles, mountains, savannas. Our emphasis is on nature and wildlife observation and an appreciation of indigenous cultures. We spend extended periods away from the comforts of civilization, camping outdoors or sleeping in simple shelters relying on our own resources.
For the Amazon and the Orinoco trips we travel extensively by boat, at times covering good distances at speed to get to our destination, other times proceeding quietly to observe and photograph wildlife or stopping to explore, fish or swim. In the mountains we travel by on foot or horseback.
The vehicles and boats we use are for our group alone, allowing us set our own schedule.
Our groups are small, consisting generally of three to eight guests accompanied by an English-speaking trip leader and support personnel. The nature of our trips dictates a high staff-to-guest ratio. Meals are based on simple local dishes, ample, nutritious and tasty.

Who are these trips designed for?

Our trips are ideally suited for those who enjoy close contact with nature for days at a time. Our activities include hiking on moderately challenging terrain. We presuppose a minimum fitness level but you don't have to be an athlete. If you do some kind of physical activity or sport on a regular basis you should be fine.
There is the option to do part of our Andes trip on horseback. The riding skills required are minimal and can generally be picked up by anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and coordination.
During the Amazon and Orinoco components we spend most of the time on or by the water - it almost goes without saying that you should know how to swim and feel comfortable in the water.
We strive to make our trips as comfortable as the circumstances allow, however, you should be prepared to face environmental factors like high temperatures, high humidity and the presence of insects. The ability to get along in a small group setting and a sense of humor will go a long way towards making the trip a memorable experience. Our goal above all is to provide an enjoyable experience.

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Security

Any description of Colombia would be incomplete without mentioning security. Colombia is a vast country and security conditions differ greatly throughout. Certain parts of the country remain out of bounds for travelers because of security reasons. Travel warnings and advisories are issued by different governments for Colombia, please read your country's travel advisory for Colombia before you sign up on one of or trips. Security is of prime concern to us. We stay abreast of the current security situation and we will refrain from going to an area if we deem it unsafe.
Bogota, the capital, is no more unsafe than certain North American cities (crime statistics are very similar to those of Washington, DC). As in most large cities safety precautions are always warranted.
We are well prepared to manage the risks inherent in independent travel to remote areas. Our trip leaders are trained in First Aid and carry well stocked medical kits including antivenin. Satellite phones ensure communication to the outside world and our network of contacts is permanently on call for assistance.

Practicalities

Visas

Equipment

Vaccines