Who Wants to go to Peru to see Macaws at the Clay Licks?

[jenseits]

Phoenix Landing is organizing a trip to Tambopata, Peru, with Dr. Brightsmith (Director of the Tambopata Macaw Project). The trip will include hiking, lectures, video presentations (and the company of other people who love parrots)

Details: Extraordinary Trip to See the Macaws of Tambopata Peru with Dr. Brightsmith — Phoenix Landing Blog

You'd see this first hand!

The Tambopata Macaw Project supports long-term research about the ecology and conservation of the nearly 20 species of macaws, parrots and parakeets that reside in the region. As in many areas, parrots are threatened by poaching and the clearing of forests.

In addition to time spent at the clay licks, hikes to key areas of parrot and wildlife activity, and special videos, Dr. Brightsmith will also give us special lectures about ongoing research projects such as the macaw nests, chicks research, and clay lick activity.

There are still spots open, so if anyone is interested, please contact Phoenix Landing.

[Franciscus]

It's on my list of must do's before I die. I won't be going there for a while though.

[Kachina]

That looks really cool, and the price isn't anywhere near as bad as I thought something like that would be. If I had more advance notice I'd definitely be interested in going.

[asulli]

How beautiful it must be to experience first hand!

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by Kachina

That looks really cool, and the price isn't anywhere near as bad as I thought something like that would be. If I had more advance notice I'd definitely be interested in going.

I know! Some of these eco-tourism trips are often advertised at many thousands of dollars. This is very reasonable. I'm actually considering it. (I also like the idea of going with a bunch of parrot lovers, so I know I won't be surrounded by people who will harrass me about "keeping those beautiful creatures in cages")

[MissV]

I'd love to go but my sister is having her wedding in December. :/

Oh welll, maybe next time.

[kali]

O if i had the money... I need to win lotto next week! I never buy a ticket, but i think i will, this is a WANT for me!

[NotEnoughTime]

My wife and I spent a week backpacking through the Amazon basin in Ecuador two years ago (we spent a month in Ecuador)... It was absolutely stunning to see parrotlets, macaws and amazons in their natural environment... As well as some amazing butterflies... But even more amazing/sad was the development that our North American companies have done in these areas by cutting down swaths of rain forest and building roads, highways and pipelines through the forest.

Our tour cost all of $300 (for two for one week). My wife and I hired two local guides (so there were four of us) through a local naturalist (recommended by the Lonely Planet guide) to take us for a week into the Amazon rain forest. The most costly thing was the air tickets to get there...

Peru - which is on our next-to-visit list (after Vietnam - this year) - is one of the least costly of the South American countries. Our cost of air to Ecuador was about $1800 (for both of us - two years ago) and was the most expensive part of our trip. Our total cost for one month in Ecuador including hotel, tours and food was just under $900. So about $1350 each for one month - air, hotel, bus fares, food and guide fees included. And Peru is cheaper than Ecuador...

Granted - not many people would like to "rough it" the way we do... But the price of the phoenixlanding.org trip seems a bit high to me... I guess they have to pay their administrators some salary... And it does go to a good cause.

*note* we did not visit the galapagos islands which is the main reason that North Americans visit Ecuador - they are extremely expensive to visit because of the tourism limits and the care that must be taken to visit them. We did visit the "poor man's" galapagos - Isla de la Plata - and the cost of this visit in included in the $900 we paid...

Oh - and this was Canadian Currency (about $0.94 US cents bought one Canadian Dollar at that time)...