Adventure Expedition 1 - July 2004

The First Ecotribal Expedition went to try and open up an eco-tourism circuit in collaboration with Ashaninka tribal communities in the central Peruvian rainforest.

The initial team was comprised of 6 relatively fit and well qualified members:

• Dilwyn Jenkins - Leader (an anthropologist and travel guidebook writer with 28 years experience leading expeditions in the rainforest and longstanding local contacts with Ashaninka communities)

• Mike Paul - Teacher, educationalist and plant expert (over 20 years' experience exploring the rainforest and longstanding local contacts with Ashaninka communities)

• Adela Paul - medical student from France

• Jake Voelcker - environmental politics student, digital photographer, IT and renewable energy technician

• Jenny Lampard - expert in countryside management, environmental issues and community renewable energy development

• Carlos Montenegro - anthropologist and photographer (previous contact with Ashaninka tribe and over 20 years' experience visiting Peruvian rainforest)

We travelled by bus from Lima to the jungle frontier town of Satipo where we met one of our Ashaninka guides - Dril (Dilwyn's godson) - and hired 2 light aircraft to fly us in to the nearest grass strip to our destination. We made base in the hut of an old Ashaninka friend, Cesar, one of the local chiefs. We visited some nearby Ashaninka communities and prepared for our hike to the Parijaro waterfalls. We made contact with our other main guide - Jaime, an infinitely capable young Ashaninka - as well as the young, hilarious and energetic Miki (who always seemed to be fishing) and Abel, a quiet but friendly Ashaninka man sent along by the local chief partly to look after us and partly to keep and eye on what we were up to.

The walk was largely along the banks of the Cutivireni river, scrambling over boulders and along small precipices. It was hard going, even when we cut through the forest on trails which either didn't exist or long been abandoned. Without our 4 Ashaninka guides helping us along and carrying the bulk of the gear, we wouldn't have got very far.

It took two and a half days to reach the waterfalls. At 297m these falls are one of the longest straight drops in the Americas. They were breath-taking - a marvellous jewel and abode of the spirits which defies description in words or images.

We were exhausted and, thanks to the local community, returned down river to base camp on a fleet of 5 balsawood rafts, steered by 5 young Ashaninka bucks from the Parijaro community, plus, the ever reliable Dril, Jaime, Abel and Miki. The navigable sections of the river were mostly grade 2 or 3. It took 6 hours to get back down, getting off the rafts for the rapids in a major canyon and where it was too shallow, here and there.

On the expedition we received enormous hospitality from our Ashaninka hosts. In Parijaro - the community by the waterfalls - we had a meeting with the villagers. They asked us to obtain a solar powered radio communications system for them. This way they could know when visitors might be arriving. It would also be good for any medical emergencies in the community - being 2 days walk from their nearest neighbours.

The community but Parijaro have only small gardens and so few resources at present, because they only returned here 2 years ago. For the previous 12 years they were refugees, forced to live 2 or 3 weeks walk further east during the early 1990's when there was virtually civil war in Peru and violent confrontations between Ashaninka and terrorists in the jungle.

One other piece of western technology which would be useful for the Parijaro community and any future groups who may visit is rubber canoes or rafts, to ensure minimum impact on the local balsawood species.