Did you just make a booking with us? Are you as excited as we are for your jungle adventure? Great, let's get you prepared!
Packing Guidelines
For the best efficiency of time and resources on the transport days, we ask each visitor to use airplane carry-on metrics for their jungle luggage—one “personal item” and one 40-45L bag per person. If you are traveling with more luggage than this, you can check with your accommodation in Iquitos about storage options.
In order to properly balance the weight in the boat, we may ask visitors to change seats. Please understand that, while we will do our best to keep travel companions together, you may end up sitting apart for the best safety and efficiency of the boat.
Here’s what you will need for your jungle adventure:
sun protection - hat, sunglasses, sunblock, sun-protective clothing if desired
insect protection - loose or relaxed-fitting long-sleeved shirts,* loose or relaxed-fitting long pants (NOT leggings), bandana or gaiter for neck/face, avoid black clothing because mosquitoes seem to like it. Please see note on chemical insect repellent below.
rain protection - rain jacket*, cover or bag for electronics
other clothing - multiple pairs of socks (some people prefer long ones to prevent chafing from the calf-high gumboots), bathing/swimming gear, a light warm layer for chilly nights/mornings
footwear - we lend you gumboots for all activities (let us know if you need larger than Mens EUR 47/US 13), and you'll probably want casual shoes and/or flip flops for the lodge
personal care - any prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may need, towel, personal toiletries, basic first aid kit
other - water bottle, flashlight, small daypack for daily outings, camera w/ extra batteries, chargers
*It's best to minimize bright colored clothing (red, yellow, orange, pink) so that the animals do not feel threatened when we approach.
About chemical insect repellent:
The unfortunate truth here is that it’s pretty impossible to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes in the jungle environment, but here are some suggestions that may help decrease the bite count. We generally recommend keeping your body covered with clothing to avoid chemicals on the skin, which can block your skin pores, make you feel hotter, and cause you to sweat even more. In our experience, the best basic insect protection is a solid physical barrier in the form of loose-fitting long sleeves and pants, which provides a fabric barrier as well as a buffer zone of air between skin and fabric. Though mosquitoes may still be able to bite through some fabrics, this loose physical layer will allow your skin to breathe while providing some protection. Bandanas or gaiters to cover the neck and/or parts of the face may also be helpful. There are some mosquito-specific clothing products on the market which offer either treated fabrics (most commonly impregnated with an insecticide called permethrin) or fabrics with especially dense, tight weaves. If you opt for a permethrin product, please wear it at home first as a skin sensitivity test since some people do have allergic reactions to permethrin.
As for chemical and "natural" insect sprays, lotions and wipes, while effectiveness does vary between individuals, please be aware that these may wear off quickly due to the high moisture accumulation on the skin surface from air humidity and sweat. Even formulas with high concentrations of DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide or diethyltoluamide) will likely need to be reapplied often (every 20-30 min) if you choose to use them. Some people still get bitten even despite applying lots of repellent, and each person’s body chemistry is unique. Please note that DEET in particular but even natural sprays have corrosive properties that can irritate skin and eyes and degrade materials and surfaces, including cameras, binoculars, phones, zippers, plastic, metal and fabric, so be careful with your gear when using these repellent products. You could spray your hat or something wrapped around your neck to keep bugs away from your face. We'll also ask you to use sprays only at the lodge and at certain designated points on the trail, not all along the way.
You may choose to come prepared with both protective clothing as well as whatever repellent products you feel comfortable using so that you have a few options and can figure out what works best for you. Ideally you would do a skin test of repellent products at home before traveling—we wouldn’t want you to discover a new allergy when you’re out in the remote jungle!
Binoculars
Binoculars greatly enhance the wildlife viewing experience and are highly recommended for activities at the reserve. We understand that not all visitors have the need or the space to carry binoculars with them throughout their travels, so we offer binoculars for rental. We have Celestron 8x42 binoculars, the perfect focal length and scope to bring our wildlife closer to you. Besides the cost of the binoculars themselves, it takes time, energy and money to get quality binoculars to Iquitos each time we have to replace them, so we would appreciate careful handling of them as if they were your own. Binoculars can be rented for USD 20 per trip plus USD 80 deposit in case of damage or loss. Please let us know on your visitor info form if you would like to reserve a pair for your trip.
We kindly ask guests to refrain from smoking during their stay with us at the reserve. The smell of smoke is associated with hunters, so we try to keep the environment smoke-free.
We have either solar or generator power for a couple hours every night, so you can charge your electronics. Please note that our solar capacity cannot handle large loads, so let us know if you need to charge something that will draw a lot of power. You may want to bring extra camera batteries so that your camera is always ready. You will not have cell phone reception or internet at the lodge. Get ready to breathe deeply, take in lots of fresh oxygen and enjoy your time off the grid!
Medical Considerations
COVID-19 Precautionary Measures:
* Proof of full vaccination AND a negative COVID-19 antigen test: you may bring a self-administered test to be completed at our office during your trip briefing the day prior to your Tapiche departure, or you may present results at your trip briefing from a test dated one day prior to your Tapiche departure date
* Mask wearing compliance (covering both nose and mouth) while in Iquitos and during transport to the reserve
* Guests that present with COVID-19 related symptoms (including but not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea) while at Tapiche will be asked to leave the lodge and cover emergency transportation expenses, approx USD 300.
As conditions and circumstances continue to evolve, Tapiche Reserve may modify and augment these measures to best serve everyone involved in our operations.
Regarding other travel vaccines, it's best to consult your physician as well as the requirements for all countries to which you'll be visiting on your travels. Peru’s vaccination requirements regarding COVID have been rapidly changing, so it’s best to make sure you’re familiar with the most updated requirements. Keep in mind also that even if Peru does not require a specific vaccination for entry, other countries may require proof of that vaccination if you have recently been in Peru. The choice whether or not to have vaccines or medication is a very personal one which we leave to each individual guest. We have never had any issue with malaria, dengue, yellow fever or zika at the lodge. Many guests opt not to take any medication because of the side effects, but we encourage each person to make the best decision for their individual situation.
Many travelers opt to purchase third-party travel insurance, which may cover everything from medical emergencies to trip cancellations and delays depending on the plan chosen. We do not endorse any particular product but just mention this as a potentially useful option.
Airport Transfer
If airport transfer is included in your trip package, we will use the flight information that you provided in your visitor form to arrange your airport pick-up. We provide pickup service up to two days prior to your Tapiche start date. Upon leaving the airport, look for the Tapiche Reserve sign. You may see a few taxi drivers soliciting rides inside the baggage claim area, but our driver will be waiting for you outside the airport exit.
Please note we cannot provide this service for StarPeru flights 3115 (sometimes listed as 2I3115) and 3131 Lima-Iquitos as these are often delayed and very difficult to track due to stopovers in other cities. StarPeru does not make these stopovers obvious during the booking process; please check your flight details carefully.
See you in the jungle!
Header photo: Yellow-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulata)
© Deborah Chen