Looking for recommendations on Iquitos jungle tour and Galapagos tour

Hello

I am going to be in South America this summer and am looking to go on an
Amazon jungle tour (via Iquitos) and a Galapagos Islands tour near the
end of June. The only thing I am looking to do specifically is go
fishing on the jungle tour and to scuba dive on the Galapagos tours.

If there is anyone here who has gone on either tour I would greatly
appreciate the name of the guide/company and any comments you have about
the tour.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

Also: Flights to the Galapagos: which airline to book through? An internet
search for this only gives me tour companies.

Andrew Donovan wrote:

Hello

I am going to be in South America this summer and am looking to go on an
Amazon jungle tour (via Iquitos) and a Galapagos Islands tour near the
end of June. The only thing I am looking to do specifically is go
fishing on the jungle tour and to scuba dive on the Galapagos tours.

If there is anyone here who has gone on either tour I would greatly
appreciate the name of the guide/company and any comments you have about
the tour.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

"Andrew Donovan" wrote in message
...
Hello

I am going to be in South America this summer and am looking to go on an
Amazon jungle tour (via Iquitos) and a Galapagos Islands tour near the
end of June. The only thing I am looking to do specifically is go
fishing on the jungle tour and to scuba dive on the Galapagos tours.

If there is anyone here who has gone on either tour I would greatly
appreciate the name of the guide/company and any comments you have about
the tour.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew


Andrew

I don't know which country you're from, but have you tried Journey Latin
America - www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk/

Even if you don't use them they are good for ideas!

Neil

In article , Neil Cummins neil@remo
vethisneilkath.nildram.co.uk writes

I don't know which country you're from, but have you tried Journey Latin
America - www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk/

I hadn't looked for some time, and I notice that they still advertise
for that LAN Chile Airpass which is supposedly not available according
to advice in this newsgroup. who is correct there?

--
JohnM
Author of Brazil: Life, Blood, Soul
http://www.scroll.demon.co.uk/spaver.htm

When you get to Iquitos there is an English language publication available
around town for free that has much info.
There are more or less three ways to see that area.
Take a tour with Explorama (what I did) or another similiar company. This is
expensive, but the alternatives will be more timeconsuming.
We did fish for piranha and then had them for lunch.
The cheaper ways to see the jungle are by taking local boats that transport up
and down the river. This is more time consuming and for those with time to wait
on boats, travel slowly, and then seek out guides, etc in villages.
Another way is to look in the publication I noted above. I noted that there
were a couple guides who ran a low key "jungle" experience and that the cost
was niminal. Then again, so were the amenities. This sounded like something I
would like to do but, again, it takes time to arrange and you may have to wait
in Iquitos while you get in touch with the guide and get your timeframes agreed
upon. I do not think you could do this on the net. These are not web sorts of
things, just local. The one I saw had you hiking in the jungle and sleeping
under shelters you constructed as you needed them and eating simple foods you
could pack in. Roughing it.

I did Explorama and had no problems. Sounds expensive, but we got a lot. Three
meals, canopy tour, fishing for piranha, boats into the small stream at night
to watch for wildlife, medicine man thing, all included in price. All in all
what you would want to see in the Amazon.
Now that I have more money and less time I cannot do the small boat sort of
thing. But thinking back to those days I did spend more time, but in actuality
I saw less. Going on the cheap preempts some "to do" things secondary to their
costs.
One of the best things about Explorama was that (in Jan) there were only 9
people at the lodges we went to. So we had this whole thing to ourselves and it
was low key and very quiet.
You want to fish. I think that if you had fishing gear with you the guides
might be happy to take you someplace where you could try for various fish. When
we fished for piranha we simply used a pole (stick) with a length of line and a
hook.

As for SCUBA in the Galapagos. I have never been, but form what I understand,
the Galapagos is a very controlled place. So you would have to go with a tour
operator that alos offered diving. Probably you can find what you need on the
net. I doubt you could get a fisherman to just take you out sort of thing.

"Treemoss2" wrote in message
...
When you get to Iquitos there is an English language publication available
around town for free that has much info.
There are more or less three ways to see that area.
Take a tour with Explorama (what I did) or another similiar company. This
is
expensive, but the alternatives will be more timeconsuming.
We did fish for piranha and then had them for lunch.
The cheaper ways to see the jungle are by taking local boats that
transport up
and down the river. This is more time consuming and for those with time to
wait
on boats, travel slowly, and then seek out guides, etc in villages.
Another way is to look in the publication I noted above. I noted that
there
were a couple guides who ran a low key "jungle" experience and that the
cost
was niminal. Then again, so were the amenities. This sounded like
something I
would like to do but, again, it takes time to arrange and you may have to
wait
in Iquitos while you get in touch with the guide and get your timeframes
agreed
upon. I do not think you could do this on the net. These are not web sorts
of
things, just local. The one I saw had you hiking in the jungle and
sleeping
under shelters you constructed as you needed them and eating simple foods
you
could pack in. Roughing it.

I did Explorama and had no problems. Sounds expensive, but we got a lot.
Three
meals, canopy tour, fishing for piranha, boats into the small stream at
night
to watch for wildlife, medicine man thing, all included in price. All in
all
what you would want to see in the Amazon.
Now that I have more money and less time I cannot do the small boat sort
of
thing. But thinking back to those days I did spend more time, but in
actuality
I saw less. Going on the cheap preempts some "to do" things secondary to
their
costs.
One of the best things about Explorama was that (in Jan) there were only 9
people at the lodges we went to. So we had this whole thing to ourselves
and it
was low key and very quiet.
You want to fish. I think that if you had fishing gear with you the guides
might be happy to take you someplace where you could try for various fish.
When
we fished for piranha we simply used a pole (stick) with a length of line
and a
hook.

As for SCUBA in the Galapagos. I have never been, but form what I
understand,
the Galapagos is a very controlled place. So you would have to go with a
tour
operator that alos offered diving. Probably you can find what you need on
the
net. I doubt you could get a fisherman to just take you out sort of thing.

"Treemoss2" wrote in message
...
When you get to Iquitos there is an English language publication available
around town for free that has much info.
There are more or less three ways to see that area.
Take a tour with Explorama (what I did) or another similiar company. This
is
expensive, but the alternatives will be more timeconsuming.
We did fish for piranha and then had them for lunch.
The cheaper ways to see the jungle are by taking local boats that
transport up
and down the river. This is more time consuming and for those with time to
wait
on boats, travel slowly, and then seek out guides, etc in villages.
Another way is to look in the publication I noted above. I noted that
there
were a couple guides who ran a low key "jungle" experience and that the
cost
was niminal. Then again, so were the amenities. This sounded like
something I
would like to do but, again, it takes time to arrange and you may have to
wait
in Iquitos while you get in touch with the guide and get your timeframes
agreed
upon. I do not think you could do this on the net. These are not web sorts
of
things, just local. The one I saw had you hiking in the jungle and
sleeping
under shelters you constructed as you needed them and eating simple foods
you
could pack in. Roughing it.

I did Explorama and had no problems. Sounds expensive, but we got a lot.
Three
meals, canopy tour, fishing for piranha, boats into the small stream at
night
to watch for wildlife, medicine man thing, all included in price. All in
all
what you would want to see in the Amazon.
Now that I have more money and less time I cannot do the small boat sort
of
thing. But thinking back to those days I did spend more time, but in
actuality
I saw less. Going on the cheap preempts some "to do" things secondary to
their
costs.
One of the best things about Explorama was that (in Jan) there were only 9
people at the lodges we went to. So we had this whole thing to ourselves
and it
was low key and very quiet.
You want to fish. I think that if you had fishing gear with you the guides
might be happy to take you someplace where you could try for various fish.
When
we fished for piranha we simply used a pole (stick) with a length of line
and a
hook.

As for SCUBA in the Galapagos. I have never been, but form what I
understand,
the Galapagos is a very controlled place. So you would have to go with a
tour
operator that alos offered diving. Probably you can find what you need on
the
net. I doubt you could get a fisherman to just take you out sort of thing.

We did an enjoyable 4 days at 'The Amazon Inn' down river from Iquitos.
They have a 'Ferry' boat for the 20 -30 minute 'commute' from Iquitos.
Located them from the Lonely Planet. It is rustic as you would expect yet
very comfortable.
The most unusual 'Inn' you will ever stay at. 'Tree suites', Netting
walls. Running water with a large walk around shower. The nite sounds of
the jungle are fantastic. Suspended walkways to the large common room. Good
food -- Great Guides and a well stocked bar.

We toured, fished and just rested from our weeks of travel. The resident
pet monkey 'Chi-Chi', about the size of a very small squirrel, kept us
company in the common room. When all was quiet he would groom your hair.
Keep your hands out of the bottom of the boat when fishing for Piranha!!!
Damned things bite lol. When my finger started to bleed our guide, Paco,
was not the least concerned for me but quickly put my hand over the side of
the boat because the blood 'attracted the fish'. Hiked in to an Indian
village and a school. If you do this take needles and thread, colorful
cloth remnants for sewing etc. Ball point pens and paper or notebooks. They
love them and trade their hand made goods for them. Wonderful memories and
pictures.


"Treemoss2" wrote in message
...
When you get to Iquitos there is an English language publication available
around town for free that has much info.
There are more or less three ways to see that area.
Take a tour with Explorama (what I did) or another similiar company. This
is
expensive, but the alternatives will be more timeconsuming.
We did fish for piranha and then had them for lunch.
The cheaper ways to see the jungle are by taking local boats that
transport up
and down the river. This is more time consuming and for those with time to
wait
on boats, travel slowly, and then seek out guides, etc in villages.
Another way is to look in the publication I noted above. I noted that
there
were a couple guides who ran a low key "jungle" experience and that the
cost
was niminal. Then again, so were the amenities. This sounded like
something I
would like to do but, again, it takes time to arrange and you may have to
wait
in Iquitos while you get in touch with the guide and get your timeframes
agreed
upon. I do not think you could do this on the net. These are not web sorts
of
things, just local. The one I saw had you hiking in the jungle and
sleeping
under shelters you constructed as you needed them and eating simple foods
you
could pack in. Roughing it.

I did Explorama and had no problems. Sounds expensive, but we got a lot.
Three
meals, canopy tour, fishing for piranha, boats into the small stream at
night
to watch for wildlife, medicine man thing, all included in price. All in
all
what you would want to see in the Amazon.
Now that I have more money and less time I cannot do the small boat sort
of
thing. But thinking back to those days I did spend more time, but in
actuality
I saw less. Going on the cheap preempts some "to do" things secondary to
their
costs.
One of the best things about Explorama was that (in Jan) there were only 9
people at the lodges we went to. So we had this whole thing to ourselves
and it
was low key and very quiet.
You want to fish. I think that if you had fishing gear with you the guides
might be happy to take you someplace where you could try for various fish.
When
we fished for piranha we simply used a pole (stick) with a length of line
and a
hook.

As for SCUBA in the Galapagos. I have never been, but form what I
understand,
the Galapagos is a very controlled place. So you would have to go with a
tour
operator that alos offered diving. Probably you can find what you need on
the
net. I doubt you could get a fisherman to just take you out sort of thing.

Not sure this is wat youre looking for:
My wife and I flew into Iquitos about 6 years ago and took a 7 day
Amazon boat tour.
Every morning they would take us for walks into the jungle, to native
villages fishing night fishing and just generally through the jungle,

3 days up to Leticia in Columbia and 3 days back We loved hte rustic
primitive lifestyle on the boat, about 60 passengers on the boat

Hope that helps