Marañon Dec4 trip details (last update Sep14)

----PRE-TRIP GENERAL INFORMATION MARAÑON DEC4 LAUNCH------
 
This webpage describes details of the Marañon trip coming up that will begin December 4, 2014. This will be a fast high water descent of the entire Grand Canyon Amazon section as well as the Jungle Pongos in ~18 days. We will have a contingent (mostly kayakers) starting on the UpperGC Dec3, and another contingent (mostly rafters) starting on the CentralGC at Chagual on Dec6. The upper group rendezvous will be at Mi Casa hostal in Huaraz early on Dec2 (see additional information below for arriving to Huaraz from Lima) while the main group rendezvous will be in Trujillo at Naylamp Hostal on Dec4. This trip is planned to be finished at Santa Maria de Nieva on Dec19 or possibly Sarameriza on Dec21.

Be sure to explore all links that are available from the main MARAÑON webpage and read the summaries of previous trips at: SEP28, and JAN16. Water levels will be variable but generally are medium to high during December. Note that this trip can be high water, and this can pose serious challenges in the Inner Gorge section. If you are paddling the UpperGC section and are not comfotable with the difficulty of the river in the first days (a good warm-up), you can skip the tougher Inner Gorge section by taking a vehicle shuttle around (we will arrange this). If flood flows are encountered, we may all skip the Inner Gorge.  
 
Most information you need to know about the trip can be found on the main Marañon webpage. In particular, look over the updated SAFETY/HEALTH page. A list of items you should plan to pack can be found at the WHAT TO PACK page (also found as a link on the left column of the main webpage) - basically your own camping gear and some or all of your own personal paddling gear (PFD, jacket, helmet, skirt, throw-bag, rescue kit).  Many items are available to rent (see list at end of this page) if you'd like to minimize what you travel with. Just let me know if you'rd like to reserve some of those items. [If you are a kayaker, you get to reserve a kayak and paddle; this is included in the trip contribution.] You can see the typical foods we bring on the trip at the Foods/Alcohol/Water page.  For most of the trip we'll provide 1 can of beverage per day with resupply at Chagual and Balsas. We can bring more than 1 can/day/person on this trip even from the start, but you'll have to pay for extra.   If you have any particular medical problems, food restrictions, or other requests, please provide that information when requested.    

It is best to contact me by email with any questions/concerns. You also can contact me by phone - when I'm in Peru it's best to call me on my Peruvian cell phone. We will have a satellite phone on the trip. It is possible for folks to contact me at the numbers below:

Rocky cell (Peru): +51 950 730 797  
Rocky cell (USA):  +1 206 484 5820
Rocky satellite phone (anywhere): 011 870 771 001 899

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WEATHER
This trip is in December, which is the third month into the rainy season. Expect hot days and cool to warm evenings on most of the trip: avg. hi 32oC; avg low 20oC (90oF/68oF) but several degrees cooler at the start (higher elevation). You should expect rain showers about 1 out of 4 of days - usually short spells, and often in the afternoon/night. The river water temp will generally be warm 19oC-21oC (68oF-72oF). Rafters do not get very wet but a paddle jacket is still a good idea if it happens to be cool or rainy. Always consider that you're near the equator and should protect yourself from sun. If we venture into the Jungle Pongos, temperatures are usually a bit cooler and there is frequent rain.


WATER LEVELS
In December, the water levels in the Marañon are generally med-high and variable. Averages at Balsas in mid-December are ~700 cms (24000 cfs). The water will generally be silty from the rains during this time. Many side streams and springs will continue to provide clear drinking water. We will likely encounter spikes of flow at times, which can lead to flooding of camps. The difficulty of the river is approximately the same as the Grand Canyon Colorado, but two rapids are much tougher in the Inner Gorge section. Also note that high flows in either the GC Colorado or GC Amazon can lead to funny water and more raft flips.    
 

LIMA
All folks will be flying into Lima and you might want to spend a day there checking it out. You can find general info about Lima on the Lonely Planet website (scroll lower on this site for links to essential info like money, getting around, etc). You can get money in ATMs or by changing in Casas de Cambio. The currency of Peru is the nuevo sol (NS) with a current exchange rate of ~2.7 NS/dollar. There are ATMs in the airport (~2.7 NS/dollar but a fee to use) as well as money changers (but not a good rate of exchange at ~2.6 NS/dollar or 5% surcharge). It is better to change larger sums of money at a Casa de Cambio in a city (Miraflores, or even Huaraz). You'll be leaving the airport for somewhere like a hotel in Miraflores, the centro, or the bus to Huaraz. It's usually a 50NS ($20USD) taxi ride to Miraflores, but can be $15USD if you walk outside the airport lot and catch a taxi on the street. It's a bit less ($15USD) to the centro (downtown). Miraflores is a bit far from the airport but one of the nicer parts of town to stay in and not too far from the central bus stations to Huaraz.  Nice things to do in Miraflores are to run/walk near the beach or on the cliffs above (maybe paraglide), walk around the center parks, and visit Huaca Pucllana ruins (pre-Inca). You can also consider a visit to the centro with its cathedrals, catecombs, and remains of Pizarro.  Most things there are within walking distance - or taxis can be hired.  You'll have to book your own accommodations in Lima/Miraflores. I put some options below:  

There are various options of hotels/hostels in Miraflores.  You can check out various MIRAFLORES HOTELS/HOSTELS with private rooms. A reasonably priced one is Friend's House (email them at friends house_peru@yahoo.com.mex ). Other links to check:  
 Booking.com ; HOSTEL.COM ; LonelyPlanet ; Hitchhiker's Hostel  ; Albergue Miraflores 

Hotels close to the Lima airport:
If you arrive to Lima late and have a connection early the following morning or just need to pass a night comfortably, the Ramada Costa del Sol hotel is right at the airport in Lima and can easily be walked to, but it is expensive (>$150/night). An alternative hotel much more reasonably priced and within walking distance from the airport is Hotel Mundo Albergue Aeropuerto ($25-$40/night).  If you go with the latter option, walk out of the airport main building to the right to Avenida Faucett, cross the pedestrian bridge, then walk left, make a right on Avenida Tomás Valle, make the next right, and eight streets down on Calle O you'll find the hotel.  There are other hotels near the airport - some less expensive and some with better reviews - but they require a taxi to get to.  Check for hotels in Callao on www.booking.com. Taxis can be cheap (10-15NS; $4-6) for short rides but only if you walk outside of the airport parking area to the main Avenida Faucett to catch them.  Getting a taxi within the airport will cost a minimum of ~25NS ($9).

RENDEZVOUS IN HUARAZ 
The Upper trip rendezvous point will be Huaraz, a charming colonial city high in the Andes with lots to offer the adventurous traveller. Huaraz is a major destination of the Andes for trekkers and climbers, as it lies just below the highest tropical mountains in the world, including Huascarán. It also has Río Santa running through it, a fun class III-IV river. You could easily spend several days doing some short hikes, a trek, or kayaking Ríos Santa or Puchka. Kayaking Ríos Santa or Puchka have the benefit that you'll see how the kayak and everything fits you before the long expedition (so have the opportunity to possibly select something more appropriate).  Currently nearly all the equipment is based in Huaraz, so kayaks will be available to use on Río Santa before the trip.  You might consider doing several days trekking before the trip, such as up to the Cordillera Huayhuash (one of the principal sources of the Amazon), and kayaking Ríos Santa/Puchka (class III-IV).


Getting to Huaraz 
To get to Huaraz from Lima, you can fly (1 hr) or take a bus (8 hr).  Flights are only operated by LCPeru and generally depart early in the morning (e.g., 5:30am, 7:00am, 8:25 am) and cost a total of ~$121.  There are two primary bus companies servicing Huaraz with ~8 hr rides ($11-32). Price differences reflect the seat type: regular economico seats, semi-reclining semi-cama seats, and sometimes full-reclining cama seats. Note that many buses have mixed economico and semi-cama seats; others may have all cama seats. Click the links below to see schedules:

Movil Tours (Paseo de la República 749, La Victoria; tel: 332-0004) has departures throughout day: e.g., 8:00am, 9:40am, 10:10am, 10:30am; 1:00pm, 9:40pm, 10:30pm; [40NS for economico seat; 60NS-80NS VIP semi-cama o cama; not all buses have all types of seats - be sure to check each seat type for the departure times available]. The above address is their central station; however, if planning to go to the station directly from the airport, the taxi driver might suggest that you go to their peripheral station in Lima that is a stop enroute to Huaraz - and a bit closer to the airport (near Tomás Valle and the Panamericana).
Cruz del Sur (Javier Prado & Arriola) has departures usually 11:00am and 10:30pm from Javier Prado; $11-32 depending on seat type 

If you're going by bus, you generally can buy your ticket at the bus stations, which are close to the center of Lima. It's best to arrive >1 hr prior to departure. It's possible to purchase your ticket and reserve your seat online, but sometimes the online sites won't process foreign credit cards well. If you are going from the airport to the bus terminal, it should cost about a 40NS taxi ride ($15) taxi ride. All taxi drivers know these streets and bus terminals.  
 

Accommodations in Huaraz 
In Huaraz, our main rendezvous hostel will be at Mi Casa ("My House") run by Patty Ames, located at Avenida 27 de noviembre 773, a few blocks from the plaza and 1.1 km from the Movil Tours bus stop (see map) [tel: 051-43-423375; email: bybmyhousehuaraz@gmail.com]. The gear is stored there, and this is where the guides will be staying and organizing some gear/food. If you'd like to stay there, double rooms with two beds cost 80NS ($29) with breakfast, or 70NS ($25) without breakfast. Mi Casa has 13 beds, most in double rooms (two beds in a room). Since some of you may be arriving earlier than others and some of you may decide to stay elsewhere, you should send Patty an email to reserve your room - or if you're solo but would like to share a room with someone, let me know and I'll get you together with someone else from our group. Each person is responsible for paying Patty for their room. There are other accommodation options - see list here. If you stay somewhere else, just know that we will have a pre-trip meeting at Mi Casa at 7 pm (with pizza or some other food) the day before departure day, so if be at Mi Casa then. We will then leave on departure day at 7 am.

Before we depart for the river, you can leave a bag (such as a suitcase) to be sent to Lima to be waiting for you after the expedition - or alternatively sent to Bagua where you can pick up when you get off the river. There is a small fee for this transport of a package (encomienda), which you pay when you pick up. You will need to write on a tag your name, passport #, contact phone # or email, the sending city (Huaraz) and the destination city (Bagua Chica or Lima).

RENDEZVOUS IN TRUJILLO
The main group rendezvous will be in Trujillo. You're welcome to decide your own place to stay there, but one option is Naylamp Hostal in Huanchaco, a beachside community with great surf that is popular with tourists. It is about 25 min drive from central Trujillo. You might consder arriving 1-3 days early to visit some of the sights such as the main plaza in Trujillo, to visit the archeological sites of Huaca del Sol (Moche culture; 100-800 A.D.) and/or Chan Chan (850-1470 A.D.), to try surfing, to try paddling Río Moche, and/or to just hang out on the beach and in town.

On the first trips (Sep22 and Oct1), our main rendezvous hostel will be at the reasonably-priced Naylamp Hostal located at Avenida Victor Largo 123 in Huanchaco, a seaside town 30 min from Trujillo and a nice place to hang out before the start of the trip. Costs are generally between about $8 for a bed in a 5-bed room to $25 for a shared double room. There are other hotel option within Trujillo proper and also in Huanchaco.

Before we depart for the river, you can leave a bag (such as a suitcase) to be sent to Bagua (end of the trip) to be waiting for you after the expedition - or you can leave it in Trujillo at the hostal or at another friend's house (Fernando Garcia's hostal; located by the Transportes Linea terminal). There is a small fee for the transport of a package (encomienda) to Bagua or Lima, which you pay when you pick up. You will need to place a tag on the package with your name, passport #, contact phone # or email, the sending city (Trujillo) and the destination city (Bagua Chica, Lima, or elsewhere).

Getting to Trujillo
To get to Trujillo from Lima, you can fly (check LAN  and Avianca; generally ~$140 each way) or take a bus (9 hr; 30-100NS; $11-35USD). There are several bus companies servicing the Lima-Trujillo route, the main ones being Transportes Linea and Cruz del Sur. Higher prices usually mean bigger and more reclining seats. It can be quite comfortable taking the overnight bus with the "cama" seats and the movies shown. Some of the bus companies with a sample of daily schedules are below (but note schedules vary day by day):

Movil Tours: 10:00pm (60NS-80NS); Paseo de la Republica 749
Transportes Linea: 8:30am, 9:40am,11:59am, 9:00pm, 10:00pm, 10:45pm (30-45NS normal; 70-125NS semi-cama/cama); Paseo de la Republica 941
Oltursa: 12:00pm (50NS) Aramburu 1160
Cruz del Sur: 8:00am, 12:30pm, 2:45pm, 10:00pm, 10:45pm (75-100NS); Javier Prado Este 1109

If you're going by bus, you generally can buy tickets at the bus stations, which are close to the center of Lima (but it is best to arrive >1 hr prior to departure). It's possible to purchase your ticket and reserve your seat online, but sometimes the online websites won't process foreign credit cards well. If you are going from the Lima airport to the bus terminal, it should cost about 40NS-50NS ($15-$19) for the taxi ride. All taxi drivers know these streets and bus terminals.

Note that several of the bus companies have more than one bus terminal in Lima. For example, Transportes Linea and Cruz del Sur each have their main terminals in the central Lima area of La Victoria and another terminal closer to the airport to the north ("Plaza Norte": at Tomás Valle/Tupac Amaru). However, not all buses heading north to Trujillo stop at the Plaza Norte terminal. Movil Tours also has two bus terminals in Lima, one in the central area (La Victoria) and another in the northern area closer to the airport (this one is called Los Olivos). You may wish to go to the Los Olivos terminal as it is enroute out of Lima and cuts off ~30 min from ~9 hr ride to Trujillo, but be sure to check which buses stop at the other terminal. 

Electronics: It is possible to recharge electronics possibly at Chagual (~day 11) and certainly at Balsas/Celendin (~day 18) and possibly with a GoalZero solar charger/inverter we might bring along on the trip.

Satellite Phone: For communication we will have a Inmarsat satellite phone on the expedition.  You can make calls anywhere for $1.50/min.  The signal was always very good everywhere checked on the last trips.  Also, some areas on the river have cell phone coverage.  

HEALTH
Below you will find some information on health issues. The first thing to know is that several folks on the trip are trained in wilderness first aid and can provide medical attention to injuries.  We will have at least one major first aid kit and one minor kit.  You may want to get some of your own medication if you think you might be suffering from something in particluar on the trip.  Our first aid kit will have some pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen, immodium, Tums, antibiotics, anti-allergy pills, and possibly an epinephrine pen. You might consider a visit the doctor before your journey to Peru to prepare for the following.

Immunizations/Malaria: It is recommended by the CDC that folks traveling to Peru be vaccinated against Hepatitis A,  Typhoid, and Tetanus.  If you're entering the jungle areas, you might also consider getting Yellow Fever and Rabies immunizations and taking anti-Malaria medicine. Standard child vaccinations that everyone should have include Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) and Diptheria-Tentanus-Pertussis (DTP), but note that Tetanus boosters need to be given every 5-10 years. Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for those who might have blood or sexual contact with infected people. Note however, that with regard to mosquito-borne illness, in general the main Grand Canyon of the Amazon section down to near Bagua is in drier desert-type terrain with few mosquitos, where the CDC puts little risk of Malaria/Yellow Fever as well. [see this Malaria MAP from the CDC]. If you are planning to visit a doctor before the trip and get some immunizations, you should also request some additional prescriptions to treat/prevent Traveler's Diarrhea and/or Altitude Sickness (below). 
 
Traveler's diarrhea: One of the most common ailments among tourists in Peru is traveler's diarrhea (gastrointestinal problems), also referred to sometimes as Montezuma's Revenge.  You should try to minimize chances of getting it by avoiding potentially dirty foods before the trip. During the trip we'll do what we can to prevent it by strictly adhering to NPS Sanitation Guidelines: basically minimizing the microbe exposure through liberal use of sanitizing solutions (bleach in water at about 100 ppm) for hand-washing, dish-washing, table-wiping, and cleaning veggies/fruits. There will be a hand-wash station at camp that you should always use after bathroom use and before handling food/plates. See the FOOD/WATER section for more details. Despite these measures, and perhaps because there is contact with river water and other microbe-containing surfaces, invariably many foreigners still get traveller's diarrhea on a river trip. It almost never afflicts Peruvians or folks who spend a lot of time there and are used to the microbes. When it strikes you, the symptoms are upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, lack of appetite, general fatigue and sometimes vomiting. It usually lasts 1-3 days but sometimes lasts longer (especially the loose stools). You can treat some symptoms with immodium and anti-nausea pills, but if you want to eliminate the problem completely, you should start a course of antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) immediately and take for 3 days or until symptoms subside. We will have some ciprofloxacin on the trip, but it might not be enough. If you can get some to bring along, please do so (and let Rocky know).

Altitude Sickness: Folks who will be starting on the Upper GC section will base out of Huaraz, which is at 3000 m elevation (10000 ft). This high altitude, with associated drives over passes at >4400 m (14000 ft), and possibly some hikes before the trip, may lead to altitude sickness - also called soroche in Peru. Symptoms are light-headedness, headache, nausea, and fatigue.   If you're acclimatized to the altitude for several days, it probably will not affect you.  If you're not acclimatized, you might suffer. You can prevent altitude sickness with acetazolamide (also known by trade name Diamox), a prescription medicine that increases bicarbonate excretion in urine and therefore lowers the pH of your blood (higher blood pH is one of the primary causes of altitude sickness).  Folks who take acetazolamide starting 1/2-1 day before getting to high elevation often can go up to above >16000 ft for several days without adverse effects.  If you're going to the doctor to get immunizations and/or antibiotics, you might also mention that you'll also be at high altitude and request a dose of acetazolamide. It's surprisingly hard to find in Peru. The common "anti-soroche" pills they sell down there are simply aspirin or tylenol, which do little for most of the symptoms. 


LIABILITY & INSURANCE
Liability: Each paticipant must realize that whitewater river expeditions involve certain inherent risks and must agree to voluntarily assume those risks. Also, each partipant in charge of a raft, kayak, or other SierraRios LLC gear is responsible for any damage or loss that occurs while the equipment is in their control. We require all participants on SierraRios LLC trips to sign a liability acknowledgement form. We will also ask you to fill out a participant information sheet with emergency contact information, allergy and health issues, and various preferences.

Traveler's Insurance: We strongly recommend that you get a travel insurance policy that covers emergency evacuations, medical treatment, theft, loss of equipment, and missed flights that might arise during your travel abroad. You can find such insurance policies through Squaremouth, Travelguard, and Travelsafe. You are responsible for your own equipment loss, missed flights, evacuation or medical costs before and during the expedition.

Crisis plan: In general, on this river we'll never be very far from trails/roads out, so in the event of incapacitating but non-life threatening injuries, the plan will be to raft the person to the nearest point out and arrange a ride to the nearest city/hospital. In some cases, we may build a litter and carry the person to the nearest road. With exceptional injuries/circumstances or life-threatening conditions, we may use the satellite phone to contact the nearest government officials with access to a helicopter and request an air evacuation. SierraRios LLC is not responsible for evacuation or medical costs incurred for problems arising during the expedition.



MAPS/OTHER LINKS
All maps of the river are marked with rapids and available online (i.e. a "guide") to members of SierraRios with an acknowledgement from you that the access codes or map copies will not be given out to anybody - rather, you have to agree to direct others interested in the maps to the SierraRios website or Rocky.  The links to the maps, various artcles, the film, petition, and trip info are:

MARANON TOPO MAPS
FILM
PETITION 
SAVE THE UPPER AMAZON
RAFT TRIP INFO 
ARTICLES


READING/PREP MATERIAL
You can read/see more about the river and area, and Peru in general at the following (I'll have a lot of these books along on the trip):

Articles about the Marañon:
American Whitewater: Grand Canyon of the Amazon; by Contos
International Rivers: R ío Marañon; by Contos
Canoe & Kayak: Grand Canyon of the Amazon; by Contos

Books/Movies:
Movie: Aguirre, the Wrath of God  : unforgettable imagery and story
Book: Last Days of the Incas : McQuarrie does a great job describing the conquest of the Incas: Pizarro's defeat of Atahualpa at Cajamarca 
Book: Running the Amazon  : Joe Kane and Piotr Chmielinski with others kayak/raft the Apurimac-Amazon 1987
Book: Three Rivers of the Amazon : Tim Biggs kayaks down Marañon, Urubamba, and Apurimac 2008
Book: Two Against the Amazon  : Brown/Snow and the sources of the Amazon (Marañon) 1953
Book: My Amazon Adventure   Sebastian Snow travels down the Marañon-Amazon from the source (1953)
Book: River of Darkness : Orellana's Amazon first descent voyage of 1540
Book: Lonely Planet Peru: great travel guide

Amazon Source News:
True Source of the Amazon (C&K magazine article now online)
Fastest to the Atlantic Wins (Outside magazine article now online)
AREA: Correct Placement of the Most Distant Source of the Amazon in the Mantaro River Drainage : [scientific article]
La Republica article: (national news of Peru)
National Geographic article (blurb about new source but dissing it somewhat)
Fox News article nonlinonlin
Geography Directions post (something I wrote about the discovery)


PARTICIPANTS  
Most folks on the trip are guides or experienced rafters or kayakers:

Dec4 Marañon Trip:
Below are shown a little about the participants on this trip. 

Rocky Contos (San Diego, CA) may be with the group in Huaraz. You can read more about Rocky at BIO. Rocky will have done the whole river 4X by then.
Pedro Peña (Lunahuana, Peru) is a bilingual class V kayaker/raft guide with extensive experience guiding the Cañete, Apurimac, Urubamba, Trancura, Fualeufu, and Marañon
Sam Morrison (ID/MT) is a guide at ROW and was a teacher in Guadalajara for several years; blilingual and a class IV-V kayaker and rafter; traveling for several months in S.America
Tom Morrison (ID/MT) is a guide at ROW; brother of Sam; a class IV-V kayaker and rafter; both he and Sam did the Lacanja with SierraRios 2013
Johhn Cook (Tulsa, OK) is an MD who has rafted/IK'd the GCC; son may join as well
Marty Brenner (Lancaster, CA) is a rafter who has boated/hiked GCC and and done the Lacanja-Usumacinta in Chiapas with SierraRios 2014
John Cook (Tulsa, OK) is an MD who has rafted/IK'd the GCC; son may join as well
Ashley Borman (ID/MT) is friend of Sam's and a rafter

PROBABLY JOINING:
XX (XX) XX

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BOAT ASSIGNMENTS

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ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE INFO: