Alto Mayo Food Forest
Overview
Off-grid small house with spectacular views surrounded by a natural dreamscape. Enjoying your vacation will benefit the environment here in the high jungle of northern Peru. That’s because your stay helps finance our reforestation efforts. We are a husband & wife team reforesting 10 hectares of degraded cattle pasture in an ecosystem crucial to the health of the Amazon River watershed. This is an area next to the Bosque de Proteccion Alto Mayo (a national forest) where the Amazon Rainforest meets the Andes mountains, producing a beautiful blend of biology amidst a dramatic landscape of steep, rolling hills and towering mountain peaks. It is a true biodiversity hotspot with one of the greatest numbers of orchid species found anywhere in the world, and a prime destination for bird enthusiasts. We built a small, off-grid home (40 square meters) using modern materials perched atop a remote hill in this environment in order to tend to our project. The entire back wall of our house features one giant window from which to take in the breathtaking views of the mountains and rainforest. The property encompasses 16.5 hectares (about 40 acres) with primary and secondary forest, as well as the 10 hectare area that we are reforesting. Feel free to explore these areas. We can help orient you. Of the 11,000 original tree plantings more than half are edible fruit-producing species including Ice Cream Beans. Feel free to help yourself to any fruit you find. The elevation here offers more comfortable temperatures than the low jungle. Daily high temperatures usually hover around 85F (29C) with overnight lows about 60F (16C). Due to our microclimate location at the foot of a mountain, rain is a possibility year-round, so please come prepared. That includes waterproof rubber boots for hiking. From the city of Rioja, we are located 45min by car near the outskirts of a small agricultural village called Belen. We can arrange for roundtrip transportation to and from Rioja. Once you arrive at our property, the house is located 600 meters away at the end of a single-track hiking trail. We recommend you have a decent level of physical fitness. Hiking poles are recommended and rubber boots are extremely recommended (such boots are our daily footware on the property). There are lots of tropical birds such as parrots, araçaris (a species of toucan), and small monkeys that can commonly be seen on our property. At night you might hear frogs, owls, and maybe even the lonesome call of the Ayaymama (Nyctibius griseus). As our reforestation efforts continue, the site will continue to attract an ever-increasing diversity of wildlife. To learn more about our efforts, check out our youtube channel, AgroVentures Peru. Food: 1) Bring your own food. We will provide breakfast options (fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, etc.). Other breakfast items can be provided upon request at the time you book the reservation. However, keep in mind that Rioja might not have all the options available. 2) You are responsible for lunch and dinner. You can bring your own ingredients, and we will make a dormitory-size small refrigerator available for you. Try to remember to bring your favorite cooking oil. We will show you how to use the kitchen appliances. 3) If you would like us to go to town to pick up extra groceries for you, this can be arranged during your stay for an extra $40 plus the cost of the items. Amenities: 1) One California King bed & small sofa (not for sleeping) 2) Hotwater heater for the shower 3) Small kitchen with appliances such as electric stove, multi-function instant pot, blender, electric oven, hot water pitcher for boiling water, air fryer, and Berkey filter for drinking water. 4) Home powered by 6.4 kilowatt solar array with 4000 watt continuous inverter and battery backup so that you can use electricity day and night. Electricity is 220v, but we can provide transformers to step the voltage down for appliances/gadgets you may have brought that require 110-120v. 5) Fiberglass insect screen along all windows to keep out bugs. 6) Our household water supply is the delicious rainwater distilled by the Amazon Rainforest. 7) Please only bring biodegradable bathroom products as all water flows through our greywater system. 8) Compost Toilet in the bathroom. 9) We have another structure onsite (about 400m away) and we will be stationed there in case you need assistance with anything. You might also see us around the property doing farm work. Transportation: 1) We can arrange for roundtrip transportation to and from Rioja. ($20 each way). Also, for an additional cost, we can meet you in Rioja, and help you do some last-minute shopping as well as ensure rendezvous with the driver. 2) Please bring a reasonable amount of luggage (no more than 2 suitcases per person). We will carry this luggage to and from the house for you, and that is included in the price of lodging. 3) If you would like us to meet you at the airport in Tarapoto and arrange transportation to our place (a 3hr drive) please contact us when making the reservation. Notes: +Check-in time should be between 1pm – 4pm. In the case that we arrange for your transportation we will expect you to meet with the driver no later than 4pm. Due to the onsite access, it is important that you arrive here well before dusk in order to get situated and not have to walk in the dark. If you think you will be much later than this, please spend the night in Rioja, and come early in the morning the following day. A couple hotels we suggest in Rioja: 1) Hotel Rioja Plaza (nice rooftop area to view the entire city of Rioja) 2) Hotel Gran Bombonaje +Where you are staying is also our primary home, so please be respectful of the space and our belongings. +The only reliable cell phone service provider at our location is Movistar (Telefonica). If paying for a roaming plan, make sure your home country’s provider is authorized to operate on the Movistar network in Peru. Unless there is an outage, the signal is surprisingly good here, and 4G as well as hotspot data work too. +Other worthwhile places to visit in the area: -Reserva Santa Elena (Great place for a river boat ride wildlife viewing experience) -Tioyacu (an idyllic spring-fed river that flows out of the mountains) -The Encañada (A swimming hole that flows through a canyon of 50m vertical rock walls on both sides covered in rainforest trees. This is located just a 5 minute drive from the entrance of our property) -Cueva de Palestina -Piscina de los Reyes (A 2-hour hike from our property) -Morro de Calzada (Hike to the top of a lone mountain in the middle of the Alto Mayo valley) -Baños termales (Hot springs)
House Rules
Guest Information: -For storage of personal belongings, you may use the drawers in the bed, as well as the space under the bed. -The dark-colored drawers against the wall near the door are off-limits. -The storage loft is also off-limits. -Don’t smash bugs on the walls. The walls are drywall (fragile) and also difficult to clean. -Please close the front door behind you (gently) even for quick entries/exits. -The screens keep out mosquitoes, but there are extremely small no-see-ums that can get through. These are usually most active between 4-6pm. Wearing socks that cover the ankles, long pants and long sleeves prevents 99% of bites. After dark they don’t seem to be active. -Once in a blue moon there might be a big rain event with wind, and the bed can start getting wet. If this happens during your stay, please use the plastic tarp provided to you in the bed drawer to cover the foot of the bed. -Please don’t touch any of the components or wiring of the solar installation. -Shower hot water is the handle located closest to the outer wall of the house. Use micro-adjustments. It is very sensitive! -We use bucket toilets, with regular fitted toilet seats. Use at least three scoops of sawdust for every deposit. Re-cover with green lid between uses. #1 can go in bucket with one extra scoop of sawdust or just go outside. -If your buckets are full and would like them emptied and replaced, please leave them next to the entrance of the house. We will check once a day between 12-2pm. -Sometimes chickens and other domestic fowl wander close to the house. Please don’t feed them as we do not want to encourage them to be near the house. -We have free weights available. To protect the floor, always use the floor mats if doing exercise and lifting weights. -Feel free to use any appliances, except the washing machine. We will leave the relevant user manuals in a bag. -Slips and falls are the most common accidents, because the landscape is often wet. Please pay attention to your footing. Medical care is far away. -We will be stationed in the building along the access, with our cell phones turned on. Occasionally cell service fails in this area, in which case you can look for us there. -Let us know if you want more interaction with us during the day, otherwise we plan to leave you completely alone. Thank You and Enjoy Your Stay!