Expeditions in the world's jungles and forests

Entry requirements depend on your nationality; always check with the relevant embassy or consulate of your destination country before booking. As a general guide: Peru (up to 90 days without a visa for many nationalities), Ecuador (up to 90 days without a visa for most Western nationalities) and Mexico (up to 180 days) are accessible without a visa for the majority of European passport holders. For Indonesia (West Papua), a visa on arrival (VOA) is available for 30 days, extendable once; your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry and must be in excellent condition. For Papua New Guinea, a visa is generally required in advance or on arrival depending on nationality. Regulations evolve, so verify with official sources before departure.

Yes, Access to West Papua, and in particular to the remote highland areas around Carstensz Pyramid, requires a Surat Jalan, a travel and police permit for restricted zones issued by Indonesian authorities. This permit is separate from the Indonesian entry visa and must be obtained before entering these territories. All administrative procedures linked to this permit are handled as part of the expedition logistics, in coordination with licensed local counterparts on the ground.

Core vaccinations should be up to date, including tetanus-diphtheria-polio, hepatitis A and typhoid. Yellow fever vaccination is strongly recommended for expeditions in Amazonia (Peru, Ecuador) and may be mandatory if you are arriving from an endemic country. For Indonesian Papua and Papua New Guinea, hepatitis B, rabies and Japanese encephalitis vaccines may be advised depending on the specific itinerary and duration. A consultation at a travel medicine clinic, at least 6 to 8 weeks before departure, is essential to tailor recommendations to your individual profile and chosen programme.

Malaria risk is real and should be taken seriously for expeditions in the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon, in Papua (both Indonesian and Papua New Guinea) and in Central African forests. Prevention relies on two complementary approaches: an antimalarial medication prescribed by a doctor before departure, and rigorous physical protection against mosquito bites (long sleeves and trousers, effective repellents, mosquito nets). These precautions must be maintained throughout the trip and for several weeks after return. If a fever develops within two months of returning, immediate medical advice must be sought.

An insurance policy covering medical expenses, emergency hospitalisation, medical repatriation and, critically, evacuation from areas with no road access is non-negotiable for these expeditions. In deep Amazonia or in Papua, an evacuation can require several days of assisted portage or a private helicopter, at costs that standard travel insurance will not cover. Verify that your policy explicitly includes trekking and mountaineering activities in remote tropical environments and carries no exclusion based on geographical remoteness or altitude. A 24-hour medical assistance hotline is an essential selection criterion.

The catalogue spans a broad range, from 'Challenging' to 'Difficult' in physical terms. The Matses crossing in Peru (17 days) and the Wisui cordillera crossing among the Jivaros in Ecuador (15 days) are rated 'Challenging' physically and 'Easy' technically: they require endurance for long days on irregular terrain and the mental resilience for total immersion in the forest, without specific technical skills. The ascents, Carstensz Pyramid and Mount Giluwe, are rated 'Difficult' physically, preceded by multi-day forest treks before reaching the rocky or glaciated sections. A solid general fitness level and prior experience of multi-day trekking are expected across the board.

Yes. Carstensz Pyramid (4884 m) is rated AD (Fairly Difficult) technically: the ascent includes rock-climbing sections on limestone that require comfort with exposed terrain, the ability to use safety equipment (rope and harness) and prior experience of technical mountain routes. No prior high-altitude experience is strictly required, as the peak stands below the altitude threshold where acclimatisation becomes a major physiological constraint, but the jungle approach trek demands strong endurance over several days of tropical terrain. If you lack technical climbing experience, a preparatory mountaineering course is recommended before applying.

These expeditions are not designed for complete novices. Deep jungle conditions differ radically from mountain trekking: intense heat and humidity, dense vegetation, river crossings, wildlife encounters, rudimentary bivouacs and the complete absence of conventional infrastructure. Prior experience in demanding natural environments is a genuine asset. That said, expert guide leadership and the presence of indigenous community partners provide a strong safety framework and allow the pace to be adapted to the group. A preliminary discussion with our advisors allows us to confirm whether your chosen programme matches your background.

The catalogue falls into three main families. The first covers immersive crossings with indigenous communities: the Matses territory traverse in the Peruvian Amazon and the Wisui cordillera crossing among the Jivaros in Ecuador, both fully unsupported hiking expeditions through territories rarely visited by outsiders. The second family brings together ascents in equatorial forest environments: Carstensz Pyramid (4884 m) in Indonesian Papua and Mount Giluwe (4368 m) in Papua New Guinea, combining multi-day tropical forest trekking with technical mountaineering. The third family includes occasional expeditions in the forests of Asia and Africa, developed according to logistical opportunities and expert guide availability.

Amazonia does not have a clearly defined dry season in the mountaineering sense: rain can occur throughout the year. The Matses expedition in Peru (guaranteed departure in November) and the Wisui crossing in Ecuador (November departure) are scheduled during windows when rainfall is comparatively less intense than in the peak wet season. Some degree of humidity is inherent to tropical forest travel and must be accepted as part of the experience. Careful waterproofing of personal equipment and food supplies is as important as the choice of travel window.

Papua does not follow the clear pre-monsoon or post-monsoon weather windows of the Himalayas. Departure dates are planned around the most favourable meteorological windows identified through the experience of local teams and historical weather records. Carstensz Pyramid has a guaranteed departure in October; Mount Giluwe is organised on request. Conditions in high-altitude tropical forest remain demanding throughout the year: frequent cloud cover, regular rain and wet rock on climbing sections. This unpredictability is one of the characteristics that make these ascents so compelling and distinctive.

Prices observed in the catalogue range from €5,690 for the Pico de Orizaba ascent in Mexico (15 days) to €19,500 for Carstensz Pyramid in Papua (19 days). The Amazon crossings (Matses, Jivaros) are priced from €10,500 to €11,200 depending on the route, and Mount Giluwe in Papua New Guinea from €12,900. The international flight is not included in these prices and represents a significant additional cost, particularly for Papua, which typically requires two stopovers from Europe. Budget separately for specialised insurance, visas, personal technical equipment and antimalarial medication.

Prices generally cover professional guide leadership, internal transport from the meeting point, accommodation or bivouac nights as appropriate to the itinerary, meals during the expedition and the logistics of obtaining access permits for restricted zones (including the Surat Jalan for West Papua). International flights, travel and evacuation insurance, personal technical equipment, medical prophylaxis and vaccinations remain the participant's responsibility. The precise list of inclusions and exclusions is detailed on each individual expedition page, which should be reviewed carefully before booking.

Each expedition is led by a guide or explorer with deep expertise in the terrain and local cultures. For crossings with indigenous communities (Matses, Jivaros), the Western guide is accompanied by community members who provide ground-level guidance across their own territory and represent the primary safety net in the event of the unexpected. A medical assistance hotline is available throughout the expedition. The geographical isolation of these destinations demands rigorous advance preparation: a dedicated expedition medical kit, an evacuation protocol defined before departure and satellite communication in areas where coverage permits.

These expeditions are designed for very small groups: the Amazon crossings take between 2 and 4 participants maximum, ensuring genuine immersion and minimal impact on the territories traversed. Carstensz Pyramid can accommodate from 1 to 10 participants depending on the departure. If you are travelling alone, it is possible to join a group that is forming or to book a private expedition. Custom expeditions allow full flexibility on programme, dates and duration to match a specific personal project.

Partnerships with the Matses community (Peru) and the Shuar/Jivaro people (Ecuador) have been built over the long term, in full respect of the rules governing access to their officially delimited territories. These communities are not service providers in the conventional tourism sense: they are partners who agree to share their forest knowledge and to welcome a very limited number of visitors. No visit is improvised; every departure is coordinated in advance with community representatives. Revenue generated by the expedition benefits the participating families directly, under an agreement negotiated with them.

These expeditions traverse some of the last forest territories with minimal human impact on the planet. Environmental responsibility is not a marketing argument here: it is a condition for the expedition to be possible at all, since the territory can only host these groups if their passage leaves it undegraded. The principles applied include strict Leave No Trace practices for waste and bivouac sites, a hard limit on the number of participants per departure and a complete prohibition on collecting protected flora or fauna. In Papua, the regulations set by Indonesian authorities for restricted zones apply in full.