Satipo is 200 miles from Lima, the capital of Peru. The journey takes 6 hours in driving time, with a few stops in order to see butterflies living in different altitudes,  the whole route is extremely scenic, crossing over the Andes passing the highest point at the Ticlio passat 4818 meters to the warm and humid foothill town of Satipo at 632 meters of altitude surrounded by plantations and indian villages.

Satipo is one of the most important areas providing butterflies to collectors around the world.  Ensuring many different genus in a relatively small area, in this trip we can collect more species of butterflies from different altitudinal gradients than any other place in South America.

DAY 1 LIMA

Arriving at Jorge Chávez International Airport, Transfer from airport to selected hotel, city tour (depending on arrival hour of flight).

DAY 2 LIMA / LA OROYA / SAN RAMOS /SATIPO

We will set off shortly before dawn, with a packed breakfast to enjoy with hot drinks in the car, for the 310 km scenic journey crossing over the Andes. The journey takes 6 hours in driving time, but it will still allow a few stops to watch butterflies. Just after reaching a pass we will spend an hour at a straw plain at 4000 meters of altitude at the paramo zone, that hold genus Colias,  holarctic species, we can found there Colias euxanthe hermina, Colias lesbia andina and Colias verhulsthi.

Proceeding through the mining town of La Oroya and the charming Tarma we will shortly reach lusher vegetation which undoubtedly will contain many members of the families NYMPHALIDAE, LYCAENIDAE and PIERIDAE. However, we will make best of the time to get to our destination bungalow in Satipo.

Day 3 SATIPO

We will collect butterflies in  the vicinity of the hotel in the morning before breakfast and then continue on through to Satipo town. After that, we will establish our camp at around 750 meters at a river beach and here we will be based the coming days.

Day 4-6 SATIPO ROAD

We have three full days to explore this marvelous habitat, based in our fully-serviced camp. The last night the camp will be moved up the road to mariposas at 2,500 metres, This will allow us to explore the full range of altitudinal gradients along the route. The lower section of the Satipo Road has patches of lowland forest where interesting butterflies can be hunted, although the habitat is not as pristine as along the upper section of the road, it have many endemic species will ensure an exciting start at lowest lands, and finished at 2500 metres wher we can found genus as Catasticta; eurigania straminea, leucophaea leucophaea, modesta modesta, sisamnus telasco and marcapita marcapita

Along the river or into the woods we will look for fascinating Papilios, as Papilio Thoas, Paeon, zagreus and many others, so we will catch diurnal iridescent moth, Urania Leilus, which green and black scales are hypnotizing. Augmenting our collection with many Hesperriidae living here. Collecting Agrias requires the use of traps, which are hung and taken down at the end of the day, this method also gave us the females of many species, in view that, contrary to the males, the females prefer the security of  the height trees.

Night collecting is an adventure that requires of patience and  pleasure for the hot coffee, but it rewards with giant moths, this activity requires of traps of light, additionally we took advantage for the search of  caterpillars. The densely hairy caterpillars of Morphos, live in communal cocoons in trees until the time of pupation. At night they crawl out in search of food, then return again to their spun homes, they live mainly on creeping lianas

All kinds of possibilities await as we explore the various habitats above the camp, including the dark forest where the family brassolidae live, the largest and the most interesting of this family are the so-called “owl Butterflies”, especially those of the Caligo genus. These are very large, attractive butterflies. Their coloration, too, is unique. Many have on the upper sides the iridescent deep blue shades of the Morphos, and the males also have the scent scale.

Below the camp we hope for the “star” endemic species, wonderfull blue morphos, like Morpho cacica and Morpho Didius, the largest of the blue-coloured species. Looking  morphos to fly is a show out of this world, especially when a group of them flies about among if.

Day 7 SATIPO  / LIMA

After breakfast we will leave to Lima, end of our services.

This trip include:

Transportation by private car from Lima to Satipo  and back from Satipo to Lima

All Meals during trip outside Lima

One night in a three star hotel in Lima, two nights in a bungalow in satipo and three nights in a camp

Tents, mats and traps

Guides

Paper work for permissions required for goverment

Fees for a group collecting permission (individual permission have to pay US$ 150)

Fees for extraction of  200 butterflies (additional butterflies  have to pay US$ 0.5 per specimen)

Entrance fees to parks and indian lands

City tour in Lima

Not included

Sleeping bags

Meals in Lima

Soft drinks and beers