Amazon Hub

Four weeks in Tarapoto, plus an optional week in Chachapoyas

Ages 8–14 · Up to 14 children · English

Why Tarapoto?

"Tarapoto is an amazing place. I lived here for six years, from 2014 to 2020, and it became a very important part of my life."

The place

It is a safe, lively and easy place to live. The climate is hot and tropical, but Tarapoto's location in the mountainous jungle makes it more moderate than the deeper Amazon. The city is surrounded by mountains, rivers, streams and waterfalls, so there is always somewhere to explore or cool down.

A proper town

The town

At the same time, Tarapoto is a proper town. There are markets, supermarkets, restaurants, cafés, medical services and people from all over Peru and the world. Getting around is easy with the city's many motocars.

Where the Andes meet the Amazon

The hub

What makes Tarapoto special is its location in the Ceja de Selva, or high jungle — the place where the Andes meet the Amazon. It is around 350 metres above sea level, so altitude is not really a factor. Compared with Urubamba, there is no cold, the landscape is much more tropical and the biodiversity is incredible.

Tarapoto town

Tarapoto is about jungle, biodiversity, and adventure — a place where children learn by exploring the outdoors and experiencing the world around them.

Adventure is part of the learning experience

What does a week look like?

Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM · 2 Classroom Days + 2 Excursion Days

Tarapoto is our base. Families stay in the city while we regularly leave for excursions, sometimes for a full day and sometimes for several days.

Our main subjects include:

Survival Skills & Rope Access
History of the Amazon
Amazon Ecosystems
Geography
Conservation
Local Agriculture
Spanish
Chess

The idea is to learn something and then, whenever possible, go outside and experience it.

Rodrigo teaching children outdoor skills during an Amazon Hub session

Sample week

Monday — Hub Day

- History: the first Spanish expeditions into the Amazon

- Rope session: learn knots and introductory rappelling skills

- Amazonian ecosystems and conservation

- Chess lesson

Tuesday — Chazuta & Chocolate
Children learn about cacao production and how agricultural alternatives can create new opportunities for communities in the region.

Wednesday — Hub Day

- The history of Amazonian ecology

- Spanish: Games and conversation

- Geography: Exploring the Amazon through maps and place

- Outdoor skills

Thursday — Conservation in the Field
We visit the Tingana Reserve to experience conservation firsthand and explore the incredible flora and fauna of the Amazon.

Friday–Sunday — Family Time
Explore Tarapoto at your own pace, or join optional weekend activities with our community.

Good to know

- It's a drop-off program. Parents are welcome to join excursions for an additional fee, but it’s completely optional.

- Sessions are in English. Your child doesn't need to speak Spanish.

- Lunch is available as an optional add-on.

- The weekly structure provides consistency, but the program isn’t rigid. We adapt each week to the children’s interests, local opportunities, and weather conditions.

4-Week Program · $850

Included: all hub activities and excursions, including transportation, drop-off hours, plus access to our community for travel advice and connecting with other families.

Not included: accommodation, meals, optional weekend activities, flights and travel insurance.

Can’t stay for all four weeks? Shorter stays may be possible and can be arranged on an individual basis.

CHACHAPOYAS

Optional extension

A fifth week in Chachapoyas

Families who want to continue the adventure can add a fifth week in Chachapoyas after the four-week Tarapoto Hub.

  • 7 days, 6 nights
  • Private bus
  • Hotels

This week is much more excursion-focused, with around an hour of learning before heading out each day. We will explore places such as:

  • Kuélap
  • Gocta Waterfall
  • The Forest of Giant Waterfalls
  • The sarcophagi of El Cerro del Tigre
  • The historic city of Chachapoyas

Children will learn about the pre-Inca Chachapoyas civilization, cloud forests, the water cycle and the relationship between the Andes and Amazon. This is an incredible region to explore, and the giant waterfalls alone make the journey worthwhile.

The Chachapoyas week is optional and is not included in the $850 Tarapoto Hub price.

Gocta Waterfall in the cloud forest near Chachapoyas, Peru
Jungle trail in the Amazon near Tarapoto, Peru

Before you decide

Health and safety in the Amazon

The Amazon is a tropical environment, so there are real risks, including mosquitoes, tropical diseases, rivers, waterfalls and uneven jungle trails.

I lived in Tarapoto for six years without getting sick, but I have known people who have. We recommend sensible precautions such as insect repellent, long pants, good food hygiene and checking current travel-health advice before coming. Families should discuss vaccines and malaria prevention with their own doctor or travel-health professional.

During excursions

  • We stay on designated trails.
  • We stay together as a group.
  • Children don't touch unknown animals, insects or plants.
  • We only enter rivers when the team says conditions are safe.
  • Children don't climb waterfalls.
  • Water activities are actively supervised.
  • Rope activities use trained specialists and appropriate safety systems.

I also have an emergency and evacuation protocol from my years working in adventure tourism in Tarapoto.

This is an adventure program in the Amazon.

There will be mud, bugs, rain and situations that may push children outside their comfort zone. That's part of the experience — but we want families to know that before they come.

Rodrigo with his daughter above Cusco, Peru

Meet Rodrigo

I grew up in Peru, spent six years exploring the Amazon as an adventure guide and five years teaching history and chess in Bali. Now I live in Sacred Valley with my wife Alina and our daughter Alisa.

History and chess are my two great passions, and they are at the heart of these hubs — history helps children understand the world around them, and chess teaches them to think ahead.

I built this hub around one question: what kind of experiences would I want my own daughter to have?

Read my story →

What families say

How to join?

STEP ONE

Apply

Tell us about your family, your children, and what you hope they’ll get from their month with us. Fill out the application form and we’ll take it from there.

We meet online

You, your children, and Rodrigo meet over a video call to get to know each other, ask questions, and make sure it feels like the right fit for everyone.

STEP TWO

STEP THREE

Reserve your place

Ready to join us? Reserve your place with a $400 deposit, then we’ll help you get ready — from airport pickup to settling into life in Peru.

Have questions? Check our FAQ or message us on WhatsApp

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