| We are committed to keeping the ecological footprint of CECCOT as small as possible and to use the center as a demonstration of renewable practices. As such, the accomodations are "rustic" with composting toilets, minimal electricity, and limited running water.
Facilities CECCOT has 5 cabins, a kitchen and dining hall/common room for classes and meetings. CECCOT can host up to 21 people at one time.
Campsites: During the drier seasons, the designated campsites are opened for the most adventurous visitors (limited to only 4 spots).
Drinking water: We provide plenty of safe drinking water during our organized visits, but we only use reusable 20-gallon containers that we bring for town. We don’t offer individually bottled water or any other bottled drinks. All visitors need to bring their own reusable container for refills as needed.
We collect rain water, and when needed carry water from the river to fill up big containers outside of the cabins, which can be used to fill camping showers that worked pretty well. If you are involved in the water carrying activity you will have a sense of how much we take water for granted when you can open a shower head fed by a city water system….and will get a real picture of how much you actually need to keep yourself clean. We are currently working on developing a project that allows us to pump water at low- cost and without the need of fossil fuels, that way we will be able to improve the water supply system at our center, and to share the technology for other neighbors interested in adopting it. Trail system: We have a small trail system that can be used for research projects, education programs, birdwatching and other nature explorations. Trails are named and have been marked every 25m (thanks to students from the University of Washington who did the work in September 2008) to facilitate research and the orientation of visitors.
Laundry service: Two alternatives here: hauling water and doing your own laundry in designated spots, or you can send them to town to one of the numerous laundry services. Power: We have a small supply of electricity generated by solar power. We can power the illumination of the common room and the kitchen during the dark hours. We also have solar charges that help charging batteries and small gadgets. We hope to expand the electricity system in the next few months, which will allow us to run a few computers and a slide projector. Medical facilitiesFor any minor injury we have first aid supplies. In any event of emergency there are two small hospitals in Puerto Maldonado. For more serious medical needs, the Puerto Maldonado airport offers daily morning flights to Cuzco and Lima, both cities with advanced medical facilities. ClimateThe dry (drier) season is from May-October, but remember, this is the rainforest! It can rain anytime. The wet season starts in November and continues through late March. Be prepared to carry your rain gear at all times. Days are mostly hot with lots of humidity, though early morning can be a little chilly. Occasionally there can be “friajes” (cold fronts, most common in June-August) that can be remarkably cold with night-time temperatures in the 50’s, so bring something warm like a fleece jacket, just in case. HealthImmunizations
Make sure that you get the little yellow booklet where all immunizations can be duly stamped (most doctors have these). Health insurance policies may cover immunizations, so check on this before proceeding. Note that yellow fever immunizations are virtually free in Peru; if you don’t carry your yellow immunization booklet on arrival at the Puerto Maldonado airport, they will give you the shot there. However, be aware that the efficacy of this immunization only kicks in after about 10 days and can elicit painful headaches in some people. We strongly recommend getting this shot prior to arrival in the Amazon. The risk of typhoid and Hepatitis A are extremely low to non-existent in the area of the center; if you intend to travel elsewhere in Peru or other places in South America, then we recommend them. Malaria prophylaxis There are two options here, depending on your approach to risk management. The first is to not take anything, since the risk of contracting malaria at the center is extremely low. The second is to take malaria prophylaxis medications. There is no immunization available. Recommendations for the appropriate prophylaxis vary; most common are a combination of Chloroquine and Paludrine, Mefloquine (Lariam), or Malarone. Most doctors in the US recommend Mefloquine, though it can have severe side effects. If you are worried about malaria, you should discuss it with your doctor. If you plan to travel to malaria-prone areas in Peru or other places in S. America, then you might think about bringing prophylaxis. Some of us do not take prophylaxis when working along the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers and have not contracted malaria in the many months we have spent there. Prescription drugs & medication We have a basic first-aid kit with us and access to medical care in Puerto Maldonado (9 km away). However, you should bring a small supply of first-aid materials according to your special needs. We recommend pain relievers, antiseptic, antihistamine, hydrocortisone cream, band-Aids, etc. If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to insect stings (e.g. bee, wasp), please bring an anaphylaxis (Anakit) kit. You should bring a sufficient supply of any prescription medication you may need (be sure to leave these in their original bottle with the prescription handy in case you are asked at customs). Medical insurance Please be sure that you have medical insurance while traveling in Peru. If your current insurance doesn’t cover such costs as emergency medical evacuation, then you should consider supplementing with a separate travel policy. Community involvementEither if you are a short-term visitor or a longer-term volunteer, there are opportunities to get involved in other center activities. During our organized visitor programs, we make and effort to always involved Peruvian biology/ecotourism students. Interactions with these students provide great opportunities for knowledge and cultural exchange. If you would like to donate any supplies for biological field work at CECCOT for this student program we would appreciate your contributions. Some suggested materials include bird identification guides, field books, pens, sun hats, rain ponchos, binoculars, laptops, rechargeable batteries, flashlights, solar equipment, etc. Additionally, we are cooperating with local students in developing the organic farm. If you are interested to participate in their activities we can coordinate with the student group. Also if you want to contribute with gardening supplies, including organic seeds (Please, check with us first for what kind of seeds to bring and avoid any risk of potential catastrophic introductions), gloves, small shovels, clippers, etc., these will be put to good use. You can also participate in any other work (environmental education, art workshops, crafts, etc) during your stay at CECCOT. If you have other skills that could contribute to any of our projects, do let us know.
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Visit
Cabins: The center has 3 cabins that fit 2-3 people/cabin, and 2 larger cabins that fit 4-6 people/cabins. Cabins are elevated above the ground, have open windows, and beds with mosquito netting.
Dinning hall/Common room: This is our main building and serves multiple purposes. We have meals and meetings in this room, lectures and presentations, and a lounge for reading and relaxing. The Common room also has a porch with hammocks and chairs.
Food Service: We offer a few alternatives for this. During organized visits all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks, water) are provided and included in the station fee/program. Food is healthy and well balanced and fresh meals are prepared daily. Meals are mainly vegetarian, well balanced and abundant in organic vegetables and fruits, many of which you can see growing from your cabin or from the common room. By the way, Teresa is an amazing cook with a talent for a Mediterranean-Peruvian fusion style that makes the meals memorable! Volunteers can choose between a meal service (for a basic fee), or to use the kitchen facilities and prepare food on their own.
Composting toilets and camping showers: We use only composting toilets that are easy to maintain, and don’t contribute to water or soil contamination with human waste. Our composting facilities have surprised more than one visitor for their efficiency on keeping the area free of offensive smells!!.
River Beach: during the drier months we are blessed by a long and sandy beach at the Tambopata River. Jumping on the river is the favorite time of day for our visitors and for sure a great and easy way to cool down during the hottest months of the year!
Accessibility: CECCOT can be reached by motorized vehicle from the city in Puerto Maldonado (1.5 hours flight from Lima, capital of Peru). We mainly use the local mode of transportation for all of our errands, and visits to town: the popular motorbikes or “mototaxi”. It takes about 25-30 minutes to get to town on the dirt road that connects CECCOT with Puerto Maldonado. We are working on establishing a bicycle program to commute to town, so for that reason we also encourage long-term visitors to bring their bikes. Generous visitors would be thankfully recognized if they donate used bikes for this new effort to reduce even more our dependence of fossil fuels.