Local community

Do you work with indigenous tribes or native communities?

No, we do not. We are in a very unique context because our community in the Tiracu Valley is primarily formed by migrants from the highlands of Peru. While there are indigenous communities in Cordillera Escalera, the Regional Area of Conservation, and native communities like the Kichwa Lamistas in Lamas and surroundings, these are populations that Siendo Naturaleza currently does not work with.

Donation of goods

What material goods do you receive as donations?

Currently we’d be thrilled to receive yoga mats in good condition, frisbees (to play sports), bilingual books Spanish/English for all ages, laptop computers.

Arrival & facilities

How do I get there?

From the Lima airport (LIM) fly to the Tarapoto airport (TPP).

From the Tarapoto airport to Sacha Isla it is a 50 minute drive. You can come with a driver for S/150.00 total or with a “colectivo” for up to S/20 per person. If you come with a colectivo you’d take a motokar to the “paradero” (from the airport it would be around S/10). The “paradero” is equivalent to a station where all the colectivo cars, pick-up trucks and vans leave from. Ask the motokar driver to take you to the “paradero de Sauce” (Sauce is pronounced Sauw-se) to go in the direction towards El Pongo de Caynarachi and Yurimaguas. At the paradero look for the cars going to El Pongo de Caynarachi or to Barranquita, and let the driver know that you’ll be hopping off at La Cascada El Salto de la Bruja.

Our entrance is not marked and it is easy to miss. If you don’t have much luggage and can walk with your belongings, then it’s easy to get off directly at El Salto de La Bruja and walk back about 200 meters to the entrance of Sacha Isla.

To hire a car or a van contact Hidalgo Tours by WhatsApp: +51 974 326 048.

Arriving at the land with daylight is important, so when planning your trip consider the following:

• Arrivals Monday through Friday: your flight should land in Tarapoto before 2:00pm.

• Arrivals on Saturday: your flight should land in Tarapoto no later than 10:00am.

• Sacha Isla is not open for arrivals on Sundays.

• If your arrival time does not match our schedule, a nice option is to stay in Tarapoto city for the night and make your way to Sacha Isla the next morning. If this is your case let us know and we can suggest a few places.

Is there a place to do laundry?

Yes, we have a washing machine onsite and a sink to wash by hand.

Can I bring my electronic devices and charge them?

We are powered by solar energy and our systems can support the charging of devices like cell phones, tablets, laptop computers, headlamps, external battery packs, and small devices that don’t consume much electricity. If you have a special requirement, such as using a CPAP machine every night, please contact us ahead of time so that we can verify whether our system can support your needs.

Will I have access to the internet?

Yes, but limited. Wi-fi hours are from 8am until 9pm. Our wifi relies on our solar energy system so if the system fails or is not charged, this means that you won’t have access to wifi until the sun is out and the batteries are charged, or until the system failure is resolved.
We have wi-fi in one of the common areas, and not in the accommodation. When we have cohorts or many people onsite we have a wi-fi schedule where you can sign up for a time slot to use the internet. This ensures that whoever is using the wifi gets good connectivity.

Purchasing a SIM card in Tarapoto

Entel: to have data at Sacha Isla
Bitel: to have data in the valley and at the entrance of Sacha Isla

If you are someone that needs to communicate with family, your partner or friends every day, it might be challenging for you to come considering the wifi availability and the signal for cell phone service.

Food

How do meals work at Sacha Isla?

We serve three vegetarian meals per day from Monday to Friday: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

If I am allergic to some foods, will there be an option for me?

Mostly yes, but it will depend on the allergy. During your application process please let us know if you have dietary needs that are outside of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, to see if we can accommodate.

Can I bring my own food and prepare it at the land?

No. For storage and sanitary reasons we do not offer this option. You can bring your own snacks which should be mindfully packed and with no need to refrigerate.

Visits & residency

Can I come and volunteer?

We do not have a volunteer program. If you have come to learn with us in the past we can discuss volunteering opportunities.

Can I drop by anytime to visit?

No, we do not receive visitors unless previously coordinated. If you’d like to visit you can contact us and provide more information about your interest in visiting and your dates.

Can I bring my pet?

No.

None of my questions are here, can I get in touch with you?

Yes, please do. Contact us using the form on the Contact page.