Print What to Pack List

While choosing and packing the items below keep in mind that wearing Earth color clothing is required; shades of browns, khakis and greens. These colors will camouflage our presence in the jungle and afford us a better opportunity to spot monkeys and other wildlife.

Jungle expedition gear should be very light due to weight restrictions on the small plane flight to the jungle.

We weigh each individual plus gear prior to flight departure. Any extra weight items will be stored at boxes and kept until our return from the jungle adventure.

Due to insects presence along the jungle expedition it is recommended for you to wear long sleeves & collared shirts, long light pants along with a safari hat in order to protect the neck, head, arms, & legs from insect bites.

We will often hike over wet, muddy and slippery terrain so your hiking boots should offer good traction. With 2 pairs you will be able to rotate boots for optimum dryness.

Due to climate diversity in Ecuador you should pack in addition to the jungle wear also light and warm clothing for the chilly & freezing weather up on the mountains.

Jungle Clothing:

• Good hiking boots – high top ankle (NRS Workboot Wetshoe)(Low cut shoes or sneakers would not be accepted for the jungle expedition)
• Light water shoes or ‘crocks’ - 1 pair
• Wool socks (Smartwool) - 4 pairs
• Long sleeve earth colors light shirts (Eco-mesh shirt recommended) – 3 shirts
• Short sleeve earth colors shirts
• Cool max underwear – 3 pairs
• Long light pants – 3 pairs
• Quick drying travel towels – 4
• Mosquito head nets or Bug Out Jackets
• Speedo and/or any other swimwear
• Safari Hat
• Bandana
• Sunglasses.
• Light rain jacket/windbreaker with hood
• Light wool or fleece sweater

COTOPAXI CLIMBING and DESCENDING:

• Sun block (due to a very high Ultra Violet level at this location)
• Windbreaker glasses
• Coat and warm clothing for freezing temperature
• Warm hat
• Gloves

EXPEDITION GEAR:

• Small duffle bag to pack for only a 6 days jungle expedition.
• Camelback type backpack (2-3 liter size)
• Water purifier bottle (katadyn - Exstream Purifier Bottle)
• Extra water purifier Filter
• LED lights ( headlight/flashlight) – 2 sets suggested
• Extra batteries for led light
• Roll up sleeping mattress (Therm a rest) Extra light weight mattress
• Thermo-Lite 2.0 Bivvy Sack -Ultra light alternative to a summer-light sleeping bag.
• Water proof dry bag for personal gear and clothing.
• Hand gloves
• Anti-Chafing Skin Protection product (bodyglide)
• Bug repellent
• Organic bath soap
• Organic, Bio-graded hand-wash laundry detergent.
• Whistle – a must to bring.
• Multi tools (Home Depot).
• Duct tape
• Magnesium lighter
• Electrolytes supplement supply (Hammer nutrition)
• Energy food / bars of your choice. (supply of 4 to 6 bars a day for 5 days)
• Camera/video, extra chips and extra batteries.

NOTE: The above clothing and gear brand items are suggestions / recommendations only and can be substitute with similar or other items you might already have and/or feel will better serve you.

GEAR WE PROVIDE:

• Camping equipment including tents, hammocks and kitchen gear.
• Mountain bikes, white water rafting, descending and repelling gears.

RECOMMENDED MEDICATIONS & VACCINATIONS:

It is essential that you visit your Doctor or Travel Health professional well in advance of traveling abroad. They will be able to advise you personally regarding medications, vaccinations, malaria prevention and general health issues you should consider for your destination. Discuss the details of the trip itinerary with your doctor as it pertains to your own health.

As your trip will take you into remote areas, with no nearby medical facilities we suggest that you have a dental exam also before your trip.

When visiting your doctor, get prescriptions of the following:

• Antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness.
• Prescription for a pain medication, such as Tylenol with codeine. You might need it in the unlikely event of an injury in a location where medical attention would be delayed.
• Prescription medicine to prevent malaria.
• Allergy remedies including EpiPen (epinephrine) Auto-Injector, the #1 doctor prescribed emergency treatment for life threatening Allergic Reactions.
• Please note that our trip leaders do not carry prescription medications.

If you take prescription medications (for health conditions, that would not disqualify you or prevent you from participating in this Extreme Challenge Adventure), be sure to pack ample supply that will last your entire trip.

As prescriptions in the South America countries may vary and you may not always have access to pharmacies during your trip, we suggest you purchase all prescribed medications and remedies at your home country and bring it with you together with copies of any of your doctor prescriptions.

Pack all prescription medications in your carry-on bag, and keep them in their original labeled containers. To be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications, you should also bring copies of the written prescriptions, using the generic drug name rather than a brand name.

RECOMMENDED MEDICATIONS:

• Cold remedies: Sudafed, Dristan, etc.
• Ibuprofen or aspirin
• Laxatives
• Pepto-Bismol or Mylanta
• Benadryl or other antihistamine
• Anti-diarrhea tablets, like Imodium
• Neosporin or bacitracin
• Band-Aids, several sizes
• Moleskin foot pads
• Prescription antibiotic for diarrhea
• Prescription medicine for altitude sickness
• Prescription medicine to prevent malaria
• Optional: Tylenol with codeine, or another strong pain prescription for rare emergency purposes

MANDATORY VACCINATIONS

• Yellow Fever

RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Anti-tetanus

Yellow Fever is not a risk, but to avoid the disease getting started, the Ecuadorian government made it mandatory for all people who enter the Amazon region to have a yellow fever vaccination certificate with you. It is mandatory to bring the vaccination certificate or a color copy of it with you. It is recommended to get a shot at least 10 days before you come. For more info go to: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationEcuador.aspx#notices

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SPOT TRACKING DEVICE

 

WHAT IS SPOT – A handheld Satellite Communication & Safety Device.

• SPOT dispatch emergency responders to your GPS location.
• Let’s contacts know where you are and that you’re okay.
• Send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress using Google Maps™. By selecting the desired "Track" messages and clicking "Show on Map," your entire route can be displayed and reboots itself every 10 minutes, allowing friends and family the ability to track your progress in real time.

ALERT 9-1-1:

This feature of SPOT devise is designed to be used in the event of a life threatening or other critical emergency to notify emergency services of your location and that you need assistance. The GEOS International Emergency Response Center alerts the appropriate agencies worldwide. See below “About GEOS”

HOW IT WORKS:

Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your location and personal information – which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country’s embassy or consulate, or other emergency response or search and rescue teams – as well as notifying your emergency contact person(s) about the receipt of a distress signal.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still attempt to send a distress signal – without exact location – to the Emergency Response Center, which will still notify your contacts of the signal and continue to monitor the network for further messages.

WE OWN SPOT DEVICE AND CARRY IT ALL ALONG YOUR TRIP. To learn more abut the SPOT device and its features please click on the link below: www.findmespot.com

GEOS SEARCH AND RESCUE

Wherever you may be, including the middle of the desert, halfway up a mountain or in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the SPOT device will get that vital message through to the GEOS International Command & Control Center. By pressing the SPOT “911” button the device will transmit your exact GPS coordinates, direct to GEOS via satellite so there is no need for any cellphone coverage. It will keep on transmitting until you are found or until the alarm is cancelled.

The SPOT is rugged, waterproof, it floats and is fully integrated with all GEOS services including Findafone Tracking, Critical Broadcast Alerts and, of course, GEM (GEOS' Global Emergency Monitoring).

EMERGENCY/INCIDENT RESPONSE

GEOS has at its immediate disposal all resources that may be necessary to respond to any incident representing a threat to the safety of individuals or corporate operations. In country armed response, armored vehicles, helicopter rescue at one end of the spectrum down to liaison with local police, in their native language, at the scene of a road accident at the other. GEOS emergency operators have the ability to communicate in over 119 of the world's most common languages and dialects.

UP TO $100,000 TO HELP SAVE YOUR LIFE
OR PAY FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE COSTS

Upon booking your trip with us, we at Eco-Planet Adventure will purchase a membership for you with GEOS. We will submit you then with form you need to fill up and send back to us. This form is to include personal information required by GEOS in order to activate your membership.

This very special Member Benefit is available to fund additional Search and Rescue efforts (including private aircraft/helicopter charter, private search teams etc.) that may be necessary to aid in your rescue or to pay the costs of official search and rescue charges for which you may be held responsible. Do not assume that the official emergency services will necessarily have all the personnel and equipment available at that critical time when you need help fast and in some countries, there may not be official help available at all. If you are legally resident in the USA or Canada, the benefit and service is available in any country you visit.

NOT INCLUDED in your TRIP COST is GEOS PEGASUS program below:

We present you here with the GEOS PEGASUS information for your own consideration in purchasing this service at YOUR OWN COST.

GEOS PEGASUS

GEOS also offers a premium service which, in addition to all Global Traveler services, includes worldwide Medical Evacuation protection as standard. The decision to be flown home by air ambulance to a hospital of your choice when more than 55 miles from home is YOUR decision not that of your insurance company. This is available to US residents, expatriates and non-US residents living in any of 120 countries worldwide. This GEOS PEGASUS package is available for a minimum duration of 14 days. Downgrades are not permitted. For full details of all GEOS services, please click here.
http://www.geosalliance.com/activematrix.html

SATELLITE PHONE

One more device we carry throughout the trip duration is a Satellite phone. This is another measurement we take in our efforts to provide for a rescue in an incident representing a threat to the safety of an individual or of the group.

TRAVEL GUARD PROTECTION

Why Is Trip Insurance Important

Travel protection is designed to give you peace of mind when you invest in travel and embark on your trip. Although it covers what might be considered relatively minor headaches and costs associated with baggage loss, missed connections, and trip interruption, much more importantly you're protected in case of a medical emergency, or if you lose pre-paid, non-refundable trip deposits and payments because of cancellation or trip interruption due to illness, injury, or death of someone in your traveling party, an immediate or extended family member, or a business partner. Typically, these services and expenses are not fully covered by your credit card company, homeowner's policy, and/or medical insurance.

Eco Planet Adventure and our Eco-Village & Campground cannot assume responsibility for any problems arising from airlines delays or lost luggage as well as of any lost personal gear and/equipment throughout the trip duration.

Below are a few key benefits that make Travelguard/adventure trip insurance especially worth considering:

• Travel insurance gives travelers coverage for unforeseen problems, from a cancelled flight to a serious illness—or in rare cases, even an act of terrorism or the financial default of a travel supplier. If an illness, accident, or other covered unforeseen circumstance forces a traveler to cancel or interrupt their plans, they face two major financial losses—money invested in nonrefundable pre-payments, and medical expenses that in many instances may not be covered by health insurance.
• In addition to trip cancellation and interruption, the more comprehensive travel insurance plans available today may also cover emergency medical expenses; emergency medical transportation, when ordered by a doctor, to the nearest adequate medical facility; reimbursement for accommodations and expenses incurred due to travel delays; reimbursement for the purchase of essential items if baggage is delayed; and coverage against lost, stolen or damaged baggage.
• Often a traveler will lose nonrefundable deposits and prepayments that can add up to hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars. A comprehensive travel insurance plan through Travel Guard can provide trip cancellation coverage for the traveler's vacation investment—the insurance company reimburses the traveler for all pre-paid, nonrefundable expenses for a covered loss.
• To boost travelers' confidence when traveling, Travel Guard has added LiveTravel® assistance, which provides 24-hour, "911" emergency travel agency-type services to all standard retail plans, in case a traveler has to change a flight or a hotel room. Travel Guard has also added assistance with emergency cash transfers, pre-trip consultation services (travel advisories, passport requirements, inoculation information, etc.), and live messaging, which will relay any e-mail or phone message to family, friends or business associates.
• We cannot emphasize strongly enough the value of purchasing the Travel Plus Plan based on the total cost of your trip. Our recommendation to purchase insurance is based on many years of experience organizing adventure trips.

Call Travelguard at 1.800.826.4919 and get a Quote.

You can review the plan at: http://www.travelguard.com/adventure

Eco Planet Adventure makes every effort to ensure that your trip is enjoyable and trouble free. Travelguard offers you protection for risks and unanticipated events.

IS THIS ADVENTURE RIGHT FOR YOU

During this trip we do a fair amount of extreme expeditions, some of hiking 10 miles a day in dense jungle, mainly over rough terrain. We run challenging sport activities, climbing mountains and descending waterfall canyons, some of over 100 feet high (equal to a 10 story building). We also canoe primitive dugout canoes, ride white water rafting, off-road mountain biking, flying small airplanes and more. Many of the paths we take are uneven and at times are covered in water and slippery mud. We often run these activities under tropical rain and high humidity.

Throughout our jungle expedition in particular, we go together as one group on a continuing path without the ability of returning back to a previous transition camp-site or back to our Eco-Planet campground. Therefore, for the safety and well being of one as all, it is expected that you will be able to keep with the pace of the group.

Training ahead as preparation for such expedition and routinely outdoor related challenging sport activities are some of the main components for your success and satisfaction of this adventure as well as of your fellow’ adventurers.

Mental endurance ability is also required in order to achieve such an extreme challenge adventure and we count on the fact that with your sense of adventure, you will welcome any unusual situations you will find yourself in, and always will be prepared with a good spirit to expect the unexpected.

For this adventure to be right for you, you should consider yourself in excellent health, fitness and shape.

In saying all of the above we do have some general limitations that may apply to certain persons. These facts might unfortunately disqualify one from participating in our trip:

1. In order to be able to endure the physical exertion of this X-treme Challenge Expedition and to be qualified for the trip, you will be required to fit our formula criteria of no more then the ‘Normal weight’ = 18.5-24.9 based on the following Body mass index (BMI) which is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.
   Go to this website to check your own BMI: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
2. Our X-treme Challenge Expedition adventure is not fitted for pregnant women, respiratory pre condition - such asthma, major disability, nor is wheelchair accessible.
3. Minimum age to participate in such adventure is 18 years old.
4. This trip is only for non-smoking persons.

Your awareness of EPA trip’s endurance level is required prior to completing your reservation request. You should understand the physical exertion and mental endurance involve in participating in the X-treme Challenge Jungle Expedition and of its limitations and requirements. You should consider yourself being in excellent health, fitness and shape and fit to meet all the trip’s challenges

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