Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016

A view of the neighborhood from our hotel room in Pichari. (Photo Maira Duarte).

Herpetologists Roberto Gutiérrez and Victor Vargas organizing food and lighting the camp fire at Camp 4 (2760 m, 9,055 ft). (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).

The hyper-humid conditions at Camp 4 (2760 m, 9,055 ft) make lightning a fire a difficult task. Here, Giussepe Gagliardi tries a traditional technique consisting in blowing through a bamboo cane. (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).

A luxury, our water source at Camp 4, just a few meters away from our tents and kitchen. (Photo Maira Duarte).

Journalist Andy Isaacson and herpetologists Dr. Santiago Castroviejo taking pictures from the ridge during one rare moment when the sky was clear. (Photo José Padial).

José Padial and Maira Duarte filming and taking pictures on the ridge at 2,850 m (ca. 9,300 ft). (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).

Journalist Andy Isaacson and José Padial on their descent from Camp 4 to Camp 1 on Friday Feb. 19th. (Photo Maira Duarte).

Good mood at Camp 1, after hiking down for nine hours. (Photo Giussepe Gagliardi).

The Ashaninka community of Marontuari, the last outpost before reaching Pichari, with the ridge we descended, covered in clouds, on the background (the one on the left). (Photo Maira Duarte).

At Marontuari, Roberto Gutierrez plays with a baby coati. (Photo Santiago Castroviejo).

José Padial and his team of researchers are traveling in the remote Vilcabamba mountains of Peru in the pursuit of biodiversity research. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible capturing his expedition along the way.