Our History

The dream come true

It all began with a distant dream, a dream that seemed almost impossible due to economic limitations, but that never stopped beating in the hearts of our family. In a remote place, in the sector we called (Reserva Ecológica boca Malinowski), our goal was clear: a true sustainable tourism that was fully compatible with nature conservation.

However, at the time, mining and illegal logging posed growing threats that destroyed the region’s rich biodiversity.

Disillusioned by these destructive activities, my family and I decided that we had to be part of the solution and thus was born RECOT foundation (Reforestation and Conservation of Tropical Forests), a project driven by love for our land and a firm commitment to its preservation. Without any institutional support, the reforestation was possible thanks to our own resources. With much effort and dedication, we invested every resource we had in this cause, because our connection to the rainforest was so deep that nothing stopped us.

Without a robust financial plan, our logistics were basic: trips were made in a wooden canoe with a motor of only 16HP, which made it so slow that it could not glide quickly. As a result, the trip down the Tambopata River took approximately 11 hours. But our dream never waned.

In addition, we had no means of communication, which forced us to be completely self-sufficient. Every two months, we managed to go down to the city to buy food, but between those periods we depended exclusively on the natural resources that the jungle offered us, such as fish, yucca and plantain, and we drank water from the streams. The work was hard, from sun up to sun down, but we did it with one goal in mind: to achieve our goals and demonstrate that conservation and ecotourism were a viable alternative to protect our home and our rainforest.

Determined to eradicate destructive activities in a peaceful manner, we promoted a tourism model that, through our presence in the sector, would drive illegal actors away from the region. The idea of creating a sustainable and nature-friendly alternative was fundamental to achieving our goals.

The first works were possible thanks to the volunteers, who joined our cause and motivated us to move forward. They inspired us to create an eco-lodge and develop ecotourism as a sustainable source of resources, in addition to supporting our reforestation initiatives. Despite economic difficulties, effort and dedication led us to build what we know today as Terra Verde Lodge.

The first days we went camping in the jungle, where we coexisted with the wildlife, under the starry sky and surrounded by the sounds of nature. Over the years, we perfected our vision and our facilities, until finally, what started as a distant dream, became a functional, cozy and fully integrated eco-lodge.

Every construction of Terra Verde Lodge has been a family effort. Grimaldo Quispe Ccohaquira, Fredi Quispe, Juvenal Quispe and José Manuel Quispe, the 4 brothers, all nature guides and passionate about conservation, have worked tirelessly, using our own hands and bringing every piece of wood and material from Puerto Maldonado.

Today, we share with each of you not only the fruit of years of hard work, but also our passion for conservation and ecotourism.
Every corner of this lodge, every detail you see today, bears the imprint of our history. And every step we take brings us closer to our dream: to make Terra Verde lodge a reference for sustainable tourism, reforestation and environmental education.

Today, we continue to share this dream with all of you. Thank you for joining us on this journey towards the preservation of the Amazon, a journey that would never have been possible without the support of those who believe in conservation and ecotourism as powerful tools to protect our planet.