Tropical Tree Climbing was conceived when Leonide Principe began to get his first tree climbing lessons in 1995 to be put in practice on scientific expeditions focused on photographing Amazonian epiphytes, i.e., orchids, bromeliads, etc. That work was undertaken for a project called “Aerial Plants of the Amazon” which was supported and sponsored by the Department of Culture of the Government of the Amazon State of Brazil. Back then, it was a project that gave much to talk about, even on CNN.
After that project, Leo went on several photographic expeditions unrelated to tree climbing, but he also wanted to do something with the knowledge acquired from those early experiences. In 1998 he met Vanessa Marino in Manaus, and after traveling together for 13 months exploring Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela in a truck turned into a motorhome looking for a place to live, they began to give shape to that old desire when they bought 270 hectares of virgin rainforest in northern Brazil and started building what would later become Tropical Tree Climbing School.
In 2006 Leo and Vanessa learned about the work being done by Tree Climbers International (TCI), and in 2007 they contacted Tim Kovar, master instructor of TCI and founder of Tree Climbing Northwest, to begin their recreational tree climbing education. That same year, Tim visited the future tree climbing school for the first time, and together, they began to establish a strong friendship and map out the next steps. Since then, Tropical Tree Climbing has been operating in the Amazon region, taking our customers closer to nature, an experience that allows them to sense a deep connection with the Amazon rainforest.
