Volunteer Trips
Structured Volunteer Experiences
Visit the Sites & Boats page for additional information on the facilities and means of transport available for volunteers, researchers and courses.
Not all volunteers speak Spanish or are experienced independent travelers, and many might feel more comfortable with a more structured experience. To accommodate such individuals, we offer fixed dates for volunteer experiences where a Project Amazonas principal or English-speaking supervisor is present for the duration of the volunteers' stay. Since these trips have a minimum participant requirement, you also have the opportunity to meet other interesting volunteers!
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The other advantages? You don't need to worry about any logistics other than arriving at the Iquitos airport - we take care of all the on-the-ground logistics. Also, you have the opportunity to tap into a great deal of local knowledge about the flora, fauna and people of the Amazon - knowledge that we have spent many cumulative decades in pulling together.
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What is included on these trips?
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​reception at the Iquitos (IQT) airport upon arrival, and transportation into town.
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transportation from town to the Iquitos airport upon departure.
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One or two nights hotel in Iquitos depending on your flight itinerary.
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Breakfast in Iquitos the morning of departure to the field stations. Preliminary orientation during breakfast. (Some volunteers may arrive the previous afternoon or evening, but others may arrive on an early flight from Lima).
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Dinner on the waterfront in Iquitos upon return to Iquitos from the field stations.
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Transport from town to the port facilities for departure to the field stations.
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All river transport to/from Iquitos and the trip destination.
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All accommodations at our field stations, including linens, towels and mosquito nets.
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All meals at field stations and during transport. We will have a dedicated cook for these trips, so volunteers do not need to do their own cooking. The cook can accommodate most dietary needs and preferences.
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Rubber boots for muddy trails
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Trip Requirements
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A minimum of 4 volunteer participants with a maximum of 8 participants (we can sometimes make exceptions).
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Participants need to be 18-years of age or older (16-17 with parental or guardian permission).
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Willingness to put in a good 4-hours of work daily, with the remaining time available for exploration, photography, bird-watching, kayaking, swimming, village and school visits, etc.
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Reasonable physical condition.
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Sense of humor and tolerance for humidity and insects.
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Ability to swim.
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From right, Emerson Torres, Matthew Metcalf, Alex Marsh and Prairie Gunnels heading out to look for amphibians and reptiles.
Alex Marsh examines a Pseudoboa coronata (non-venomous) snake.
Matt Metcalf and Alex Marsh pose with a large tropical racer (Chironius sp.). These are non-venomous, diurnal, visually oriented, and very fast snakes that move both terrestrially and arboreally.
From right, Emerson Torres, Matthew Metcalf, Alex Marsh and Prairie Gunnels heading out to look for amphibians and reptiles.
Upcoming Dates for Volunteer Trips
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Please note that if you have a group of individuals who wish to volunteer together, we can often coordinate custom dates for a trip - get in contact and start the conversation!
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2021 Dates (pending good news on the Covid-19 vaccine front!)
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4-11 July 2021 (8 d/9 n - Sunday to Sunday) - $760/person. Arrive in Iquitos on Saturday 3 July (hotel provided) or early on Sunday 4 July. Travel to Santa Cruz Forest Reserve on the AM of 4 July. Travel time of 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Return to Iquitos Sunday early afternoon on 11 July. Overnight in Iquitos (hotel provided).
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Activities - trail and bridge maintenance, reforestation activities, trail mapping, border signage installation, etc.
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7-14 November 2021 (8 d/9 n - Sunday to Sunday) - $880/person. Arrive in Iquitos on Saturday 6 November (hotel provided) or early on Sunday 7 November. Travel to Madre Selva Biological Station and the Orosa Clinic on the AM of 7 November. Travel time of 4 to 6 hours depending on river conditions. Return to Iquitos Sunday morning on 14 November. Overnight in Iquitos (hotel provided).
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Activities - clinic maintenance (painting, tiling, medicinal plant garden, water system), reforestation, minor trail maintenance at the Madre Selva Biological Station.
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2022 Dates (assuming we're not fighting off Covid-20!)
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6-15 March 2022 (10 d/11 n - Sunday to Tuesday) - $950/person. Arrive in Iquitos on Saturday 5 March (hotel provided) or early on Sunday 6 March.Travel to Santa Cruz Forest Reserve on the AM of 6 March. Travel time of 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Return to Iquitos Tuesday early afternoon on Tuesday 15 March. Overnight in Iquitos (hotel provided).
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3-10 July 2022 (8 d/9 n - Sunday to Sunday) - $760/person. Arrive in Iquitos on Saturday 2 July (hotel provided) or early on Sunday 3 July. Travel to Santa Cruz Forest Reserve on the AM of 3 July. Travel time of 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Return to Iquitos Sunday early afternoon on 10 July. Overnight in Iquitos (hotel provided).
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Activities - trail and bridge maintenance, reforestation activities, trail mapping, border signage installation, etc.
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6-13 November 2022 (8 d/9 n - Sunday to Sunday) - $880/person. Arrive in Iquitos on Saturday 5 November (hotel provided) or early on Sunday 6 November. Travel to Madre Selva Biological Station and the Orosa Clinic on the AM of 6 November. Travel time of 4 to 6 hours depending on river conditions. Return to Iquitos Sunday morning on 13 November. Overnight in Iquitos (hotel provided).
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Activities - clinic maintenance (painting, tiling, medicinal plant garden), reforestation, minor trail maintenance at the Madre Selva Biological Station.
Signing Up
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E-mail us about which trip you are interested in at your earliest possible convenience.
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Let us know if you will be traveling by yourself or with others. If with others, please pass on the contact information for them.
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We will flag the trip with the number of interested and/or confirmed volunteers.
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When we have the minimum # of participant volunteers, we will ask you to send in a $200 trip deposit to confirm your space, along with the on-line reservation form (click here).
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When you have your flights lined up, send your flight itinerary to our transfer agent, Guillermo Guerra (guillermo@projectamazonas.org). Guillermo can also assist with getting domestic flights within Peru as well as highlands tour packages to Machu Picchu, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, and other locations.
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Thirty days before the start of the trip, we'll ask you to send in the remaining balance for the trip.
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Then we'll see you in Iquitos when you arrive!