Peru Amazon Conservation Project

Volunteer in the Manu Biosphere at the Peru Amazon Conservation Project!

Volunteer at the Peru Amazon Conservation Project in the spectacular Manu Biosphere and take part in serious Conservation work in the rainforest.

2 to 12 weeks from £1,636 / US$1,800

 Volunteer at this project to protect the Amazon Rainforest and our Future! In 1987 the reserve was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will have a variety of  tasks helping to protect the Amazon. Volunteer and have an experience in the Peruvian Amazon that you will never forget.

Project Overview

Join the jungle team in the unrivalled Manu National Park in the Peruvian Rainforest. Work alongside international and Peruvian staff in their efforts to conserve this important Eco system at the Peru Amazon Conservation Project!

Volunteers get to monitor many different species, check camera traps and trek deep into the jungle. Live as a conservation volunteer in the Amazon Rainforest for a once in a lifetime experience!

Volunteer in the Peruvian Amazon and make a real lasting difference!

This programme allows you to make a real difference volunteering as a research assistant to the project staff. You can gain new skills and learn all about amazon conservation efforts to protect the rainforest and its wealth of species.

Join us in Peru at one of our most adventurous volunteer programmes and help save the Amazon!

Project Summary

The Project: The Peru Amazon Conservation project is based in an idyllic setting deep in the rainforest of Peru where you will work to protect rainforest that still harbours endangered species such as jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, sloths, anacondas, river otters, caiman and a myriad of other species.

Project Location: The Peru Amazon Conservation Project is located in the Manu Biosphere Reserve; This region of Peru is one of the world’s most biodiverse hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Volunteers at this project need to arrive into Cusco. After the project orientation in Cusco, you will start your journey into the Amazon with your fellow volunteers.

Main Volunteer Activities: Forest regeneration, animal monitoring (birds, mammals, amphibians, butterflies and reptiles), bio gardening, capacity building, and agroforestry.

Hours: Volunteers work for 6-8 hours per day, with one free day per week.

Duration: Volunteer placements are year-round and for 2 to 12 weeks.

Accommodation: Shared rooms.

Volunteer Requirements: Volunteers at this project must be aged 18+ , with a passion for conservation, learning and the outdoors.

Peru Conservation Project History

This project has been promoting conservation in Peru since 2004. The program is at forefront of rainforest conservation and regeneration efforts in Manu. The research project is dedicated to conservation and sustainable community initiatives that are helping to protect the spectacular Manu Biosphere Nature Reserve.

The project location

The project is located approximately eight hours by vehicle and boat from Cusco (split over two days to visit other local ecosystems). This means not only do you get to explore the stunning rainforest of the Amazon River Basin, but it is also easy for you to visit Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley before or after your placement.

Volunteers spend a busy first two days in Cusco, where they receive their project orientation, meet the staff and other volunteers.  You will also go on a Cusco town tour, complete registration and get ready for their trip of a lifetime! On the way to Manu, volunteers will visit a range of different eco systems on the drive the nature reserve.  Volunteers will stay one night in a beautiful cloud forest before arriving into Manu for the 45 minute boat ride to the research centre and volunteer accommodation.

Volunteer placements at this project
Volunteers with this programme work across a range of areas, including forest regeneration, animal monitoring (birds, mammals, amphibians, butterflies and reptiles), bio gardening, capacity building, and agroforestry. The project also works closely with local indigenous communities to create sustainable livelihoods using practices that will also help protect and recover the rainforest. There are also occasional expeditions, which will allow volunteers the opportunity to head deep into the amazon jungle.
You don’t need to have a science or conservation background to join this project; you will learn everything you will need to know (and more!) from the experienced project staff. You will learn through training sessions, orientation events, and expert talks & debates. We can also cater for students who are looking to do an environmental volunteering placement as a university requirement.
Why the project need volunteers

The Amazon rainforest, which is the biggest and most diverse rainforest in the world, covers more than half of Peru and is home to thousands of unique animals and endangered species, plants and ecosystems – some of which are only found locally.

The project receives no state funding, but through volunteer support, private donations and grants, the project continues its vital work in monitoring biodiversity in the Amazon and creating greater awareness of the threats to the greatest rainforest on the planet. Volunteer at this unique research project working to save the Amazon!

Typical Volunteer Duties

Volunteers at the Peru Amazon Conservation Project are expected to work six days per week. Sundays are rest days for volunteers to play games, hang out with your fellow volunteers, go for a swim, build a camp fire, or relax with a cold drink.

During your first few days at the project, volunteers undergo a rigorous training and induction schedule. This will ensure you know how to live in the rainforest and effectively work on the project. Then you will be taken out to the rainforest and introduced to the vital work you will be taking part in.

You will receive training in tropical ecology, species identification (auditory calls, foot prints, visual markers and flight patterns), compass and GPS use, emergency first response procedures, data recording, processing findings, and a range of other conservation methods.

There are also regular talks and debates held by staff members, where you will be able to learn more about different local endangered species, plants, eco systems, indigenous groups, and everything else in between!

Volunteering at this project is physically demanding, and can include walks of up to 10 kilometres over uneven and muddy terrain in a hot and humid environment. We therefore require that all volunteers have a high level of physical and mental fitness, and also enjoy being outdoors all day. If you are unsure about the requirements of this project, and your health, age or fitness, please contact us and we can talk in more detail about whether this project is suitable for you!

To learn more about what it is like to volunteer at the Peru Amazon Conservation Project, read about Rosie's experience here!

A Typical Day

Example of a typical day's activities at the Peru Amazon Conservation Project (please note that this does depend on seasons, project focuses during your placement etc.) Some days have an early morning start and some days volunteers work into the evenings:

  • 5.30 am Visit the clay lick, and monitor the Blue Headed Macaws
  • 7 am Breakfast
  • 7.30 am Trek into the forest to check camera traps
  • 12.30 Lunch
  • 1-3 pm Rest
  • 3-5 pm Work in the MLC biogarden
  • 5 pm Spanglish lessons whilst helping with dinner in kitchen
  • 6.30 pm Dinner
  • 7.15 pm Night transect for amphibians
  • 10.30 pm Return to lodge with amphibian bounty. Shower, hot chocolate then bed (Note there would be no early start the following day due to the late night).

Accommodation

As the project is located in the Amazon rainforest, our volunteer accommodation is totally in keeping with this unique environment.
Accommodation is comfortable and airy, with rooms being either twin or triple share. Mosquito nets, a plastic storage box, and bedding are provided. There is limited electricity at the project site. However, there is solar powered internet, gravity fed water pumps and a range of other initiatives to minimise any impact on the local environment and reduce the project’s carbon footprint. There are hot showers, although these might be cold in hot weather. Basic laundry facilities are also available.
View in the Amazon

Internet is available for at an hourly rate, but being based in such a remote location can mean that the connection can be sporadic and unreliable. Volunteers are asked to bring environmentally friendly and bio-degradable toiletries if possible.

Conservation volunteers are provided with three nutritious and delicious meals per day. Meals will be typical local food, including rice with beans, eggs, vegetables, soups and occasional meat. Dietary restrictions can be catered for, so please inform us if you have any allergies or food restrictions. Volunteers assist the chefs in preparing meals, which is a great opportunity to learn some traditional Peruvian recipes and practice Spanish!

Volunteer accommodation

Free Time

Whether you plan your entire trip in advance or decide to wait until you get to Peru, our local team are all very well travelled and can offer advice and help in planning the perfect itinerary for your weekends or for travel before or after your placement. Here are just a few of Peru’s treasures to whet your appetite.

Cusco

Cusco is a beautiful city that has something to offer everyone from Inca ruins and splendid Spanish colonial architecture to elegant squares and outstanding mountain scenery. The historic city centre is a lively hub of cafes, restaurants and bars with dozens of boutiques, markets and shops offering an astonishing range of unique locally made goods to take home as a souvenir of you trip to Peru. There are museums, galleries, churches and monasteries to visit and every Sunday sees a magnificent civil parade in the City’s stunning main square, the Plaza de Armas.

Cusco’s Indian and Catholic traditions are frequently celebrated with street parades, live music and food stalls springing up across the city at any excuse. There are also some wonderful walks and hikes in and around the city centre. You can stroll amongst whitewashed houses and along the cobbled lanes in the Bohemian quarter of San Blas or climb high above the city to the Inca fortress at Sacsayhuaman and take in the unrivalled views of the city and the surrounding Andes.

The Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a must-see on anyone’s Peru itinerary. Barely half an hour’s drive from Cusco and you will find a magical, steep-sided valley where fresh mountain rivers and streams tumble between ancient mountains and majestic glaciers.

The Sacred Valley’s centuries-old towns and villages are home to remarkably reserved Inca forts and citadels; markets with traditional textiles and souvenirs draw visitors to lovely towns like Pisac, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo. The amazing salt terraces and pre-Inca agricultural terraces at Maras are also an easy day trip from Cusco.  

Machu Picchu

Surely the number one reason that many visitors come to Peru is to visit the incomparable wonder of Machu Picchu. Whatever you read and no  matter how many photos you have seen, nothing can quite prepare you for the first time you see the Inca citadel rising high above a bend in the river.

Machu Picchu is easily accessible from Cusco. You can go there by luxury train, trek the amazing Inca Trail high in the Andes or take any other number of routes all ending with lost city itself. Built, but never completed by the Incas around 1450 the Inca capital was only re-discovered in 1911. The breath-taking lost city of the Incas is now discovered by hundreds of enthralled visitors every day.

Lake Titicaca

For long weekends or those travelling before or after their placement with us, Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world is under 5 hours from Cusco by car or 7-8 hours by bus. Here you can take a cruise on the lake, visit the famous floating Uros Islands or do a spot of star gazing in one of the least light-polluted skies on the planet.

Lima

You are almost certain to travel through Lima on your way to Cusco, but Peru’s capital is worth a stop before or after your placement with us. There is excellent shopping in the ocean-side district of Miraflores, wonderful galleries and museums in trendy Barranco, some truly impressive Spanish colonial buildings in the historic centre and amazing restaurants throughout the city.

Arequipa

Less than a day’s drive from Cusco, the city of Arequipa is Peru’s second largest city. It is known as the white city due to the colour of the historic buildings constructed using local white stone called sillar. Like Cusco, Arequipa is located in the Andes mountains bit at a lower altitude so enjoys  almost year-round warm and sunny weather. The city is overlooked by the magnificent dormant volcano El Misti.

Arequipa is also the staging post for trips to the Famous Colca Canyon.

Volunteer with Globalteer at the Peru Conservation Project and receive specially negotiated discounts with a well-respected agency in Cusco who can arrange services such as visits to Machu Picchu, Amazon trips, Lake Titicaca as well as many other amazing trips in Peru and South America.

Financial Transparency

As a UK registered Charity, Globalteer is completely financially transparent to you, our donors. You can therefore see a full breakdown of where your money goes and our independently audited accounts by clicking below:

Where Your Money Goes

To discover why you should consider choosing Globalteer, please visit the following page:

About Globalteer

Why do we charge a fee for volunteering?

Globalteer requests a donation from volunteers to allow us to achieve our charitable objectives and support our partner programmes. In return, Globalteer provides volunteers with an amazing, responsible and ethical volunteer experience and in-country support from the Globalteer team in Cusco. Ensuring that your placement is responsible as well as rewarding, safe and enjoyable takes a good deal of work.

A summary of Globalteer’s total expenditure for the last financial year is shown below:

Donations and Grants 60% – This includes a share of volunteer placement fees, grants we have secured for our projects and donations managed by Globalteer that are made by individuals and groups to our projects and partner projects.

Support Costs 29% – This includes volunteer accommodation, volunteer transport, support staff costs, travel costs and some volunteer meals.

Operational Costs 11% – Costs of running Globalteer.

What’s Included

        √  Free airport pick up from Cusco international airport.
        √  Transfer by road and boat from Cusco to the project.
        √  Accommodation for the duration of your stay.
        √  Three meals a day at the project.
        √  Peru orientation guide and induction on arrival.
        √  Free Cusco town tour.
        √  In-country support from the volunteer co-ordinator.
        √  All necessary project equipment and materials.
        √  All necessary project training by experienced staff.
        √  Transfer back to Cusco at the end of your placement
        √  Free Globalteer tote bag and welcome pack.
        √  Project donation.

What’s not included
  • Flights
  • Medical and travel insurance
  • Vaccinations and inoculations
  • Additional meals & drinks
  • Personal kit
What do everyday items cost?

The official currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol, and there are approximately 4.20 Soles to the pound and 3.20 Soles to the US dollar. The cost of living in Peru is low compared to most countries in the developed world. The costs of some typical items are:

  • Bus ride up to half an hour - 1 Sol
  • Taxi journey up to 10 minutes - 4 Soles
  • Meal in a market - 6 Soles
  • Bottle of soft drink - 1.5 Soles
  • Coffee - 5 Soles
  • Meal in a restaurant - 10 Soles to 40 Soles

Quick Summary of the Peru Amazon Conservation Project

The Peru Amazon Conservation project is based in an idyllic setting deep in the rainforest of Peru.

You will work to protect rainforest that still harbours endangered species such as jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, sloths, anacondas, river otters, caiman and a myriad of other species.

The Peru Amazon Conservation Project is located in the Manu Biosphere Reserve; This region of Peru is one of the world’s most biodiverse hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Volunteers need to arrive to Cusco for this project. After your project orientation you will begin your trip into the amazon with your fellow volunteers.

Forest regeneration, animal monitoring (birds, mammals, amphibians, butterflies and reptiles), bio gardening, capacity building, and agroforestry.

Volunteers work for 6-8 hours per day, with one free day per week.

Volunteer placements are year-round and for 2 to 12 weeks.

Our volunteer accommodation is totally in keeping with this unique environment.

Accommodation is comfortable and airy, with rooms being either twin or triple share. Mosquito nets, a plastic storage box, and bedding are provided.

Volunteers at this project must be aged 18+ , with a passion for conservation, learning and the outdoors.

Volunteers should also have a moderate level of fitness as this project requires hiking through the rainforest to carry out some of the tasks.

What’s Included:

√ Free airport pick-up from Cusco airport. √ Accommodation for the duration of your placement. √ Peru orientation guide and induction on arrival √ In-country support from the project team. √ All necessary project equipment and materials. √ All necessary project training by experienced staff. √ Project donation.

We have a list of answers to questions frequently asked about the project.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can come to the project and help!

To apply click here: Apply now

You can also donate to support the Peru Marine Conservation Project! Donate Now!

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