Research and conserve the rainforest on this Amazon expedition
Program Overview
Journey to the lush and tropical Ecuadorian Amazon and contribute to GVI’s ongoing wildlife research activities and help conserve a diverse and unique part of our world.
You will directly support local conservation and community efforts by recording vital data on targeted animal groups such as mammals, butterflies, birds and amphibians. All in an environment that is home to 30% of all known plant and animal species.
This expedition supports sustained and long term conservation goals in partnership with the Yachana Foundation to preserve the rainforest’s extraordinary diversity of plants and animals.
Life on the Program
The majority of your time will be spent trekking in primary and secondary rainforest, learning research techniques and collecting data to be used for the expedition’s species list. As the environment can be challenging, time not spent in the rainforest will be spent on base with your expedition team, processing data collected, learning Spanish, helping out on base and getting to know your fellow volunteers.
Days on the expedition can be long, with work beginning at first light through to nocturnal treks into the rainforest.
You will be living in a beautiful part of the tropics, surrounded by the constant sounds of animals that call the rainforest home. The base is comfortable but basic with plenty of space to relax or perfect your research skills in the onsite library.
Program Details
GVI’s field research and community programs aim to:
- Identify and catalog bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian, butterfly and plant species
- Provide support in conservation, ecotourism, education and community development
- Facilitate learning of English through TEFL-based lessons
- Support small scale infrastructure development projects
Our long term goal is to manage a permanent, full-time biological field station and establish strong relationships with leading scientific and development agencies and universities.
Volunteer Testimonials
I gained a superficial knowledge of the rainforest, but also the great experience of actually working in this amazing habitat. Teaching children was great fun and it was good to be working with young people again, having retired as a teacher. I got really fit by the end of the ten weeks, I should have been fitter before I started! It was an amazing and very fulfilling experience.
Although I had seen a million programs and photos of the Amazon rainforest I was not prepared for how beautiful it was going to be. The dense forest is an astonishing sight to see and not being able to see anything but trees, it was hard to believe how much of it had already been destroyed.
On my arrival in camp the mixture of excitement and nerves blended into one and I felt pretty calm and enthused. By the evening I felt settled in and I was amazed by how cosy our new home was!
Program Details
Build Your Program
What's Included
- Pre-departure support and discounted services
- 24-hour emergency phone
- Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated)
- Arrival orientation
- Long term experienced staff
- Safe and basic accommodations (usually shared)
- All meals (unless otherwise stated in field manuals)
- Welcome meeting
- Location orientation
- All necessary project training by experienced staff
- All necessary project equipment and materials
- 24-hour in-country support
- Transfer to rainforest location
- First Aid & CPR training
- GPS training
- VHF radio and camera trap use
- Wildlife identification skills
- Tropical forest ecology
- Scientific techniques in collection of transect work, incidental observation, camera trapping and track identification
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Medical and travel insurance
- Visa costs
- Personal kit
- Additional drinks and gratuities
- Extra local excursions
- International and domestic airport taxes
