Program Reviews

My only complaint about IpBio was that I didn't book to stay longer! A truly great little adventure, where I learned a lot and for once in my life I listened to those who knew what was around us. How could it not be fun paddling in ponds or rivers in tropical heat or rain storms?

Imran and his crew were incredibly supportive to a novice like me and the other volunteers were a mixed bunch happy friendly people.

One day you will find yourself counting, photographing and then identifying birds or bugs. Another sifting through foliage for mushroom species, always varied, always interesting. Go do it!

I am currently on a gap year and I decided to volunteer at IPBio as an Eco-Volunteer. I spend 3 weeks there and wished I had gone for a longer stay. It was an amazing experience. The programme is extremely well organized and the people on the staff are very kind and helpful. You get to do a variety of different and interesting jobs where you learn a lot about the biodiversity of the Atlantic forest. In your free time you can go swimming in the river, go to town or just stay at the reserva. The weekend trips organized by IPBio are amazing as well. During my very short stay I can say that I learned a lot about the Atlantic forest but also about the people and the culture. I would recommend this volunteer programme to anyone!

Imran does a great job communicating with all the volunteers before they arrive to the program to dismiss any doubts and possible fears of traveling to another country. The program structure is created to allow those staying just two weeks to experience every aspect of what IPBio is about. It was easy to connect with other volunteers and I had a great time! My favorite activity would be the mushroom inventory. Going on the night time trails with Grant was one of the coolest things to see and their most important project

I left my career as a Mechanical Engineer looking to connect with nature and travel. IPBio afforded me the opportunity to experience natural phenomena that exist in very few places on the earth (glowing mushrooms!!)! The work is meaningful, the people are fantastic, and the Atlantic Forest is truly a special place. I never once felt unsafe or bored. I would recommend this experience to anyone excited about protecting the preserving nature!!! In addition to this experience, Brazil is an amazing country, forget your expectations and enjoy the beauty of this place!

This never felt like a volunteer program. It felt like 2 months I had a new home surrounded by great people amazing opportunities and spectacular wildlife. The volunteer projects were never boring because the wildlife was constantly changing. Bioluminescent mushroom walks, stargazing, waterfall hikes, swimming in caves, bird watching, running into monkeys, glowing larvae, afternoon river swims, trail hikes, and dancing at festivals in town were experiences I cherish. I cant wait to go back and have more experiences of a lifetime!

I have had an amazing time at IPBio - Reserva Betary. Working as a photographer, I took pictures from frogs, insects, birds and mushrooms, day and night. My expectations were exceeded! Programs were very intersting. Learned a lot about animals and plants. Also learned how the projects are run. Over the weekend we have had fun, were visiting caves.

Becoming a volunteer at IPBio is simply the best choice you can make! Living and working in the middle of a rainforest is an experience you will not forget anytime soon. I came to IPBio as a Mathematics student who wanted to do something else for a change. The joint role of eco volunteer and research assistant, gave me the possibility to both work outside in the field, and in the lab in the central area of the reserve. The projects that IPBio does are interesting and fun, whether it is bird watching, looking for mushrooms, or doing measurements on the ponds. The volunteer coordinators are great, and often join in for weekend activities, which creates an informal atmosphere. Also living on the reserve is an unforgettable experience; waking up to the sounds of the rainforest, swimming in the river next to the volunteer house and of course making new friends! It is so great to see how you meet people from all over the world who are all very different, but all share the same enthousiasm for the things we do at IPBio! I absolutely loved my stay here, and I will cherish the memories of this magical place.

I am a 22 year old from Canada with an Environmental Technician diploma and I volunteered at IPBio for 5 weeks. I was hoping to freshen up my field and lab skills and broaden my knowledge of the natural environment during my stay. The Betary reserve was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The volunteer coordinator, Imran, was extremely helpful and organized prior to my arrival and during my entire stay. He is very accommodating and resourceful. The volunteer program was methodical with set working hours and schedules which I enjoyed. We covered a wide range of study from species Identification of all sorts to measuring water parameters and working with the microscope in the lab. We really got down to the nitty gritty of sampling and were able to experience all of the joys of field work like wading through swamps and mud, bushwacking in heat or rain and being bitten by various insects. The biologists at the reserve are brilliant and insightful. They are wealths of knowledge with a love for Brazilian biodiversity so I suggest learning some Portuguese and picking their brains while you are there. All of the staff members are welcoming and friendly. The volunteer house was exceptionally tidy and well stocked. As far as free time activities, we may have been living in the middle of the jungle far away from any cities but there was still plenty to do. There were waterfalls, swimming and caving close to the reserve and we planned some weekend getaways to the coast and to Argentina. My favourite part of living on the reserve was taking night walks down to the aquarium and seeing all of the creatures that come out of the jungle at night that glow and make noise. Overall my experience with IPBio was wonderful and I highly recommend them. I enjoyed living in the thick of the jungle and getting to witness the local culture while enhancing my knowledge of the environment. For anyone planning to volunteer with them, I also recommend bringing quick dry clothing (there are no dryers for clothing), long socks to tuck your work pants into to avoid bug bites and ticks, and a headlamp with a red light setting for night walks. I will miss waking up to the sounds of the jungle and will cherish this experience for many years to come!

I can say in one breath that this is the best thing i did in my life. In five I experienced what I thought would take a lifetime.

I came as a muralist but I got to be an Eco volunteer half the time. I got to collect data about living organisms and got to know them a bit closer, I saw animals and especially insects that i couldn't believe existed and so much more. I could go on and on but words really can't describe the experience you get from this place.

I had tears in my eyes so many times just from the beautiful and wondrous things and little moments that occurred there.

From a more practical perspective this place was excellent as well. You get all the facilities you need and the staff is very attentive, helpful and kind.
Lastly I can only urge you to go visit this wonderful place, and stay as long as you can . If you ever wondered if there is magic in the world this is the place to confirm it:)

IPBio is a research institute on the Reserva Betary which is located in the Atlantic Rainforest, 6km away from the closest town of Iporanga. I needed to complete an internship for my M.Ed program, and did alot of research and spoke with several volunteer opportunities, but many of them seemed to me like a scam that only really wanted my money. IPBio is not one of those places. It is truly a magical and beautiful place with so much to do and every day of work is different, and you can really see the benefits of the work that you are doing. I initially was supposed to stay for 6 weeks but I fell in love with the area and the people I was with, so I actually extended my stay by 1 week. It's one place that I will always remember and I hope to return some day. It is one of the only places that I've traveled to that I would actually visit again. The staff are incredible, and really helpful and welcoming, and you really feel like you are part of a big family. I would recommend this place to anyone that wants to travel abroad and volunteer.