Conservation and Community Development in the Amazon

I guess this experience shaped my life but it was more to do with the beautiful rainforest setting than the coordination or direction of the project (which appears to have improved in recent years).

Some of the activities had conservation benefits, but it was not clear where the research was going (if anywhere). The highest impact I think was developing biogardens with Reynaldo in local schools. That was awesome. The worst activity was carrying bags of sand up to the lodge.

It's very expensive & with this much money going into a project it would be nice to see more conservation/community/research focus going on, rather than just being a stay at quite a nice lodge.

In subsequent years I moved deeper into the forest & explored regions of Las Piedras & Tambopata, and I realised the forest around CREES was secondary & actually quite poor, but you won't know that if it's your first time...

...enjoy

It's hard to imagine a place on earth which more accurately embodies the idea of an untouched, unexplored, natural rainforest than the area of the Manu Biosphere. If you are looking for a new experience, a fresh perspective of reality, or just a chance to step back, this trip is the one for you. The program does a good job of giving volunteers a wide array of projects to work on, from animal research to building bio-gardens for local families. Days tend to be long but interesting, and the food and general facilities are amazing. There are many opportunities to see local flora and fauna (I saw wooly monkeys on my first day), and you really get a feel for what the area has to offer. Consider carefully if you are squeamish or easily grossed out, there are a good deal of bugs (I stepped on my fair share of cockroaches on my way to the bathroom at night), although this could be just the thing you need to get over your fear of ants. However, I did feel like it was more of a vacation and less of a service project. Additionally, the program is fairly pricy for such a short period of time.

Overall I was pleased with the program because it gave me a chance to see an amazing part of South America, however if you're looking for a hardcore service project or don't have a lot of cash to throw away you may want to reconsider.

I had the most amazing experience with the Traveller's Worldwide program in Peru. I met wonderful people, got to live in the amazon jungle for a month, participated in conservation projects, and learned so much about the people and the area. On a typical day, I would wake up early in the morning and go to the clay lick to watch macaws and parrots as the sun rose as part of an ongoing research project. Later in the day we would be out hiking in the jungle for another biodiversity research project or for a learning opportunity (the jungle survival hike was my favorite). I also helped in spanish/english lessons, took trips to the local villages to build gardens, and also had time to just enjoy Peru. The only downfall was the bugs, but hey, it IS the jungle. The experience of not only traveling to, but volunteering and working in a foreign country is one I would never trade. The staff was incredibly helpful and I am still friends with some of them to this day. I would go back in a heartbeat.