Rainforest Conservation in Peru for Teenagers

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Rainforest Conservation in Peru for Teenagers

Live in the Amazon Rainforest and help protect endangered animals and ecosystems

Destination

Peru

Age

14-18 y/o

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date

During school holidays

Accommodation

Eco-lodge

Service Hours

What’s included

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Transportation

To and from the airport, plus everything in between. Daily transport to your placement and back.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

Pre-departure Support

Everything you need to prepare for your trip, including visa advice, cultural awareness training, access to your dedicated pre-departure portal, and more.

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Starting at €2,570 for 2 weeks

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Trip Overview

A real jungle adventure

Live and work deep inside the Amazon Rainforest on an ecological reserve that can only be accessed by boat.

Become a conservation champion

Ignite your passion for protecting nature through practical conservation experience.

Support scientists to care for nature

Contribute to essental scientific research as you count and care for animals, build trails, and set camera traps to monitor wildlife.

Discover Peru

See another side of Peru as you spend time in the Amazon Rainforest. Wake to the sound of bird calls, sail down the river, and soak up the sun.

Live and work with other teens

Get to know your fellow volunteers as you share a lodge on your reserve. Connect with other teens from around the world.

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What you need to know

Overview

Ever dreamed of going on a real jungle adventure? Seeing spider monkeys swinging free in their own patch of paradise? Waking up amid towering trees and the sound of creatures greeting the day? Have all of these wishes and more come true when you sign up to volunteer in the Amazon Rainforest.

You will live and work in the heart of the Amazon. How many people do you know who can say they did that? Every day will bring new outdoor adventures. You will see animals, birds, insects, and plants you’ve only read about in magazines or seen on TV before.

If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in conservation, you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to get some practical experience! The skills you gain as a volunteer on this project will be a great addition to your university application or CV. It’s also a great experience to mention in interviews.

Activities

During your time at the Ecological Reserve, you will:

Conduct wildlife surveys to help us keep track of animals in the area

Feed and care for animals at the rescue and rehabilitation centre

Help preserve and protect freshwater turtles

Expand your horizons with a jungle adventure

Your work will focus on the following areas:

Wildlife surveys

You will help us keep a record of the various bird and animal species roaming around the reserve by doing surveys. Sometimes you will observe wildlife from viewing decks and walkways high up in the forest canopy. Other times, you will collect data from camera traps or scour the river banks for turtle nests.

We have identified almost 500 different species of bird alone in the reserve. You will also get to see incredible wildlife, such as various species of monkey, big cats, giant anteaters, and tapirs!

Thanks to our extensive research in the area, the conservation centre is now known globally as a biodiversity hotspot. It has played host to international courses and famous film companies, from National Geographic to the BBC.

Care for animals at the rescue centre

Our rescue and release programme has been running for 16 years. It was the very first of its kind in Peru. It is now recognised as one of the top rescue and rehab centres in Peru. All the animals in the centre require a lot of attention daily. You play a vital role in taking care of them. This includes feeding the animals, cleaning enclosures, draining and refilling pools, and assisting on-site vets when necessary.

We’ve had many successes over the years, such as releasing more than 5 groups of spider monkeys back into the wild. We have also rescued a number of spectacled bears from circuses and did the first ever relocation of a jaguar in Peru.

Preserve and protect freshwater turtles

Freshwater side-necked turtles are endemic to lakes and rivers throughout the Amazon. However, poachers steal their eggs, which has had a devastating effect on the population. To help, we run a relocation programme for turtle nests and have built artificial beaches where they can hatch safely.

As a volunteer on a High School Programme, you will arrive between June and August. This is the perfect time to help with the cleaning and preparation of artificial beaches. You will also get to spend some time searching for nests to transfer them to the artificial beaches for their incubation period.

The jungle adventure of a lifetime

This project offers you the unique opportunity to live in and explore a part of the Amazon jungle that few other people have had the privilege of seeing. What’s more, you’ll do this with other teenagers from all over the world and make new friends as you go along.

You will get to experience a bit more of the surrounding area during a weekend trip. This will typically entail a camping trip downriver or a visit to Puerto Maldonado.

Aims & Impact

The primary objective of our Rainforest Conservation Project in Peru is to aid in the recovery of the planet’s most diverse ecosystem.

The Amazon rainforest is under constant threat from agriculture, logging, poaching and smuggling, pollution, mining and urbanisation. Not enough is done to protect and preserve the wildlife.

Our project aims to rehabilitate an area previously damaged by human activities, including logging, gold mining, and farming. We conduct surveys throughout the area to track the rehabilitation of local wildlife and vegetation but also reintroduce species previously found in the area, like spider monkeys. We also work with freshwater turtles, focusing on protecting eggs and hatchlings to raise their numbers.

As a volunteer on our High School Programme, you will become part of these efforts to protect and preserve the Amazon rainforest. Previous groups of teenagers have made phenomenal contributions to our work. Recently, younger volunteers rescued over 1,000 turtle eggs and recorded 18 mammal species in camera trap research!

Join us in Peru and be part of vital volunteer conservation work in the Amazon for teenagers.

Map & Location

Step into the home of the Inca Empire, where the Andes Mountains meet the Amazon Rainforest. Peru is the third-largest South American nation and about 60% of it is covered by rainforest. It’s also the origin of the mighty Amazon River.

Peru is a popular tourist destination for its rich history and culture, incredible biodiversity, and, of course, Machu Picchu. If you aren’t persuaded yet, this ought to do the trick: it’s home to about three-quarters of the global alpaca population!

Puerto Maldonado

Close to the Bolivian border in Peru, Puerto Maldonado is a large, tropical town and a gateway to the southern Amazon jungle. It is the closest town to our reserve, which is one hour down river.

Given that it is surrounded by national parks, the town is surprisingly well connected, with an airport, paved roads, bridges, and boats. It’s well known for being at the cutting edge of conservation and has a revitalising tropical climate, with temperatures staying warm all year round.

Food & Accommodation

Live within the rainforest and have everything you need for a comfortable conservation experience. Wake up to charming bird songs and the gentle rustling of leaves while enjoying the safety, security, and comfort of your private lodge.

Enjoy stunning river views, winding wildlife trails, and the tallest canopy walkway in South America, all on your doorstep. Share rooms and meals (from our dedicated local chef) with other participants, giving you an opportunity to build lasting friendships and get to know the like-minded people you’re with.

You’ll have basic Wi-Fi, running water, and power from solar panels and a generator at certain times of day, allowing you to charge your devices. You can also enjoy a shared games area and TV room.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Peru Arrival Procedures page.