Come Discover Classroom Earth!

Program Essentials

Special Events

Get started NOW! — Click here to begin your travel experience

2011-12 Program Catalog

Dig Deeper

Return to Home
 
Donate Now — Support our life-changing educational travel programs.
Safety — Our participants (and their parents) entrust their lives to our care and we take that travel responsibility seriously. We take a preventative approach towards safety.
The GEx Difference — Learn more about the most comprehensive educational travel program available -- Global Explorers!
Responsible Tourism — Global Explorers and its participants practice active and responsible tourism.

Amazon Adventure: Peru

Play Slideshow
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Amazon rainforest is unlike any other region in the world. Its unparalleled diversity and incredible size make it a spectacular classroom for the learning adventure of a lifetime. From toucans to howler monkeys, piranhas to three-toed sloths, from the bustling jungle town of Iquitos to the quieter life of remote communities, this workshop will open your eyes to a new world of experiences.

Through hands-on science explorations, meaningful visits to local communities and time to soak in the beauty and magic of the rainforest, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the many characteristics that make this region so unique as well as those that make conservation such a vital on-going challenge here. Preparatory curriculum explores the cultures of the Peruvian Amazon, the remarkable biodiversity of this region and the importance and challenges of tropical rainforest conservation.

This program is also offered as an open enrollment option for Girl Scout members. Interested Girl Scouts should visit the following link for more information and to download an application Amazon.

Sample Itinerary

After departing the U.S., we arrive in Lima. Depending on our flight schedule, we may spend the night at a hotel in Miraflores, an upscale neighborhood in the capital city, or we may head directly onto Iquitos.

This morning we catch a connecting flight to the friendly, bustling jungle town of Iquitos. We climb aboard motorized boats, our primary means of transportation for the week, and head off down the Amazon River for a spectacular ride. A few hours later we arrive at Explorama Lodge, our rustic and cozy home for the next two nights. After settling in and enjoying lunch in the open air dining area, we enjoy our first of many hikes in the forest. Tonight we have the first of our daily guided discussions about our experiences.

This morning we review a bit of Spanish and have a short discussion about Yagua culture in preparation for our visit to the Yagua community located near Explorama Lodge. In the community we have the unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of what life in the rainforest is like for the people who call it home. We are warmly invited to visit a home, walk through the village and barter for handicrafts. Don’t forget to bring lots of tradable items! We return to the lodge for lunch and a discussion. In the afternoon we enjoy a walk through the forest led by our guide. This evening after dinner we head out to experience the rainforest by flashlight.

We begin our day at dawn with a short excursion to look for, listen to and identify some of the many birds in this area of the rainforest. After breakfast we travel to ExplorNapo Lodge, a smaller, more remote facility. Upon arrival we visit with a local shaman (healer) who shares with us his knowledge about the plants he uses and how he prepares them to treat illness. We spend the afternoon at a nearby blackwater lake exploring its unique ecology. We end the day with a spectacular night float which gives us the opportunity to observe many nocturnal species as well as enjoy the expansive night skies of the Amazon.

Today, we hike to the Amazon Conservatory of Tropical Studies Field Station (ACTS). Built in 1993, ACTS is home to the famous canopy walkway. After exploring the canopy from this amazing vantage point, we hike along the “useful plants trail” learning about the many ways people in local communities use plants in their everyday lives. Among other things, we learn about plants that are good for eating, building houses, making dyes for handicrafts, keeping insects away, and making blowguns and the darts that accompany them. Later, we head out into the forest for another night excursion—it’s amazing how the rainforest seems to come alive when the sun goes down!

We head by boat today back to Explorama Lodge where, after lunch, we spend the afternoon out on the river fishing, swimming and searching for river dolphins. In the evening we enjoy a presentation from Dr. Linnea Smith, a North American physician who moved to the region many years ago to begin a rural health clinic. She is an inspirational doctor with many fascinating stories to share.

Today we visit a community school and conduct a community service project. This may very well be the highlight of the week for many participants. Service projects might include school painting, building a community garden, working on a thatched hut, tree planting or building community awareness of environmental issues. All projects are conducted alongside community residents. This is our opportunity to make a big difference!

After a morning hike we head to Ceiba Tops, the least rustic of the lodges we will visit. We spend the afternoon hiking to a giant ceiba tree and swimming in the refreshing swimming pool. This evening we enjoy a dance performance by local community members. We have the last of our daily discussions and prepare for the journey home.

This morning we pack up our things and say goodbye to the rainforest. We head into the bustling city of Iquitos, where we have the opportunity to get to know a little bit about this historic city and do some last minute shopping. We travel to Lima in the late afternoon in time to catch a late night flight back to the US.