Amazon Expedition

The Amazon Expedition occurs 3 times a year at the beginning of: August, October and December. August 2022 will not occur. Minimum of 8 participants and maximum of 12 (excluding coordinators of the expedition).

For more information, we will send the Amazon Expedition Info Pack.

IPBio’s primary goal is to teach our applicants about the wonderful biodiversity of the Amazon, so we truly grasp why it is worth protecting, as well as demonstrate field biology techniques so that our participants can understand how the scientific process works to diagnose issues that wildlife face. Moreover, as we are teaching, you are volunteering as we use all the data collected to compare over each expedition to understand trends in biodiversity. We also discuss how this data is used and applied to take action to preserve species and habitats across the globe. 

Although our main focus is biology, we believe to comprehensively understand these issues we need to put it in a larger context so we wanted to bring our students into Amazonian culture as a whole. Taste the Amazonian fish. Watch the traditional dances such as curimbo. To prescribe environmental policy without understanding the geography, history and culture of a region is a recipe for disaster. 

Highlights Include:

Lectures and Discussion on:

• “IPBio – Biodiversity Research Institute and the Work We Do”
• “The Brazilian Conservation Dillema – the world wants us to stop, we want to develop”
• “Amazonian Culture and the creation of the martial art form Capoeira during the period of slavery”
• “Science as a tool for Conservation”
• “Bioluminescence – glowing in the natural world”
• “Illegal Trade of Wildlife, Hunting and Threats to Manatees”
• “Threats to the Amazon and Conservation Solutions”
• “From Hunters to Guides – a story of eco-tourism as a source of sustainability for forest communities”
• “The History of Henry Ford creation of the town of Belterra and Fordlandia for rubber extraction”

Training in Scientific Methodologies & Field Techniques

• Camera trap for mammal monitoring
• Bird Inventory for species identification
• Habitat Monitoring – use of bio-indicators to understand the health of the environment
• Forest Inventory – mapping out level of forest conservation through the flora biodiversity
• Mushroom Inventory and Bioluminescent Mushroom Nocturnal Search
• Active Nocturnal Search for Amphibians – understand the decline in amphibians globally
• Fish Inventory 

Amazonian Culture, History & Food

• Brazilian “Capoeira” Martial Arts Class
• Watch traditional Amazonian dance of Curimbo
• Cooking Class – How to Make Brazilian food
• Trying the Incredible Indigenous Amazonian cuisine
• Classic Brazilian BBQ experience beach at sunset (with veggie options)
• Visit Belterra, created by Henry Ford for rubber extraction
• Visit the local fish market and potentially see pink river dolphins
• Visit the Community of Coroco who produce honey and care for turtles
• Experiment all of the Amazon’s delicious fruits

Tourism & Trips

• Visit the gigantic Sumauma trees of the Amazon in the National Park of Flona
• Trail to see monkey and sloths (and maybe even an anaconda)
• See the famous Amazonian water lily and even eat it
• Gorgeous sunsets and star gazing
• Boat trips to visit countless stunning beaches
• Visit animal rehab center of manatees
• See the encounter of the Amazon River with the Tapajos River
• Wildlife watching
• 2 day boat tour - sleep on a boat and wake up to gorgeous sunrise over the lake
• Kayaking and Stand-Up on the river and feeding turtles

We have added Day 1 to Day 6 out of 15 days so you can get a feel for what the expedition is about!

Day 1

08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast

09:00 – 10:30: Meet and Greet/ Icebreakers

10:30 – 12:00: Lecture “IPBio – Biodiversity Research Institute and the Work We Do”

12:00-13:30: Lunch (provided by Pousada Amazonia)

13:30-14:15: Presentation on “Rules and Safety” and Signing Paperwork

14:15 – 15:00: Transport Pousada Amazonia to Alter do Chão (CAT Boat Dock)

15:00-19:00: Visit Lago Verde, Enchanted Forest, Moça beach, Lake of Piraña, Lake and Beach of Jacare and sunset at Ponta do Cururu beach with Lecture and Round Table Discussion on “The Brazilian Conservation Dillema – the world wants us to stop, we want to develop so why should we?”

19:00 – 21:00: Traditional Brazilian dinner at Restaurant Lago Verde (in Alter do Chão)

21:00 – 21:45: Transport Restaurant Lago Verde (in Alter do Chão) to Pousada Amazonia

Day 2

07:15 – 08:15: Breakfast

08:15 – 09:00: Transport Pousada Amazonia to Alter do Chão (CAT Boat Dock)

09:00 – 19:00: Full Day Boat Ride to Ponta de Pedras for lunch and Canal do Jari including: bird inventory; trail to see monkeys and sloths, and visit Vitória-Régia lily pads with tasting. Pack dinner on the boat.

19:00 – 20:15: Transport Alter do Chao (CAT Boat Dock) to Pousada Amazonia

Day 3

08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast

09:00 – 09:45: Transport Pousada Amazonia to IPBio – Reserva Jutuarana

09:45 – 10:45: Set up camera traps on the reserve for mammal monitoring

10:45 – 12:00: Flora and Forest Inventory Techniques (set up trail, mark trees, photograph, measure and check for fruiting)

12:00 – 13:30: BBQ/Pack Lunch by the river

13:30 – 16:00: Habitat Monitoring of River (water samples and bio-indicators)

16:00 – 16:45: “Science as a tool for Conservation” lecture and discussion

16:45 – 17:30: Transport IPBio – Reserva Jutuarana to Pousada Amazonia

17:30 – 19:00: Shower and Break

19:00 – 21:00: Traditional Carimbó Dancing and Amazonian Dinner at Pousada Amazonia

Day 4

08:00 – 10:30: Free Morning - you can have breakfast earlier but it will also be provided at 10.30

10:30 – 12:00: Late breakfast buffet and Lecture Bioluminescence – “Glowing in the Natural World” (using TV at Pousada Amazonia)

12:00 – 13:30: Lunch (provided by Pousada Amazonia)

13:30 – 14:15: Transport Pousada Amazonia to IPBio – Reserva Jutuarana

14:15 – 18:00: Diurnal Mushroom Inventory

18:00 – 19:30: Pack Dinner

19:30 – 21:00: Amphibian Night Search

21:00 – 22:30: Bioluminescent Mushroom Inventory and UV light Search and Star Gazing

22:30 – 23:15: Transport IPBio – Reserva Jutuarana to Pousada Amazonia

Day 5

07:00 – 8:00: Breakfast

08:00 – 9:30: Transport Pousada Amazonia to Fish Market

9:30 – 11:00: Visit the Local Vegetable and Fish Market (try the wonderful fruits of the Amazon)

11:00 – 12:30: Transport to Restaurant and Lunch on the Orla

12:30 – 13:45: Transport to Zoounama and Lecture “Illegal Trade of Wildlife and Hunting and Threats to Manatees”

13:45 – 17:00: Zoounama - Visit Quarantine Center and Manatees Rehab

17:00 – 18:45: Transport to View Point and see Encounter of the Amazon River and the Tapajos River

18:00 – 18:45: Transport to Restaurant on Boardwalk

18:30 – 20:30: Traditional Dinner of Amazonian Indigenous Food in Touristic Fluvial Center

20:30 – 22:00: Transport Santarem to Pousada Amazonia

Day 6

07:15 – 08:15: Breakfast

08:15 – 09:00: Transport Pousada Amazonia to Alter do Chão (CAT Boat Dock)

09:00 – 19:00: Boat to Flona National Park; Hike to See Enormous Trees and Wildlife. Lunch in community.

19:00 – 20:15: Transport Alter do Chão (CAT Boat Dock) to Pousada Amazonia

20:15 – 20:45: Showers

20:45 – 22:45: Dinner Pousada Amazonia

Our expedition is jammed with activities already but on the few days you have free time we can give you advice on some interesting hikes and water sports although keep in mind the expedition already includes a lot of these type of activities anyways so you may want to use your free time to actually rest.