Volunteer Programs in Iquitos, Peru

The Opwall Peru project is based in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, found deep in the forests of the Amazon basin—so deep that this project involves living and working off a river boat! The first few days are spent completing a wildlife ecology and conservation course en route to the site, traveling along the river on a restored and converted boat from the rubber boom era. Once at the site, your group moors the boat and conducts surveys involving everything from pink river dolphins to macaws to caiman alligators. Operation Wallacea is a research and environmental organization working alongside university and college academics to build long-term datasets to put towards various conservation management goals. We recruit volunteers who can help with data collection, training them in the skills and background needed to help effectively. There's also the option to complete dissertations or senior theses at our sites. This project is currently open to school/college groups every March.