Conservation Travel Adventure in the Amazon

Help conserve endangered Giant Amazon River Turtles. Travel to the Amazon Basin with an exclusive package whose proceeds fund this community run turtle conservation program. Learn more about the project.

21 Days of Exploration in Bolivia and the Amazon

• Visit Noel Kempff Mercado National Park in Bolivia
(a UNESCO Natural Heritage site and one of the most remote places in the world!)
• Gain hands on experience working with endangered turtles
• Visit natural geologic and environmental wonders
• Support indigenous peoples and communities
• Work with turtle conservationists in scientific research
• Live in local villages and experience Amazonian cultures
• Learn about biodiversity issues and tropical ecology from local project director and Ph.D. ecologist

Special Details

1) Not your typical tourist destination. We'll visit some of the most remote places in the world that only we have access to. Some travel will require extensive transport by private jeep and boat.

2) Fund the turtle conservation project as proceeds pay for an entire year of project costs and all local salaries. This also means that much of the price of the tour is tax-deductible.

3) PhD ecologist tour guide from the United States and other bilingual guides will lead you on a one-of-a-kind experience.

4) Limited to 8 people for a more specialized experience. Due to the remote location and hands-on work with wild turtles, we are limiting tour groups to only 8 people, at times divided into groups of four. If the groups were any larger this would make the experience less intimate, for both the tourist and the turtles.

5) Cost of the tour includes everything (except a few meals during free time) for the 21 day period, from the moment your plane lands until you are dropped off at the airport to return.

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (PNNKM), Bolivia is a UNESCO Natural Heritage site in a subsistence-based region of the Amazon. It is one of the largest and most intact parks in the Amazon Basin and one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world.

Itinerary includes:

• 1 day Santa Cruz de la Sierra (artesania, city tour, local restaurants)
• 2 days in San Ignacio de Velasco and/or Concepcion (tour of Jesuit church, artesania, local cuisine)
• Overnight stays in indigenous communities of Florida, Porvenir, Piso Firme, and Bella Vista
• 3 night trip to climb the Meseta Caparu and visit El Encanto waterfall OR 3 night boat trip to visit water falls Ahlfeld and Arco Iris (depending on the season)
• Orientation and training in PNNKM, by Ph.D. ecologist, in turtle research and conservation methods
• Wildlife trips on rivers to see caimans, pink river dolphins, birds, and other native fauna
• Visits to see native pictographs
• Horseback ride through pampas
• Learn to prepare and enjoy local cuisines
• Fish for piranha and other tasty river fishes
• 4 nights living on beaches, working with nesting turtles OR 4 nights living on beaches working with turtle hatchlings
• Final night at Los Tajibos, a 5 star hotel/resort, includes 5 star buffet of local foods and spa access

Package includes:

• Transportation to and from Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia to hotel
• Transportation in bus, 4x4 jeep, and motor boat to and around PNNKM
• All lodging and hotel
• One night at 5 star resort in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
• Meals according to itinerary
• Filtered drinking water
• Bilingual guide
• First Aiders trained in wilderness first aid
• Cooks to prepare local meals
• Training and guidance by American Ph.D. ecologist
• Taxes and travel insurance in Bolivia
• Equipment (e.g., tents, mosquito nets) for camping at field sites
• Trips to tourist sites in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and local towns and villages

Note:
This adventurous experience involves travel to and living in remote areas where there may be little to no running water or electricity. Lodging inside the park and local communities includes rustic accommodations and tents.

***Due to the specialized nature of this trip, we only have 8 spaces available. Book early for a large discount! For more travel information, contact: jvaldivia@selvainternational.org.

Please see our terms and conditions.

To forward this page, choose the share button.