Amazon Amerindians

Amazon, Guyana

$3495.00

 

The Experience

If you have a fascination for indigenous cultures then this where you want to go and help to sustain the indigenous peoples way of life before these precious cultures are lost! This project will bring you deep in to the amazing jungles of Guyana where many indigenous communities are struggling to keep their way of life.

Work together with local Amerindian Communities to Help set up a sustainable eco-friendly infrastructure within their community through construction, maintenance, wildlife research & monitoring! If the rainforest is not given a sustainable value local people will be forced to rely on logging, mining or other damaging trades. If we do not act the rainforest, local Amerindian communities and all its amazing wildlife will be lost! Sign up now for this great cause and be part of Guyana while it is still unspoiled, and hopefully through our combined effort we will keep it this way!

Depending on your skills and experience, the projects you are involved in will be varied and could include anything from supporting the Eco-lodge with marketing skills, helping teach children and adults valuable IT skills or trekking into the forest to sensitively build wildlife viewing camps.
This great volunteer abroad experience will lead you in the northern most frontier of the Amazon jungle in the southern reaches of South America’s only English speaking country; Guyana! Have the privilege to discover this country while it is still untouched with fascinating cultures to meet and mind blowing wildlife to view and sign up now for this great cause and be part of Guyana while it is still unspoiled, and hopefully through our combined effort we will keep it this way!

 

This Is Why

  • Experience life in the amazing jungles of South America, a lost world teeming with wildlife
  • Sleep in hammocks amongst the trees and wake up to a serenade of monkeys, birds and cicadas
  • Volunteer alongside local Amerindian people, enabling them to develop sustainable eco-tourism and protect their way of life
  • Help to save the Amazon rainforest!
  • To not let the picture on the left be the future For Guyana's Rainforest and Amerindian Communities!

 
 
Project Details
  • Key Start Dates
    All year round!
  • Package Price

    4 Weeks: $3495.00 US$
    8 Weeks: $4995.00 US$
  • Volunteer duration
    4 or 8 weeks (other durations available on request)
  • Average Work hours
    8 hours per day, 6 days on 1 day off
  • Number of Volunteers
    2 - 5 or 10 - 20
  • Volunteer accommodation
    Available
  • Housing Type
    Over night hotel in Georgetown private room, Private hammock in a shared village house while in the rainforest
  • Internet Access
    Yes, when arriving in Georgetown. Some very limited internet access via satellite in the rainforest at the project.
  • Who Are They Looking For?
    Adventurous individuals who have an interest in wildlife and the outdoors and who are able to live in basic conditions while working for a good cause

Fast Facts: Guyana

Where? Guyana, Amazon

Country Size: 214,970 km2
83,000 sq mi

Population density? 3.5/km2
9.1/sq mi

Country Famous for? Vaquero's (cowboys), Rupununi Rodeo festival, Unspoiled interior, Amazon jungle, Jaguars, Black Caiman, Giant Otters, Turtles

When to visit: All year round

    • What's Included
      • Placement
        Amazon Amerindians
      • Accommodation
        While in transit through Georgetown you will stay in a basic hotel room (1 night), once in the rainforest you will share a village house and sleep in hammocks!
      • Meals
        Your meals will be included while you are hosted by the community, but you will need to help with preparation and occasionally harvesting. During your short stay in Georgetown meals are not included. During your short stopovers in Georgetown, meals are not included.
      • Airport Pick Georgetown + Hotel night

        An employee of the project will pick you up from the airport near Georgetown ( 1 hour) and will transfer you to your hotel where you wil stay for 1 night. The next morning you will be picked up from the hotel and you will be brought to a local domestic airport.
      • Domestic flight (return flight incl) + Airport Pick up

        An employee of the project will pick you up from your hotel in Georgetown and will transfer you to the airport. Included in this package is a domestic flight from Georgetown to Rockview by small airplane (approximately 2 hours flying over seemingly everlasting jungle). You will be picked up by a 4x4 vehicle from the air strip and transferred to the boat landing for your final transfer to the project.
      • Transfer to the project (By Boat)
        By boat you will be transferred to the project, after approximately 3 hours you will reach your destination at the project.
      • Returning home

        After your time at the project has been finished you will be transfer back to Georgetown by boat, 4x4  and domestic flight. At this point you can choose to travel home or to explore more of Guyana. We are of course happy to assist you with this.
      • Work permit
        For volunteering in Guyana a work permit is required as well as premmission needed to visit the Amerindian reserves. This will all be arranged after your arrival (as Guyana has no embassies abroad) and will be HASSLE FREE for you. The fee for this is included in the program cost.
      • Mail and Communications

        It is possible to receive and send mail from the town of Lethem via our Fronteering representative, however the postal service is very variable in such a remote area and the process regularly takes over a month. It is not unheard of never to reach it's destination! There will be internet connection and cell phone reception in both Georgetown and Lethem. There will be internet connection via satellite in the community, but it is worth noting that this can be very slow! There is no mobile phone reception outside of Georgetown and Lethem.
      • Ongoing service
        If there are any problems with your volunteer project we are always there to help you and mediate between yourself and the organization.
      • Tours
        Through FRONTEERING you have the possibility to book tours, Spanish (at nearby Isla Magaritha) and English Courses in Guyana before and/or after you have finished your volunteer project.
      • 24/7 Emergency contact
        If there are any problems during you stay at the project you can reach us 24/7 to assist you.

      What's not included: International flights, Insurance

      Package Price:
      4 Weeks: $3495.00 US$
      8 Weeks: $4995.00 US$

    • RESPONSIBILITIES

      This unique experience will take you deep into the jungles of the Amazon. This is where Sir Walter Raleigh searched for El Dorado, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dreamt up the stories of “The Lost World.” It is some of the most pristine and untouched primary jungle in the world and it needs your help! In order to prevent the threat of logging and mining in these precious areas, the local Amerindian communities need to build some eco-tourism infrastructure so that they can sensitively benefit from this incredible resource without destroying it.
      Without the infrastructure there is no way to attract tourists to the area or to support them when they arrive. The communities do not have the resources to develop this infrastructure themselves which is where they need your support. With the time and skills of volunteers like you they have the opportunity to create facilities and activities for
      Guyana is already starting to develop and tourism will increase. We want to ensure that this is done in the best way possible in order to protect the traditional way of life for Amerindian communities and also protect the precious tropical rainforest and it’s extraordinary biodiversity.
      Some of the projects you could get involved in:

      • Building Additional accommodation benabs for tourists
      • Constructing various buildings and infrastructure to support the amerindian community.
      • Teaching the villagers basic skills in IT, marketing and tourism
      • Making Wildlife and forest trails
      • Teaching English And Maths at the community school
      • Constructing Overnight cabins in the forest
      • Building Bird / animal spotting hides
      • Building Tree top hides / viewing platforms
      • Helping at the kindergarten
      • Organizing events for the youths and assisting with sports
      • And many other projects to benefit the local Amerindian communities

      During this volunteer experience you will stay in hammocks and have the opportunity to be immersed in local life. Learn from these fascinating people about ancient legends, the medicinal properties of rare flora and extraordinary wildlife facts and sightings that you will find nowhere else. We concentrate on things that work, not that look fancy. This is the real stuff! Are you ready for a true adventure to learn about new cultures and live amongst a vast variety wildlife while saving the Amazon jungle and it’s people?

      • TASKS AND DUTIES

        For a minimum of 2 weeks you will volunteer in an Amerindian village made up of largely Makushi people. You will have the chance to help with a variety of projects from wildlife monitoring to building wildlife viewing structures. You may be studying the suitability of an area a wildlife hide, for example by researching what creatures use the area so it is both interesting for viewing but also not disturbing any protected species. Or you may be part of a team helping to build a semi permanent overnight camp deep in the forest. This could involve some tough work in hot and humid conditions. Insects are guaranteed but if you enjoy a challenge the reward of supporting this community is priceless.
        As well as building capacity for eco-tourism, there will be the opportunity to support the village by helping to teach basic IT skills, or by developing children’s activities or the wildlife club. The skills and knowledge you can bring from a developed country can really make a difference to a place where a modern world is making increasing demands.

  • Requirements, Guidelines & Policies
    • Experience in teaching, wildlife research or construction can be a plus
    • Strong work ethics are required: reliable, responsible, honest, good sense of humor and dependable.
    • You must be physically and mentally fit.
    • 18 years of age or older
    • Must love animals/outdoors
    • Make sure to contact your local health organization to inquire about the needed/recommended vaccinations and medicine.
  • Volunteer Benefits
    • Live in one of the last pristine areas of rainforest in the world
    • Work with the fascinating Makushi people, indigenous to this area of Guyana
    • Learn about the local culture and immerse yourself in their way of life
    • Help the lives of the people of a valuable Amerindian community
    • Protect the Amazon rainforest
    • Learn  jungle survival skills
  • Fast Facts
    • Project location
      Central and southern Jungle of Guyana
    • Area Famous For
      Amazon Jungle, Wildlife viewing, Amerindian tribes, Iwokrama forest reserve, kaieteur falls
    • When to visit
      All Year round
    • Wildlife viewing
      Some of the best in the world, however spotting wildlife can be difficult at first, Harpy Eagle - Largest eagle in the world, Arapaima - Largest fresh water fish in the world, Jaguar - Biggest cat in the Americas,
      giant Otter - largest otter in the world, capybara - Largest rodent in the world, anaconda - The largest snake in the world, bushmaster - World's largest viper
  • Itinerary & Details
    Day 1 - Arrive in Georgetown, Guyana;
    YYou will arrive in the capital of Guyana where you will be met and stay over night in a hotel.
    For 2-8 weeks - Volunteer in a Amerindian community in the jungle
    The next day you will travel to the project by means of flight, 4x4 and boat. For several weeks you will work together with local Amerindian communities to work on a sustainable environmental friendly projects to give the rainforest a sustainable value and to preserve the rainforest, its wildlife and Amerindians way of life.
    Your last day
    - you will travel back to Georgetown by boat, 4x4 and filght. Fly back home or take the opportunity to travel through Guyana. Our staff will gladly help you to book any tours to see more of this great country.
  • Accommodation

    While in transit through Georgetown you will stay in a basic hotel room (1 night), once in the rainforest you will share a village house and sleep in hammocks!

    Things to bring from home

    • Hiking Shoes
    • Rain gear
    • Anti Mosquito repellent + after bite
    • Sunglasses
    • Hat/cap to protect yourself from the sun
    • Suncream
    • Complete Kitlist will be provided after applying or on request

    Meals

    During your stay in Georgetown Meals are not included, while being in the jungle food will be included. Each project member will be involved in the food preparation.

    Location

    The Amerindian Community is located in one of the most unspoiled rainforest regions left in this world. It has an estimated 200 species of mammals, 500 of birds, 420 of fish and 150 species of amphibians. Close to 30% of the mammals are listed under the International Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This sounds great, but if they aren't protected properly, which means maintaining their environment, then they will not survive. Local people are the forest and animal’s best chance of protection from those outside who wish to rob the forest for profit; they just need a little help.

Living in Rewa for a month was an amazing experience, it was awesome being in the jungle and seeing the strange and wonderful wildlife of the Amazon. It's a great place with a different pace of life, with time to just chill out in a hammock and get to know the people there and learn about their culture and their way of life. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and made you feel right at home. Definitely a place and experience to remember.

Emily from Australia

My Volunteer experience at the Amerindian community of with Rewa exceeded all of my expectations. Having spent time living and traveling in diverse places all over the world, I must say that the interior of Guyana offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for a truly raw experience. In addition to the wonderful landscape and wildlife, it was amazing working in conjunction with members of the Rewa Village in their efforts to preserve the rainforest. I will never forget my time in Rewa and recommend a volunteering opportunity to everyone!

Jared from the USA

 

 

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