Amazon Rainforest Educational Workshops

Next spring, travelers can embark on a journey deep into the jungle of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, accompanied by top Amazon scientists to plumb the culture and habitat of one of the planet's most precious resources.

Organized by International Expeditions as in-depth, interactive learning experiences, these two 9-day rainforest educational workshops will depart on March 14 and March 21.

The trip begins with overnight accommodations in Lima, Peru, a flight to Iquitos, and then a 50-mile sail down the Amazon to the Explorama Lodge. Guests will spend two nights at this recently renovated hotel built high off the ground and partially open to the sights and sounds of the rainforest.

Guests will also meet local schoolteachers and learn about the educational system of ribereños, who live in villages along the river. They may choose to spend the afternoon working on a community project such as planting trees or helping to paint a school.

There will also be a visit to Orejone Village —a community that has little contact with the outside world—and where the group will learn how to fish for piranhas. Other trip highlights include birdwatching and hiking.

The 2009 Amazon Workshop is priced at $2,798 pp dbl, including local transportation, guides and group transfers. The single supplement is $298. In-country flights and international air are not included, but both can be arranged via the tour operator.

For those who want to extend their journeys, International Expeditions can arrange 7-day pre-or post-trips to Machu Picchu & Cusco; pp prices start from $2,498.

For more information on International Expeditions and its workshops visit ietravel.com or call (800) 633-4734.