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Location
  • Peru
Industry
Agriculture Animal Science Anthropology Biology Conservation and Preservation Ecology Education Environmental Studies Life Sciences Marketing Photography Sustainable Development Tourism Veterinary Wildlife Sciences +5

Program Details

Compensation
Non-Monetary Benefits
Timeframe
Academic Year Fall J-Term Maymester Spring Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Language
Spanish
Weekly Hours
30
Age Min.
18
Qualifications
  • Experience in conservation/ecology/biology/ agroforestry or other related studies or fields
  • Capable of undertaking fieldwork and living in a challenging environment
  • Capable of working well both as part of a team, and independently
  • Responsible, reliable, and will follow strict research and safety protocols at all times

Pricing

Starting Price
730
Price Details
At Hoja Nueva, interns pay a fee to cover the costs of food, accommodations, and supervision, which helps us keep our programs running and our staff employed that in turn provide interns with the best experience possible. Please contact us regarding other lengths of stay besides those listed here.

1 week: $730
2 weeks: $1430
3 weeks: $1830
1 month: $2100
2 months: $3450
3 months: $4250
4 months: $4825
5 months: $5200
6 months: $6525
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals Transportation
What's Included (Extra)

No visa is necessary to enter Peru for more than 6 months at a time, currently. Upon entering you will automatically be given a tourist visa.

What's Not Included
Airfare SIM cards Travel Insurance Wifi
What's Not Included (Extra)

Wifi is only available during certain hours of the day and night. Airport transfer is included from the airport to our center and back again, when programmed directly. All food, accommodations and transport incurred in the city of Puerto Maldonado is not included.

Dec 22, 2022
Jan 18, 2024
Wish List
72 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

At Hoja Nueva you will gain invaluable field experience that will challenge & prepare you for a future in environmental and species protection.

We are a remote research center & wildlife sanctuary located three hours outside the closest city of Puerto Maldonado. We confront deforestation and defaunation in the Peruvian Amazon by strategically acquiring rainforest & creating corridors; building capacity within remote & indigenous communities; implementing rigorous scientific research; & reintroducing threatened species to the wild after rescue.

Current internships involve animal rescue & husbandry, wildlife research, conservation programs, & sustainable community development projects. Our ongoing wildlife research focuses primarily on mammals & herpetofauna. Many interns prefer our rotating internship to gain a breadth of experience and knowledge in all of these different fields.

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Video and Photos

Marcos with Phyllomedusa camba for Frogject Research
Hoja Nueva's Founder Sam feeding a young ocelot.
Two Hoja Nueva interns standing enjoying the Piedras Waterfalls
A jaguar seen on camera trap in the Peruvian Amazon.
Agroforestry classes in the Amazon
An intern painting a schoolhouse in a nearby native community.
Bird watching in the Amazonian jungle.
Pup Rescues at Hoja Nueva 1.
Hoja Nueva interns touring and working in local cocoa farms.
As you enter Hoja Nueva 1 - the Eco-Lodge.
Giant anteater spotted on camera trap at Hoja Nueva.
Learn about cocoa cultivation during your internship abroad.
Nadine holds a friendly Clelia clelia in the Amazon.
Mushroom studies in the Amazon of Peru.
A nightly bonfire surrounded by interns at Hoja Nueva.
Macaws flying around the river clay lick at Hoja Nueva.
Keanu, one of Hoja Nueva's rescued and released ocelots. Photo by Trevor Frost.
Local native women part of Hoja Nueva's artisan program.
One of the private bedrooms at Hoja Nueva.
Sam holding a large whip snake after removing its ticks.
An aerial view of Hoja Nueva's herb garden and vegetable terraces.
An Hoja Nueva mentor taking a rescued spider monkey outside for the first time.
Hoja Nueva interns and staff working in a local community.
Morning feeding time for our rescued collared peccary.

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Program Highlights

  • Live and work in a beautiful research center in the remote rainforest of Las Piedras: the last frontier of the Peruvian Amazon
  • Contribute to efforts in raising awareness of and preserving one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet
  • Participate in interdisciplinary, innovative projects that break boundaries between local NGOs, communities, and governments
  • Gain invaluable field experience that will challenge and prepare you for a future in environmental protection
  • Provide care and enrichment for rescued wild animals so they can one day be reintroduced to their rightful home: the jungle

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Program Reviews

4.60 Rating
based on 10 reviews
Leave a Review
  • 5 rating 90%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 10%
  • Growth 4.6
  • Support 4.6
  • Fun 4.6
  • Housing 4.7
  • Safety 4.6
Good for Solo Travelers, Photographers, Adventure travelers
Showing 9 - 10 of 10 reviews
Default avatar
Ronee
34
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life changing memories/adventures!

Jan 17, 2020

Anyone wanting a one of a kind experience should go. My time there has stayed with me the experiences and moments have changed the way I see the environment and humans. The beauty of the amazon is spectacular.
The sounds of the Amazon especially the Howler Monkeys would wake me every day. Such an amazing sound to wake to.
You learn how much you don't need to thrive. Disconnecting from the WWW is freeing. Seeing how fast the Amazon is being destroyed makes you want to take action. Since returning I have chosen to experience life more and not be weighted down with material things.

79 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
eggs every day.
Experiencing local cultural and making new friends.
Enjoy the adventure. Every boat ride is any experience. Breathe!
Default avatar
Tristan
27
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Summer at Hoja Nueva

Jan 15, 2020

I went to Hoja Nueva during my Summer off from university on a grant-funded research trip. The experience was more than I could have ever asked for. The surrounding area in Las Piedras is perfect for biological, anthropological, and agricultural research as well as rain forest tourism. I will always consider it to be one of the most life changing places I have ever stayed. The people who run Hoja are extremely kind and they are welcome into my home for ever after no matter where I may be. I highly recommend this amazing place to anyone traveling in Peru.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
We ate a huge variety of things I had never tried before, including nuts and mushrooms foraged from the surrounding rain forest, but the most unfamiliar thing was fermented masato which we made ourselves.
73 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Fungal Microscopy

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Dale Speer

Program
Rainforest Conservation: Wildlife Research & Animal Husbandry in the Amazon

Why did you choose this program?

This program was chosen because, after having met the owner (Sam), I knew that our ideologies aligned for conservation and outreach.

There are many forms of conservation with EVERYONE having a different opinion on how it should be done. My personal philosophy is to try to make the locals understand the work that is being overtaken and encourage them to help. Hoja Nueva has a similar structure by incorporating the local community to help perform conservation.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Hoja Nueva provided all of the basic necessities for an enjoyable trip. I was told what hotel to stay at, how much (roughly) taxis should cost, and which places in town were the best to eat at. Once I was settled into town, Hoja provided a car to pick me up and bring me to the site. Food, shelter, and snacks were all provided as well as basic toiletries. There were spare boots when mine became waterlogged.

The only thing I had to provide myself was the plane ride and in-town activities such as visiting the butterfly farm or going to the local animal shelter.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Bring comfort stuff from home to make it feel more comfortable. The living conditions are nice but basic. It helps to have a fluffy pillow or snacks or music to help remind you of home life.

Most important is to enter these programs with an open mind. It is a different country with MANY different customs. One thing I learned is to just go with the flow and try to make the best out of every situation. That being said, these are just minor things I learned to make myself as comfortable as could be.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

This program's average day is spent waking up at 6 or 7 am (that's when the howler monkeys start and its quite hard to sleep in when they're close). Breakfast is made, usually a simple combination of fruits and cereal with a little yogurt.

After breakfast, I usually would take a morning walk around one of the many trails. If there was work to be done, I would get to the farm and help to plant/tend to the vegetation before it becomes too hot (until noonish).

Around 12, is nearly lunchtime, so we would return to the house and begin preparing lunch. Usually, 2 or 3 people help out to speed up the process. Lunch is typically rice and chicken but, they always have tofu for vegetarians.

After lunch, it is time for a nap and then I have an hour or so to myself to take a walk or just relax. If there is more work to get done before dinner, I'll take care of it. Dinner is quite similar to lunch and then we prepare for either night walks or a potential movie/documentary night.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was being alone in a new country with people who don't speak the same language as me. This wasn't an issue as most people spoke English and even the locals could communicate on a basic level. Everyone was so welcoming and it was easy to make friends. The company provided everything I needed to be happy and comfortable.

What to do if you're on a specific (vegan) diet?

At Hoja, they tried to meet everyone's dietary needs. There was plenty of fruit to be bought from the local market and they always made sure to have nuts/beans and rice/pasta in the supply closet.

While it is challenging to maintain a vegan diet in the jungle, it was definitely doable.

Hoja went out of their way to ensure everyone's dietary needs were met.

Location

Location:
Peru
Currency:
Peruvian Sol
Weather:
Jan-Mar
70 F / 46 F
Apr-Jun
70 F / 38 F
Jul-Sep
72 F / 38 F
Oct-Dec
74 F / 47 F
Airports:
Jorge Chávez International Airport
( LIM )
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
( CUZ )
Rodríguez Ballón International Airport
( AQP )

Peru is treasured for its gastronomy, Incan history, and stunning Andes mountains. As you travel, you will notice the pride the Peruvians have for their heritage of having been not only the Incan empire but Spain's South American empire. Peru's eco-tourism is growing the quickest of any South American country. If you are looking to tap into a currently less-frequented travel destination, pick Peru.

About HOJA NUEVA

Hoja Nueva is a registered nonprofit and dynamic conservation organization operating several research and wildlife rescue centers in Madre de Dios, Peru. Hoja Nueva’s mission is to confront deforestation and defaunation in the Peruvian Amazon. To accomplish this, we strategically acquire conservation lands and create corridors, build capacity...

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