Cerrado Expedition Partipant

location
1 - 1 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Inventory species of all flora and fauna native to this unique ecosystem
  • Learn about the historical and cultural wonders of Brazil from cave painting to the era of diamond mining and more
  • Taste regional food and learn local culture and ways of living
  • Learn about medicinal plants and their use in traditional communities
  • See stunning landscapes of the Cerrado

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

A 10-day expedition covering natural, cultural and historical attractions as well as volunteering to support IPBio´s biological field research activities and much more!!

Learn About Medicinal Plants - at Ervanaria Marcos Guião is a space for the study and production of exotic and native medicinal plants from the Cerrado and has been carrying out its work for over 25 years. It currently produces a line of teas made up of around one hundred medicinal species ...

About the program

Learn About Medicinal Plants - at Ervanaria Marcos Guião is a space for the study and production of exotic and native medicinal plants from the Cerrado and has been carrying out its work for over 25 years. It currently produces a line of teas made up of around one hundred medicinal species recommended to promote health.

All teas are produced or collected in the region of São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras (MG). The collection of native medicinal plants strictly follows “Good Sustainable Management Practices”. The selection and processing follows a pattern that aims to optimize the conservation of medicinal properties, with plants dehydrating almost entirely using “solar drying”, using simple technology and equipment adapted to the local reality.

Moreover, the Ervanaria provides an outpatient clinic where residents of the community and the region seek health guidance using medicinal plants. Extracts from medicinal plants, syrup, floral remedies and homeopathic remedies are distributed there, in addition to the possibility for the patient to be treated with massage and acupuncture depending on each person's needs. Participants will join their weekly outpatient care to communities in the region!

Train Techniques of Biological Field Inventories – participants will conduct research on mammals using cameratraps as well as a general inventory on flora, insects, reptiles and all we can find. Moreover, night research activities such as searching for amphibians, mushrooms and insects as well as bioluminescent and fluorescent organisms.

Reforestation with seedlings from the IEF (State Institute of Forests) – learn about different species of flora native to the Cerrado, the importance of reforestation efforts in Brazil and practical technique of reforestation to ensure a successful growth of species planted.

Culture, History and Local Cuisine – throughout our expedition you will visit stunning landscape and see lots of wildlife but we need to also understand the local community and the diverse and unique offering that the Cerrado houses in terms of history and culture. The region is known for the production of artisanal cheeses, which are highly appreciated and have won many awards.

Cave Paintings – this region is very rich in cave paintings. On a walk, we will be able to see three places with these records. Little is known of these cave paintings still as research continues. It is estimated to be between 5000 and 10,000 years old. They belong to the Plateau Tradition and are generally painted with red paint and most are representations of deer and fish!

Waterfall and Stunning Landscape Unique to the Cerrado – throughout the expedition the natural beauty you will see if truly breathtaking!

Typical day

Day 0 – Travel on the 20th of October

·         Fly into GRU Guarulhos Airport before 13pm. Get a taxi/uber to São Paulo Tiete Bus Terminal

·         Purchase your bus ticket days in advance. Meet up with other applicants at 17pm at the Gonjito Bus Ticket Shop “Bilheteria ...

Typical day

Day 0 – Travel on the 20th of October

·         Fly into GRU Guarulhos Airport before 13pm. Get a taxi/uber to São Paulo Tiete Bus Terminal

·         Purchase your bus ticket days in advance. Meet up with other applicants at 17pm at the Gonjito Bus Ticket Shop “Bilheteria Gontijo”

·         Get bus to Diamantina, MG at 19:00pm on the 20th of October.

Day 1 – Arrival

·         Pick up at Diamantina Bus Station at 8.15am on the 21st of October. Board IPBio vehicle - travel to São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras

·         Reception at the Inn

·         Lecture presenting the activity program

·         Tour through the village of São Gonçalo

·         Bathing in the Jequitinhonha River

Day 2 – Herbarium

·         Preparation of camera traps and data recovery

·         Harvesting, processing cultivated medicinal plants

·         Maintenance of beds, preparation of seedlings and planting

·         Visit the City Waterfall

Day 3 – Outpatient clinic (always Wednesday morning)

·         Community care with integrative practices (phytotherapy, acupuncture)

·         Night prospecting – active search for mushrooms, amphibians and insects (Pacu - riparian forest)

Day 4 – Visit Milho Verde (Green Corn) (Várzea do Lajeado and Serra do Raio State Natural Monument)

·         Photographic inventory of flora and fauna in rocky and sandy wet fields at Várzea do Lajeado de Milho Verde

·         Visit Lajeado Waterfall / Canelau

·         Visit to the IEF (State Forestry Institute) to obtain tree seedlings

Day 5 – RPPN – Private Natural Heritage Reserve “Land of Unity”

·         Photographic inventory of the flora and fauna of the rupestrian savanna and riparian forest at RPPN

·         Planting native species (IEF) in degraded forest areas

·         Visit Pacu Waterfall

Day 6 – Diamantina City

·         Visit to the historic city center of Diamantina - center of diamond mining in the 18th and 19th centuries. A well-preserved example of Brazilian Baroque architecture, Diamantina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

·         Waterfalls in Biribiri – Sentinela / Cristais / Poço do Estudante / Poço Água Limpa

Day 7 – Pico do Raio - (Várzea do Lajeado and Serra do Raio State Natural Monument)

·         Walk to collect medicinal plants

·         Photographic inventory of the flora and fauna of the rupestrian fields and Cerrado

·         Cadete Waterfall

Day 8 – Rock Fields and Wetlands of Várzea de São Gonçalo

·         Photographic inventory of the flora and fauna of the rocky fields and sandy wet field of the Várzea de São Gonçalo

·         Visit Grota Seca Waterfall – Rapadura

Day 9 – Climb to Itambé – Forest and High Altitude Fields

·         Expedition to Pico do Itambé – photographic inventory of flora and fauna

·         Visit Maria Bruna Waterfall

Day 10 – Return Trip to Diamantina on the 30th of October

·         At 15:00 you will get a ride to the Diamantina Bus terminal to catch the 16:30 bus back

Free-time activities

 The expedition is only 10 days so there is not much free time so hence we include most of the fun free time activities in our schedule!

Free-time activities

 The expedition is only 10 days so there is not much free time so hence we include most of the fun free time activities in our schedule!

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

Quick learners and basic camera skills

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by IPBio - Reserva Betary

This fee covers the coordinators, transportation within the town to the sites (not flights or buses to the town), accommodation and project costs. An applicant only confirms their placement once their payment is made and it is only valid for the specific expedition dates agreed upon. Once an applicant makes their payment there is no refund and no ability to change dates agreed upon if they decide to cancel for whatever reason. We will provide you with specific payment details via paypal by email. The only refund we can provide is if we do not meet the required 4 applicants group size needed to run the expedition by the end of the inscription period, in this case refunds will be provided as the expedition will not occur.

Volunteers are also responsible for paying for any extra costs such as travel costs to the town, food, visa costs, any extra tourism etc. The currency in Brazil is the Real. The closest ATM machine is in Diamantina, quite far away, but most places accept Visa Credit/Debit cards. We highly suggest you bring cash on arrival, around 800 reais is a good start. Check with your bank to see if your cards will work in Brazil and tell your credit card company that you will be traveling overseas. We estimate food/living costs for 10 days will be approximately 1200 reais but this can vary depending on what you order and spending habits.

Accommodation

Small suite - single room with bathroom for each applicant

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Food & Beverages

Food, snacks or beverages are at extra costs.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) in Sao Paulo. We assist you to find cheap flights to Brazil. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Brazil provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Brazil you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Brazil. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

The Espinhaço Expedition occurs on specific dates in the year and the duration is 10 days. In 2024, the only expedition is from the 20th of October to the 30th of October 2024.

If you are flying into Brazil, the airport is São Paulo GRU Guarulhos International Airport before 13pm (so you can be at the bus station before the 17pm meeting point). You will then need to get a taxi or uber to the Tiete Bus Terminal. Purchase your ticket a couple days in advance from from “São Paulo Tietê to Diamantina, MG – Rodoviária” for 19:00 on the 20th of October to secure a spot.

Bus prices vary depending on dates, usually between 200 reais and 430 reais. At this point, all the volunteers, in a WhatsApp group chat with the coordinator Vinicius, will meet up at the Gonjito Bus Ticket Shop “Bilheteria Gontijo” by 17pm. All travel together on the 19:00 bus on the 20th of October. The bus is comfortable but does not have beds. You will arrive at approximately 8:16am on Monday the 21st of October in Diamantina where the coordinator Vinicius will pick you up by car and take you to the hotel in São Gonçalo. Don’t be surprised if the bus arrives late as on long trips it is common for arrival time to vary. 

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week 3 days 815€
Average fees 571€/week

Program fees

571€ per week 1 - 1 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

1 - 1 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with IPBio - Reserva Betary during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

IPBio - Reserva Betary

Brilliant 4.7 rating (98 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2014

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Imran

Spoken languages: English

About the project

IPBio is a nonprofit NGO that develops projects on biodiversity and environmental education for the purpose of ecological conservation.

Meet your organization

The Biodiversity Research Institute (IPBio) is a place where research meets conservation. IPBio is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that develops and supports projects in environmental education and scientific research on biodiversity, ecology as well as on the behavior of species of fauna and flora of Brazilian ecosystems.

IPBio’s mission is to encourage conservation, management and sustainable use of natural resources; and promote the development of eco-tourism and cultural projects.

In 2009, the Institute received the title of `Advanced Outpost` by the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, linked to UNESCO, and had this title renewed in May of 2015. IPBio's success as a pioneer in Brazilian research has allowed it to expand and in the near future will be celebrating the inauguration of its new research center based in the Amazon Rainforest.

The IPBio projects seek to include the general public, not only scientists, and communicate the wonders of nature to all. We believe that humanity must understand, value and connect with nature before we can conserve it.

98 reviews · rating4.7

I chose this program to fulfill an internship requirement for my degree program but the IPBio Amazon volunteer program went above and beyond my expectations. Not only did I have the opportunity to engage in meaningful work everyday either in the field or in the local community in Alter do Chao but I ...
The reserve is absolutely amazing! It's so peaceful and beautiful, and all the people working there are really lovely. As a biologist, I got to learn so much about Brazilian biodiversity and the methods used to research it. Disconnecting from everyday life and connecting with nature has been an ...
Leya Russell rating4

2024 at Photographers/Movie Producers

I loved my time volunteering with IPBio at the Batery Reserva! The accommodations were good, with shared washrooms/showers, a strong sense of community and evening meals. I had a private room with air conditioning- all of that was great!!. I do believe in the work performed at the Reserva, with ...
jackie Tremblay rating3.6

2023 at Forest Inventory (Eco-Supporter)

J’y ai fait des travaux intéressants comme la cueillette et identification de champignons, l’observation et identification des oiseaux et l’inventaire des poissons. Certains travaux comme le sarclage et l’arrachage de plantes envahissantes étaient très difficiles pour moi. Tous, ...
Johanna Schweizer rating4.2

2022 at Forest Inventory (Eco-Supporter)

I didn't know mushrooms, birds, trees, frogs and even insects could become this important to me. Now I'm hiking differently, looking closer to the details and enjoying it way more! Not only the work was amazing, but especially the people I met! Also the weekends were always an adventure. We went to ...
Maisie Margeret rating5

2020 at Amphibian Researcher (Eco Supporter)

I loved my time in Brazil with IPBio, their volunteer program is very well-run and is located in a beautiful location. The reserve is absolutely gorgeous, with hummingbirds flying around at all times and a nice place to swim in the river right behind our house. The volunteer house has a fully ...

Location

Americas > South America > Brazil > São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras

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Contact Imran
  Very high response rate
English

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