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Our conservation internship is a structured long-standing Manu experiential learning programme in Manu Rainforest where you are going to spend everyday exploring the rainforest, getting to know it intimately and meeting its wild creatures.
You will gain practical, hands-on knowledge of biodiversity conservation, research, tropical ecology survey techniques and group leadership, while supporting sustainable development initiatives.
These field work skills and experience will enhance your career prospects and help your professional and personal growth.
You will be mentored by highly trained professionals; the team will set you challenging goals and objectives to ensure that you reach your full potential, while creating a supportive working environment.
During your conservation internship you will understand the complex social, economic and political challenges facing Manu, as we work together to conserve the rainforest and empower communities through improved livelihoods and living standards because it would not be possible without your support.
Let’s kick start your conservation career. We have two conservation internships available with a duration of 3 or 6 months in Manu Amazon Rainforest.
You wake up to the familiar squawks and chatter of charismatic macaws and mischievous Capuchin monkeys. After a typical Peruvian breakfast with the team, you organise your survey equipment for the day and give your leading group a tropical forest safety briefing.
There are three months in your internship already and you have passed your training phase and have been signed off on all the surveys by your mentor. You're now qualified to lead volunteer groups.
You lead your team into the rainforest; the thought of this would have terrified you just a few months ago, but now you know the maze of trails intimately and feel completely comfortable in the remote rainforest.
Today you will be teaching the volunteers how to survey the immense diversity of Amazonian butterflies, how to handle, identify and record the butterflies' data.
This is the survey that you chose to specialise in and you can do it in your sleep now. But you never get bored of teaching new volunteers about bioindicators of species and how butterflies can help us better understand the health of an ecosystem. You are amazed by how much you have learnt and all you can teach now.
After a busy morning leading your group through the surveys and teaching them all you have learnt about tropical fauna and flora, it is time to relax by the stream and tuck into your packed lunch. You bask in the sunshine and enjoy the sounds of the rainforest.
It is the time you tell your team stories about jungle life and what has been the best wildlife sighting so far. You make sure everyone in the group is happy, you make a mental check that no-one is showing signs of dehydration and you ensure that team dynamics are good and are ready to get back to work.
While completing the afternoon’s surveys and data collection, you keep an eye out for your next wildlife encounter - there could be a troop of cute-faced squirrel monkeys in the canopy, or a herd of stampeding peccaries around the corner. You teach your guest group about the rainforests' diversity of plants and wildlife. With tired legs, you lead your team back to camp.
After a busy day trekking through the rainforest, it is time to enter the data and identify any unknown species you have come across. It's great to know that the data sets will be used in scientific papers and help conservation policies.
You teach your guest group about the importance of collecting and entering data, you help them identify new species that they have never seen before, and make sure everything is set up for tomorrow's field work. It is time for a much-needed hot shower.
You enjoy a hearty Peruvian dinner with the team swapping stories about the day's best wildlife sightings. You get to know the new group of guests and tell tales about jungle life. After a good natter, you help the kitchen staff with the washing up and practice the colourful Peruvian Spanish phrases they've been teaching you.
Tonight you are giving a presentation to the team about your chosen subject, that can be the fascinating world of symbiosis. You have been researching the topic for the past few weeks and have been practising it in English and Spanish because you are much more confident speaking Spanglish after your week at a home-stay and Spanish school in Cusco that you completed as part of the Manu internship programme. You are nervous, but you know that your work colleagues and friends are all there to support you.
You are really pleased by what you have achieved today and have a cold beer with the team to celebrate. Tired and fulfilled after the day's achievements, you are on the way to bed but take a moment to stand in awe of the amazing starscape and the milky way like you have never seen it before. Finally, you hit your pillow for an early night, in preparation for the new adventures and experiences that tomorrow will bring.
At the end of this Manu internship you will achieve:
Booking a Manu internship with crees will not only allow you to access one of the world’s most amazing places, it also makes a sustained contribution to help protect the Amazon and its people.
None. Prior field experience is great but in general we are just looking for people who are passionate about conservation and the environment with lots of enthusiasm to help us with our project work in the Manu rainforest.
There is no set time you need to apply in advance, however once you know the date when you want to go then it is a good idea to start on with the application process as we only have a set number of interns per start date.
The best time to visit Manu is during the dry season from April - October, but we offer internships to Manu all year round during the rainy season as there are always fascinating things to see and experiences to be had any day of the year in the Amazon!
Dry season is from April to the end of October and Wet season is from November to end of March.
All your travel to and from Cusco down to Manu, board, lodging and meals for your entire stay and a week language course. We do not include international flights to Cusco, extra drinks or snacks.
There may be options within your educational organisation for funding - this will need to be explored directly with them by yourself and alternatively people do use crowdfunding platforms to help raise funds.
You will gain practical field work skills and experience to enhance your career prospects and help your professional and personal growth as you work on biodiversity conservation projects and local community development.
You will be involved and learn about all our project work to have a wide understanding of all that we do in Manu.
In the 6 month conservation internship you have a second phase in which you try to match people with their specific interests and where their strengths lie but we cannot guarantee that you will be working on one particular project prior to starting with us.
The main focus is our conservation research but you will visit and be involved in our community projects every month on an ad hoc basis. Our sustainable development projects are driven by the community members rather than our visitors' help.
Many of our interns continue with Crees to become full time members of our field staff team in Manu, helping run our education programme or specific research project coordination. Others have gone on to study further and do an MA or PHD. One thing that everyone takes with them is a strong passion for conservation and the environment and the work that we do to help create a more sustainable Manu for future generations.
You need to arrive in Cusco the day of your start date, someone will be there to pick you up and show you around Cusco before you travel down to Manu to start your programme.
A Crees' representative will meet you the night before to advise on timings for pick up so make sure you tell us where you are staying in Cusco prior to departure if you haven't booked directly with us. Normally it is an early start to head down to Manu, departing Cusco from around 6 am.
On your start date you and you arrive in Cusco a Crees representative will be there to pick you up from the airport. They will be holding up a sign that says Crees and your name and be there to greet you and orientate you around Cusco where you will be before heading down to the MLC.
No, We provide drinking water for all our guests.
Yes. We provide a secure link for your payment.
You have to be 18 years or above to apply for our intern programme.
Easy! Once you decide to apply, you send us your CV and covering letter stating why you would like to apply for our internship.
Then we set up an interview for you and subject to the interview being successful, then we offer you the place. After your acceptance, a deposit is required and you complete our online booking form so we have all your details and then you are all set.
The best time to visit Manu is during the dry season from April to October. That said, we take educational tours to Manu all year round, even in the rainy season because there are always fascinating things to see and experiences to experience any day of the year!
Dry season is from April to the end of October and the Wet season is from November to end of March.
Your guide will meet you the night before to advise on timings for pick up so make sure you tell us where you are staying in Cusco prior to departure. Normally it is an early start to head down to Manu, departing Cusco from around 6am.
This is totally at your discretion, however we give a guide as $10 per person per day. Don’t forget the drivers who may have shown extreme skill on difficult roads in many cases, but they should be tipped lower than the guides in general terms.
We advise you to arrive a day early for your tour. However, if you do happen to arrive in Cusco on the day of your tour, your guide will be there to pick you up from the airport. They will be holding up a sign that says “Crees” and your names.
No, we provide drinking water for all our guests.
Yes. We provide a secure space for payment.
Yes. We can pick up and drop off in the Sacred Valley if you let us know prior to the tour where you are staying. We do charge an extra $40 USD for the guide to give the pre-departure briefing in the Sacred Valley the night before your tour.
We recommend you take the last departing from Puerto Maldonado back to Cusco or Lima.
Yes, we welcome children from 6 years old and above. The jungle is a wonderful place for them to explore and learn about the natural world.
Simple! Once you decide to book with us, we send you a link to our booking form so we have all your information and when you have paid your deposit then we send you an invoice as confirmation of your booking and you are all set.
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
Our love and care for Peru is the driving force behind our operating tours and tourism to Manu. For this reason we are extremely concerned to ensure that our impact is always positive and never damaging.
We aim to bring benefit to local communities and to help sustain a healthy environment where both people and nature can thrive. To aid this process, we would like to encourage you to understand and respect local cultures and customs, get involved with local communities, buy locally and support local businesses.
THE MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE
It is located at the furthest tip of the Upper Amazon River, in the remote south-eastern region of Peru. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest tropical rainforest biosphere reserve on earth, protecting 4,646,564 acres (1,881,200 hectares) of land; an area almost half the size of Switzerland.
This area is situated within the Amazon River basin and protects almost the entire watershed of the River Manu and most of the tributaries of the River Alto Madre de Dios. The Manu Learning Centre is situated within a regenerating secondary forest, ideally placed for studies of regeneration of habitats after disturbance.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The Manu Biosphere Reserve’s biological diversity is one of the greatest on Earth, and it is home for some exotic species they have never been named. The Puna is home to tassel-eared llamas and alpacas; the cloud forests are inhabited by brilliant red Cock of the Rocks, spectacled Bears and scores of dripping tree ferns.
The lowland rainforest is inhabited by the giant Black Caiman, Giant Otter, 13 species of monkeys and over 1000 species of birds and of course the majestic Jaguar.
Whilst flora of Manu is vastly under-researched, it is thought that over 15 000 species of plant species have been identified in the park, and it is likely that the number of species to be found within the park is well over this figure.
CLIMATE
The Amazon climate is generally hot and humid, around 30 degrees. The dry season is from Apr-Oct and the wet season is from Nov-Apr. The wet season is characterised by a few hours of rain each day and temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees.
February is a time of heavy rains and roads can be inaccessible during this period. Then, in May there is often a layer of low cloud over the rainforest. The Manu National Park is closed in February so crees tours to Romero Rainforest Lodge do not operate but the Manu Learning Centre is open all year round.
HEALTH AND VACCINES
The Amazon is well known for its huge biodiversity and the wealth of different ecosystems it supports. In each one of these there are always dangers that face visitors, which preparation is key.
Rainforest excursions lead people into the heart of the rainforest on an adventure that will consequently expose them to its raw nature. In order to be prepared please talk to your doctor about their recommendations.
See section below for specific inoculations that are recommended. Due to mosquito related diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis and even pesky bites, we recommend purchasing an effective repellent and also wear long sleeve shirts and trousers at all times.
General safety and sanitary standards in Peru are often not as high as other countries. Public health facilities are available, but It is essential that you take out fully comprehensive insurance before travelling.
In isolated places such as the Peruvian Amazon there are few facilities available so it is advisable to take a well-equipped first aid kit.
Pharmacies in Peru are well stocked and most products, even antibiotics, can be bought over the counter. Check validity dates on packaging, and there is an important distinction between a recommendation (advice) and a requirement (you may be refused entry to the country without proof of vaccination).
Manu as such is not a malarial area but if you are travelling onwards from any of our tours, please make sure you have the requirements needed. Please consult your GP or health centre for accurate details of malarial areas within the region.
If you have doubts about Covid-19, please click here to be redirected to our Covid-19 latest information tab.
MONEY
Cash
It is sensible to take cash as much as your insurance will allow, which can be exchanged locally. The currency in Peru is the Sol. The value varies but it is around 3 to 4 soles to the dollar and 5 to 6 soles to the pound.
We recommend taking US dollars with you for your arrival as it is normal to pay for hotels and tourist services in dollars throughout Peru. All other day to day expenses are paid for in soles. One dollar bills can be useful for tipping and paying fees on borders if you are going outside Peru before/after your trip with crees. Do not take money from your own home country as it can be difficult to exchange.
Credit and Debit cards
Credit cards are widely accepted and are valid as proof of funds at borders. Visa and MasterCard are the most widely accepted, and American Express not so much. Using cash points locally is a great way to get cash out and the rate of exchange is often the most favourable. It may be worthwhile advising your bank of where you are going as often some banks detect irregular spending abroad and freeze the account which can take days to sort out.
Money at Crees lodges
You need to bring cash to make purchases in the nearby towns at the rainforest and for your bar/shop bill at the Manu Learning Centre and/or Romero Rainforest Lodge – we do not take card payments.
Tipping
The Spanish word for tipping is propina, and we cannot express enough that tipping is a personal choice and one should not feel obliged to give one if you are unsatisfied with the service.
With regards to guides it is advisable to tip $5.00 per couple per half day but of course if you have been particularly satisfied by all means give more!
For naturalist guides, the convention is more like $10 per person per day. Don’t forget the drivers who in many cases may have shown extreme skill on difficult roads but in general terms should be tipped lower than the guides.
VISAS
If you are from the UK, USA, Canada, or Australia you do not require a visa to come through Peru as a tourist.
INSURANCE
We recommend that you buy comprehensive travel insurance for your trip. It is important to check that you are covered for trekking activities above 2500m (both Cusco and the Inca trail are higher than this), repatriation, a minimum medical cover of $50000 and an emergency medical evacuation minimum of at least $10,000,000 for emergency medical transport.
PASSPORTS
Your passport must have at least six months before it expires from the date you intend to return at the end of your trip. It should also have a few unused pages for the necessary visas and stamps that you will accumulate on your travels. If your flight goes via the USA then your passport will need to be one that can be read electronically or they will not let you through, and you will also need to register on the US government’s new visa waiver list. Please see http://www.unitedstatesvisas.us/ for more information.
E-mail: info@crees-manu.org
Cellphone: +51 984 108 241
WhatsApp: +51 984 108 241
Address: Urb. Los Andenes B-6 – Cusco, Perú.
