Explore the Amazon & Change Lives—Yours Included
For more than 25 years, the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) has partnered with CONAPAC and Amazon Explorama Lodges to support conservation education across the Peruvian Amazon. Today, the Adopt-A-School program reaches more than 2,000 students in nearly 50 communities.
From March 21-29, 2026, we invite you to be part of this incredible tradition by hand-delivering the supplies that make learning possible.
You’ll spend five full days traveling by boat to schools along the Amazon and Napo rivers. In each village, you’ll be welcomed with music, dancing and celebrations of education. Along the way, you’ll witness the rainforest up close — spotting wildlife, exploring the canopy walkway and learning how the DZS’s partners are expanding access to clean drinking water, nutrition and economic opportunities.
This is immersive volunteer travel at its most impactful.
Trip Details
Location: Iquitos + Amazon River communities
Dates: March 21-29, 2026
Cost: $1,950 per person
Balance Due: 12/31/2025
You’ll stay in Explorama Lodges along the river. Rooms are comfortable, with mosquito nets, filtered water and clean beds. Explore all lodges.
Each day, you’ll travel by boat to multiple communities along the Amazon and Napo rivers to deliver school supplies. These visits often include local dances, music, games and the chance to connect directly with students and teachers.
You’ll also have time to explore the rainforest through included potential excursions.
Included
- Lodging and all meals during the trip
- River and ground transportation
- Local guides and program staff
- School supplies
- Guided excursions
Not Included
- Airfare to Iquitos
- Travel insurance, vaccinations
- Extra nights lodging
- Souvenirs and snacks
- Medical costs
Potential Excursions
Canopy Walkway
500 meters long, 115 feet high. One of the world’s longest rainforest walkways.
Wildlife Sightseeing
Join expert local guides for immersive hikes through the rainforest.
Medicinal Garden + Shaman Visit
Meet a local shaman and learn how rainforest plants are used for healing.
Yagua Village
Visit a neighboring Yagua community to learn about Indigenous life along the river.
Molasses & Rum Distillery
Tour a local sugar cane farm and sample traditional molasses and regional rum flavors.
Piranha Fishing
Try catching piranhas with the help of local guides — with luck, you’ll catch dinner.
Ceiba Tops Lodge
Unwind from the day in a hammock, by the pool or at a riverfront lounge.
Why It Matters
For students in these villages, this support means access to books, pencils and materials many families can’t afford. And for you, it means becoming part of something larger — a shared commitment to equity, education and human connection across cultures.
Space is Limited
These trips are small by design, and spots fill fast.
If you want to go, we encourage you to fill out the interest form early.
Express Interest