After an early breakfast, head out by private vehicle to Amazon Shelter, located 30 minutes outside Puerto Maldonado amid lush rainforest and by the side of the river. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by the shelter's founder and team – and a chorus of animal calls! Settle into the volunteer accommodations and receive an orientation about the shelter's history, mission, and safety protocols. The staff will introduce you to the resident animals and outline your volunteer duties. Roll up your sleeves for your first task: you might help prepare fruits and veggies for the animals' lunch and then follow along as keepers do the midday feeding rounds. In the afternoon, learn how to safely clean an enclosure or assist in a minor repair. By evening, you'll have met many of the sanctuary's inhabitants and gotten a feel for daily life at the center. Share a hearty home-cooked meal with the staff and volunteers. Fall asleep to the sounds of crickets and distant howler monkeys at the volunteer quarters on-site.

For the next two weeks, you'll become an integral part of the Amazon Shelter team. Under the guidance of the experienced staff, each day brings new learning and rewarding hard work caring for the animals. A typical day starts early with the sunrise:

• Morning Feeding & Husbandry: Help prepare specialized diets and feed the animals their breakfast. You might bottle-feed orphaned monkey infants, scatter feed for parrots, or bring fruits and vegetables to howler monkeys. After feeding, assist keepers in cleaning enclosures, changing bedding, and refreshing water.
• Enrichment & Care Activities: Create enrichment items to stimulate the animals' natural behaviors – like hiding nuts in leaves for monkeys to find or building climbing structures for recovering arboreal animals. Collect fresh foliage from the forest to give to the howler monkeys and other herbivores for foraging. You may also help with grooming or administer medications if you're comfortable (always under supervision).
• Maintenance Projects: Pitch in on projects to improve the facility. This could include repairing a damaged section of a fence,tending to the center’s vegetable garden (where food for the animals is grown), or constructing new perches and hideouts in an enclosure.
• Afternoon Feeding & Checks: In the heat of the afternoon, it's time for another round of feeding and health checks. Cut up fruits, mix up milk formulas for any baby animals, and deliver snacks to each enclosure. Observe the animals to monitor their well-being – you'll learn to notice if an animal is behaving normally or might need extra care.
• Evenings & Time Off: After the late afternoon tasks, enjoy a well-earned dinner with your fellow volunteers. Evenings are free to relax. Swap stories in the common area, journal about your experiences, or simply unwind to the chorus of jungle sounds. The schedule is full, but we ensure you have breaks to rest.

By the end of Day 14, you'll be amazed at how attached you've become to the animal residents and how much you've learned from the shelter staff. Your contributions – from scrubbing enclosures to hand-feeding monkeys – directly help these creatures heal. Tonight, enjoy a little farewell gathering with the team. Tomorrow, a new chapter of the adventure begins.

This morning, say a heartfelt goodbye to the animals and staff you've been helping. Enjoy one last breakfast at the shelter and perhaps a final feeding round to bid farewell to your favorite furry or feathered friends. Then pack your bags; it's time to transition from rescue mode to explorer mode. A vehicle will take the group back through Puerto Maldonado and toward the Junglekeepers reserve. A two-hour drive takes you past rural communities and into increasingly wild terrain, surrounded by jungle until the road literally ends at a riverbank. Here, board a motorized boat with your guide and local boat pilot. Cruise up the Las Piedras River for an hour, immersed in stunning rainforest scenery. Along the way, keep an eye out for wildlife – you might spot egrets, herons, or even a caiman sunning on a log. As you venture upstream into remote territory, you'll truly feel the Amazon's grandeur. You'll enjoy a locally prepared lunch directly on the boat.

By early afternoon, you'll arrive at the Junglekeepers reserve and our station – a rustic but comfortable sanctuary that will be your home base. Settle into your cabin.

In the afternoon, stretch your legs with a short introductory hike on a nearby trail. You'll get a preview of the incredible biodiversity around you – giant trees tangled with vines, bright butterflies flitting about, and the distant calls of birds and monkeys. Your guide will point out notable flora and fauna, perhaps showing you tracks of tapirs or the favorite roosting tree of a family of macaws.

Return to camp by dusk. As night falls, experience just how alive the jungle is after dark. Enjoy a simple but hearty dinner prepared by the station cook. Then perhaps head out for a night walk near camp: with flashlights on, look for glowing spider eyes on the forest floor, listen for owl calls, and maybe catch sight of a frog or two perched on broad leaves. Fall asleep in your cabin to the ambient lullaby of crickets, frogs, and other creatures.

Now that you're settled in, it's time to become a Junglekeeper. For the next several days, you'll discover miles upon miles of trails and streams, shadow the ranger and take part in their patrols. Each day will bring a mix of exploration, and adventure. The exact schedule can vary depending on weather and urgent conservation needs, but activities may include:

• Jungle Patrols: Strap on your boots for patrol hikes through primary rainforest. Together with the rangers, you'll hike along established trails and off-trail routes to survey the land. The purpose is to look for signs of illegal logging, hunting or squatting – and thankfully, due to Junglekeepers' presence, it's mostly quiet. Learn how rangers use GPS and dedicated apps to log their patrols and any findings. They'll show you how to identify subtle signs of human activity, as well as teach you tracking skills for native wildlife. These patrols can be a few hours long, moving at a steady but moderate pace with breaks to rest and listen to the jungle sounds.
• Wildlife Monitoring: The Las Piedras rainforest is teeming with life. As you trek, you'll help spot and record sightings of key species. Perhaps you'll watch spider monkeys swinging overhead or pause to marvel at a flamboyance of macaws bursting from the canopy. Visit a nearby clay lick at dawn where parrots and macaws gather in droves to eat mineral-rich clay – an unforgettable spectacle of color and sound. The rangers may also check motion-sensor camera traps, and you can help swap out memory cards and see if any jaguars or pumas passed by in the night! Every sighting and track you note contributes to research and protection efforts.
• Day & Night Hikes: Beyond patrols, you'll go on guided hikes purely to appreciate the jungle. In daytime, explore various habitats: venture to a swampy area to see wading birds and frogs, or hike to a giant Kapok tree that's centuries old. At night, head out with your guide to find nocturnal creatures – perhaps spotting luminescent insects, night monkeys peering from trees, or a caiman's red eyes glowing on the riverbank.
• River Expeditions: Some days, take the boat to reach farther parts of the reserve that can't be accessed on foot easily. Cruise along the river scanning for wildlife: you could see capybaras grazing on the banks. Perhaps drop a line to fish for piranha or other Amazon fish for dinner (optional, for those who want to try fishing). The river is the lifeblood of the forest, and you'll gain a new appreciation for its importance during these excursions.

By immersing yourself in rainforest life, you'll gain a profound understanding of what it takes to keep this slice of wilderness safe. Expect to be tired, maybe a bit muddy, but very fulfilled by each day's end. Every night, fall asleep in the jungle knowing that your presence is helping keep the forest wild.

This morning, wake up to the sounds of the rainforest one last time – perhaps the loud roar of howler monkeys serving as nature's alarm clock. After breakfast, it's time to pack up and bid farewell to the Junglekeepers team. Thank our staff for sharing their world with you, and soak in the final views of unspoiled green around you. Board the boat for the return journey down the Las Piedras River. Enjoy the cool breeze on the water and keep your eyes peeled – the wildlife often gives a farewell show along the riverbanks. Upon reaching the end of the river route, transfer to the awaiting vehicle for the drive back to Puerto Maldonado.

Arrive in Puerto Maldonado. Check in at the hotel where a hot shower and maybe an ice-cold beverage await – they'll feel amazing after a week in the bush. Tonight, gather with your group for a farewell dinner in town. Celebrate your achievements – from the animals helped at the shelter to the kilometers of jungle patrolled. This is a night to reflect on the impact you've made and trade favorite memories (and maybe email addresses) with your fellow adventurers. One last comfortable night in the hotel rounds out your journey.

After three incredible weeks, it's time to say goodbye to Peru's Amazon. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and perhaps a final stroll around town if time permits. Head to the Airport for your departing flight, filled with memories, new knowledge, and the satisfaction of having been part of something truly special. As you fly out over the endless green carpet of rainforest, you can proudly say you didn't just visit the Amazon – you helped protect it. Hasta luego and safe travels home!