Over the past years, the southeast region of Brazil - including the populous cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro -
has faced the most severe water shortages in the region's history. Although the crisis has been exasperated by a lack of planning, and arguably poor administration from the state government on recapture, rationing and management, it is undeniable that the drought is largely the result of the ecological disequilibrium resulting from years of relentless exploitation of South America's rainforests.
This program: Nascentes da Crise or Origins of a Crisis aims to show participants the relationship the Amazon Rainforest has with the precipitation of Southeast Brazil, and moreover the effect it has on a continent and its inhabitants. For this purpose, we used as foundation the scientific assesssment report "The Future Climate of Amazonia", developed by Antonio Donato Nobre.
The program was founded by Diego Gazola in 2015, year of the first expedition. For nearly 11 years he traveled to all Brazilian states and other countries working on the development of tourism books. Advertiser academic with expertise in environmental management, Gazola shares of Antonio Donato Nobre scientist's thinking on the relationship between the water crisis in the southeastern region of South America and deforestation in the Amazon.
SUGGESTED CITIES
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
PERU
Peru is as complex as its most intricate weavings. Festivals mix ancient pageantry with stomping brass bands. The urban vanguard beams with artistry and innovation. The best-protected tract of the world’s most biodiverse forest, the strange, sweltering, seductive country-within-a-country that is Peru’s Amazon Basin, is changing. Its sheer vastness and impenetrability has long protected its indigenous communities and diverse wildlife from external eyes. Tribes still exist here that have never had contact with outside civilization. More plant types flourish in one rainforest hectare than in any European country, and fauna is so fantastic it defies the most imaginative western sci-fi comic. Add to the Cusco city, founded by the Inca people, considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
BRAZIL
One of the world's most captivating places, Brazil is a country of powdery white-sand beaches, verdant rainforests and wild, rhythm-filled metropolises. Brazil's attractions extend from frozen-in-time colonial towns to otherworldly landscapes of red-rock canyons, thundering waterfalls and coral-fringed tropical islands. Then there's Brazil's biodiversity: legendary in scope, its diverse ecosystems boast the greatest collection of plant and animal species found anywhere on earth.
Brazil is also where most of the Amazon Rainforest is located, containing 60 percent of the biome inside its national borders.
ITINERARY
- SÃO PAULO CITY TOUR - Since the 60s, São Paulo is the main economic center of Brazil. With a metropolitan population of nearly 20 million inhabitants, São Paulo is the largest city in South Hemisphere.
May 31th - Wednesday - Day 1
June 1st - Thursday - Day 2
June 2nd - Friday - Day 3
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT: PRIVATE TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
Is this itinerary too short or too long? Don't worry, its not written in stone. We are open to adjust it in order to fit your needs!
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
- TRAVEL TO XAPURI (CITY WHERE CHICO MENDES WHERE BORN) – APPROX. TRAVEL TIME 3H
- VISIT CHICO MENDES HOUSE - Francisco Alves Mendes Filho, better known as Chico Mendes, was a Brazilian rubber tapper, trade union leader and environmentalist. He fought to preserve the Amazon rainforest, and advocated for the human rights of Brazilian peasants and indigenous peoples.
- TRAVEL BY PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION TO ASSIS BRASIL, CITY BORDER BETWEEN BRAZIL AND PERU – APPROX. TRAVEL TIME 3H
- HOTEL CHECK-IN
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
- CROSS THE BORDER BETWEEN PERU AND BRAZIL
- TRAVEL TO PUERTO MALDONADO – APPROX. TRAVEL TIME 3H
- BOAT TRIP TO HOTEL RESERVA AMAZÔNICA INKATERRA - For over 30 years, Inkaterra has pioneered and promoted sustainable tourism in Peru.
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
TRAVEL FROM PUERTO MALDONADO TO QUINCEMIL BY PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION (HALF THE WAY TO CUSCO)
Approx. travel time 5h
- HOTEL CHECK-IN
EXPLORE THE CITY OF QUINCEMIL - Village with most of Peru rainfall index, located in the transition between the Amazon and Andes
CANOPY CIRCUIT - 35m height and lenght of 400m
TRAVEL TO HACIENDA CONCEPCIÓN INKATERRA – Approx. travel time 1h
VISIT PROJECT "PACKAGE OF LEAVES" WITH NGO ACEER STAFF - The project "Paquete de Hojas" or "leaves package" of ACEER organization starts at the river. In it, students perform a series of analyzes on water quality. The experiment is conducted through a sheet bundle which is a few weeks immersed in water and, thereafter, is removed so that one can measure the amount of animals that breed and started to live in this environment.
BOAT TRIP TO PUERTO MALDONADO Approx. travel time 1h
RISEN AT THE OBELISK, The city's gazebo, and go to the bridge over the river Madre de Dios.
DINNER WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF NGOS ACER, ACCA AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- VISIT TO "MUDA DE IDEIA" OFFICE – The “Change of View” is a social business that aims to develop projects that contribute in some way to a better world. Founded in 2004, develops actions of
communication and
mobilization "outside the
box" in the search for
sustainability in urban
settings. The company headquarters is in the Impact HUB located in São Paulo, a coworking with offices spread throughout the world, including the United States.
- VISIT TO SABESP – Sabesp is a public-private Brazilian water and waste management company. It is the largest waste management company in the world by market capitalization, providing water and sewage services to residential, commercial and industrial users in São Paulo and in 363 of the 645 municipalities in São Paulo State.
- VISIT TO FAVELA CANTINHO DO CÉU SUSTAINABLE PROJECT – The architect Mark Boldarini is dedicated to creating affordable housing projects and redevelopment of slums, turning areas previously occupied illegally without any planning and infrastructure so that its residents have quality of life. One example is the "Cantinho do Céu" favela in São Paulo, which has undergone a major restructuring designed by the architect.
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
The program is intended for undegraduate and graduate students studying or interested in Sustainability, Biology + Ecology Sciences, Climatology, Climate Change, Meteorology, Sociology and related areas.
Can't speak Portuguese or Spanish? No problem! Our programing is offered in English, so there's no need to have any previous knowledge of our native language. Nonetheless, by the end of the trip you will be able to say a few useful words!
The Origins of a Water Crisis
“Words would not do justice in explaining the level of expertise and professionalism this entire staff brings to the table when helping to coordinate your travel experience to Brazil. They take you beyond the average tourist vacation and into the true, raw travel experience students/travelers like us crave. They welcome you with open arms and show you what it means to live like a local. As a travel professional, student traveler and even lone traveler I wouldn’t dream of sending clients nor friends myself down to Brazil without the help of this company, full of what I now consider lifelong friends.”
Caitlin Dobson
Masters Students – Annenberg School for Communication
University of Southern California - Innovation in Brazilian Public Diplomacy ‘14
AMAZON RAINFOREST
As written in The Future Climate of Amazonia report, "In the great Amazon Rainforest, Earth safeguards one of its most spectacular treasures: a profusion of lifeforms that inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, transpire water, emit magical odors, remove toxic gases, pulsate and regulate, moisten and refresh, propel winds and feed aerial rivers, appeasing the fury of the elements, creating an amenable climate both nearby and afar. Societies sheltered beneath its life-giving breath find in it an umbilical cord that sustains their economies and provides them with well-being. All this makes it necessary, desirable, viable and even profitable to change the modus operandi of human occupation in the Amazon".
To go from the Brazilian side to the small part of the Amazon, there is only one paved road, which crosses the Andes Mountains. Needless to say that the view in this journey is one huge spectacle of nature.
- CUSCO CITY TOUR - Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, was once capital of the Inca empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Set at an altitude of 3,400m, it's the gateway to further Inca sites in the Urubamba (Sacred) Valley and the Inca Trail, a multiday trek that ends at the mountain citadel of Machu Picchu.
- MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTEROCEANIC HIGHWAY
- VISIT TO A LOCAL UNIVERSITY
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
- TRAIN TRAVEL TO AGUAS CALIENTES (MACHU PICCHU) - HOTEL CHECK IN
- FREE DAY IN THE CITY - Machu Picchu, also known as Aguas Calientes, is a location in Peru situated in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province.
- VISIT TO MACHU PICCHU AND OLLANTAYTANBO - Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it is renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments, and panoramic views. Its exact former use remains a mystery.
- HOTEL CHECK OUT
- VISIT TO ODEBRECHT – The company is constructing a pipeline in the region.
- FREE DAY TO EXPLORE CUSCO CITY
FREE MORNING/HOTEL CHECK-OUT
PRIVATE TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
- TRAVEL TO IVOCHOTE Approx. travel time 2h
- BOAT TRIP TO PONGO DE MAINIQUE - The Pongo de Mainique is a pongo
in Peru, being 45 metres wide
and 3 kilometres long, with
900 metres to 300 metres high
cliffs. It is the only
break in the entire Willkapampa
mountain range.
- RETURN TO IVOCHOTE
- TRAVEL TO QUILLABAMBA
BY PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION
(Approx. travel time 4h
- HOTEL CHECK IN
As described in Nobre's research, the rainforest maintains the movement of hot, humid air, which brings rain to interior areas located far from the oceans. This occurs due to the innate ability of trees to transfer large volumes of water from the soil to the atmosphere through transpiration. Plus Amazonian trees emit volatile substances that act as precursors of condensation nuclei for water vapor. The efficiency of these particles in cloud nucleation results in benign and bountiful rainfall. All these effects combine together to make the majestic Amazon rainforest the very best and most valued partner for all human activities that require measured amounts of rain, a mild climate, and protection against extreme events.
We will take participants on a discovery journey to move through part of the road traveled by the air currents responsible for keeping the moisture across the continent. Participants will be taken thorught remarkable destinations of South America, as São Paulo - the biggest city of the continent - and Macchu Picchu - home of the ancient Inca empire, which up to nowadays holds mysteries yet to be understood.
- LECTURE AT A UNIVERSITY – “The water impact of Amazonian Climate change”
- VISIT TO SCHOOL OF CISTERNS AND MEETING WITH SUSTAINABLE COLLECTIVES ACTING IN SÃO PAULO - The group offers solutions for capturing rainwater, water filtration, home composting, creating and maintaining gardens, vertical gardens, among others.
RETURN FLIGHT - May it not be an "Adiós" but only a "Hasta Luego". We hope to see you again soon! If you loved this experience as much as we did, you'll probably understand the meaning of the portuguese word "Saudade".
- FLIGHT TO RIO BRANCO (CONNECTION IN BRASÍLIA) - Rio Branco is a city located in the State of Acre, in the Brazilian Rainforest.
- HOTEL CHECK-IN
ARRIVAL:
São Paulo International Airport
Transfer to the Hotel - Welcome to Brazil! For now on, relax and let us take care of everything to make sure you'll have an amazing experience.
- HOTEL CHECK-IN
São Paulo
Amazon
Andes
Machu Picchu
- TRAVEL TO CUSCO BY PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION
Approx. travel time 4h
- HOTEL CHECK IN
SAFETY
Your students' safety is an absolute top priority. We live and work in Brazil and know how to safely navigate this vibrant country we call home. Campus Brasil offers the following safety measures:
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Pre-departure orientation - As soon as the program is confirmed, we send a document with all the tips and necessary information regarding safety, in addition to logistics and other considerations.
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Arrival orientation - On the first day we gather for a session with the group to explain the dos and don'ts while in Brazil;
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Housing - We select accommodations in safe neighborhoods where your students will be comfortable;
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Local coordinators - We provide bilingual coordinators that accompanies the group 24/7. That means they go out with the students in the evening, to make sure everybody is safe and having a great time. They also stay at the same hotel the group will be staying, so they are available for any emergency. For any group with more than 12 students, Campus Brasil provides 2 coordinators;
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Emergency number - Campus Brasil has a telephone number available 24/7;
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Safety & Crisis Management - This document is a plan that contains all for our procedures to predict risks and respond to a variety of emergency situations.
CONTACT
You can write to info@campusbrasil.org, call us at +55 11 2679-0555. If you prefer, you can also fill out the following form:
- VISIT TO THE FOREST LIBRARY – The Forest Library specializes in subjects and authors of the Amazon and Acre. It aims to contribute to sustainable development, gathering and making available to researchers and society the information and the experiences of government and environmental movements.
- CONVERSATION WITH SECRETARIAT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, CARBON CREDITS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
- TRAVEL TO CUSCO BY PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION (Approx. travel time 4h)
- STOP BY MARCAPATA – The city is known for its thermal baths and is located at 3000 meters above sea level
- STOP BY ABRA PIRHUAYANI – This is the highest point of the Interoceanic highway, located at 4725 meters of altitude, with snowy peaks on the horizon over 5.500m.
- ARRIVAL AT CUSCO - HOTEL CHECK IN
- HOTEL CHECK-OUT
- HIKING IN AGUAS CALIENTES – From Aguas Calientes to Santa Teresa Hydro Plant it is a 3 hours hiking. From there, it is possible to continue the journey by car or bus.
- TRAVEL FROM SANTA TERESA TO KITENI BY PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION -
Approx. travel time 5h
- HOTEL CHECK-IN – Arrival: Kiteni
SUBSCRIBE
PRICING
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Registration until March 1, 2017
DOWNLOAD THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF THE PROGRAM HERE
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2 nights in São Paulo
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2 nights in Rio Branco
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1 night in Assis Brasil
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2 nights in Reserva Amazônica Inkaterra in Puerto Maldonado
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1 night in Quincemil
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4 nights in Cusco
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2 nights in Machu Picchu
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1 night in Kiteni
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1 night in Quillabamba
Accomodation (2 or 3-star hotels)
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Domestic Flight: São Paulo to Rio Branco
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One Group Private Airport Pick-up/Drop-off
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Private transportation for Scheduled Visits
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Train ticket from Cusco do Aguas Calientes
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Transportation by bus to Machu Picchu and Ollantaytanbo
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Boat Trip to Reserva Amazônica Inkaterra and to Puerto Maldonado
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Boat Trip To Pongo De Mainique
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São Paulo City Tour
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Cusco City Tour
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Canopy Circuit
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1 Brazilian Bilingual coordinator available 24/7 during the entire Program if the group has 10 or more participants
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Local academic coordination by Diego Gazola, director at Muda de Ideia
Cultural activities
Transportation
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All meals at Reserva Amazônica Inkaterra and bottles of water
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Taxes
Other
What is included:
June 3rd - Saturday - Day 4
June 4th - Sunday - Day 5
June 5th - Monday - Day 6
June 6th - Tuesday - Day 7
June 7th - Wednesday- Day 8
June 8th - Thursday - Day 9
June 9th - Friday - Day 10
June 10th - Saturday - Day 11
June 11th - Sunday - Day 12
June 12th - Monday - Day 13
June 13th - Tuesday - Day 14
June 14th - Wednesday- Day 15
June 14th - Thursday - Day 15
June 15th - Friday - Day 16