Hospitality Latin America | threejourneysround

Hospitality provided by

It would not be possible to achieve our objectives with out the generous support and hospitality from the following organisations and their staff who are sponsoring the Three Journeys Round project. Sponsors may not associate their brand with Save the Children or Motivation.

We APPRECIATE it and we THANK YOU.

Iwokrama is a unique institution grounded in the reality of the people who live in the forests and whose entire economies rest on the fate of their environment. It manages the Iwokrama Forest in central Guyana to show how tropical forests can be conserved and used sustainably for ecological, social and economic benefits to local, national and international communities.

Iwokrama has sought to advance best practice in the sustainable management of the worlds remaining rainforests since its foundation through and Act of Parliament in 1966.

The Iwokrama International Centre is proving the concept of a truly sustainable forest. The Iwokrama Forest and the Research Centre form a unique venture at the intersection of science, conservation, and tourism.

Sustainable Tourism – The Iwokrama Forest and the Rupununi wetlands and savannahs offer visitors an exceptional natural and cultural experience set in a learning context. Ecotourism is crucial for financial self-sufficiency.

Sustainable Forestry – Iwokrama employs a sustainable, low-impact harvesting model over a 60-year cutting cycle, accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Community Development – Iwokrama participates with local people in every aspect of its work, ensuring local economic and social benefits from forest conservation and use.

Climate change – Forests are a perfect natural solution to climate change available now, and they provide a crucial range of ecosystem services including pollination.

Evidence also suggests that coastal forests, like those of the Guianas, are critical to the maintenance of inland water cycles, such as those occurring within the Amazon biome, by acting as a biological pump drawing moisture, in this case from the Atlantic, inland to the Amazon Basin.

Peter will take a closer look at what makes Guyana one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots. He will fly into Fairview and hopefully Annai to meet local people and understand properly the working of Iwokrama’s co-management and benefits sharing agreements with communities. The Iwokrama River Lodge is nestled in a prolific ecosystem, teeming with birds, mammals, amphibians, insects, aquatic life, trees, plants, and flowers.

Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve is the biggest protected flooded forest in the world. It is situated in the Central Amazon Corridor and its part of the Amazon Biosphere Reserve.

Only 4% of Brazilian Amazon consists of freshwater swamp forest and Mamirauá Reserve plays an important role to protect this ecosystem. It is a state protected area of about 12,000 square km, located between the Solimões, Japurá and Auti-Paraná rivers.

Mamirauá is immensely biodiverse and beautiful and in wet season the river breaks its banks and floods the surrounding forest. The white uakari monkey with a brilliant red face lives only here, and Mamirauá was created to protect its home range. The Central Amazon Conservation Complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

According to Brazilian government studies, the Amazon is facing one of its most critical periods, because of deforestation. The threat comes not least from a coalition of loggers, ranchers, soybean and sugar cane farmers (who convert the crop into biofuel), and government initiatives too.

Started in 1998, the Uakari Floating Lodge is managed by the Mamirauá Institute and the communities from Mamirauá Reserve. The enterprise generates income for the local people with minimum social and environmental impact and contributes to the preservation of natural resources. Ten communities from the reserve act together managing the operation. The facilities are sustainable. The energy comes from the sun. The rain is collected and kept. The effluents are treated before coming back to the river.

Peter will take a closer look at the incredible water and wildlife and what makes Mamirauá so special with Uakari at the centre of it.

José Koechlin von Stein established Inkaterra in 1975, pioneering ecotourism and sustainable development in Peru. Inkaterra is committed to scientific research as a basis for conservation, education and the wellbeing of local communities.

Inkaterra shares biodiversity and culture with the world through authentic travel experiences. It hosts more than 200,000 travellers every year and is member of diverse alliances, such as Relais & Châteaux, Virtuoso and National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World.

Inkaterra has grown to seven hotels ranging from an academic field station where guides are trained in the Amazon rainforest to the serene Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel to the chic La Casona in the heart of Cusco.

Since 1978 and self-funded through ecotourism, Inkaterra Asociación has produced major flora and fauna inventories over its areas of influence in the Amazon rainforest of Madre de Dios, the Machu Picchu cloud forest, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the city of Cusco and the Cabo Blanco tropical ocean, desert and dry forest. 903 bird species (equivalent to Costa Rica’s total bird diversity) have been registered at Inkaterra grounds, as well as many species of ant, butterfly, mammal and vascular plant.

Conservation initiatives include the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway; the Andean Bear Rescue Centre; the World Birding Rally competition; and the proposal for the creation of Peru’s first marine reserve in Cabo Blanco.

Inkaterra Asociación is supported by many influential organizations including National Geographic Society, Smithsonian Institution, World Bank, Harvard University, Agraria–La Molina University and San Marcos University.

Puerto Maldonado is the gateway to one of the world’s most remote and extraordinary tropical environments. It is in the Southern Peruvian rainforest near the Bolivian and Brazilian borders. Peter will fly in from Brazil.

His journey will take him to the heart of the Tambopata National Reserve, where he will experience magnificent beauty in the sounds, scents, colours and solitude of the rainforest. Peter will experience the wonders of the canopy, Lake Sandoval, the ruins of the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Cabo Blanco: Later, on his way north Peter will visit Inkaterra Cabo Blanco, made famous in the past by big-game fisherman and Ernest Hemingway, and now by surfers and it’s ocean diversity.

Pro-Natura is tackling the social, economic and environmental problems that face rural communities in the Developing World. It aims to provide viable economic alternatives to people struggling to make a living from imperilled environments. Building local capacity and establishing participative governance, so that the preservation and restoration of natural resources can be linked to local economic success.

Pro-Natura International is leading projects over 42 developing countries in Latin America, Africa, India and Asia Pacific; sponsored by many Companies, Foundations, the Scientific Community, Governmental Bodies, and International Institutions.

Pro-Natura has demonstrated that the vicious cycle of rural poverty, unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation and accelerating climate change can be reversed.

Biochar: In an attempt to reduce deforestation, Pro-Natura developed Green-Charcoal (or Biochar). This technological innovation, using agricultural residues and unused biomass, produces an environmentally friendly and economically competitive alternative to wood and charcoal. 2B people around the world still use wood for household energy needs. This contributes significantly to the world’s deforestation activities as well as increasing the risk of droughts and desertification. The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.6 million woman and children die as a consequence of burning wood in badly ventilated homes (more than the death toll of malaria).

Fighting Poverty: Over the past 22 years Pro-Natura has pioneered and successfully demonstrated that a participatory process is the only viable vehicle for sustainable development, conflict resolution, promotion of peace & security, and economic improvement for poor and marginalised communities.

Climate Change: Pro-Natura promotes Agroforestry, the system that increases productivity by combining crop cultivation and/ or livestock in a forestry setting through the set up of practical training centres for farmers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes this opportunity.

Biodiversity: Pro-Natura innovates to accelerate knowledge about biodiversity through the mobilization of international scientists and the creation of a network of experts. For 10 years, it has organized major scientific expeditions that bring together biologists from diverse horizons.

Mato Grosso

We look forward to hosting Peter’s visit to the Mato Grosso region of Brazil where he will see practical examples of our work.

The National Park Foundation of Argentina was created in October of 2002. It is a private and independent NGO comprising a group of people who share a passion for the environment, nature and sustainability. They bring their creativity, imagination and managerial ability to projects that preserve ecosystems and promote Argentinas National Parks.

To this end National Park Foundation has made a long-term commitment to The National Parks Administration of Argentina. National Park Foundation forges sponsorship and collaboration arrangements with 'like minds' through its Friends of the Foundation program, including tourism, parks, commercial and financial contributors. To publicise conservation it distributes materials and supports documentaries describing and promoting Patagonia. It also supports the renovation and restoration of park facilities.

Peter looks forward to sharing the rich beauty of Argentina and the great work of the National Parks in Patagonia with an amazing route agreed with the National Park Foundation including at least these wonderful parks:

Bahia Blanca: Reserva Natural de la Defensa Baterías - Charles Darwin
Peninsula Valdes: Reserva Natural de la Defensa Punta Buenos Aires
Los Arrayanes
Bariloche: Nahuel Huapi (Argentina’s first national park created over 100 years ago)
Lago Puelo
Los Alerces
Patagonia
Perito Moreno
El Calafate: Los Glaciares
Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego

“The quality and magnificence of our natural landscapes is one of the many reasons for Argentinians to feel fortunate.

Things that have a positive impact on the ecosystem also have a positive impact on the progress of a country”

Mauricio Marci, President of Argentina

ColibriVentura organise, guide and support logistically tours, expeditions and special projects. They specialise in the lesser-known areas of Patagonia and the XI Region of Aysén, Chile.

Tourists are attracted to explore the absolutely stunning nature of Patagonia, and ColibriVentura guide them safely through their expeditions, kayaking; cave exploring, ice and rock climbing, and travel and accommodation arrangements.

ColibriVentura is proud to have worked for and continue to support such institutions as the Universities of Oxford, Exeter, Ghent, Liege, and Southampton; and, programme makers including 60Minutes Australia (Wild Patagonia), BBC, Discovery Channel, and Seracfilms; and scientists from WHOI, AWI, CIEP, and British History Museum.

Peter will also benefit from ColibriVentura’s professional logistics support with an amazing routing through at least the following beautiful wild lands and parks for Patagonia:

Cabo de Hornos
Alberto Agostini
Punta Arenas
Torres del Paines
Bernardo O’Higgins
Laguna San Rafael
Isla Magdalena
The Lake Region (North of Puerto Montt)

Peter hopes to visit Teletón, while in Coyhaique. Teletón focus on the rehabilitation to children and young people throughout Chile, based in 14 locations. They help the process of integration of family, school, community, social and/ or labour, through programs of medical therapy, psychosocial, education, personal development and recreation delivered by multidisciplinary teams of professionals.