Travel with enthusiastic, expert guides
Over 100 years ago, the National Geographic Society conducted expeditions to the Peruvian rain forest when huge swaths of the Amazon basin were still considered “unknown.” Lars-Eric Lindblad led the first “citizen explorers” expedition up the Amazon 40 years ago. And the Lindblad-National Geographic alliance provides travelers with 150 years of collective expedition experience.
The team composition
A seasoned Lindblad expedition leader and an experienced team of Peruvian naturalists accompany this voyage. Most of the naturalists were born in towns along the riverbanks and educated in schools in Iquitos. Each has worked with foreign research teams or at eco-friendly rain forest lodges before joining the Lindblad Amazon expedition team. All are fluent in English, and their personal knowledge, gained from village elders, along with their scientific training makes for a fascinating narrative, as authentic as it is well informed.
More specialties and personalities
One naturalist for every ten guests and a spectrum of specialties—biology, ornithology, ichthyology, and lepidoptery—ensures a daily diversity of interest and personalities for you. Some of our expedition leaders are also Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructors, trained to help you with your camera and how to best capture images of the rain forest and its inhabitants.
Featured Amazon Team Members
Carlos Romero
Carlos was born in Quito, Ecuador and grew up in Venezuela, where he lived for many years near the ocean and later the rainforest. He returned to Quito to study biology and specialized in the fauna of Ecuador. His main field of study was zoology with an emphasis on vertebrates. He has a doctorate in biology and a master’s in ecotourism and natural protected areas management. He designed a new curriculum for the largest university in Ecuador, the Central University— a masters in environmental management and administration of natural protected areas. Carlos has also taken part in various scientific projects and expeditions with the Biological Sciences Department of Quito’s Polytechnic University. He has published several scientific papers, including one about the bats of Galápagos and one about the vampire bat of mainland Ecuador.
Jonathan Irish
During his eight years on the National Geographic staff, travel and conservation photographer Jonathan Irish launched and directed the National Geographic Adventures program, bringing travelers and photographers around the world on active adventures.
José Guerrero
José Guerrero Vela is an Ecuadorian permanent resident of the Galapagos. His mother was born in the islands and his grandfather was one of the first generation of teachers in the Galapagos, which has always inspired him to promote education as the main path to protect the archipelago.
Socrates Tomala
Socrates was raised on Santa Cruz Island located in the heart of Galapagos Archipelago. After a childhood filled with swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing and volunteering in conservation projects, he grew very passionate about the outdoors and the natural world.