Vea esta publicación en español.

In the heart of the Brazilian Amazon is the Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve, an area that is rich in biodiversity and home to several small communities that depend on natural resources for a living. Pousada Garrido is the only hotel in the Tumbira region, and it is owned by a former logger and community leader named Roberto Mendonça.

Pousada Garrido has become a source of income for Mendonça as well as several other local families who offer tourism services to visitors. The inn also uses solar energy (as does the entire community), recycles, supports local artisans with reusable materials, and purchases foods from local producers. This year, Pousada Garrido earned Rainforest Alliance verification for sustainable tourism.

Tourists are drawn to Tumbira for the richness and exuberance of its forests, including the many bird species that abound there. Mendonça partnered with a local tour guide named Cleudilon, whose nickname is Passarinho, or "little bird" in Portuguese, because he can perfectly imitate 32 types of birds! (Scroll down to see an awesome video of Cleudilon calling to birds in the forest.) The two recently undertook a project to make the inn into a perfect site for bird watching. And you can help make it happen! Visit the community's crowdfunding page, to help them turn Tumbira into a community-based ecotourism center.

Paula Arantes of Garupa, the NGO helping Mendonça and Cleudilon raise money for the project, tells us more about the initiative.

Question: What is the plan for the money you hope to raise?

Paula Arantes: Roberto and Cleudilon want to turn their community into a birding and community tourism center. To get started, they intend to adapt the infrastructure of Pousada Garrido to sustainably accommodate more guests and provide what is needed for birding. They also want to publish a guide to the local birdlife as a reference for tourists and an educational resource for the children of the community.

Q: Why are Tumbira and Pousada Garrido such special places for bird watching?

Arantes: Though you can see birds everywhere in Amazon, Tumbira is special because its pathways make it easy to see many varieties of birds, and the area is easily accessible by land or by boat. Furthermore, Cleudilon's incredible talent for imitating birds and really enhances the birding experience.

Q: What do you need to carry out the project?

Arantes: Investments need to be made to expand the inn without negatively impacting the environment. More equipment is also needed for bird watching, and Cleudilon needs resources to develop the bird guide. The goal is to raise around US$8,800 (20,000 Brazilian reales) to help cover building materials, labor, the development of the guide, and more.

Q: What progress has been made so far?

Arantes: Thanks to the Rainforest Alliance verification process, we've identified the appropriate areas for making investments and improvements in a sustainable way.

Q: How does this project benefit the community?

Arantes: More tourists means more sustainable income for the residents! Supporting community-based tourism is one of the best ways for travelers to ensure that their vacation is sustainable.

Q: How can people help?

Arantes: On the project page on the Garupa website, you can find more details about the initiative and make an online donation to co-finance this effort. Donors receive tokens of appreciation, such as photographs, the bird guide, and even stays at the inn, depending on the amount contributed. Donating any amount, no matter how small, and sharing our project with your friends and family is the best way to make Roberto's dream a reality!

Watch this amazing video to see how Cleudilon imitates birds!

This entry was posted on November 25, 2013 at 5:13 PM and has received 2013 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

The Amazon is one of the most famous travel destinations in the world, its very name synonymous with wilderness, nature, and adventure. It's no surprise that this natural wonder of the world attracts so many travelers each year--it just may be the ultimate ecotourism experience! Here are some fascinating facts about the incredible Amazon:

1. One in ten known animal species on Earth exists in Amazonia.

Though the Amazon covers a relatively small portion of the Earth's surface, it is extremely rich in biodiversity. Many of its species are so highly specialized that they live nowhere else in the world, and we are continually discovering new species that we didn't previously know existed. For example, since just 1990, seven new species of monkeys and 12 new species of fish have been identified!

The rainforest is also home to the smallest monkey in the world, the pygmy marmoset, and the largest eagle in the world, the harpy eagle. Some other interesting animals of the Amazon are capybaras, sloths, pink river dolphins, and emperor tamarins.

2. The Amazon River is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total flow greater than the top ten rivers worldwide combined.

One-fifth of the world's entire fresh water supply is found in the Amazon Basin. It contains more fish species than the entire Atlantic Ocean and the largest number of freshwater fish species on Earth, including more than 25 species of piranha, electric eels, and pirarucus, the largest freshwater fish.

3. The Amazon is both the "lungs" and the "thermostat" of our planet.

The Amazon rainforest's trees and other plants continuously recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen, producing 20% of the world's oxygen supply. It is also one of the world's primary carbon reservoirs. Through the sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide, the rainforest acts as the world's thermostat, regulating temperatures and global weather patterns.

4. The Amazon rainforest helps us fight cancer.

Of the 3,000 plants the U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified as useful in the treatment of cancer, 70% are found only in rainforests. Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients found in the cancer-fighting drugs available on the market today come from organisms found only in the rainforest. And only about 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medicinal properties.

5. There are more than 200 indigenous groups still living in the rainforest – some of which have never had contact with the outside world.

Many of these indigenous groups still live the centuries' old traditions of their ancestors, eschewing modern technology in favor of a life more in tune with nature. Some communities have opened their doors to visitors, starting lodges and tour companies to share their knowledge of the Amazon with travelers.

6. The Amazon rainforest represents more than half of the remaining rainforests in the entire world, and it's shrinking.

Once, rainforests covered 14% of the earth's land surface. Now, they cover 5-7%, and that area is decreasing rapidly. Scientists predict that if deforestation continues at the current rate, the last remaining rainforests on our planet could be consumed in less than 40 years!

Do your part to protect the rainforest by traveling sustainably. Many hotels participate in reforestation projects, and even get their guests involved with their sustainability efforts.

Are you ready for your Amazon adventure yet?

This entry was posted on August 14, 2013 at 6:32 PM and has received 2001 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

Vea esta publicación en español.

Did you know that Latin America is home to more than 64 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, representing 75% of the world's 86 known species of cetaceans? For this reason, the region has become a favorite destination for tourists who want to see and interact with these amazing species.

Whale watching tourism generates about $300 million of revenue annually and benefits some 91 communities in 18 Latin American countries. As a result,many coastal communities have chosen this more environmentally-friendly economic alternative to fishing or irresponsible marine resource exploitation.

The number of companies offering sustainable whale watching excursions has grown significantly in recent years. Travelers can hire tour companies that respect environmental legislation and have certifications and verifications of their sustainability, and in some cases, special responsible marine tourism certificates. On SustainableTrip.org, you can find a list of these companies.

Today we invite you to experience five of the best destinations in Latin America for watching whales and other cetaceans:

1. Baja California, Mexico

The waters of Baja California and the Sea of Cortéz are the best place for spotting the famous gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus). The peninsula has saltwater lagoons surrounded by desert where the gray whales come to mate and give birth in full view of spectators. The best season for whale spotting in Baja California is from January to April, but during the rest of the year you can also see blue whales and sperm whales.

2. Bahía Ballena, Costa Rica

The southern Pacific region of the country has important habitat for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). These creatures migrate twice a year (from late December to late April and from July to September) to the warm waters of the bay to mate and calve. To protect this valuable site, the government of Costa Rica created Ballena Marine Park, a sanctuary for these and the other marine species such as common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, and hammerhead sharks.

3. Praia do Rosa, Brazil

Brazil is the leading tourist destination in South America for marine mammal watching, receiving 167,107 observers each year. It also had record whale spotting in 2011, with 11,500 documented sightings. Praia do Rosa, a beautiful beach in the southern Atlantic part of the country, receives southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) every year from June to November. These animals delight tourists with magnificent jumps that reveal up to 75% of their bodies.

4. Chiloé-Corcovado, Chile

The Chiloé Island and the Corcovado Gulf area in southern Chile has the largest concentration of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the southern hemisphere. It is one of the richest coastal habitats in South America, which is why these giant whales come here to satisfy their formidable dietary requirements of two to eight tons of krill per day. Blue whales stay in Chile from December to April.

5. Valdés Peninsula, Argentina

This site is considered the mecca for whale watchers because it is where the largest breeding population of southern right whales congregates, with an estimated 4,000 individuals arriving every year. Other marine species are also common on the peninsula, such as orcas (killer whales), sea lions, elephant seals, and penguins. Thanks to its natural riches, it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The peak sighting season is from July to December.

This entry was posted on August 7, 2013 at 3:24 PM and has received 2172 views. There are currently 2 comments. Print this entry.

Vea esta publicación en español.

This striking picture from the Tirimbina Rainforest Center in Costa Rica shows the giant parrot snake (Leptophis ahaetulla). Their average length is 5 feet, but they can exceed 7 feet!

The giant parrot snake, also known as the green vine snake, is agile and fast. They live mostly in trees and are active during the day. They are often seen actively hunting tropical frogs and lizards on tree branches or in shrubby vegetation in swampy areas. Their bite can be painful, but the venom is not fatal to humans.

This snake is found from southern Mexico to Chile and southern Brazil.

This entry was posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:16 PM and has received 1264 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

You've heard us say that sustainable travel doesn't necessarily mean "roughing it" – if you weren't convinced before, just check out this luxurious suite at Don Ramon Spa Relaxante in Canela, Brazil. Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? After a long day of exploring village streets, hiking through tropical forests, and seeing waterfalls, wildlife, and panoramic canyon views, it would certainly be a relief returning to a room like this. Just imagine soaking those travel-weary bones in your private in-room Jacuzzi, and then cuddling up with your significant other in the soft canopy bed. Paradise!

An adventurous traveling couple doesn't need to rough it to explore the world's most beautiful places while having a positive impact on nature and local communities. Just browse our list of sustainable luxury accommodations in Latin America and the Caribbean – there's over 100, and counting!

This entry was posted on November 7, 2012 at 12:51 PM and has received 829 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.