The cost of this trip for each volunteer is tax deductible donation of $1700.00. You are responsible for all costs outside of the official trip dates including your hotels and expenses in Manaus.
PLEASE NOTE: This trip requires a minimum of 11 volunteers. In order to make this feasible for GFR, we require a good-faith deposit of $250.00 with your application. If the GFR trip is not canceled, and you choose to not join the team on the trip for any reason, your deposit is considered non-refundable and will be deemed a donation to GFR at that time. This donation is fully tax-deductible.
The host for this trip requires medical evacuation insurance for all volunteers. This is a personal expense. Please be prepared to show proof of insurance at the host’s request. Thank you.
About the trip: The Brazilian Amazon is home to many remote communities in need of medical care. Global First Responder strives to provide sustainable care in communities that are difficult to access and where care is limited. The Amazon, and the indigenous farmers, fisherman, hunters, woodworkers, and boatmen who live there, is currently under great threat from large corporation farms and ranches, mining, logging and climate change. More than 47 million people live in the Amazon today, including 2.2 million indigenous people, and more than 300 languages are spoken there.
The health of the communities in the Amazon are also under threat. Deforestation has contributed to more than 10,000 cases of malaria and viral illnesses. Fires, resulting from unchecked deforestation since 2019, have added to the problem of respiratory illnesses and increasing infant mortality, hospitalizations, and decreasing life expectancy in the elderly. This problem is compounded further by drought decreasing the already limited access to clean water and small farm agriculture. Mosquito-borne illness (malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and more), chronic disease (hypertension, diabetes, and mental illness), and sanitation-related illnesses will likely be addressed during this visit.
Sustainability: On this trip, GFR will provide medical and dental care and health education for patients. Training and supplies for community health care workers will make a sustainable difference in the overall health of the community. We will also do site surveys to determine the feasibility of placing a permanent water filtration system in an underserved area where clean water will dramatically increase the health of the community. GFR will continue to focus on maternal and neonatal/infant mortality reduction with professional education for certified and volunteer midwives, community health workers, and parents. Our local partner helps ensure the continuity of this work.
GFR has a long history of building and repairing schools, clinics, and community centers in areas where we provide care, as well as placing permanent drinking water treatment facilities in communities that have great need. In 2022, we built a school in the Peruvian Amazon, and in 2023 we built a community center and orphanage in Liberia, in addition to completing the installation of water purification systems in India, Uganda, and Zambia. In 2024, we installed new water treatment facilities in Zambia (2) and India and built a new community center in the Peruvian Amazon. 2025 continues our sustainability efforts, with additional water treatment facilities in Zambia and India and and a recently completed additional community center in Peru.
Trip Highlights:
The team will live and travel on a large river boat, sleeping in hammocks on the second deck
each night (in air-conditioned comfort) and eating delicious, home-made meals each day. After boarding, the boat will steam on the river to the furthest point, while the team organizes medication and supplies, and learns about the Amazon and each other. The translator team is very experienced and all medical and dental professionals will have a dedicated translator for the trip.
So much adventure awaits! Bring a small pair of binoculars to look for toucans and parrots and other wildlife on the edges of the river banks. Watch pink dolphins (yes, they are pink!) as they play off the boat, diving in and out of the river. When the sun sets and darkness arrives, go caiman hunting with the boat captain (don’t worry, they will be released back into the water after being caught). And of course, the walk each day to clinic is an adventure itself, sometimes down long planks off the boats, sometimes over rocks and through mud.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: You will be expected to walk on uneven footing and walk on narrow ramps up and down for entry to the boats, carrying your gear. While our support team will help you, you need to understand that this is a requirement for this trip. Our team will travel to clinics each day by walking from the boat and sometimes those walks can be quite far or up hill. You will also sleep on hammocks which may sway and are quite different than the comforts of your home bed.
March is the end of rainy season! Please make sure you have a heavy duty rain poncho suitable for wearing while you work. Hiking boots and rain shoe covers are highly recommended. Clinics may be outdoors, under large trees so please be prepared with a hat, sunscreen, and mosquito spray. It can also be quite hot – if you tend to overheat, consider bringing a personal rechargeable fan for around your neck, cooling towels, or other items to protect you from hot, humid conditions.
Arrivals and Departures for the Medical/Dental Team: Plan to arrive in Manaus, Brazil (airport code: MAO) no later than March 14, 2026. March 15 is the official start date of the trip. Prior to March 15, hotels and meals are on your own. Our team will board our boat early morning on Sunday, March 15, 2026 from a to-be-announced location.
The official ending date of the team is March 20 upon arrival in Manaus. Departures from Manaus may be scheduled late night on March 20 or anytime after. Your hotel and meals in Manaus are on your own.
What’s Included: This trip includes lodging, transportation, translators, water, and all meals within the official dates of the trip (March 15, 2026 – March 20, 2026). Most clinic supplies and any special projects are covered by GFR. As with every GFR trip, your cost for this trip is exactly what the boat operator is charging GFR + $100. We are an all-volunteer organization and everyone, including your team leader, pays their own way. Please note: At this time we have not received the cost per person from our partners in Brazil. You will pay that cost plus $100 to GFR for the trip. Additionally, the host for this trip requires medical evacuation insurance for all volunteers. This is a personal expense. Please be prepared to show proof of insurance at the host’s request. Thank you.
What’s Not Included: Your international and local airfare, snacks and drinks other than water, personal vaccines, and pre/post trip travel costs and expenses, trip insurance, and any post-trip adventures you wish to engage in while in the Brazilian Amazon. Brazil REQUIRES a valid visa or E-Visa to enter Brazil, good for 90 days. Other nationalities should research visa requirements accordingly.
Cost: The cost of this trip is $1700.00 per person plus airfare. You are responsible for purchasing airfare that meets the required arrival and departure times. We always suggest giving yourself extra time for delayed or canceled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier. This trip is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. You or your donors will receive a tax receipt upon making a donation. Please note: All donations made on your behalf through the application system or the Global First Responder website are non-refundable to you. Any funds that you or your donors donate will be 100% utilized for patient care or projects directly benefiting our partner communities.
How is your cost calculated?: At Global First Responder we strive to keep your costs low and our quality high. We value your participation and willingness to volunteer your time and expertise. Everyone at Global First Responder is also a volunteer, donating their time to administrative tasks and paying their own way to participate in medical and construction missions around the world and here at home. The fee you pay covers the actual cost of your expenses in country including lodging, transportation, meals, and translator fees and expenses and a small fee (<$150.00) for a share of medications and supplies so we can continue to offer high quality care and medications to our patients. At GFR, no one is paid a salary, and everyone is a passionate volunteer, doing our part to help drive our mission of “One Global World, One Global Family”.
After the trip: There is so much to do in Brazil that it is hard for us to choose what to highlight for you! In Manaus – the natural beauty of the area is unparalleled, with beautiful beaches, amazing eco-lodges, fantastic fishing. The city is beautiful and historical, there are fantastic waterfalls, and the birdwatching is unparalleled. In Manaus – the natural beauty of the area is unparalleled, with beautiful beaches,
amazing eco-lodges, caves, and fantastic fishing. The city is beautiful and historical – see a performance at the Manaus Opera House or dine at many restaurants that line the city center. You may also choose to fly to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo or explore other parts of this amazing country.
Click here to apply for this trip: I want to join the GFR team in the Brazilian Amazon!
Please save the login and password for your application as you will need to use the dashboard the application creates as you prepare for the trip.
Sample Itinerary:
PRIOR TO March 15, 2026: Arriving a day or two ahead is a great way to rest up from your long flight, explore Manaus, and find and meet your new teammates! You need to be in Manaus by March 14 for an early departure on March 15!
March 15, 2026 – Team Time!: You will be picked up at the host hotel (TBD) and will board the boat at a time TBD. Your first team building activity will be carrying all of our supplies on to the boat!! Asthe boat steams down (or up!) the Amazon, you and your team will sort and pack medications, review community education materials, and get to know each other. Lunch and dinner are included today, along with a hammock and a great time.
March 16 – 20, 2026 – Clinics!: Your team will have clinic for the next 4 days in different locations along
the river. Each day will be different, interesting, and busy. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included every day. The final day of clinic will likely take place inland as the team travels by bus to a remote indigenous village. Here, we will be welcomed by the village chief and children alike, and once again provide compassionate care for this very special community.
Breakfast and lunch are included on March 20. Your hotel and dinner on March 20 are not included in the trip fee. You may depart on a late-night flight (after 9 pm local time) or you may choose to stay longer.
