All of our conservation and development projects have been carefully selected to provide the maximum positive impact on the communities and environments in which we work.  Long term partnerships with grassroots organisations, built to create short, medium and long term goals for each project and guarantee that every team makes a lasting difference.

Working with the coastal communities of Brazil is intrinsic to conserving the Atlantic Rainforest.  Nowhere is conservation and development more closely tied than here in the last fragments of forest.

The cultural awareness and insight which can be gained here through planting trees, sourcing clean water and playing Capoeira, with the local communities is unique.  This relationship is inspiring and empowering local people to achieve what they could only have dreamed of previously.

Through expert professional project managers and local co-ordinators who source food, materials and labour locally whilst adhering to strict environmental and ethical policies, we guarantee that together we will make a very positive difference.

During the Brazilian Immersion and Language Phase you will be staying with the community of Candeal.  The donation for the activities that you take part in provide year round support to the community associations and help to reinforce the strong cultural and musical heritage of the area.  Part of your donation also goes to provide help to a family as part of our 'adopt a family' scheme.

The following Explorer Expedition is an opportunity to see the highlights of this immense country whilst at the same time continuing with the ethos of responsible travel by using local suppliers and ensuring a controlled impact with maximum positive input into the local communities and environments you visit.

Quest has joined forces with Brazilian NGO Amainan to work with the local community of Cairu to safeguard one of the last remaining areas of primary Atlantic Rainforest on the continent. The Atlantic Rainforest of South America is lesser known than its more famous cousin, the Amazon. It is however far more threatened.

The Atlantic Rainforest originally stretched uninterrupted from Northern Brazil to Argentina offering more biological diversity than even the Amazon Rainforest.  Following centuries of unsustainable exploitation now less that 7% of the original forest remains. As a consequence the unique flora and fauna of the region face ever increasing threats to their survival, equally at threat are the disadvantaged human communities whose livelihoods depend on the health of their local forest.

The local population exists on the fishing industry together with harvesting certain native materials from the forest.  Surprisingly the population is not growing substantially but in today's changing world they are finding it increasingly difficult to earn a living. 

Quest Overseas have teamed up with Brazilian charity Amainan Brasil to help provide the support and skills necessary to establish sustainable development in the region and to help rescue the Atlantic Rainforest from extinction.  By working side by side with local groups on environmental education activities and offering alternative technologies and livelihood opportunities you will help preserve this beautiful region and its people.

Phase One
The City of Salvador and Itacare, The Surfers' Paradise:
We arrive into exotic and tropical Salvador de Bahia, the Afro-Caribbean centre and former capital of colonial Brazil. You'll enjoy a few days of city life before heading down the coast, but it won't all be soaking up the sun because it's time to tackle those Atlantic waves! The sleepy town of Itacare is becoming a prime surfers destination as it has beaches and surf to appeal to all levels of skill and experience. If you are a complete beginner, this 4 day course will give you the confidence and the knowledge to get on your feet and enjoy the rush. If you already have some experience, make the full use of our instructors to improve your technique or just enjoy the waves at your leisure. Lessons will take up all of the morning, leaving the afternoons free to enjoy the beach, discover the nearby coastal forests or explore the boutiques and cafes that make up this curious little town.

Phase Two
Chapada Diamantina:
Time to head for the hills and to one of Brazil's most treasured national parks - The Chapada Diamantina. A 4 day trek along ridges and into valleys, this route takes us past some of the most impressive waterfalls of the region, including the mighty 'Fumaca' or 'smoke', the second highest in all of South America.

Phase Three
Jericoacoara and The Parnaiba Delta:
A flight to Fortaleza, a bus journey and a 4x4 ride along the beaches brings us to the remote paradise of Jericoacoara. An Environmental Protection Area, this is an area of outstanding natural beauty, with sand dunes and beaches, rolling green hills and a laid back atmosphere. The village has become popular with travellers making for a low key but friendly party scene. We will spend a couple of days exploring the village and its beaches before embarking on a journey to cross the 83 islands of the Parnaiba Delta or 'Delta of the Americas'. This outstanding landscape, forms the only open sea delta in the entire American continent and is one of the three largest in the world. Like the fingers of an outstretched palm, the river divides into five channels forming an infinite number of lakes, a maze of narrow channels and ecological sanctuaries. Wonders of this magnitude are only to be seen in two other places in the world, The Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Nile Delta in Egypt. Caiman, monkeys, wild horses, sloths, capybara, foxes, deer, turtles, crabs and a wealth of bird life share this land with local fisherman. We will travel the Delta on small boats enjoying the wildlife, take day and night safaris and visit local communities who make this paradise their home.

Phase Four
Lencois Maranheses:
One of the most stunning places on earth, the National Park of Lencois Maranheses resembles a desert with a difference. Its dunes reach up to 40 metres high and are interspersed with beautiful green and blue lagoons ideal for swimming, herds of goats and donkeys wander its green plains and tiny communities of fisherman live in harmony with their surroundings. We will take a 4 day trek across this inspiring landscape, staying with the local people in basic but welcoming surroundings. Local guides will guide us to fertile oases and we will use donkeys to help carry our load. This is a unique experience, the communities with which we will stay have little contact with the outside world and we are able to visit and stay with them as we have a trusted contact who has been living and working in the area for 15 years. Staying with local communities helps to provide a valuable income to the people of the National Park.

Phase Five
Manaus and The Amazon:
Nothing quite excites the imagination like the mighty Amazon and you'll have the opportunity to explore this astonishing region in the best way possible - by taking to its rivers. We will make a journey of a lifetime into the heart of the Amazon on our own riverboat. Travelling on the Amazon, Solimoes and Negro rivers, we'll stop off at strategic points along the banks to explore the jungle and visit some of the communities who make the forest their home. Local guides will instruct you in the basics of jungle survival - where to find water and how to call for help when lost in the midst of this green metropolis. You'll learn about the magical properties of plants and have the chance to do a spot of Piranha fishing. Jungle life runs on a completely different timescale to the city. Up with the sunrise and to bed with the sunset, while being serenaded through the night by a chorus of crickets, frogs and cicadas.

Phase Six
Rio de Janeiro:
You’ll finish the Expedition on a high note in the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro. We'll discover all that the city is famous for, from the statue of Christ the Redeemer to the world-renowned Maracana football stadium. The climax of your journey is a tandem hang gliding flight from Pedra Bonita and the views over Rio's coastline will simply take your breath away! This is where your Expedition ends with a farewell party leaving you in Rio where you can take your flight home or use it as a gateway to explore the rest of South America.