Over five hundred volunteers and researchers have made their way from all around the world to take part in our project. Some have spoken Portuguese, some haven't; some are traveling by themselves for the first time. Apart from a couple of people who mixed up Limeiras and ended up wandering around São Paulo asking for Iracambi, everyone has made their way here safely. Once here people have climbed mountains, cleared trails, swam in rock pools, gone in to caves and many other rugged, outdoor activities without any serious incidents, as well as helping us to achieve our mission. We provide the information below to help take any worries about your trip away.

How to get Here
Please click here for directions

Visas and Passports

Our national policy on immigration is to be nice to those countries that are nice to us. So, if your country does not require Brazilian visitors to have visas (i.e. most of EU) then you do NOT need to get visas before travelling to Brazil. If your country does require visiting Brazilians to have visas (i.e. USA, Canada) you WILL have to get a visa BEFORE you travel. If in doubt, check with the Brazilian consulate in your country. A list of the Brazilian consular and diplomatic missions abroad can be found at: http://www.mre.gov.br/ingles/ministerio/missions/index.asp.

Tourist visas and Tourist entry permits (given on arrival to those who do not need visas) are generally valid for 90 days, renewable by the Federal Police for a further 90 days. When you are asked why you want to come to Brazil, give “tourism” as a reason for entry: you will not be eligible for a “volunteer visa” which are only for social or religious workers who don’t pay anything. If you state “study” as a reason, you will be asked to get a student visa which is a great deal more complicated.

In the case of US citizens, we regret that because of the tightening of entry requirements for Brazilian citizens entering the US, the Brazilian Foreign Affairs Ministry has tightened the regulations for US visitors to Brazil. One consequence is that you should not try to apply for more than 90 days in the first instance: if you do, the consulate may well automatically reclassify your application as a non-tourist visa, which is likely to be refused.

Ensure that you have a minimum six months validity left on your passport. Some countries will not allow you to enter with less than six months left on the passport. Also, ensure you have enough empty pages in your passport. If you have no empty pages left on your passport or are low, then you will need to get extra pages added to your passport to allow you to apply for visas.

Travel Insurance

Iracambi doesn’t cover you for Travel and Health Insurance. Please take measures to cover yourself prior to departure for Iracambi. It may also be possible to extend your home contents insurance to cover you for overseas travel. You will need to send the details of your insurance, together with details on your next of kin, to Iracambi before your departure to Brazil.

If you are a student, you could try the Student Travel Association at:http://www.statravel.com/cps/rde/xchg/us_division_web_live/hs.xsl/519.htm ; or you could try http://www.travelinsured.com/

Medical/Health

Ensure you familiarize yourself with the international medical cover your home country has provided, and that you know what actions to take in case you need to make a claim. Though we take every reasonable caution to ensure that volunteers are safe and that medical attention is accessible, please keep in mind that you will be living in an isolated area. For this reason we cannot accept volunteers with chronic medical conditions and who may need emergency assistance.  Note that Brazil is a high risk AIDS/HIV country – be careful.

Vaccinations

It is important that you ensure you are inoculated against the following:

• Hepatitis A
• Tetanus
• Typhoid
• Yellow Fever
• Diphtheria
• Polio

Your doctor may also suggest Hepatitis B and Rabies. Iracambi is not located in a malaria area, but if you plan to travel to other parts of Brazil, such as the Pantanal or the Amazon, you will need a suitable prophylactic. Ask your health center at home before leaving.

Money Matters

Credit Cards

It’s probably a good idea to take a Visa credit/debit card. Most countries in the developing world don’t accept American Express or they may charge you an additional fee to use it. Also, most ATMs do not accept American Express. ATMs also usually provide a better exchange rate to obtain cash rather than money bureau. It’s probably worth calling your bank to make sure that you can use your card in the country in which you’re going to. Also be sure to inform your credit card company that you will be traveling overseas, providing specific dates and locations, so as to ensure they do not cut off your service while you are abroad.

You should exchange money as soon as you arrive in Brazil, as it will not be possible once you are at Iracambi - you can’t change money in Muriaé. You can change money at the airport: the porters will even change money for you and their rates are as good as anyone else’s, though of course a bank is safer. Avoid the Banco do Brasil - it’s a rip-off. In Rio de Janeiro, there are “casas de cambio” but note that they are not open on weekends.

There are ATM machines in the nearest towns to Iracambi, Rosário da Limeira (thirty minutes away) and Muriaé (one and a half hours away), and any member of the staff going into town might be persuaded to take money out. The bank that you’ll most likely only be able to take money from is the Banco 24 hours. If you have any problems with your cash card initially, you can always take money out on your Visa card – as you can do this just about anywhere. Just watch the interest.

PIN Number and Expiration

Make sure that you have your PIN numbers so that you can use your credit cards at ATMs. If you cannot find them, it could take up to 10 business days to receive it from the credit card company.

This may sound obvious but make sure that your card will not expire while you are traveling. If it is, call the credit card company and order a new one.

Portuguese Language

We highly recommend that you learn some Portuguese before you head out to Brazil – best to start learning as early as you possibly can.  If you want to do any community based research or work then you will need to be able to speak Portuguese. You will not be able to get by speaking Spanish with an accent. If the work you are doing will not bring you in to contact with other members of the community then this will not be such an issue. Having said that, you really will get much more out of your experience if you pick up some of the language - it will make your trip just that much better.

A useful tip: sign up for a little Portuguese phrase everyday: http://www.bitesizedlanguages.com

Another good site for Portuguese language is:
http://www.easyportuguese.com

You can also teach yourself Portuguese at home or on your way to work on your IPod . Rosetta Stone comes highly recommended: http://www.rosettastone.com

There are many language books out there. Another is the ‘Teach Yourself Brazil Portuguese’ learning guide. You can find it on Amazon.com.

Before you leave, you may want to bring with you the Lonely Planet phrase book. This will help you with the key phrases in every possible situation.

 What to pack

A generally good traveller's tip is that if you're not sure that you're going to need it, dump it. More stuff = more hassle.

Checklist and Recommendations

• Sleeping bag – we do have sheets, and blankets, but you may be warmer at night or more comfortable in your own sleeping bag.
  Mosquito net
  Towel/s
  Torch/flashlight
  Sunscreen
  Insect repellent (lots)
  Antiseptic cream/lotion
  Shorts and long trousers/pants
  Swimwear (there are natural pools to swim in)
  Some warm clothing (perhaps a fleece) for cold evenings
  Rainproof outerwear (jacket, galoshes)
  Work gloves
  Terrain sandals, durable boots, possibly rubber boots if your stay is during the rainy season, and of course your soccer boots if you wish - this is Brazil
  Clothing you are willing to wear out (it can be very muddy)
  A laptop: Iracambi can connect you to their network
  Electricity is 110 volts 60 cycles, except in the North and North East, where is 220 volts. Keep in mind if bringing things to be plugged in
  Camera
  Antihistamine
  Converter/adapters
  Toiletries – you may not be able to buy the specific stuff you like when in Brazil
  Be practical but don’t forget some of your favourite things
  Alarm clock
  Ipod
  DVDs for nights in

Clothing

The weather during the summer months (November to March) can be hot (up to 35 degrees Celsius or 95 °F) during the day and a tendency for storms and heavy rainfall at night. Temperatures drop in the evening, but still remain relatively warm. This is also the wet season, and if you are planning to come during this time you will need waterproof jackets and footwear. Clothes that will dry quickly are also highly recommended.

Winter months see cooler temperatures of around 20 degrees during the day and down to 6 degrees at nighttime (40-70 °F). During the day it tends to be dry. Iracambi is a very casual place – so just take the clothes that will keep you warm and dry, and that you feel comfortable wearing.

Communications with friends and family

It is important to keep in touch with your friends and family while you are away. Ensure that they know your email address, IM ids, user names, or blogsites. SKYPE

Background Reading

Here's a list of books for you to read in the plane.

If you have any questions which aren't covered on this page or the rest of the website then please do e-mail us.