Piotr Chmielinski

Piotr Chmielinski is a kayaker and an explorer, often referred to by others as ‘The Godfather of the Amazon’. Within the Canoandes ’79 expedition, he paddled the rivers of the Central and South Americas. He was the first to kayak the entire Amazon River, from source to mouth in 1985-86. He has been involved in Amazon sources research especially as the co-organizer of the expedition to the permanent source in Ticlla Cocha/Nevado Mismi in the Apurimac River in 2000 for National Geographic Society and The Explorers Club and observer in expeditions to the seasonal source (most distant source) in Cordillera Rumi Cruz in the Mantaro River, in 2012 and 2013. Chmielinski is a founder of Canoandes, the organization through which he has supported many expeditions of other travelers involved in exploration related particularly to the Amazon River. He is the President of HP Environmental. Chmielinski directed, among others, environmental impacts from Ground Zero after the September 11th, 2001 attacks and impacts during renovations of the Capital Dome in Washington D.C. in 2020.