Links to amazing grass roots volunteer opportunties in Latin America
Before I left Australia, I obsessively learnt everything I could on Latin America. I googled constantly... I researched volunteer organizations for hours.. At first all i could find were companies making money of people volunteering..... not REAL grass roots organizations that were trying to make a difference and NEEDED volunteers. They were charging around 1000 - 3000 for 1 - 3 or 4 weeks.... and those people generally never really feel like they are making a real difference...
SO! After hours of searching (and by hours I mean hours upon hours over days and weeks) I eventually found the sites and compiled my own data base for amazing places to go.
I actually got to the first one on the list. The sea turtle conservation camp in Mexico. It was so remote I had to kayak 10 minutes down the river to get to the corner shop! and seriously... I saw usually around 2000 baby turtles a day, sometimes up to 6000. You would think once you've seen 35 000 baby turtles they would lose their shine a bit. Hellll No! Those little fuckers just kept getting cuter and cuter! Stupid cute!
OK, here is my list... I havent fixed it up yet, this is just how I had it compiled for my ease of use. I spent a longggggg time going through these websites, and it might be a bit messy. It is in order of countries from the northern tip of central america (technically bottom of north america) to the southern end of south america.
Here are the top 5 I think seem most interesting:
1 Amazing wild animal rehabilitation centre in Bolivia.
http://www.intiwarayassi.org/home.shtml
2 Another amazing rehabilitation centre. This one is in Ecuador and seems a lot more remote!
http://www.selvaviva.ec/
3 Volcanoes! Be a tour guide in either Guatamala or Nicaruage - not for the faint of hard! Adventure seekers with ability to commit only
http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/
4 Butterfly garden - much more relaxed than volcanoes! seems reall cool - in Costa Rica
http://www.monteverdebutterflygarden.com/Volunteering.html
5 I have to say check out Playa las Tortugas, the link in Mexico - where I volunteered for a month... There was another i would have put up from ecoteer, but that link is broken now.... the website itself should still have a lot of awesome things. Hope this helps and inspires!
Mexico
Sea turtle conservation in Mexico - My First Stop! http://www.playalastortugas.com/index.php/community/categories/topic/sea_turtle_conservation_camp/
website where I found turtle link - http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0505/volunteer_conserving_sea_turtles_in_mexico.shtml
Sea turtles - Mexico cheap and seems worth looking into.
http://www.project-tortuga.org/index.html
Guatemala
Biological station, looks interesting, approx $10 per day
http://www.propeten.org/smbs_volunteer.htm
Volunteer volcano trekking Nicarauga and Guatemala - A MUST
http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/
Honduras
Honduras national park, write to them in español - must speak spanish
http://goodfelloweb.com/honduras/fucagua/
Nicaragua
Volunteering at farm in nicaruaga. pay for board.
http://abundancefarm.com/staff.html
Costa Rica
Butterfly garden, tour guide. provides accommodation.
http://www.monteverdebutterflygarden.com/Volunteering.html
Volunteer in Costa Rica, seems nice
http://www.la-flor.org/about.html
Costa rica, free board for 3 months
http://www.rara-avis.com/volunteer_positions.htm
Cliujd foprest - emailed these people for more information Costa Rica
http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/reserve-santa-elena-monteverde/volunteering.htm
cheap and in the Costa rican forest - It sounds VERY nice
http://www.rainsongsanctuary.com/volunteer.htm
I love the look of this place in Costa Ricahttp://www.ranchomastatal.com/pages/links/page.php?Grouping=Home&PageName=home
VERY COOL looking place in costa rica, though ecoteers. 3 months minimum - very keen on this. (meditation/yoga place)
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0035/index.php
Another place in Costa Rica that looks cool. offer a stipend of $75 a month 1 month minumum stay... (Horse riding/canoeing/tour/jungle place)
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0067/index.php
and another place in costa rica. I could live in a tree house!
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0037/index.php
osa wildlife sanctuary - rehabilitation sanctuary but site doesnt have much info sounds cool as it is remote, only accessable by boat
http://www.osawildlifesanctuary.org/english/
Turtle conservation $15 per day
http://www.latortugafeliz.com/default.asp?action=pagina&pagina=39&taal=2&sId=7&click=120&path=_120
Panama
Free board in hostel in panama, may be worth considering
http://www.purplehousehostel.com/
Ecuador
Mindo rainforest reserves, cheap, looks cool, learn to use machete and about organice hortoculture techniques
http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/volunteer_projects/ecological_projects/ecological_project_5.html
Very interesting! study butterflies in amazon
http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/volunteer_projects/ecological_projects/ecological_project_1.html
Rehabilitate animals, work in tourist area... check into duration: price
http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/volunteer_projects/ecological_projects/ecological_project_2.html
Interesting looking place in Ecuador, rehabiating illegally captured animals, really cheap, on amazon river
http://www.selvaviva.ec/
Quito Ecuador, restore rainforest, looks OK
http://www.montecaimito.org/pag/en/volunteers.html
This one is to rejuvinate a mountainside using permaculture techniques, it looks quite nice
http://www.sacredsuenos.com/who.html
Hostel in Ecuador... sounds very nice!
http://www.secretgardenquito.com/index2.html
Ecuador volunteer database
http://www.theecuatraveler.com/work/volunteer
Volunteer on a ship - seems to be free in exchange for hard work (based at galapagos, i think)
http://www.seashepherd.org/volunteer/volunteer_crewing.html
another animal rehabilitation centre in ecuador. very new
http://www.merazonia.org/
Worth considering at least. preservation/restoration fo forest in ecuador. also community work etc
http://www.zoobreviven.org/volunteer.htm
Peru
teach in peru, free accommodation
http://www.pie-peru.com/en/texts/peru-voluntary-work.html
Organic park in Peru, sounds nice
http://ecotrulypark.org/en/en.htm#_accion
teaching opportunity in Peru. has a good feeling
http://ayni.footboot.net/
Work in Hostel, free board. Looks hella cool
http://www.thepointhostels.com/
3 - Arequipa, Lima and Cusco
In the mountains - seems very nice approx 15$ a day
http://www.intercambioperu.org/welcome/
Bolivia
-Work with amazing animals
http://www.intiwarayassi.org/home.shtml
Chile
Volunteer free in Chile
http://www.voluntariosesperanza.org/joomla/
Extremely cheap in Chile - social work
http://www.cholchol.org/en_voluntarios.php
Looks extremely interesting - may need more experience with horses
http://www.antilco.com/
Argentina
Permaculture argentina. $5 per day
http://www.gaia.org.ar/english/index.html
Uruguay
sea turtles, through ecoteer. very cheap
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0107/index.php
Brazil
In amazon jungle - apparently free
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0081/index.php
Venezuela
Volunteer near Angel falls, venezuela
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0187/index.php
Site was under maintanence, try alter
http://www.anaicr.org/volunteer/en/volunteering.html
Databases
Database of free volunteering
http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/
smaller database of volunteering
http://www.vaops.com/
Joined this site - volunteer database
http://www.truetravellers.org/
Another volunteer database. need to check it out
http://www.independentvolunteer.org/index.php?n=Main.Projects
Ecoteer. 10 pounds to join, seems worth it as it is for low cost volunteering
http://www.ecoteer.com/
A helpful website for explorers of south america - volunteering + more
http://www.saexplorers.org/club/home
Database of volunteering
http://www.chimps.nl/volunteer.htm#Central%20America
interesting site about volunteering and paid work
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0309/workinecuador.shtml
another page on paid teaching, same site:
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0501/teaching_english_in_ecuador.shtml
SO! After hours of searching (and by hours I mean hours upon hours over days and weeks) I eventually found the sites and compiled my own data base for amazing places to go.
I actually got to the first one on the list. The sea turtle conservation camp in Mexico. It was so remote I had to kayak 10 minutes down the river to get to the corner shop! and seriously... I saw usually around 2000 baby turtles a day, sometimes up to 6000. You would think once you've seen 35 000 baby turtles they would lose their shine a bit. Hellll No! Those little fuckers just kept getting cuter and cuter! Stupid cute!
OK, here is my list... I havent fixed it up yet, this is just how I had it compiled for my ease of use. I spent a longggggg time going through these websites, and it might be a bit messy. It is in order of countries from the northern tip of central america (technically bottom of north america) to the southern end of south america.
Here are the top 5 I think seem most interesting:
1 Amazing wild animal rehabilitation centre in Bolivia.
http://www.intiwarayassi.org/home.shtml
2 Another amazing rehabilitation centre. This one is in Ecuador and seems a lot more remote!
http://www.selvaviva.ec/
3 Volcanoes! Be a tour guide in either Guatamala or Nicaruage - not for the faint of hard! Adventure seekers with ability to commit only
http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/
4 Butterfly garden - much more relaxed than volcanoes! seems reall cool - in Costa Rica
http://www.monteverdebutterflygarden.com/Volunteering.html
5 I have to say check out Playa las Tortugas, the link in Mexico - where I volunteered for a month... There was another i would have put up from ecoteer, but that link is broken now.... the website itself should still have a lot of awesome things. Hope this helps and inspires!
Mexico
Sea turtle conservation in Mexico - My First Stop! http://www.playalastortugas.com/index.php/community/categories/topic/sea_turtle_conservation_camp/
website where I found turtle link - http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0505/volunteer_conserving_sea_turtles_in_mexico.shtml
Sea turtles - Mexico cheap and seems worth looking into.
http://www.project-tortuga.org/index.html
Guatemala
Biological station, looks interesting, approx $10 per day
http://www.propeten.org/smbs_volunteer.htm
Volunteer volcano trekking Nicarauga and Guatemala - A MUST
http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/
Honduras
Honduras national park, write to them in español - must speak spanish
http://goodfelloweb.com/honduras/fucagua/
Nicaragua
Volunteering at farm in nicaruaga. pay for board.
http://abundancefarm.com/staff.html
Costa Rica
Butterfly garden, tour guide. provides accommodation.
http://www.monteverdebutterflygarden.com/Volunteering.html
Volunteer in Costa Rica, seems nice
http://www.la-flor.org/about.html
Costa rica, free board for 3 months
http://www.rara-avis.com/volunteer_positions.htm
Cliujd foprest - emailed these people for more information Costa Rica
http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/reserve-santa-elena-monteverde/volunteering.htm
cheap and in the Costa rican forest - It sounds VERY nice
http://www.rainsongsanctuary.com/volunteer.htm
I love the look of this place in Costa Ricahttp://www.ranchomastatal.com/pages/links/page.php?Grouping=Home&PageName=home
VERY COOL looking place in costa rica, though ecoteers. 3 months minimum - very keen on this. (meditation/yoga place)
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0035/index.php
Another place in Costa Rica that looks cool. offer a stipend of $75 a month 1 month minumum stay... (Horse riding/canoeing/tour/jungle place)
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0067/index.php
and another place in costa rica. I could live in a tree house!
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0037/index.php
osa wildlife sanctuary - rehabilitation sanctuary but site doesnt have much info sounds cool as it is remote, only accessable by boat
http://www.osawildlifesanctuary.org/english/
Turtle conservation $15 per day
http://www.latortugafeliz.com/default.asp?action=pagina&pagina=39&taal=2&sId=7&click=120&path=_120
Panama
Free board in hostel in panama, may be worth considering
http://www.purplehousehostel.com/
Ecuador
Mindo rainforest reserves, cheap, looks cool, learn to use machete and about organice hortoculture techniques
http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/volunteer_projects/ecological_projects/ecological_project_5.html
Very interesting! study butterflies in amazon
http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/volunteer_projects/ecological_projects/ecological_project_1.html
Rehabilitate animals, work in tourist area... check into duration: price
http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/volunteer_projects/ecological_projects/ecological_project_2.html
Interesting looking place in Ecuador, rehabiating illegally captured animals, really cheap, on amazon river
http://www.selvaviva.ec/
Quito Ecuador, restore rainforest, looks OK
http://www.montecaimito.org/pag/en/volunteers.html
This one is to rejuvinate a mountainside using permaculture techniques, it looks quite nice
http://www.sacredsuenos.com/who.html
Hostel in Ecuador... sounds very nice!
http://www.secretgardenquito.com/index2.html
Ecuador volunteer database
http://www.theecuatraveler.com/work/volunteer
Volunteer on a ship - seems to be free in exchange for hard work (based at galapagos, i think)
http://www.seashepherd.org/volunteer/volunteer_crewing.html
another animal rehabilitation centre in ecuador. very new
http://www.merazonia.org/
Worth considering at least. preservation/restoration fo forest in ecuador. also community work etc
http://www.zoobreviven.org/volunteer.htm
Peru
teach in peru, free accommodation
http://www.pie-peru.com/en/texts/peru-voluntary-work.html
Organic park in Peru, sounds nice
http://ecotrulypark.org/en/en.htm#_accion
teaching opportunity in Peru. has a good feeling
http://ayni.footboot.net/
Work in Hostel, free board. Looks hella cool
http://www.thepointhostels.com/
3 - Arequipa, Lima and Cusco
In the mountains - seems very nice approx 15$ a day
http://www.intercambioperu.org/welcome/
Bolivia
-Work with amazing animals
http://www.intiwarayassi.org/home.shtml
Chile
Volunteer free in Chile
http://www.voluntariosesperanza.org/joomla/
Extremely cheap in Chile - social work
http://www.cholchol.org/en_voluntarios.php
Looks extremely interesting - may need more experience with horses
http://www.antilco.com/
Argentina
Permaculture argentina. $5 per day
http://www.gaia.org.ar/english/index.html
Uruguay
sea turtles, through ecoteer. very cheap
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0107/index.php
Brazil
In amazon jungle - apparently free
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0081/index.php
Venezuela
Volunteer near Angel falls, venezuela
http://www.ecoteer.com/placements/0187/index.php
Site was under maintanence, try alter
http://www.anaicr.org/volunteer/en/volunteering.html
Databases
Database of free volunteering
http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/
smaller database of volunteering
http://www.vaops.com/
Joined this site - volunteer database
http://www.truetravellers.org/
Another volunteer database. need to check it out
http://www.independentvolunteer.org/index.php?n=Main.Projects
Ecoteer. 10 pounds to join, seems worth it as it is for low cost volunteering
http://www.ecoteer.com/
A helpful website for explorers of south america - volunteering + more
http://www.saexplorers.org/club/home
Database of volunteering
http://www.chimps.nl/volunteer.htm#Central%20America
interesting site about volunteering and paid work
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0309/workinecuador.shtml
another page on paid teaching, same site:
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0501/teaching_english_in_ecuador.shtml