from 1,004€

Perfect 4.6rating (128)

Cloud Forest Protection

location
2 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 17 - 50+

rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Be more than a tourist - get to know the wonders of the cloud forest off the beaten track
  • Get more passionate about conservation work and protecting our planet Earth
  • Boost your CV with international volunteer experience showcasing your commitment to positive change and adaptability to different environments
  • Explore a country that is famous for its rich biodiversity
  • Forge lasting friendships with fellow volunteers, united to make a difference

Especially good for

Age 17+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Hiking in the cloud forest, swimming under a waterfall, the sound of animals in your ears, making your own cocoa from tree to cup, growing your own food. Join us!

Slow down your life, forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and breathe fresh air all day long. If you like hiking in the cloud forest, swimming under a waterfall, hearing the sound of wild animals, making your own cocoa from tree to cup, growing your own food and getting to know a ...

About the program

Slow down your life, forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and breathe fresh air all day long. If you like hiking in the cloud forest, swimming under a waterfall, hearing the sound of wild animals, making your own cocoa from tree to cup, growing your own food and getting to know a sustainable way of life - then you have come to the right place. Welcome to our cloud forest project!

The volunteer project takes place in a nature reserve located west of Quito in the middle of the Cloud Forest at the foothills of the Andes. This is where nature conservation, tourism and ecological agriculture are combined on 800 hectares of land. About 700 hectares of it are protected forests. In the remaining area, the owners receive tourists in wooden holiday homes or on a small campsite, practice sustainable agriculture and educate visitors and local communities about environmental protection.

The particular focus of this project is protecting existing forests, reforestation of areas that were previously used as sugar cane plantations and educational workshops to raise awareness of the value of the forest. The cloud forest has incredible biodiversity, that needs to be protected for future generations. Hundreds of different bird species live in this project alone, as well as many butterflies, amphibians and mammals. The latter include monkeys, deer, weasels, wild cats, ocelots, agoutis, squirrels, peccaries, armadillos, skunks, sloths, spectacled bears, bats, and others.

The flora is also wonderfully rich in species. The project has a tree nursery where endangered local species are reproduced.

In this wonderful volunteer project, you can learn to do business in such a way that nature is not exploited and still enough for everyone is on the table. The local community is involved so that everyone supports this important development. 

If you like to be in nature and are good in working hands-on, you will love this volunteer opportunity.

Typical day

Volunteers help with different tasks in the areas of organic agriculture, forest protection & sustainable forestry, sustainable livestock farming, production of organic food, ecological construction methods and educational programs for visitors.

Among your tasks may be:
  • Reforestation
  • Collecting tree ...

Typical day

Volunteers help with different tasks in the areas of organic agriculture, forest protection & sustainable forestry, sustainable livestock farming, production of organic food, ecological construction methods and educational programs for visitors.

Among your tasks may be:
  • Reforestation
  • Collecting tree seeds, tree cultivation in the tree nursery
  • Maintaining hiking trails
  • Organic farming
  • Helping with planting vegetables and other crops
  • Helping with composting and fertilizing
  • Helping with natural pest control
  • Participating in the harvest
  • Construction and maintenance work
  • Redesigning and attaching signposts
  • Caring and rearing of farm animals
  • Helping in the production of homemade food such as cheese, butter, yogurt, bread, coffee, chocolate, etc.
  • Working in the medical garden
  • Developing material for educational events
  • Other tasks related to the operation of the reserve
Note: The tasks may vary. They depend on factors such as number of volunteers, weather, season, current needs of the project, as well as self-motivation. Not every volunteer may be fully involved in all these tasks.

Free-time activities

The nature reserve is about 90 km west of Quito in the foothills of the Andes. The terrain extends over altitudes between 1100 and 2000 meters. It is only about 100 km to the center of Quito, but due to the many bends in the mountains, despite the well-developed roads, it takes about 2 hours by car. ..

Free-time activities

The nature reserve is about 90 km west of Quito in the foothills of the Andes. The terrain extends over altitudes between 1100 and 2000 meters. It is only about 100 km to the center of Quito, but due to the many bends in the mountains, despite the well-developed roads, it takes about 2 hours by car. However, the drive through the breathtaking mountain landscape with jungle is an experience in itself. For a weekend visit, Quito with its beautiful historical center (UNESCO World Heritage Site!), the many museums, pretty parks and plazas, is definitely worth a visit.

From the project site, about an hour's drive, you can find Santo Domingo. The town has about half a million inhabitants, and is the fourth largest city in Ecuador.

The Pacific can be reached in a four to five hour drive, where you can find beautiful sandy beaches, night life (e.g. in the popular holiday resort Canoa), good restaurants and surf schools - also a great option for a few days off.

The climate in the region of the nature reserve is warm and humid all year round, with temperatures between 16 and 30 degrees. Instead of the four seasons, there is a dry and a rainy season. The rainy season lasts from December to April. Don't worry, it will rain every day, but not all day long. In the dry season between May and November it rarely rains, but the climate is always moderately humid.

Usually the sun shines all year round in the morning and in the afternoon / evening clouds move over the forest, which is what the cloud forest owes its name to.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 17 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 17 years old on the program start date.

Language Skills

You need to speak Spanish (basic level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

CV and Volunteer Questionnaire

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by South America Inside

  • Shared room in Volunteer House
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Airport pick-up in Quito and overnight stay in Quito*
  • Advice from our experienced staff
  • On-going support via WhatsApp, phone or mail
  • Elaboration of your application profile in Spanish
  • Your placement in the volunteer project
  • Pre-departure information
  • Packing list
  • Country handbook
  • Intercultural guide
  • Orientation upon arrival
  • On-site volunteer coordinator
  • 24/7 emergency number
  • Advice on travel insurance
  • Certificate of participation

* The costs for the bus ticket to the project are not included.

Airport Pickup at Mariscal Sucre International Airport

Airport pick-up in Quito is included with one overnight stay in one of our homestay (twin room with breakfast, lunch, dinner). You will have an orientation session with our local volunteer coordinator. The next day you will continue your trip to the program site. The bus ticket from Quito to the project site is not included.

Accommodation

During your volunteer program you will stay in the volunteer house directly on the grounds of the nature reserve. Dormitories and shared bathrooms are available in the typical local wooden house. The cozy house has its own kitchen, a dining room and a nice outside area.

And what would a stay in South America be without hammocks for a nice siesta? You can also find them in the volunteer house, so that everything is provided for the right mix of work and relaxation.

The volunteer stay includes full board. Since a lot comes straight from the garden to the table, you will likely reap what you find on your plate at lunch during your morning work - a great feeling! 

Alternative meals for those with special dietary needs can be prepared upon request.

Food & Beverages

The volunteer program includes daily breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ecuador. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Ecuador provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Ecuador you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ecuador. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

Check-in at the project site is always on a Monday. Always full weeks are charged from Monday to Sunday. Volunteers need to start the program with an orientation session in Quito with our volunteer coordinator. Overnight stay(s) in Quito in a Homestay (twin room, full-board) is included. Please keep in mind that therefore the minimum stay is 2 weeks + 1 day.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 1,004€
3 weeks 1,140€
4 weeks 1,277€
5 weeks 1,413€
6 weeks 1,550€
7 weeks 1,686€
8 weeks 1,823€
9 weeks 1,959€
10 weeks 2,096€
11 weeks 2,232€
12 weeks 2,369€
24 weeks (max. stay) 4,006€
Average fees 334€/week

Program fees

334€ per week 2 - 24 weeks Age 17 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 24 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with South America Inside during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

South America Inside

Perfect 4.6 rating (128 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2003

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Marion

Spoken languages: Spanish, English, German

About the project

South America Inside promotes intercultural, linguistic and educational exchanges. Its volunteer programs are addressed to students, professionals and retirees.

Meet your organization

South America Inside is an intercultural management agency, founded back in 2003, which specializes in the promotion of programs abroad, language travel and educational programs throughout Latin America.

Since 2007, to enrich the experience of our global-minded clients and to provide them with even more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding their program offerings throughout South and Central America.

Working together with some of the best language schools in Latin America, South America Inside provides high quality language courses in almost every Latin American country.

Thanks to a professional team of motivated and friendly staff, South America Inside has been very successful over the past several years and have been able to establish an outstanding network of what we call "Insider Contacts." To enrich the experience of their clients and to provide them with more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding our program offerings throughout Central and South America, in addition to our well-established Chilean programs.

Volunteer Work

Do you dream of staying abroad while doing something positive? Are you looking for a unique experience that will leave a mark on your life? Then a Volunteer Work program in South America or Central America is perfect for you!

With South America Inside you can combine an adventure abroad with social commitment, and create lasting memories in Latin America. Support the protection of endangered species; help a local community construct new homes; give new hope to impoverished children.

The possibilities to lend a hand are diverse, as there are the many places where help is needed. We have classified our volunteer projects in different areas so you can easily find the one (or more!) projects that best match your needs and interests.

Why with us

There are many persuasive reasons that speak in favor of South America Inside when it comes to selecting your perfect provider of language, study and volunteer travel abroad. Following, we have prepared a short summary so that you can get us to know a little better.

Our Insider benefits at a glance:

  Regional Experience
Over one decade (established in 2003) of dedication to language, work and study travel programs in Latin America. Thanks to our long standing work and life experience in the South American continent, we know this region really well. Therefore, we can help and inform you in a professional and competent way.

  Multifaceted Offers
Over time we have developed new programs to offer a wide array of work abroad opportunities to our clients. We have been pioneers in launching new exchange programs, as we have been the first in offering Work & Travel/Working Holiday and Farm Stays in Chile and successfully introduced these programs into the market back in 2005. Since 2012, we are the only agency to offer this type of program in Costa Rica.

  Insider Advice
Despite living in the modern era of the internet, we know that reliable and competent advice is still an important criterion for most of us. At South America Inside, you will find the benefits of an internet provider and an independent travel agency. We will be glad to pass on our extensive knowledge and regional experience.!

  Location
It is difficult to run programs when there is nobody “on the ground” to evaluate existing options and search for new opportunities. So, we are located in Chile, on location, and we know everything that is going on first hand. We know what it is like to live as a foreigner in South America and will be happy to assist you in making your stay unforgettable!

  Independence
South America Inside is an independent provider of language courses, internships, volunteer work, Farm Stays and Work & Travel programs in Latin America. We neither depend financially nor structurally on any other company, language school, association or organization. Therefore, we are able to give personalized information in accordance to your needs and availability.

•  Multilingual Team

Our team is multilingual and international! We speak fluent English, Spanish and German, as well as some French and Portuguese. With our customers, we can communicate in their native language and we avoid misunderstandings with local partners by communicating in Spanish with them. You can be sure that there will be an English-speaking contact person for you before, during, and after your stay.

  Customer Service
Excellent customer service is one of the most important goals for South America Inside, and this is evident with the positive feedback we regularly receive from our many happy clients. Emails are answered within 48 business hours and every client is treated with the same friendliness and expertise.

  Gapless and Accurate Information flow
With South America Inside you will have one and the same contact person before, during and after your trip. With that said, we guarantee a gapless and accurate information flow and you will always be very well informed.

  Approved Program Places
Many of our program places, especially in the area of internships and volunteer work, are designed in the way that they will be recognized by most universities, colleges or academies.

128 reviews · rating4.6

Mattia Malfanti rating5

2024 at Countryside School Assistant

Very good location and people. Really good organization and people are really hospitable. Peumal is a really good alternative school. I sincerely advice if you want help in an alternative school to go ...
Regina N. rating5

2024 at Help Stray Dogs

Die Arbeit gefällt mir sehr gut! Ich bin super reingekommen und fühle mich sehr wohl 🙂 Die Menschen sind sehr offen und freundlich! Herzlichen Dank! ...
Nathalie K. rating5

2024 at Local Wildlife Helper

Everything is alright. The family host in San José is very kind. I visited San José yesterday. This morning I arrived at the rescue center and it's amazing! It beautifull, the animals are so cute. And the volonteers are very friendly. Thanks for everything and have a good ...
Alex S. rating5

2024 at Help Stray Dogs

Mir geht’s prima. War ein langer Tag, bin daher auch gut kaputt 🙂 Sowohl Spanischkurs als auch die Arbeit im Tierheim machen sehr viel Spaß! Ich muss zwar all das bisschen, was ich an Spanisch kann, zusammenkratzen, um durch den Tag zu kommen, aber das wird sicherlich besser mit der Zeit ...
Stacey Garratt rating5

2024 at Local Women Empowerment Supporter

I have been travelling for 7 months in total and just had the most wonderful experience in Ecuador. I can confidently say in the last 6 weeks I have created my favourite memories of this journey in an all-encompassing way. Firstly, the program itself was incredible, I constantly felt supported, ...
Gabriel P. rating5

2024 at Community Worker for Children

Letzten Mittwoch bin ich in Libera gelandet. Die Reise war relativ lang und mit Verspätung. Nach 15 Stunden bin ich dann im Hostel angekommen. Ich brauchte einen Moment um mich dran zu gewöhnen. Ich blieb bis am Sonntag in Liberia und habe auch dort schon Leute kennen gelernt 🙂 Am Sonntag ...

Location


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Contact Marion
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Spanish, English, German

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