Impact Surf Camp

location
1 - 4 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Good 4.2  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Get know surfing hotspots in Lisbon and Sintra area
  • Meet other like-minded volunteers from all over the world
  • Give back to nature by joining our beach and forest cleanups

Highlights

  • Get know surfing hotspots in Lisbon and Sintra area
  • Meet other like-minded volunteers from all over the world
  • Give back to nature by joining our beach and forest cleanups
  • Have fun in beautiful Lisbon
  • Discover the wonders of the Portuguese Capital


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Join our surf camps on Portugal's stunning beaches. Ride waves, clean up beaches and forests, and preserve our coastline. Make waves and surf with impact!

    Our Impact Surf Camp combines the excitement of surfing with the mission of environmental conservation. Set on Portugal's breathtaking beaches, this program offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the thrill of surfing while actively participating in beach, forest, and city cleanups.

    What to Expect:

    • Surfi

    About the program

    Our Impact Surf Camp combines the excitement of surfing with the mission of environmental conservation. Set on Portugal's breathtaking beaches, this program offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the thrill of surfing while actively participating in beach, forest, and city cleanups.

    What to Expect:

    • Surfing: Learn and perfect your surfing skills on some of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced surfer, our instructors will help you catch the best waves.

    • Environmental Activities: Engage in meaningful conservation work by cleaning beaches, forests, and urban areas. You’ll collect trash, separate recyclables, and help preserve our precious coastline.

    • Awareness Campaigns: Raise awareness about environmental conservation and promote sustainable practices within the local community.

    Daily Tasks:

    • Surfing Lessons

    • Cleanup Activities

    • Trash Collection

    • Plastic Separation and Correct Disposal of the Trash 

    • Awareness Campaigns

    Why Join?

    • Surf and Protect: Enjoy surfing while contributing to the preservation of Portugal’s natural beauty.

    • Gain Environmental Insight: Learn about sustainability and conservation practices.

    • Build Community: Connect with like-minded individuals and make a positive impact together.

    Ready to Make a Difference?

    Typical day

    A Typical day would be:

    After the initial orientation, you will have a morning or afternoon shift at your placement and will work for approximately 3 to 5 hours per day. Please note that start times and daily workload depends on the project that you are participating in. A typical morning schedule is ...

    Typical day

    A Typical day would be:

    After the initial orientation, you will have a morning or afternoon shift at your placement and will work for approximately 3 to 5 hours per day. Please note that start times and daily workload depends on the project that you are participating in. A typical morning schedule is as follows:

    08:00 | Breakfast begins at Impact Beach House, available until 10 am

    09:00 | Travel to Surf placement followed by beach/forest/city clean up and begin work on your project (if moning shift) OR Enjoy your free morning as you wish or to attend Portuguese languages lessons 
                                                                        
    13:30 |  Lunch is served at the accommodation until 3 pm
                         
    15:00 | Travel to Surf placement followed by beach/forest/city clean up and begin work on your project (if afternoon shift) OR Enjoy your free afternoon as you wish or to attend Portuguese languages lessons 

    19:00 | Dinner at the volunteers' accommodation with the other volunteers. After dinner, you will have the remainder of the evening free to relax and use as you wish

    Please note that the actual schedule can change according to the waves.


    Free-time activities

    Explore Lisbon, a city of contrasts, where historic charm meets modern vibrancy, offering endless adventures from mountains to beaches!

    Enjoy climbing in Arrábida, festivals all around the summer, diving in Peniche, Hiking in Monsanto, visit some of the best museums in Europe in Lisbon and Porto, ...

    Free-time activities

    Explore Lisbon, a city of contrasts, where historic charm meets modern vibrancy, offering endless adventures from mountains to beaches!

    Enjoy climbing in Arrábida, festivals all around the summer, diving in Peniche, Hiking in Monsanto, visit some of the best museums in Europe in Lisbon and Porto, join for a Horse ride at the beach (like in the movies!), visit the fantastic zoo in the Capital, join a great variety of sports at your choice, enjoy swimming and water sports at the pool or at the beach (warning: the water is cold) and participate in yoga classes in relaxing places.

    We are here to make your leisure time in Lisbon truly unforgettable – a journey of discovery, excitement, relaxation and sustainable and responsible traveling awaits!


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Education Requirements

    at High school level

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    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 from 09:00 - 18:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by ImpacTrip

    What’s included?


    • Pick up at the international airport in Lisbon & transfer to the accommodation - on Sunday 

    On Sunday, the ImpacTrip team will be at the airport waiting for you with a big sign and a smile on our face! :)

    If you arrive prior to the Sunday, you will still be able to receive an airport pickup and our team can transport you to the accommodation, but you will need to pay an extra fee for this service.

    • Accommodation at a dormitory at an impactful hostel (female dormitory, or mixed dormitory)
    • Three meals a day everyday: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Local style. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and meals for lactose-intolerant are also available upon request)
    • Shared use of a common room, outdoor area, garden, and free WIFI
    • Orientation event on arrival (including an introduction to Portugal and culture, volunteer experience, an overview of programs, practical information, safety guidelines)
    • SIM card
    • Guided city tour
    • The best tips to discover the city!
    • Allocation and coordination of a work placement in an impactful non-profit project
    • Introduction on the first day of volunteering
    • Ongoing support throughout the stay
    • 24h/7 emergency support
    • Limited coverage civil liability insurance.

    Airport Pickup at Lisbon Portela Airport

    On Sunday, the ImpacTrip team will be at the airport waiting for you with a big sign and a smile on their face! :)

    If you arrive prior to Sunday, you will still be able to receive an airport pickup and our team can transport you to the accommodation, but you will need to pay an extra fee for this service.

    We will reach out to you by WhatsApp a few days before your start date to connect :)

    Accommodation

    Impact Beach House is a Hostel by the beach in Estoril, dedicated to Climate Action with a special focus on Ocean Conservation and Circular Economy.
    All the decoration of IBH is second hand or upcycled. Each object has its own story and is another step forward in our sustainability journey.

    Important notes about the accommodation:

    • Estoril is a beach town, a 30 min train ride from Lisbon city centre!

    • The hostel is a 5 min walk from the train station

    • It has dormitory-style rooms accommodating from 6-14 participants (single gender) and private rooms (available for upgrades upon request. 

    • Bathrooms are shared

    • Wi-fi is freely available in the hostel (and of course in many cafe's and restaurants)

    • There are big common areas to relax and meet other people from all over the world!

    Our dream is to inspire all travellers to embark on this sustainability journey with us and become "Changemakers"!

    Food & Beverages

    • All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are included on the program fees. 
    • Lunch and Dinner will include local staples such as fish and chicken, as well as rice, pasta, vegetables and salad.

      • The meals are prepared daily by professional cooks who use fresh local ingredients to offer volunteers the best of typical Portuguese dishes

      Portuguese food is delicious and during your time, you will be sure to receive some incredible treats.

      • Volunteers will have access to a shared kitchen that they can use to cook!
      • Breakfast is self-served at the accommodation and generally includes tea, coffee, bread, cheese, ham, spreads, cereal, yogurt and fruit

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) in Lisbon. We assist you to find cheap flights to Portugal. 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 Portugal provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

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

    Details on arrival

    This program starts every Sunday.

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

    Program fees

    1 week (min. stay) 1,190€
    2 weeks 1,770€
    3 weeks 2,350€
    4 weeks (max. stay) 2,930€
    Average fees 961€/week

    Program fees

    961€ per week 1 - 4 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    1 - 4 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 ImpacTrip during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    ImpacTrip

    Good 4.2 rating (70 reviews)

    Agency - founded in 2015

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Cristiana

    Spoken languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese

    About the project

    ImpacTrip is a social enterprise that promotes Responsible Travel Experiences in Portugal, Spain and Croatia.

    Meet your organization

    ImpacTrip is a social business internationally certified as B-Corp that promotes Responsible Travel Experiences in Portugal, Spain and Croatia.

    Founded in 2015 by two dedicated social entrepreneurs that want to change the way people travel, ImpacTrip aims at combining the best of travel with a positive social and environmental impact.

    We really want travelers to have the most unique and meaningful travel experiences.

    We offer short-term Travel Experiences across our country that allow you and other Responsible Travelers to connect with the locals, experience the culture and contribute in a positive way to the local communities.

    We also offer long-term volunteer programs in which you can dedicate 1 to 12 weeks volunteering for local non-profits for a specific cause while meeting people from all over the world.

    Since 2015 we've received people from over 50+ different nationalities that contributed with over 30.000 hours of volunteer work to support over 300 non-profits.

    70 reviews · rating4.2

    Lian Van Haaster rating1.4

    2024 at Impact Surf Camp

    I would not recommend the Impact Surf Camp program. I thought it was way too expensive for what you get in return. When I was there, early November 2024, I was the only one who had booked the Surf Camp program. At first it was cancelled the day before it started because of the weather, even though ...
    Alba Gala Torrero rating5

    2024 at Youth Supporter

    I recommend this experience to absolutely anyone, it was the best of my life. The first week my placement was in a Skatepark in Cascais, so I had to catch a train and then a bus. Although it was good and the commute was fine, I didn't feel comfortable at the beggining so I asked to switch to a ...
    Martin Hag rating3.6

    2024 at Environmental Scuba Diving

    The people working there were really supportive and genuinely wish for you to have a good experience. My first day was an introduction to the area, possibility to get help with the tickets for the public transports and a guided tour of Lisbon. They also have communication chats for you to contact ...
    Thomas Payne rating3.2

    2024 at Animal Care and Protection

    Honestly, I was surprised, when on the website it shows photos of so many dogs, animals, it turned out I was working at a cat sanctuary. It's not that I was disappointed by the cats, it was just a shock, and also, at points of the sanctuary I feel like I wasn't apart of it massively, there wasn't ...
    Isabel Hager rating2.6

    2024 at Environmental Scuba Diving

    Here’s a more formal and assertive version of your feedback: After months of requesting a detailed schedule for our diving experience, we only received the information after all payments had already been made. To pay €1,500 for a week, only to end up with just four dives, is completely ...
    Louise Rivet rating1.8

    2024 at English Teaching to the community

    Unfortunately, my experience was not the best one. The lodging was too far from the project; we had to travel almost two hours to get there. The classes were not organized. After one week, and following my request, I was assigned to a school which was fine but still one hour bus and metro to get ...

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    English, Spanish, Portuguese

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