michelinesbury

Hi all,

I'm heading to Ecuador this winter and have been looking for legit volunteering opportunities, especially anything near or in the Amazon region. I'm most passionate about animal welfare, but would also be interested in farming/construction/conservation projects that have real value. I've found some good opportunities on www.helpx.net and feel lucky that I read the warnings about the agencies that charge way too much just to hook you up with a place you could have contacted directly and paid directly.

I'm wondering if anyone has had a good experience in Ecuador in the past, or has any websites/non-profits they would recommend. I've been to Quito, Cuenca and the Amazon in the past so I'm not a total newbie to the country/culture/language.

Thanks!
Ryan

fly7b2

A few years back a buddy of mine stayed at a host family's house in Latacunga and worked on their farm for a few months and was able to travel on the weekends. I went down to visit toward the end of his time there and we traveled Ecuador for a few weeks. His host father was from the Netherlands and spoke fluent Spanish, English and Dutch.

Cost was nothing, just labor. They gave him a room and fed him. Weekend travel was on him, obviously. He even earned credit! It was a great experience.

They don't have a website, so it depends how "legit" you're looking for this to be on paper. Some of my best experiences have not come from websites or agencies, so I'm a little biased!

michelinesbury

Thanks fly7b2 - I'd definitely be interested in pursuing that if you have more information. I don't necessarily need a website, etc - word of mouth is just as valuable to me.

Cheers,
Ryan

ldsant

Spent 3 months in Ecuador last year. There is a wonderful CLOUD forest that accepts volunteers. There were quite a number of students doing work there and receiving college credit. If you are from the US remember that the visa restrictions are kind of strict. You have 90 days as a visitor every 365 days.

Loved Ecuador - seriously life changing for me.