Volunteering in Guatemala

Volunteer work in Guatemala offers two very different conservation projects in so you can experience the best of Central America whilst safeguarding the future of threatened species.

Volunteers can choose to work on one of two well established projects at a lakeside animal refuge or on the Pacific Coast making our volunteer projects in Guatemala an exciting combination of two very different locations.

By choosing to volunteer abroad in Guatemala as an animal refuge volunteer, you will be helping to feed and care for the parrots, macaws, howler monkeys and ocelots which were seized from smugglers and need considerable care and attention. Volunteers also help out preparing meals and although the working day is a long one, a lengthy afternoon siesta, a floating deck for afternoon swims on the lake and a town with all the usual facilities, shops and bars close by make the adjustment to voluntary work in Guatemala easy.

You could also volunteer in Guatemala on the Pacific coast as a coastal ecology volunteer. You could be performing night patrols and assisting turtle hatchlings to be released, constructing new facilities, organising environmental education, mangrove reforestation, assisting with a caiman and iguana breeding programme and community projects to improve local living conditions. Not without its challenges on this remote windswept stretch of coast, volunteer work in Guatemala on the Pacific Coast could be just the project to shake off the cobwebs!

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Animal refuge volunteer project

The setting for your placement in the interior is a 45 hectare lake side forest only 25 miles from the world famous Mayan ruins of Tikal. Long, thin dug out canoes still glide back and forth between the villages ferrying locals.

Coastal ecology volunteer project

This project's coastal placement is based on the pacific coast known as the the ‘Costa Sur'. This coastal region does not have the typical honky tonk feel of Central America but more a kind of south sea paradise where you can string up a hammock and spend a lazy afternoon doing nothing except taking it all in.

What's included in this programme

Animal refuge project: Accommodation and meals
Coastal ecology project: Accommodation on a self-catered basis
Please note: Pick-up and transfer is not included for either project although this can be arranged by a local tour company. There is an additional charge for this service. However, most volunteers outside of the busy volunteering season (July to August) make their own way to the projects after arriving in Guatemala City.

We consider this project ideal if you...

Are thinking about a long stay but are unsure about committing at this stage
Want to learn Spanish by working alongside Spanish speaking staff and local people
Would like a comfortable introduction to living and working in Latin America
Are travelling alone

Guatemala at a glance

Volcanoes, mountain lakes, jungles, tropical beaches and with a population that is mostly of Indian descent combine to make Guatemala a unique destination. The main attractions are the ruined Mayan cities overgrown by jungle, laid back Livingstone on the Caribbean coast, smoking volcanoes, isolated lakes, the white sands of the Atlantic coast, the dark volcanic beaches of the Pacific, the spectacular little-known ravines which crisscross the country such as the Rio Dulce among a long list of other attractions.

Climate: Temperatures are high throughout the year affected only by altitude and thus it is warmer near the coast and cooler in the highlands. The rainy season is between May and September.
Time difference from UK: GMT -6hrs