- October 2023 -
Volunteer Work in Conservation and Eco-Tourism
(Ecuador)
I simply loved my stay at this Conservation volunteer project in Ecuador. It was a breath of fresh air. It’s a somewhat long trip to arrive at the top of the mountain in Nanegal where the EcoLodge resides, but it is so worth the trek.
As a volunteer, every morning we woke at 7 or so to eat breakfast, and soon after breakfast we were told what the work tasks for that day would be. The tasks that I worked on included: painting a newly constructed fence, digging trails, weeding around coffee plants, cooking and helping wash dishes, and making sugarcane on the sugarcane plantation. We hiked to various work spots every day, so it was a physically demanding job—be prepared for lots of walking and hard physical work. That said, I am sure that the family who runs the EcoLodge would allow you to do less taxing tasks if you weren’t up for that much exertion. The plant and animal life was just stunning—so different from North American ecosystems. My favorite part was just hiking around the area and taking photos of the woods. The locals are very knowledgeable about the ecosystem and the history of the land: most of them have spent their whole lives in this region.
As far as language goes, I am a beginner Spanish speaker. I was able to get by, but I would have benefitted from practicing with native Spanish speakers a bit more before I arrived. There were a couple of locals who spoke a little English, though, so even if you don’t speak much Spanish at all, it’s not a huge problem.
I found the accommodations very comfortable. We were fed well, and it was clear that the cooks made an effort to lean toward Western cuisine while weaving in traditional Ecuadorian foods. Everyone was incredibly helpful and friendly, and the rooms were small but comfortable—with beautiful wood paneling. There is no electricity at the EcoLodge, so every night I read my book by candlelight, which I loved.
One thing that deceived me was the temperature. I thought that being in the cloud forest would mean that it’s very hot and humid, but it was actually quite cool, especially in the evenings. Pack long pants and shirts and a sweatshirt. Also rubber boots are very helpful because this is a muddy place!
This EcoLodge is run by a small family and therefore the experience was very intimate and community-oriented; this was my favorite attribute of the EcoLodge. The family emphasized that the volunteer work done is essential to the EcoLodge’s existence—it simply wouldn’t run without volunteers. This made me feel like my work was worthwhile to them, but I still felt like the family gave so much more to me than the other way around.
I felt so grateful and honored to have spent 2 weeks at this EcoLodge, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested and likes this sort of trip. Buen viaje!