Off to GUATEMALA

tarantulabarn · #1 (**permalink**) 15-01-2009, 08:58 PM

Decided today that i am off to GUATEMALA to do a 2 week volunteer help at the local animal refuge, Havent decided on a date yet, depends how the sales at shows go but probally be around September time.
Be good if a few of us could go???
These are the trip details
main cost is the Flight

Volunteers also help out in other areas such as helping prepare meals and although the working day is a long one, a lengthy afternoon siesta and a floating deck for afternoon swims on the lake make the adjustment easy.

Working as a coastal ecology volunteer you may be involved in many different areas from assisting turtle hatchlings to be released, construction of facilities at this new research station, environmental education to local school children, mangrove reforestation, caiman and iguana breeding programme and community projects to improve living conditions of local disadvantaged communities.

Here for those interested there will be many opportunities to gain valuable skills in research, improve your
Spanish and implement your own ideas.

AT A GLANCE

Age:18yrs+

Accommodation:Lakeside animal refuge: spacious volunteer house on site
Coastal ecology project: basic volunteer accommodation or homestay

Meals:Provided
Working hours:Variable depending on need

Language:English widely spoken by project staff and volunteers although some basic Spanish will enhance individual experience
Minimum stay:2 weeks

Projects operate:All year round. Turtle season June-December.
When to apply:3-4 weeks before intended arrival

Costs:£85 pw (animal refuge volunteer) Summer places now full
£47 pw (coastal ecology volunteer) Summer places still available

THIS PROJECT IS IDEAL IF ONE OF MORE OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO YOU

Are thinking about a long stay but are unsure about committing at this stage
Want to learn Spanish in a friendly and supportive atmosphere
Would like a comfortable introduction to living and working in Latin America
Are travelling alone

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAME

Induction and training on arrival
Accommodation and meals: animal refuge
Accommodation basis only :coastal ecology project
On site 24/7 support
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.
Most volunteers make their own way to the projects after arriving in Guatemala City.

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.

ANIMAL REFUGE VOLUNTEER

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

tarantulabarn · #2 (**permalink**) 16-01-2009, 11:37 PM

got 5 so far going, hopefully have a live blogg going while we are there

tarantulabarn · #3 (**permalink**) 20-01-2009, 01:09 PM

Final Quotes for this trip are
volunteer agency registration £195 ( covers you for 12 months, go as often as you like and they organise everything except flights)
Flights Heatrow-New York-Miami-Guatemala £395 including taxes (current rates)
Accomodation and food £94
So all in £684 for two weeks
and up to about 10 people now
Check the site out, i traweled the internet for weeks and this was the best one i found
Original_Volunteers
Cut off date for deciding is July but the sooner we know how many the better as we are getting free Tshirts (as we will probally be living in shorts and tshirts for the 2 weeks)

Gaboon · #4 (**permalink**) 20-01-2009, 01:30 PM

Sorry havent read the thread but whats the agency? I looked into doing some caiman and sea turtle conservation not so long ago.

Gaboon · #5 (**permalink**) 20-01-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaboon

Sorry havent read the thread but whats the agency? I looked into doing some caiman and sea turtle conservation not so long ago.

Im pretty sure your using the same agency. They have a few facebook groups which may be handy for you if you wanna meet people who are already going.

tarantulabarn · #6 (**permalink**) 20-01-2009, 02:03 PM

yeah have seen that, we are going to have a live feed each day at a set time for updates for nayone that is interested as well, not sure where or on what forum yet though

tarantulabarn · #7 (**permalink**) 20-01-2009, 05:50 PM

just managed to do a deal with the agency, as we will probally only do one of these a year they have given us a huge discount on the registration, this is what they sent me
Rather than £195 each....
Original Volunteers
Volunteering has never been as affordable or flexible
www.originalvolunteers.co.uk

Dear Steve,

Thanks for the interest.
For a group we charge the following:

£100 one-off admin fee per team member
Named leaders register free*
*max 1 leader per 4 volunteers

Example A:
For a group of 10
8 pay £100
2 register free

Example B:
For a group of 7
6 pay £100
1 registers free (even if there is more than 1 leader)

Please note that for groups the usual registration fee terms do not apply.The above registration fee is a once-only fee for the chosen project and does not apply to further volunteering the group or any individuals may make at a later time.

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