Français
English
Sign up for an eco-volunteering trip to the Galápagos to help preserve a fragile ecosystem and contribute to the protection of endemic flora and fauna. See all our projects in Ecuador here.
Restoration of the endemic flora in the Galápagos
Head to the Galápagos to help preserve a fragile ecosystem and contribute to the protection of endemic flora and fauna. Be more than just a tourist visiting the Galápagos Islands simply to take stunning photos! Get involved in the lives of local communities and help promote environmental education as an eco-volunteer. This eco-volunteering programme offers you the chance to spend an extended stay on the famous Galápagos Islands.
More than 500 endemic species on the island of San Cristóbal
The island of San Cristóbal is situated approximately 960 kilometres from the South American mainland, in the Pacific Ocean. It is home to around 500 endemic plant species, as well as more than 700 introduced species. This biodiversity is the result of the convergence of the Humboldt, Cromwell and Panama currents.
In recent decades, the birth rate and the number of tourists visiting the Galápagos Islands have risen rapidly. This has led to an increase in demand for food and the expansion of agricultural land at the expense of the endemic flora.
Import of endemic plants
As the Galápagos Islands were unable to produce enough to meet the growing demand for food, the government had no choice but to authorise imports of fresh food from the mainland. This had disastrous consequences. Indeed, the arrival of new agricultural products brought with it non-native species that spread rapidly, as well as pests that are devastating the islands’ native flora and fauna.
Combating the spread of these species is a key part of the volunteer project on the Galápagos Islands, aimed at preserving the native flora and fauna. The project uses a variety of strategies to support these efforts.
- Disposal of imported plants
- Restoration of endemic flora
- Promoting a sustainable lifestyle
- Public education
- Working with the local community (e.g. construction projects, environmental education, English lessons, IT training, etc.)
Volunteers stay at an eco-friendly hacienda
Through this eco-volunteering trip, you will have a unique opportunity to discover the Galápagos and help protect these islands, which are legendary for their biodiversity. You will be staying at a hacienda that runs a 30-hectare organic farm situated within the Galápagos National Park.
Your work will involve removing non-native plants from the hacienda’s land. The introduction of non-native plant species has had a negative impact on the region’s flora, and this project aims to mitigate those effects. The results of previous volunteers’ work have been significant. Invasive plants have been carefully removed, and native plants have been grown in greenhouses before being planted outdoors. You will also be offered opportunities to take part in environmental education activities.
The tasks assigned to eco-volunteers
The volunteer’s tasks are varied and mainly focus on reforestation, research and community service. Here are some potential tasks:
- Eradication of introduced plants (Mora, Guayaba and Superroza)
- Afforestation using native plants
- Work in the greenhouse and gardens (sowing native plants / planting fruit and vegetables)
- Support for the local community (painting schools, cleaning beaches and parks, etc.)
- Support for teaching English, IT, sport, etc.
The work is physically demanding. Days start early with a hearty breakfast at 6.30 am to ensure people don’t work too hard during the hottest part of the day. After the afternoon’s work, volunteers are free to explore the island, relax in hammocks, have a nap or take a stroll around the harbour. Weekends are free.
Please note: tasks may vary. They depend on factors such as the number of volunteers, the weather, the season, the project’s current needs, and personal motivation. Not every volunteer may be fully involved in all of these tasks.
Dates
- All year round, minimum 2 weeks
Prices
- Application fee: €150
- Cost of the programme: €1,290 (for a minimum stay of 2 weeks + 1 day)
- Extra week: €370
Please note: Full weeks are always invoiced for the project from Monday to Sunday. Please always include an overnight stay in Quito for the introductory meeting.
Included in the price
- Shared room in the Volunteers’ House
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Meet and greet at Quito Airport and 1 night in Quito
- Presentation meeting in Quito
- Drop-off at Quito Airport for the flight to the Galápagos Islands
- Meet and greet at the airport on San Cristobal Island
- Issuing of residence permits in the Galápagos Islands
- Permission to stay in the Galápagos as a volunteer
- Professional advice in English
- Translation of your application documents
- Volunteering placement in Ecuador
- English-speaking support within the country
- Ecuador Manual
- Intercultural Guide
- 24/7 emergency number
- Information on suitable travel insurance
- Certificate of attendance
Not included in the price
- Flight tickets
- Travel insurance
Accommodation
Volunteers live together in the Hacienda’s Volunteer House. Full board, comprising three meals a day, is included. Vegetarian and vegan meals can be requested.
Location
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago comprising two main islands, one of which is San Cristóbal. The island has a harbour, an airport, a few small villages and a small town. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Galápagos, is situated in the south-western corner of the island.
Climate
The average daily temperature is 25 °C and remains constant throughout the year.
There are several tourist attractions near Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, including Cerro Tijeretas, home to a breeding colony of frigatebirds, and a statue of Charles Darwin, which stands on the spot where the naturalist first set foot on the Galápagos Islands, during the second voyage of the HMS Beagle. Just a ten-minute bus ride from the town, you can visit a colony of sea lions. Two nearby diving sites can be reached by boat thanks to local operators offering these trips.
In your spare time, you can admire the many sea lions, cliff crabs, shellfish, frigatebirds, mockingbirds, stingrays, Bahaman ducks, waterhens, Darwin’s finches, brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies and, last but not least, the famous Galápagos giant tortoises.
Tous les avis sur les missions South America Inside
The partner agency
The partner is an intercultural agency founded in 2003 by Marion, a German national living in Chile. Marion specialises in organising solidarity-based and participatory trips, eco-volunteering placements, as well as language courses and educational programmes throughout Latin America. This agency offers placements in Chile, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Ecuador and more. Whether you are a student, a professional or a retiree, these trips are designed for those who want to experience Latin America in a way that goes beyond simply being a tourist.
