Volunteer in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador with CRACYP

Volunteer in the Galapagos Islands

Volunteering in the Galapagos is a cheap way to see the famous islands and their unique wildlife, you might think - better than a bargain tour or economy Galapagos cruise, you'll get subsidised or discounted flights to the Galapagos as a conservation volunteer.... perhaps even free!

Working holidays in the Galapagos are actually rather different. The islands are far off the Ecuadorian coast; shipping supplies in is costly and flights are not cheap. Volunteers can unwittingly introduce destructive new species and accidentally harm island habitats. The Galapagos environment needs protection and money from tourism (and volunteering) is what funds this.

Galapagos volunteer opportunities do exist and can be very worthwhile. However, Galapagos volunteering is not cheap. You'll almost certainly have to contribute to project costs. A return flight from Europe to Quito or Guayaquil and on to the Islands will probably cost at least £1000/$2000. Once there, everything is around twice as expensive as on the mainland, so you'll probably get through another £600/$1200 in a month. And that's without any kind of Galapagos cruise or tour, though of course you will see some of the unique wildlife and most volunteer opportunities will give you some free time in the islands.

If conservation of the Galapagos Islands' unique ecosystems genuinely interests you, and you can afford to volunteer, search around to find the best volunteering experience for you, considering your skills, experience and interests. (Do spell it correctly when searching: it is not Galapogos, Galopogas, Galopogos nor Golopagos but GALAPAGOS, and the islands are in ECUADOR, not Equador....)

If Galapagos Islands volunteering is beyond your budget, you could make your money go much further by volunteering in mainland Ecuador - see CRACYP's Ecuador volunteer opportunities for some bargain options. You may be surprised at the diversity you can experience there: wildlife, birds, flowers, volcanoes, beaches, snow-capped mountains and over 20 different ethnic groups. There are many opportunities to volunteer on conservation projects throughout Ecuador, though you will need to speak at least a little Spanish to get the most from your volunteering experience.

Volunteering with CRACYP's community ecotourism project in the tropical foothills of the Andes is a very economic option in a beautiful and unspoilt part of Ecuador, provided that you have some Spanish language skills.

CRACYP's Galapagos conservation project will help protect the delicate ecosystems and unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, which you can visit as part of our new luxury Ecuador tour.

Volunteer for Green Progress in the Galapagos Islands
No free flights, not a cheap alternative to a Galapagos cruise,
but volunteering for genuine sustainable development, conservation and reforestation with CRACYP, on a working holiday protecting the unique environment of the Galapagos Islands.