Volunteer in the Galapagos with IOI

Once-in-a-lifetime experience working at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre on Isabela Island. IOI put us under the care of the Galapagos National Park, and we worked for 6 weeks at the centre. It was a far cry from our usual jobs in the city, and felt a little bit like being a zoo keeper; feeding the tortoises, clearing the enclosures, cleaning the ponds, supporting park staff with daily tasks and more.

What a privilege to contribute to the conservation of these endangered species - every day we felt like our work was valuable, and I loved sharing my newly-acquired tortoise knowledge with visitors to the park.

We were close to nature the whole time, seeing flamingos, marine iguanas and mangroves on our walk to and from work, then working every morning next to the giant tortoises. In the afternoons we were free to enjoy Isabela island, from hiking the volcano to surfing the beaches and snorkelling offshore. Highly recommended.

Not really sure the impact my 3 weeks in the turtle walk program made and feel like I could have stayed in the Galapagos for less money, but without hesitation I give this program a 10/10 and highly recommend to anyone wanting to be more than just a tourist. Walking a beautiful beach every morning / afternoon with purpose is a wonderful feeling. With IOI you are instantly plugged into a local and volunteer community and can see first hand the value of all the different programs, which are efforts I gladly support. I deeply miss the splendor of this island and applaud the efforts of IOI!

I was doing the social media volunteering on Isabela island. This included the follow-up of different activities and documenting them for online purposes. As a ioi-volunteer you are also allowed to access areas that are forbidden for the public as for instance at the breeding center, which gives you a deeper insight of the work going on there. Further, i was also able to go up to the highlands for helping there a family with coffee harvesting and stuff, which was interesting and fun to do. If you plan to stay for a longer period, then you will also need to think about own projects I guess, my time was two weeks only which was fair enough to follow up the daily activities.

It seems that dreams are there to be made. My dream was to go to the Galapagos Islands to work with giant tortoises and discover this unique and wonderful place. So I gave the means to realize my dream and left for the adventure.

During one month, I had the opportunity to feed the tortoises at the breeding center, to see the birth of baby tortoises and even to measure them. Despite the prejudices about the slow speed of the turtles, taking care of giant tortoises is not that easy but always brings great moments and memories. Moreover the way to take to go to work is already an amazing experience as I met everyday about 15 flamingos, many marine iguanas and other lizards or birds on my 30 minutes walk.

I really enjoyed my free afternoons to visit the islands, to go on excursions around the island and to simply relax on the beach. This a very good rhythm that allowed me to discover a new culture and a new place while gaining professional experience in a wonderful environment.

The staff was great, always ready to help me. Living in a host family was a very nice experience as well to learn more about their culture and improve my Spanish skills. Working with giant tortoises is definitely a once in a lifetime experience!

I was able to volunteer for six weeks through IOI at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, and it was by far one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. IOI was extremely supportive and helpful leading up to my arrival and made every effort to ensure I had the best experience possible. Transitioning into life on Isabela was a breeze with the help of IOI and the welcoming community, and I was so sad to leave. Working with the giant tortoises was an adventure every single day, and I was able to work alongside the staff in taking care of the tortoises and collecting data for the National Park. The things I learned through this program translated so well into my university classes upon returning home, but the hands on experiences enhanced my education far more than my university lectures ever could. The staff at the breeding center were so knowledgeable and such amazing people to work with every day. Overall, I would highly recommend this program to anyone, and I hope I will have the opportunity to return in the future!

Volunteering at the hospital on Isabela Island in the Galapagos was one of the more enriching and rewarding experiences I've had. I was welcomed by the hospital staff and given many opportunities to help and observe the different healthcare procedures within the hospital. I felt fortunate to be trusted with many hospital tasks that I might not have had the opportunity to do back in the States. I gained valuable experiences in healthcare fields abroad and also learned a lot about community health by being immersed in such a small island population. I had an amazing time on Isabela and made livelong friends in the most beautiful and adventurous location possible. The Galapagos Islands gives you a sense of fearlessness that allows you to enjoy each day for what it is and grab all opportunities laid out for you. By volunteering through IOI I was able to enjoy this feeling and gained memories that I hope will stay with me for a lifetime.

I spent 3 weeks on Isabela Island in the Galapagos through this volunteer program, and it was the most rewarding experience I could have asked for. As a tiny community within a community, IOI makes the transition to island life easy, and the staff is very approachable. The locals and the staff at the hospital are also all welcoming, and the volunteer experience I received was invaluable. Because of the location and small scale size, I was given more responsibility than I would have been given in the states or other similar type of program. This allowed me to experience aspects of healthcare and learn skills that I would not have been able to anywhere else! The other volunteers you meet and local friends you make are long-lasting and the island lets you see/do things you couldn't imagine. I recommend this program to anyone looking for something totally different and I definitely hope to go back again one day!

I spent 3 weeks on Isabela Island in the Galapagos through this volunteer program, and it was the most rewarding experience I could have asked for. As a tiny community within a community, IOI makes the transition to island life easy, and the staff is very approachable. The locals and the staff at the hospital are also all welcoming, and the volunteer experience I received was invaluable. Because of the location and small scale size, I was given more responsibility than I would have been given in the states or other similar type of program. This allowed me to experience aspects of healthcare and learn skills that I would not have been able to anywhere else! The other volunteers you meet and local friends you make are long-lasting and the island lets you see/do things you couldn't imagine. I recommend this program to anyone looking for something totally different and I definitely hope to go back again one day!