This was one of the most fantastic experiences I have ever had. At first I was a bit anxious about volunteering in a foreign country where I didn’t know anyone, but the staff at IVHQ and the local team answered all of my questions before going and provided excellent online preparation.

All the documentation that needed to be completed before travelling was laid out very clearly, and the volunteer handbook does a terrific job of describing what to expect. I felt completely safe and supported the whole time I was on site.

Our local team frequently got together for meals and other activities so I felt like part of a team, but what I loved most was living with a local family and being part of the community. I was able to make a difference through my volunteer work, and at the same time I was able to experience personal growth through my connections with my hosts.

Most of the volunteers at my location were university students, but there were a few like myself who are either retired or close to retirement. My only regret was that I didn’t know about IVHQ sooner! I will definitely be volunteering again.

I had a wonderful experience from the first application to the follow up emails after returning home. I worked at the Galapagos Giant Tortoise breeding center for 4 weeks. My fellow volunteers are now friends for life. The work involved preparing food for the tortoises, feeding them, and cleaning lagoons feeding platforms and corrals. We searched for baby tortoises in the adult corrals, and then helped weigh, measure, and mark them. We also helped keep the grounds tidy with planting and trimming hedges. We raked the gravel areas and swept sidewalks. I took advantage of most of the tours on Isabella, and enjoyed the stay with my host family, despite my limited Spanish. IVHQ and the local organization were extremely supportive, so I was well prepared, and supported when small issues arose.

Hi all!
I was there volunteering for the sea turtle project over the course of 2 weeks in January. I have to say this is so far my absolute favorite place but it has kicked off my travel bug. It is incredibly safe with a island population of 2,500 people. The project consisted of relaxing beach walks in the morning and night looking for nests as well as beach clean ups and giving the beach a much needed refresher. With new land marks indicating different sections of the beach. During my free time I surfed a few times with the very friendly locals as well as amazing snorkeling with seals, turtles, and yes PENGUINS. All in all this was such a fun trip. Anyone who is thinking about going go to the Galapagos all I can say is DO IT you won't regret it.

I would recommend this program to anyone that is interested in traveling abroad. It was lifelong dream of mine to go to the Galápagos Islands and this program gave me that and more.
The volunteering application is a very easy process. Once accepted into the program it becomes a little bit more time consuming, but if you read the program guide completely it is really fairly easy. If you do have problems, the staff is very knowledgeable and willing to help. They are also very good about returning phone calls promptly. They also email you with information that needs to be completed as you get closer to your departure wherever that may be.
Once on the project the accommodations at the volunteer house were fairly good for me. My only complaints were there were too many cockroaches in the common area, none in my room. Also it was way too hot in the common area because the air conditioner was not working. The air conditioner in my room did work, so overall it was okay. The food selection could have been better, but overall it wasn’t bad.

I was expecting good moments in Galapagos, but it was even better.
The destination is amazing and the support from IVHQ makes it way easier to enjoy.
It was secure, but thrilling at the same time, 7 weeks was a perfect amount of time and Ivhq was always around to help me
I saw pinguins, flamingos, sharks, turtles and tortoises, I hiked in a Volcano and learn how to dive.
The sunsets were amazing, and I was able to meet amazing people
Overall, I highly recommend going to galapagos for volunteering.
Trust me is a once in a lifetime experience

It was a great way to immerse oneself into the community and learn about the people and environment within a limited period of time. The IVHQ team was very helpful in coordinating everything and offered great advise and help prior to the programme. The programme was fun, flexible and helped to create a sense of belonging both to the community and the help we were rendering. It’s also a great way to meet friends and likeminded people.

The host family is probably the best way to experience the Galapagos as you get to strengthen your Spanish, taste local food made by locals, and learn so much about the community from the people themselves.

The best few weeks of my life! Not only did I contribute to preserving an endangered species, but I got to interact with so many animals that I never thought I could experience (turtles, penguins, sharks, rays etc) while living on the island. The volunteer work was challenging and fulfilling and everyone I worked with was friendly and open minded. The tourist side of my travels was exciting and life changing, there was so much to do and will never be forgotten. I would definitely go back and do it all again!

IOI, the volunteer organization on the Galapagos Islands, was absolutely outstanding. They provided realistic expectations and were so helpful and available during the entire time I was on the Galapagos Islands. The best parts were being embedded in the community by living with a host family, getting to know the students and community, as well as the other volunteers and the tourists I met on excursions. I loved being immersed in the natural wonders and beauty of the Galapagos Islands, on the land and in the sea. The most amazing thing to see was the ecology, the relationship among living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. This volunteer experience has changed my life for the better and I believe I have had a positive influence with students and the community in helping them to learn English a little better.