Best Four Weeks of my Life

Volunteering at Taricaya with Projects Abroad was one of the best months of my life. From the hands on activities to the supportive staff, I could not have asked for a better experience! It was amazing to be able to meet so many people from all over the world and to work with them to further the conservation of the rainforest.

All of the staff was so knowledgeable and ready to teach the volunteers everything they could. I learned so much not only about the Peruvian rainforest and animals that live there, but also about cultures and languages from all over the world. When we weren’t doing activities, the staff was more than happy to talk about their experience and what they have learned over the years and even sometimes gave lectures about their specialties.

The accommodations and food were great as well. Granted, they may have taken some getting used to, but the bungalows come to feel like home before long. I would recommend picking up some food in town if you are used to having snacks- but there is always a bowl of fruit and bread and jam to eat if you get hungry.

The weekends were a great time to go into town to get wifi and a change of pace. The staff is very helpful in getting you checked into a hotel and giving recommendations of things to do and places to eat. A few friends and I even took a weekend trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu and the staff was very helpful in the planning process and in giving recommendations for where to go and stay and the best ways to go about getting to Machu Picchu.

All in all, I would not trade my month at Taricaya with Projects Abroad for anything! It was absolutely an amazing month and I learned so much! If you’re interesting in the rainforest and are okay with not living in 5-star conditions and doing some manual labor this trip is definitely for you. I would recommend volunteering at Taricaya in a heartbeat! Oh, but don’t forget DEET because you can’t buy any good stuff there.