Jungle Expedition

A tip from experience: ask for the time off as early as you can — three months ahead is ideal — and combine your holiday with unpaid leave if you do not have enough days. Many participants found it helped to tell their employer they were joining a rainforest conservation project: that is a different request from “I want three weeks on a beach”. And if you are unsure whether it can be arranged, write to us and we will work it out together.

The group is big enough to feel like good company and small enough not to be an anonymous package tour. The age range is wide, from students to people of retirement age; what they share is the wish to pitch in. Most people come on their own and go home with friends — see the reviews below.

A fair question. The price covers your accommodation, food, transport around Ecuador, the trips and the coordinators' work, and because we are a nonprofit, whatever is left goes straight into protecting the rainforest. None of us makes money on volunteers; your participation supports the rainforest with both work and budget.

It rarely happens, but let us be straightforward about it: the coordinators are available to you the whole time and everything can be worked out, from adjusting the programme to an individual arrangement. And if anything comes up, we will always talk it through openly, before the trip and during it.

Travelling around Ecuador calls for a certain degree of caution, but mainly in the big cities. It always depends on the current political situation, which we monitor continuously. For most of the stay, however, we will be in the safe base of our eco-station El Refugio and working with local communities. An experienced coordinator is present on every expedition, taking care of your safety, navigation in the field and handling any situations that may arise.

If you stay within the area of our expedition and travel according to our instructions, you do not need any vaccinations. If you plan to explore other parts of Ecuador, consider vaccinations as recommended by a travel vaccination centre.

The Amazon is home to many fascinating species. During the stay we will teach you how to move around the environment safely. The animals are naturally shy and avoid people. Insects are a normal part of life in the jungle — we use natural repellents and preventive measures.

A basic level of fitness is an advantage, but not a requirement. You can expect walking over terrain, working with tools and life in the jungle — nothing an ordinarily active person couldn't handle. We lead each group at a pace that matches its abilities.

You will fly into Guayaquil. From there you will take a bus to Cuenca (the recommended option), where our coordinator will pick you up, and together you will continue to Gualaquiza and the eco-station. We will help you plan the route and recommend reliable connections.

No. There is a multilingual team on site and you can get by in English as well. Spanish is a nice advantage, but by no means a requirement.

Yes — most participants come on their own. The group bonds quickly and friendships for life are often formed here. We send you all the practical information before departure and are happy to answer anything else you need.

Besides an open mind, we have a few recommendations. Nothing is mandatory and most items can be bought in town.

• Sleeping bag (comfort temperature 0 °C or lower)
• Headlamp / torch
• Reusable water bottle
• Earplugs
• Towel
• Adapter (US-type sockets)
• Eco-friendly toiletries
• Natural repellent (DEET-free — not available for purchase locally)
• Personal medication (we recommend antihistamines, something for insect bites, stomach issues…)
• Vitamin B12 and supplements, if you take them
• Power bank
• Waterproof bags / dry bag
• Small backpack for day trips
• Clothing preferably in natural colours that doesn't attract the animals' attention
• Lightweight hiking trousers
• Short- and long-sleeved shirts and t-shirts
• Warm layers (hoodie, poncho, jacket) — at an altitude of 1,700 m the nights can be cooler
• Thermal underwear
• Swimwear
• Scarf or hat
• Several pairs of hiking socks
• Comfortable shoes or sandals
• Rubber boots (available at the station or can be bought in town)
• Sturdy raincoat

At the eco-station we cook for ourselves most of the time. We eat a mostly plant-based diet with vegetarian options available. On trips to town we eat in local restaurants, where typical local dishes are widely available (rice, fish, beans, vegetables, plantains…).

We recommend bringing vitamin supplements (especially B12) and your favourite energy bars or snacks.