Environmental volunteering abroad should be your next move—here’s why & how. Who hasn’t dreamt of being a superhero? Getting to fly around in a stylish cape and save the world, one evil villain at a time; that sounds pretty awesome. Well, you may be able to turn into a real life superhero if you decide to become an environmental volunteer abroad! Do your bit to slay illegal animal poachers in Africa, rescue wounded wildlife in South America, and protect the world against the worst villain of them all: climate change. All you’re missing now is the cape, but that could be arranged!
The world has sent out the Bat Signal: it’s time to live out your childhood dreams.
If you’ve been convinced and are now looking for environmental volunteer ideas, you have come to the right place, my friend! We’re here to tell you the A’s to your biggest Q’s, give you the lowdown on awesome programs, and get you excited for your life-changing trip to do your part to save the world. It may not be an instant fix to all of our problems, but you can feel good knowing that you’re making a positive impact while exploring a new corner of the planet!
FAQs on environmental volunteering abroad
1. Why should I participate in environmental volunteer work abroad?
A better question might be, why not?! There are so many great reasons to start environmental volunteering abroad! For one, you’ll get the chance to travel and explore somewhere you’ve never been before. Many programs also give you weekends off, so, if you’re sticking around for a bit, you can do some solo traveling around the area! Sweet!
You’ll also be doing a lot of personal and professional development and gaining some new skills and knowledge that look GREAT on a resume! Your communication and time management skills will improve, and you’ll learn a ton about the local environment and culture. Similarly, you’ll get the chance to make new connections and meet like-minded people. This could help you get a job down the road, or, at the very least, make some lifelong friends!
The people you meet while environmental volunteering abroad will probably be the best friends you ever make.
At the end of the day, the best reason to become an environmental volunteer abroad is to make a difference somewhere that needs it. If you’re willing to offer your time, money, and skills to a good cause, you’ll have good karma coming your way for a long time!
2. What are the requirements to become an environmental volunteer abroad?
- Age: Some programs require you to be at least 18 to join the program, with no age limit (I’m talking to you, Grandma!). But, there are even environmental volunteer opportunities for high school students! So, no worries, no one’s getting left out on this one!
- Health: Good health and physical fitness are pretty important for most programs, as you’ll be lifting, walking, cleaning, and doing physical labor much of the time. You will have slower days, but moderate fitness is ideal!
- Experience: Some require (or prefer) previous experience or training. These are for more specialized programs. For example, in the marine conservation program in Thailand, they can teach you how to dive, but, if you come with scuba diving qualifications, you can get hands-on right away!
- Language: Knowing the native language isn’t typically required, but it’s definitely a bonus that will help you get into the program and make your transition into the country a bit easier.
What’s the most important requirement? A passion for what you’re doing!
3. Where are the BEST places for environmental volunteer opportunities abroad?
South Africa
Full of beautiful landscapes, unique wildlife, and a thriving tourism industry, South Africa may seem like a great place to visit for a vacation, but there’s also a lot of environmental volunteer opportunities available. Invasive species, overpopulation, and overdevelopment have destroyed much of the country’s natural habitats, displacing animals and threatening the water supply. Poaching is also a big issue in South Africa, despite strict laws banning it.
Many volunteer efforts involve helping rescued animals, working on land reform and eco-friendly economic development, and protecting the land against climate change. There’s a lot to be done in South Africa!
Ecuador
With the Amazon Rainforest right at your doorstep, there’s no better place for conservation or environmental science than Ecuador. The Amazon is home to 10% of the world’s known species and 20% of the world’s water supply, but the forest is under threat due to deforestation. It’s a pivotal time to get involved and help stop deforestation in Ecuador, and across South America, before it’s too late.
Most of us hear about the devastation in the Amazon, but never realize that we can do something about it, so don’t miss your chance to do some environmental volunteer work right in the center of it all!
Any job that lets you work with animals all day is a-ok in our books!
Thailand
Thailand is an absolutely gorgeous country that’s definitely on the top of our bucket list! It’s known for its cheap cost of living, funky wildlife (We see you macaque monkeys!), and perfectly turquoise water, making it an excellent location to volunteer abroad.
The coral reefs on coastal Thailand are suffering from mass bleaching, caused by consistently warm ocean temperatures thanks to good ol’ climate change. This means many aquatic animals, including fish and sea turtles, are losing their homes, so most of your work in Thailand would including diving into that crystal clear water and helping out the turtles. Sounds horrible, right? <3
Costa Rica
If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, Costa Rica is a great option, especially for environmental volunteer opportunities for high school students! The country has been actively trying to combat climate change, deforestation, and animal extinction, so you’d be contributing to a well-established plan to protect their incredible biodiversity.
Many programs allow you to help injured animals, plant more trees, or patrol the coasts for illegal fishing and marine poaching, so you’ll definitely get hands on in Costa Rica and maybe brush up on your Spanish skills along the way!
Environmental volunteer opportunities will let you change the world, one tree at a time.
4. Where can I find environmental volunteer PROGRAMS abroad?
There are so many great programs out there, but, the best place to find and compare environmental volunteer programs abroad? We hear many people would recommend the #humblebrag. But, seriously, this is a great place to see ALL of the options available to you without having to filter through any scammy programs. You can get the details, read reviews, and even filter by country or duration if you already know what you’re looking for!
5. What types of projects does an environmental volunteer typically do?
Most programs will have you getting your hands dirty. Literally! That means maintenance work, like weeding, gardening, planting trees, cleaning up after animals, shooing away invasive species, and prepping animals food. But, sometimes you’ll be doing things a little less… messy, like tracking endangered or rehabilitated animals, scuba diving in coral reefs, or teaching about environmental issues at local schools! Boredom should never be an issue; you’ll find that no two days will look exactly the same at your placement!
All in a day’s work.
6. What are the potential downsides?
As wonderfully fun and rewarding as this work may be, we can’t write a list about everything you need to know about environmental volunteering abroad without including a few less sparkly items. Firstly, this sort of work can be physically demanding and emotionally taxing. It can involve long hours on your feet doing physical labor or constantly being around sick and injured animals. It won’t always be easy.
You may also deal with homesickness from being so far away from family, friends, and familiarity. It could be hard to stay in touch with people back home, depending on your program location. Your location will also determine what you have to pay, which may be more than you bargained for, but we’ll get more into that next (We’re sorry in advance).
At the end of the day, the important thing to remember is that you made a commitment to your chosen organization. Not pulling your weight or skipping work to call home or take a trip to the beach isn’t cool! There are SO many awesome things about environmental volunteering abroad, but keep these less-awesome bits in mind when deciding how long you want your placement to last.
Volunteering abroad can be hard work, but it’s totally worth it.
7. How much does it cost to participate in international environmental volunteering?
We regret to inform you that you won’t be able to volunteer abroad for free. Boo! But, if you’re looking to save your coins, there are still plenty of programs out there for you. Depending on location, duration, inclusions, and the nature of the work, you can find something for every budget. For example, International Volunteer HQ has a two-week program in Peru for about $330, but African Impact has a two-week program in South Africa for about $2,270.
This may seem like a pretty crazy price difference (you could buy, like, ten puppies with that extra $2,000!), but, keep in mind that more expensive programs tend to include things that cheaper ones do not. They usually provide things like housing, meals, training, or transportation, so they may be more financially viable than you think! Plus, the longer your placement lasts, the more affordable it gets! For example, Kaya Responsible Travel’s Ecuador program costs $3,000 for one month and $4,600 for two! It pays to stay!
No matter what program you decide on, try to focus on the impact you’ll have.
What are the best environmental volunteer programs abroad?
1. Animal Rescue and Conservation in Costa Rica with GoEco
If you spend your days chasing around spider monkeys, feeding green macaws, and cuddling baby tapirs at La Marina Wildlife Rescue Center, it’ll hardly even feel like work! That’s why this GoEco program is the perfect way to get involved in conservation abroad.
Most of your tasks will include preparing animal food, cleaning enclosures, maintaining trails, and talking to visitors, but your day will have no shortage of adorable animals from start to finish! The program also provides you with a host family living near the Center who can bring you to a local soda for a typical Costa Rican meal for about $2, show you around nearby cities, and teach you all the Costa Rican slang you’ll ever need to know! ¡Tuanis!
- More info: Read GoEco reviews
2. Diving and Marine Conservation in Thailand with Projects Abroad
Roll out of bed in your sun-drenched, beachside bungalow in Ao Nang to grab some breakfast before you head out on an all-day diving trip with your team, exploring coral reefs and swimming with sea turtles. Doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
This incredible program with Projects Abroad will bring you right to the heart of it all. Most of your tasks will include observing and analyzing reef damage and changes in the fish populations or checking out the health of the local mangroves. This will help Thailand figure out how to protect the wildlife from the dangers of increased tourism and climate change. This program is a dream come true!
- More info: Read Projects Abroad reviews
3. Amazon Rainforest Wildlife Rescue in Ecuador with Kaya Responsible Travel
After spending your week learning about and monitoring Amazonian animals rescued from abuse and animal trafficking, you might want to unwind a bit. Maybe a casual hike up Ecuador’s highest peak, 20,565 foot Mount Chimborazo? Or maybe a quick paragliding flight over the Andes mountains? Eh, you’ll figure it out! And Kaya Responsible Travel will surely help you out along the way!
Kaya staff will answer any questions you have and get you set up to rehabilitate some of the Amazon’s many talkative residents, like monkeys, parrots, and wild cats. Take it from a former volunteer: “I feel that my adventures have just begun and that I want to continue exploring and learning about new places in the world.” —Emily, Former Kaya Volunteer.
- More info: Read Kaya Responsible Travel reviews
4. African Big 5 & Wildlife Conservation in South Africa with African Impact
This program with African Impact is full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Getting to hang out with the notorious “Big 5” (lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo), as well as cheetahs and hyenas, is incredible in and of itself, but you’ll get to do way more than just the typical cleaning tasks.
You’ll learn about the individual animals’ histories, do research drives and bush walks to monitor the reserve, assemble data to identify animals, observe the nighttime movements of tracked predators, and learn about the fight against poaching in South Africa. Now that’s something that’ll impress your friends back home! This is one of the best environmental volunteer opportunities out there!
- More info: Read African Impact reviews
5. Holistic Community Development in Uganda with The Real Uganda
This program with The Real Uganda is a little different. Here, you’ll get to split your time between three worthy causes: organic farming, helping out in a rural clinic, and teaching local kids. There’s no better way to lend a hand in Uganda!
When farming, you’ll work with the local community to prepare the soil, plant seeds, and harvest crops, which is a great way to learn and share ideas. For the clinical work, you can provide testing, counseling, and prevention education, as well as help with the community sanitation programs. Finally, when you do your teaching placement, you can chose the subject matter, so why not teach the kids about what you’re passionate about: environmental conservation! Sounds awesome to us!
- More info: Read The Real Uganda reviews
[Browse ALL Environmental Volunteer Programs Abroad]
Now’s your chance to find meaningful environmental volunteer work abroad!
Real life superheroes do exist—you could be one if you decide to take on an environmental volunteer program abroad.
If you’re the kind of person with the innate desire to better the world and protect our amazing wildlife, then any environmental volunteer program would be lucky to have you. Hopefully, you’ll feel equally as lucky to get the opportunity to travel the world, do some good, and meet like-minded people who share the same passions. GoAbroad’s tips will help you get exactly where your inner voice is taking you.
So, go on! Become the superhero your childhood self would look up to! Run with rhinos and swim with sea turtles and plant perfectly-pickable peppers and do whatever else real life superheroes need to do!
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