Wildlife Sanctuary Volunteering in Ecuador

We have just had the most incredible experience volunteering at a wildlife sanctuary in Ecuador! Oyster Worldwide was endlessly helpful right from the get go with reassuring and consistent communication. We felt very looked after and in safe hands - thank you!

My 17 year old son had an amazing time in Ecuador! I was very nervous about him traveling alone, but all the directions and correspondence was amazing from start to finish. He loved the experience and is thinking about doing it again. I felt he was well taken care of, the directions were great and Kate Tipler my contact at Oyster was always very responsive and top of it. The person who picked him up at the airport was wonderful about sending me pics of him which I didn't expect and loved. He loved the experience of being there and met wonderful friends from around the world. Highly recommend!

Ecuador is amazing! I’m really enjoying my stay and constantly finding more stuff to do here. I have felt very welcome with the other volunteers and workers here. I am very grateful to be able to visit this beautiful part of the world!

As parents of a 17 year old, encouraging our son to go on a volunteering trip to Ecuador was a big decision, however, thanks to the professionalism and support of Oyster Worldwide it was a positive experience from start to finish. Kate was fantastic- always responsive, informative and reassuring, her support made the whole experience as stress free as it could be for us as parents. The project was everything we could have asked for and was a springboard for our son to go off alone to do some solo travelling. We can’t recommend Oyster worldwide highly enough - especially for parents who might feel wary about sending a teenager abroad.

Volunteering in a wildlife sanctuary in Ecuador through Oyster was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If you're considering this kind of experience but feel unsure—don’t be! Oyster was with me every step of the way, making sure I was well-prepared and supported from start to finish. Working with rescued animals in the heart of the rainforest was unforgettable, and I met some of the most incredible, passionate people I’ve ever known. The local team and fellow volunteers made it feel like a second family. If you’re looking for a life-changing adventure, I can’t recommend Oyster enough!

I just wanted to share how absolutely fantastic my trip was. It was filled with amazing experiences that I’ll never forget. One of the highlights was having the opportunity to train some of the animals, including a Tyra, which was an incredible learning experience. I also worked closely alongside the vet nurse, helping to support an unwell kinkajou—a truly rewarding moment that deepened my passion for animal care. Beyond the hands-on experiences, I had some wonderful dinners with the people I met during my stay, and we created lifelong memories together. The connections I made with both the animals and the people have left a lasting impact, and I genuinely feel I’ve made friends for life. All the transport arrangements were seamless, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I’m already looking forward to returning, hopefully within the next year! Thanks again for making this all possible.

Everything is going great here, I'm having a really lovely time. Everyone here is amazing and it's been such fun! I would definitely love to come back in my gap year, all the people are so friendly and the place is beautiful.

I can’t believe I’m nearly halfway through my trip already!! The animals here are amazing and the sanctuary is so beautiful. Life is certainly very different here and it took me a while to adjust but I feel really at home here now!! Monika is so lovely and welcoming and been so helpful in giving me all the information I need. The work here is hard but really rewarding when we get such a hands on experience with the animals and I have so many amazing photos already!! I definitely feel like all the information provided by Oyster has been really helpful in making sure I was really prepared for this trip, mentally and also practically in terms of knowing what to pack!! Thank you so much for all your help.

I had the best time ever during my two week stay at the animal sanctuary in Ecuador. The oyster world team were also very accommodating to me, as I was planning on changing my trip due to currents news of Ecuador and they helped me every step of the way, i eventually went with my original dates and am very glad that I did. The experience itself is one I will never forget and I did not expect to be able to work in such close proximity to the animals without feeling micromanaged, and I felt I was doing meaningful work. I had no previous experience with animals but this was not an issue as everything was explained very well. It was one of the highlights of my life. The experience overall was a 10/10, it was very tough work especially as we had less volunteers than usual, but it is a time I will never stop talking about.

I’m doing great, I’m really enjoying my time here with Oyster Worldwide. The work can feel like a lot with the heat and humidity, but the payout of the animal’s welfare is worth the effort. Thank you!

I had a wonderful time in Ecuador. As of now, I have extended my travel and am currently on a two week vacation in the Galapagos. Thank you so much for the guidance and help during my stay. It felt safe having someone watching my back!! ECUADOR

My stay at Yanacocha Wildlife reserve was something I will treasure forever. Both the animals and the people have left their mark on my heart. I stayed there for 4 weeks and in that time I was able to experience releasing rehabilitated animals, assisting with the veterinary treatment of those in care, feeding and training of wildlife and of course the very entertaining interactions with the primates that are unable to be returned to the wild but live in the sanctuary. If you wanted to experience life in Ecuador including the local cuisine whilst making a difference than this program is for you and as a bonus you make friends that you will certainly have for life. I can not wait to get back to Yanacocha and do it all over again.

Once in a life time experience...I cannot even describe it to you. The organisation is just amazing. I always arrived to my destinations on time and my transfers were always there waiting for me. It was an organised trip so it was nice and relaxing for me. I was never stranded anywhere or had to worry about where I was because the transfers were so good and everybody was very helpful and friendly.