About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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If you are then this is the perfect project for you in the perfect country. Given the huge amount of wildlife in Ecuador it’s no wonder that a few of them need a helping hand once in a while. This wildlife centre comes to the aid of around 300 wild animals of about 30 different species so it’s the perfect opportunity to see an array of hopping, bouncing, flying, diving and swinging creatures first hand (if you can get them to sit still long enough.) Duties include feeding, cleaning and of course cuddling as well as getting out and about and assisting with plant identification in the tropical forests and mangroves.
Welcome to Ecuador! You will be collected from the airport by our i-to-i team who will be waiting in the arrivals hall for you; you’ll know who they are as they’ll be carrying our logo and they’ll be ready to give you a warm welcome!
You’ll be transferred to your home stay accommodation for tonight. Our home stay families are fantastic and so welcoming; it’s also your first opportunity to test out your Spanish skills!
You’ll stay with your home stay family for the next two nights, so feel free to unpack, get stuck in with family life and enjoy the lovely home cooked local food!
Today you’ll have an early start, tuck into a hearty wholesome breakfast then head off to your orientation, which will be held at one of the home stay accommodations.
This will give you a good insight into Ecuador - the culture, things to do and see, what to do in case of an emergency and much more! It can also be a good way to meet other i-to-i travellers and ask any questions you may have. You’ll then be given some lunch and will have the afternoon free to explore or relax.
Today is the day you’ll be heading to Guayaquil! Your flight to Guayaquil is not included in your fee and you will need to book this yourself. We suggest that you should book your flight to depart Quito between 7am and 8.30am so that the team in country can make arrangements for your transfer. You can also contact our team in country for advice on what flight to book for your particular date so that you all travel together. This flight takes around 30 minutes and you will be met at the arrival airport by the project team and will be taken straight to the project to settle in to your accommodation. You should budget around US$45 to US$75 for one way.
If however you prefer to take the bus then the journey will take approximately 10 hours so you can sit back and enjoy the ride as you see Ecuador whizz past your window. As the bus will arrive too late for the project team to take you to the project you will need to budget for an overnight accommodation in Guayaquil and you will be picked up the following morning and taken to the project. The team will pick you up from the bus station and take you to the accommodation. You will need to budget around US$60 for bus ticket, overnight accommodation and meals in Guayaquil.
Well here it is, your very first day at our animal rescue project. It’s time to get stuck in to a full day’s work and get to know the animals up close and personal! Prepare to be clawed, pawed and adored!
The rest of your week will be spent at the project and finding your way around the local area.
Well it’s the weekend –hooray! Time to explore the largest city in Ecuador! There are so many things to see and places to be! Amble around the city, take lots of pictures, buy lots of lovely souvenirs – it helps the local economy don’t you know?
Head to the area of Las Peñas if you’re into your art – this area has pulsated in to a cultural hot spot, with several houses having been converted to make shift art galleries. There are plenty of parks and marketplaces to stroll around and enjoy, then we’d recommend heading to the nearby beaches! These are reached by public transport or taxi and our team in country can point you in the right direction.
Settle down in to the local pace and way of life at the centre as you spend your days helping out and learning more skills to put into practice. However many weeks you have booked for, you’ll be making a difference every day as you see your work take shape before you and see tangible results from what you are doing!
It's sadly time to leave your home at the project and say goodbye to all your new friends. You will get the bus back to Quito on this day and spend the final night at a hostel ready to catch your flight back the next day. If you are travelling in 2012 then your accommodation for your last night in Quito will be in a homestay.
Note: If you would prefer to fly from Guayaquil for your onward journey home on the last day this is also possible.
Time to fly home; the return transfer back to the airport is not included in your trip but our team will be happy to help you arrange this.
This Wildlife Rescue Centre was founded over 20 years ago and is the first of its kind in Ecuador. The centre rehabilitates and provides care for around 300 wild animals of about 30 different species.
In addition, there are 3 captive breeding programmes in operation all involving endangered species: the American crocodile, the spider monkey and the Guayaquil green macaw.
All the animals at the centre are either donated by the public or rescued from the illegal pet trade. The centre also farms shrimp, tilapia, banana and cocoa with an emphasis on aquaculture.
Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador in terms of its inhabitants and it’s economy, so you will be within easy reach of most amenities (within 2 hours) you would find back home whilst on the project.
This project is located in Balao Chico about 2 hours from the nearest city of Guayaquil, which is Ecuador's largest city and most major sea port. The project is about 5 km away from the nearest village and 16 km away from the town of Naranjal which has basic amenities and cafes. The project is in a rural, tropical location and you should expect insects!
A lack of financial resources and commitment from long-term government funded programmes makes it necessary for the centre to look to volunteers to assist them in all that needs to be done at the centre.
The expertise, human resource, and economic backing provided by international conservation agencies and by smaller private groups such as i-to-i is essential to the survival of the small non-profit wildlife rescue centre.
Duties may include feeding the animals twice daily, cleaning and repairing all animal enclosures, building new enclosures, assisting in wildlife health care, maintaining animal behaviour database and bird sighting database, and assisting a botanist with identifying plants in the mangrove and tropical forest.
You are encouraged to learn as much Spanish as possible before you go - knowledge of beginner Spanish will be key to communicating with the project staff.
We strongly recommend a minimum level of Spanish as most of the staff members speak no English. We understand that this requirement is hard to be met by all, but when working with animals it is obviously important to understand exactly what is required.
Bring working clothes and all weather footwear, hat, sun lotion, t-shirts etc. You should pack clothes that you do not mind getting dirty and possibly ruined.
Please note that the project is in a rural tropical location, so expect insects!
The project is 5km from the nearest village and 16 km from the nearest town of Naranjal. There are no buses from the project, so expect to rely on lifts to get to the town or walk 30 minutes to the nearest village to catch a bus.
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you fora the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time - especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do.
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
EU Customers – find out more here >>
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night a
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 90.00
You will be staying on site in a volunteer house, facilities are basic but comfortable, showers have hot water but these can be very temperamental! It is a quiet are so be prepared for quiet evenings.
The volunteer house has a lounge area with TV, computer area and a kitchen and diner area.
Food is provided for you from Monday to Saturday; Sunday’s are your own to cook for yourself, whatever you decide to do.
You will be sharing a room with up to two other people of the same sex. Each bedroom has single beds with enough space to store your luggage and bedding is provided for you so there is no need to bring your own. It is worth bringing your own basic mosquito net at this accommodation.
The accommodation is located on site with the project. This project is located in Balao Chico about 2 hours from the nearest city of Guayaquil, which is Ecuador's largest city and most major sea port.
The project is about 5 km away from the nearest village and 16 km away from the town of Naranjal which has basic amenities and cafes. The project is in a rural, tropical location and you should expect insects!
Oh yes, it’s onsite. Very nice indeed!
For thousands of years before the Incas arrived from Peru to expand their empire, advanced indigenous cultures made Ecuador their home. They fought hard to hold on but from the 1400s the Inca’s succeeded in developing its civilisation into neighbouring territories. The Incas were not immune from shifts in power and, during the same year the Spanish set foot on Ecuadorian soil (1526), the Inca Empire was divided for the first time when Inca ruler Huayna Capac went against tradition by leaving his empire to two sons rather than one. After years of fighting, Atahualpa defeated Huascar to become ruler of the empire. His position was short lived and the Inca Empire was all but confined to a place in history when in the 1530s the Spanish laid down the foundations to rule the country. Under Spanish rule, Indians and Mestizos (people of mixed indigenous and European descent) suffered forced labour and several uprisings ensued. Liberator Simón Bolívar helped secure independence for Ecuador, which was fully achieved by 1830.
Against a backdrop of violent rivalry between liberal and conservative factions, an unstable political climate dominated the 19th century and was marked by a quick succession of rulers. The 20th century brought mixed fortunes. The country’s development was hampered by the collapse of the coco market in the 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930s but it achieved stable civilian rule and increased banana exports from 1948 to 1960. Recession and social unrest led to an anti-communist military government taking power in the early 1960s and it wasn’t until 1979 that democratic constitutional measures were put into play. Indigenous groups now have a voice and influence on politics but the country has a lot of economic ground to cover and high levels of unemployment. On an environmental level, Ecuador is rich in biodiversity but has one of the highest deforestation rates in South America.
The diversity of Ecuador does not fit neatly into four seasons. As a general note, it has a dry winter from June to September and a wet summer from December to April. For hiking in the highlands, the best time is during the cool winter. For exploring the jungle (the Oriente), there isn’t a temperate period as it’s often thick with humidity, while the sierra can get chilly and coastal areas are warm year round.
The Galápagos Islands experience hot, rainy weather from January to April and its waters are comfortably warm during this time, making it ideal for snorkelling. During the rest of the year the water is on the chilly side at around 20°C (68°F) or lower. The surfing season is typically December to February.
The biggest celebration days are Christmas, Semana Santa (Easter week), Inti Raymi (June 24), and Independence Day (May 24). Expect an influx of visitors during these periods and from June to August when the vacation season is in full swing.
There’s no better way to see the snow-capped Andes than to fly. The flight from Quito to Cuenco alone takes in the sight of volcano after volcano. With great views aside, flying in Ecuador is affordable and also convenient; you can get to where you want to go in usually no more than half an hour’s flying time. The country’s main airlines like Tame offer daily services to the main towns and cities, usually departing from Quito or Guayaquil. It’s also the best way to get to the Oriente, with other modes of transport unable to access the area. Flights to the Galápagos Islands, however, can be pricey and flying time from Ecuador is around 3 hours. Depending on your destination but particularly for flights to the Galápagos Islands and the Oriente, there is a system in place whereby foreigners are required to pay more than double what Ecuadorians pay. It’s also worth noting that seats are not reserved and are given on a first come, first served basis. Reconfirming a flight 24 hours before is imperative as it’s not unknown for airlines to refute your reservation if it hasn’t been confirmed ahead of departure.
Buses are a cheaper option and although most long distance journeys take a day or less, it can feel longer due to the road conditions. Buses usually leave from central terminals and it’s best to buy a ticket at least a few hours in advance to reserve a seat. Local buses are often very cheap but also very crowded. Taxis are a good option for short journeys or day tips out of cities if hired for the day and can be cheaper than car rental. Taximeters are in existence but not always switched on so it’s best to agree on a price before the journey begins.
www.tame.com.ec
National airline Tame.
We work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
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