Volunteer Hiking Guide » Volunteer Abroad for Free | Volunteer opportunities

Place

Diagonal 12, 8-37, Zona 1, Xela, Guatemala

Type

Various Accommodation Types Provided / NGO Support

About this listing

We are a non-profit hiking outfitter that has existed in Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala since 1995 with the purpose “Hike volcanoes, Help kids”. We run affordable 1, 2 and 3 and 6 day treks in and around the volcanoes and mountains of Xela, Guatemala. With the money raised doing this, we financially support a school here in Xela of 170+ kids, as well as a boarding house that is a physical, emotional and educational home to 23 kids. We are consistently in search of hardworking, experienced volunteers to lead hikes throughout the highlands of Guatemala. All volunteers are provided affordable accommodation, free communal meals, and a fun, supportive work environment. All on-trek costs are covered for guides. Please note this is a minimum 3 month commitment.

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Quetzaltrekkers

Latest posts by Quetzaltrekkers (see all)

The role/expectations What does the work schedule look like? Please give as much detail as possible

We are all working as volunteer guides and we manage virtually all aspects of the organization. In our office you will find a tight-knit team of dedicated, volunteers committed to the organization and its cause. We can’t think of a place where you’d be given this much autonomy and responsibility working as a volunteer. Life here can be hectic and the days can be long, ultimately though, working as a guide is an incredibly rewarding experience and, well, a lot of fun. As a trekking guide, you will be guiding (and soon leading) groups of people on our treks. This entails much more than just showing people the way up a volcano. You are there to make sure the trek runs smoothly, safely, and your group is fed, watered and content. This is not always an easy task. You will also develop an awareness of the people, culture, history, and ecology of the areas through which we trek to in-turn share this knowledge with your group of trekkers (and newer guides). Trekking days can make up anywhere between 3 – 6 days of your week, all depending on the schedule and number of guides that are here at any given time. Guiding people on adventurous treks is just part of the job. Some of your week will be spent in the Quetzaltrekkers office, doing behind-the-scenes tasks to keep the whole operation running. These tasks might include:

Food and equipment prepping
Cleaning equipment
Promoting treks
Signing people up for treks
Shopping for treks
Cooking
Washing dishes
Doing finances
Answering phones and emails
Washing more dishes
Updating the website;
And so on and so forth

What are the Benefits of Volunteering with you? What will you learn?

In our office you will find a tight-knit team of dedicated volunteers committed to the organization and its cause. We can’t think of a place where you’d be given this much autonomy and responsibility working as a volunteer. Life here can be hectic and the days can be long, ultimately though, working as a Quetzaltrekkers guide is an incredibly rewarding experience and, well, a lot of fun. This position provides volunteers with a wonderful opportunity to practice Spanish, gain leading/guiding experience, live in Guatemala, spend 3 months hiking in the country's beautiful highlands, work hard for a good cause! This isn’t one of those pay-to-volunteer type deals. On the other hand, the tangible perks we offer are minimal– this is still volunteering after all. Your biggest reward and motivation should be the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the children we support.

If you Charge Volunteers, please give us the complete break down of any cost involved

We don't charge volunteers anything to work with us. You will be expected to cover your own living expenses while you’re here - although these costs are very minimal. Each guide pays between Q250 – 500 (or about $30-60USD) rent per month to live in one of our either shared or private rooms located near the office. Quetzaltenango is a cheap place to live in general - we guestimate that guides can get by comfortably on between $100USD and $150USD/month. As far as volunteering goes, we think this is a pretty good deal!