Volunteer schedule example
Please note that volunteering on the Ecuador - Quito Program is held Tuesday through Friday and you can expect to participate for 3 - 5 hours per day. Weekends on the program are Saturday through Monday, however, there are some placements (e.g. NGO Support, Street Children Work) that can offer work on Monday upon request. If you would like to work on Monday, simply let the local team know at orientation and they can make these arrangements for you.
Weekdays
An example of a typical day is as follows:
| 8:00 AM |
Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay. |
| 8:30 AM |
Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. |
| 12:30 - 1:00 PM |
Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel back to their accommodation, prepare for the next day, or do some shopping and sightseeing. If volunteers are taking Spanish language lessons, these will usually take place in the afternoons and last 2-3 hours. |
| 6:30 PM |
Dinner self prepared at the volunteer accommodation or out at a nearby restaurant. |
Volunteers on the Ecuador program can also join casual social activities arranged by the local staff. The social activities usually take place 1 - 2 days per week and give volunteers the opportunity to engage in fun events with the local team, as well as learn about the Ecuadorian customs. Club activities include Ecuadorian movie nights, make your own pizza nights, salsa lessons and more! All of the club activities are held in the afternoon or evening, after volunteers have finished at their placement, and range in cost from AU$5 to AU$16 per person. These activities are not mandatory, but are a great way to get involved and meet other volunteers.
Weekends
Spanning Saturday to Monday, weekends are extra long for volunteers in Quito so there is plenty of time to relax or explore other parts of the city and Ecuador.
If you are interested in art, culture and history, you can check out Quito’s historical center, where you can learn about Quito’s history, legends and Pre-Columbian cultures. From there, you can take the El Teleferico cable car for beautiful views of the city and surrounding volcanoes. Horseback riding and hiking is available to the Guagua Pichincha volcano summit. You can visit the coastal region of Salango for snorkelling, Silver Island, and the beautiful beaches of Los Frailes. Jungle excursions can also be arranged to experience nature and unique wildlife such as toucans, parrots, and monkeys.
Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to explore the amazing national parks of Ecuador or the Galapagos Islands.
Looking for more ideas of things to do in Ecuador? Check out our Ecuador Travel & Tours page!
