A volunteer vacation is a rewarding way to add purpose to your travel, enabling you to be of service to a community abroad while gaining an immersive cultural experience. You can take a low-cost volunteer holiday with International Volunteer HQ for 1 week or more and choose from over 50 destinations, including Bali, Costa Rica, Peru, Nepal, Vietnam, India, Portugal, Tanzania and Mexico. IVHQ’s range of affordable volunteering vacations are suitable for singles, couples, families and seniors and start from as little as $20 per day. You can choose from volunteer projects in the areas of education, construction, healthcare, childcare, wildlife and conservation, community development and social enterprise - so you can easily find an opportunity to match the causes you care about.
Due to the current climate, volunteer vacations are becoming increasiingly popular as travelers are opting for more conscious and regenerative forms of travel in 2024 and beyond. Whether you’re planning to volunteer this year or further down the track, you can book now at today’s prices thanks to IVHQ’s flexible booking policy. This means you can secure the cheapest price and easily make changes to your volunteer holiday for free up to 14 days before your start date!
Here are examples of the types of 2024 & 2025 volunteer vacations available:
- For singles or solo travelers who want to travel with a purpose and meet like-minded travelers.
- For families who want to volunteer with children and take an active vacation together.
- For seniors who want to volunteer abroad after retirement or take an alternative vacation.
- For animal lovers who want to take a volunteer vacation with animals and volunteer with sea turtles, wild elephants or other wildlife.
- For couples who want to volunteer abroad together as an alternative getaway or honeymoon.
With International Volunteer HQ, you’ll pair your passion for exploring the world with a volunteer vacation opportunity abroad, immersing yourself in a culture and being part of authentic, worthwhile experiences. That’s volunteer vacations summed up!
IVHQ has supported more than 144,000 travelers on inexpensive volunteer holidays since 2007. We know that it’s important for you to match your skills and passions with a volunteer project, and you can trust IVHQ has a volunteer opportunity that’s a good fit for you. So if you want to set off in confidence, keep reading our collection of the best (and most affordable) 2024 & 2025 volunteer vacations abroad…
Which statement fits you best?
- I am a solo traveler looking for single volunteer vacation opportunities
- I want to take my children on a family volunteer vacation
- I want to spend my vacation volunteering abroad with animals
- I’m an older volunteer wanting to put my skills to use by helping abroad
How much does a volunteer vacation cost?
IVHQ offers a range of volunteer programs to suit every budget. With program fees starting at $20 per day including accommodation, our team of Volunteer Travel Specialists can help you find the program best suited to your skills, experience and goals. Get in touch if you’d like some personalized recommendations, or learn more on our fees page.
Volunteer Vacations For Singles in 2024 & 2025
IVHQ’s volunteer holidays are perfect for singles or solo travelers who are looking to explore the world and add meaning to their travel experiences. You can take singles volunteer vacations in Africa,Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, the Middle East or the Pacific at any time of the year with IVHQ. It’s an inexpensive way to travel because you won’t need to pay a single supplement fee - instead, you will be housed with other like-minded volunteers from around the globe in shared accommodation, so you’ll quickly form life-long friendships with your fellow volunteers.
Whether you’re interested in volunteering with youth or animals, or supporting eco volunteering or healthcare projects, IVHQ offers the world’s largest range of volunteer project opportunities. The following IVHQ programs are recommended for solo travelers, however no matter which program you choose, you’ll have a life-changing experience and the chance to work alongside local people on community-led projects.
Volunteer Vacations in Bali:
Bali continues to be a popular travel destination for singles - with a combination of palm-fringed beaches, ancient temples and warm smiles. Bali will keep you coming back for years to come. Volunteer vacation programs in Bali aim to increase the availability of education in local villages and bolster conservation efforts on the majestic island.
- 6 meaningful project options, including Teaching English, Childcare, Construction and Renovation, Healthcare Education and Sea Turtle Conservation.
- Accommodation in volunteer houses.
- Between 40 and 80 volunteers start in Bali each month.
- Spend your free time soaking up the breathtaking beaches, vast views across rice fields and a harmonious mindset.
- Program fees start from $325 a week.
Volunteer Vacations in Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka is an ideal destination for single travelers; from luxurious golden beaches, to tropical forests, to bustling cultural cities, Sri Lanka has a range of interesting volunteer programs on offer.
- 8 meaningful project options, including Temple Renovation, Wild Elephant Conservation, Rural Community Development and Opportunities to Teach English.
- Accommodation in volunteer houses and homestays.
- Between 10 and 40 volunteers start in Sri Lanka each month.
- Volunteers have the weekends free to experience epic train journeys and tropical beaches.
- Program fees start at $315 a week.
Volunteer Vacations For Families in 2024 & 2025
Family volunteer vacations enable you and your children to expand your global awareness and appreciation for different cultures, while developing valuable life skills and learning how to travel responsibly and work effectively as a team. IVHQ offers a range of family volunteer holidays suitable for parents who would like to volunteer abroad with children as part of a family volunteer vacation. IVHQ recommends that families with children under the age of 15 years-old look at programs which offer homestay accommodation, rather than those which offer dormitory-style accommodation. This provides families with greater privacy and the opportunity to be accommodated together in private rooms. Our friendly Volunteer Travel Expert are happy to support you in selecting a volunteer abroad program that is best suited to the ages and abilities of your children and your family travel desires so don’t hesitate to get in touch. Here are some recommended volunteer holidays for families…
Volunteer Vacations in Costa Rica:
Volunteering in Costa Rica is a great option for families on their first volunteer trip. Costa Rica is a country of contrasts and IVHQ offers volunteer placements within the country’s capital, San Jose, which offers an insight into Costa Rica’s Spanish colonial history. Placements are also available in Manuel Antonio on the Pacific Coast, where you will see a vast contrast in ecosystem and wildlife. Volunteer holidays are tailored to each community’s needs, whether you’re assisting with education or improving the ecosystem on projects are suitable for volunteers of all ages.
- Your family will be able to stay in a homestay with a local family.
- There are a number of volunteer projects suitable for families in Costa Rica, including Working with Children, Eco Agriculture Conservation or Construction volunteering.
- During your free time, explore the beaches of Manuel Antonio or take a trip to the cloud forests of Monteverde.
- Program fees start at $380 a week.
Volunteer Vacations in Ecuador:
The IVHQ Ecuador volunteer program has volunteer placements located in Ecuador’s capital city of Quito and surrounding urban and rural areas, approximately 45 minutes out of the city. Nestled high in the Andes, Quito is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in South America. Despite this aesthetic beauty, Ecuador has a need for volunteers to assist with the development of this city and its communities.
- Your family will be accommodated together in a homestay with a local family.
- There are a number of volunteer projects suitable for families in Ecuador, with the top recommendation being the Street Children Support project.
- Explore the Galapagos Islands, colonial towns and local markets.
- Programs fees start at $270 a week.
Volunteer Vacations With Animals in 2024 & 2025
On a volunteer vacation with animals, animal lovers can volunteer with sea turtles in Bali, Costa Rica and Guatemala, help provide hands-on support for wildlife conservation in Sri Lanka and Victoria Falls, or provided much needed assistance in shelters for cats and dogs in Cambodia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Romania and Tanzania. The possibilities are endless. Here are two volunteer holidays with animals for you to consider….
Volunteer Vacations in Mexico:
Volunteering in Mexico with IVHQ means not only will you have a chance of give back to the local communities, but you’ll also have the opportunity to explore some spectacular sights in your spare time.
- Meaningful Animal Care/Animal Rights project
- Working alongside the limited staff at an animal shelter to bathe, brush, train, walk, and play with the cats and dogs to prepare them for adoption
- Between 5 and 15 volunteers start in Mexico each month
- Tropical temperatures, impressive Mayan ruins and crystal blue waters
- Program fee starts at $320 a week.
Volunteer Vacations in Victoria Falls:
While taking part on the Wildlife Conservation project you have the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in conservation management activities and assist with on-going research in a private game reserve and surrounding areas within Victoria Falls.
- Between 10 and 40 volunteers start in Victoria Falls each month
- With the natural wonder of Victoria Falls at your doorstep, you have no shortage of awe-inspiring and thrilling adventures to fill your weekends!
- Program fee starts at $1020 for 2 weeks.
Volunteer Vacations For Seniors in 2024 & 2025
With age comes experience, knowledge and patience; skills that will hold you in good stead for volunteering abroad. At IVHQ, we are seeing an increase in seniors taking volunteer holidays abroad, and this is making a positive and powerful impact on the local communities in which we operate. Combining your interest in travel with your energy, skills and need to give-back makes taking charity holidays abroad an easy decision. And, your contribution will be highly valued by local communities, as are the skills you bring to the volunteer group dynamic. IVHQ’s programs cater to everyone, with a growing number of seniors deciding to go further and see more as a volunteer.
Here are two recommended volunteer vacations for seniors:
Volunteer Vacations in Peru
Peru is a must do for any South American adventure - with a diverse mix of culture and natural beauty, you will not be short of excursions during your weekend. Inca ruins scatter the area and these are blended with Spanish colonial architecture in the city center, which is only topped by the sight of Machu Picchu. Volunteer projects in Cusco take place in the city center and surrounding villages with options to cater for each level of activity.
- Home-stay accommodation offers an immersive and personal experience
- 10 meaningful project options so you can find the right program for you
- Endless opportunities to interact with, and learn from, other cultures and people
- Easy access to incredible sights and unlimited weekend activities
- Program fee starts at $250 including accommodation for a week.
Volunteer Vacations in Zambia
- A range of impactful community-based projects, including Teaching, Childcare, Medical, Elderly Care and Community Development.
- Relaxed and family-friendly environment makes this an ideal program for volunteers of all ages.
- Spend your weekends taking a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River, admiring the world wonder of Victoria Falls and taking an wildlife.
- Program fee starts at $270 for a week.
To continue researching your volunteer vacation, be sure to browse IVHQ’s full range of volunteer abroad programs, or start your volunteer journey by applying today.
