Below you’ll find information on the 3 sanctuaries, the work that is done in each one and what life is like there. For more specific information, see the volunteer page of each sanctuary.
Parque Machía
Parque Machía consists of 38 hectares of Pre-Andean Amazon Forest located a 10-minute walk from the town of Villa Tunari (a 4 hour drive from Cochabamba).
Strolling through the wild portion of the sanctuary, you can easily spot groups of Capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys that have been reintroduced to the wild, as well as butterflies of many colors, birds and other wild animals. From the lookout, high on the mountain, there are beautiful views of the town, the mountain and its rivers. Some of the work areas are at the top of the mountain, so if you are lucky enough to work with spider monkeys or albifrons (white fronted capuchins), you can enjoy daily jungle walks.
Volunteers usually organize for dinner in groups, either going to the restaurants in town, or sharing meals at the cafe or the sanctuary’s shared kitchen. Sometimes special dinners are organized, and bonfires by the river, which can end as a party night at the town’s disco.
A good option to relax on your weekly day off is to visit the Los Tucanes hotel for a delicious pizza and a swim in their pool.
Living near the town has many advantages, but it also brings some inconveniences, such as the noise of the highway and neighboring dogs and roosters.
Parque Ambue Ari
Ambue Ari consists of 1,000 hectares of Flooded Amazonian Forest, located 48km from Ascensión de Guarayos, in the middle of the jungle.
Here you will wake to the sounds of wild howler monkeys and our unique private alarm clock, a volunteer who passes from room to room with music to say good morning.
At any given area of base camp and the sanctuary, you can see countless animals, such as birds (macaws, amazons, toucans), pacas, armadillos, peccaries, monkeys (howler, squirrel, capuchin, and pygmy marmoset) and even tracks from small and large felines.
The sense of community is very strong at Ambue Ari. We enjoy Tuesday nights all together in Santa Maria eating delicious empanadas and ice cream. On Fridays we like to organize parties in the sanctuary’s pub, many of them themed (if you like to dress up in costume, this is your chance to shine). On Saturdays (our day off) we like to relax at the Itapemí lagoon.
After a candlelit dinner, volunteers usually play cards at the dining table, sing and play instruments in the smoking area, or simply go to bed early to recharge for the next day.
Living in the middle of the jungle has many advantages, but also some inconveniences, such as mosquitoes and walking through flooded areas of the sanctuary during the wet season (although many people find it fun, especially when they make races to return to the camp).
Parque Jacj Cuisi
Jacj Cuisi is comprised by 300 hectares of Pre-andean Amazonian Forest, located 25km from Rurrenabaque. An extension of the park’s territory borders with the Madidi National Park, one of the most biodiverse places in the world.
At Jacj Cuisi you will be able to enjoy strolls through the jungle, where you’ll spot a great amount of birds (including macaws, toucans, and amazonian parrots). You will be able to bathe in Jacj Cuisi’s crystal clear streams. At night you can stargaze, and if it happens to be a full moon night you can join our night hikes to see nocturnal animals.
At the sanctuary we have a wood-fired oven, where homemade bread and delicious pizzas are cooked; a small ecological garden with vegetables,and fruit trees, so you will be able to eat seasonal fresh and ecological food. We also have a little hen house, from which we take fresh eggs daily.
The atmosphere at Jacj Cuisi is very family-like. Volunteers spend Friday evenings at Rurrenabaque having cocktails and dinner at the international restaurants in town, they usually spend the night there and enjoy their Saturday relaxing and sightseeing around Rurrenabaque, a very beautiful town with a lot of charm, and very touristic. It’s a good opportunity to buy delicious croissants, brownies and quiches at the French bakery.
Living at this amazing location has many advantages, but there’s also many inconveniences, like the lack of cell phone reception (it’s the perfect place to disconnect from the world), and the lack of transportation to towns nearby.
