from 2,905€

Perfect 4.6rating (57)

Amerindian Eco-lodge & Ranch Assistant

location
4 - 8 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups

About the program

Join us at Karanambu Lodge & work alongside a dedicated team in the Rupununi! Volunteers can expect to work in the areas of horticulture, gardening, tourism & more!

We invite you to the Rupununi; a place of rolling grasslands, where the endless savannah meets the clouds in an endless sky. In our corner of the world, the people are still friendly, the rainforests intact and there is always a good reason to sit and enjoy the sunset with a cold drink and friends, ...

About the program

We invite you to the Rupununi; a place of rolling grasslands, where the endless savannah meets the clouds in an endless sky. In our corner of the world, the people are still friendly, the rainforests intact and there is always a good reason to sit and enjoy the sunset with a cold drink and friends, old or new!

We invite you to come join us at Karanambu Lodge and work with our amazing and dedicated team as we welcome travellers, adventurers, naturalists, film makers, conservationists and anyone who love nature and wants to experience the raw, natural beauty that is only found in our part of the wild, untamed Rupununi.

We share a unique blend of old world hospitality and unparalleled nature that has established Karanambu as Guyana’s premier Ecolodge.The Lodge is nestled in the north of Guyana’s southern hinterland, known for its expansive wetlands and unbridled savannah.Here, you will form bonds that go beyond friendship, while having he unique opportunity to share and develop skills in the areas of horticulture, tourism, hospitality, conservation, ranching, construction and joinery. Karanambu has been famed for its biological diversity since Edward ‘Tiny’ McTurk settled here in the early 1920s.

Karanambu encompasses approximately 110 square miles of savannah, marshy ponds, riparian and gallery forest, as well as an approximate 30 mile stretch of the Rupununi River. Within our lands there are as many as 700 species of fish – more than anywhere else on Earth. During the biannual rainy seasons, the tributaries of the Amazon and Essequibo rivers flood their banks and meet. The union of these vast rivers results in the exchange of genetic and biological material, while making Karanambu the home to an extraordinary amount of marine life.

Over 600 species of birds make their home here, making Karanambu a birdwatcher's paradise. The Lodge provides excellent viewing opportunities of Giant River Otters, River Turtles, a variety of monkeys, as well as Black and Spectacled Caiman that live on the part of the Rupununi River that runs through Karanambu’s land.

Giant Anteaters, Crab-Eating Foxes and Red Brocket Deer roam our savannahs and our many fresh water ponds are home to what has been called, one of the world’s best wild collection of Victoria Amazonica water lilies. These lilies - the largest in the world - can reach up to three meters in diameter and their flowers bloom every evening at dusk.

Karanambu is best known as having been the home of world renowned conservationist and Giant River Otter expert, Diane McTurk. Better known as ‘the Otter Lady,’ she dedicated her silver years to the rehabilitation and reintroduction of the area’s Giant River Otters and is credited as the pioneer of ecotourism in the Rupununi. The Lodge provides guests with an excellent opportunity to experience, first hand, the wildlife indigenous to this part of the world

Diane’s work lives on through the Karanambu Trust – the research and conservation arm of the Lodge – which was established by the McTurk family in 1997 to help fulfil Diane’s vision of protecting the Karanambu area and establishing Guyana’s first Private Protected Area.

The Karanambu Trust is dedicated to the conservation of the Rupununi savannahs and the wetland ecosystem.

At Karanambu, we are always excited to share the untouched, natural beauty of our remote corner of South America. Volunteers can expect to work in the areas of horticulture, gardening, tourism, hospitality, conservation, ranching, construction, carpentry and joinery, though some of these may overlap due to the specific needs of the different components that make up Karanambu. There are also opportunities to visit and do outreach work in the neighbouring Macusi villages of Kwaimatta, Yupukari, Massara, Toka and Simuni.

We look forward to welcoming you to be part of the Karanambu family.


Typical day

As volunteers at Karanambu you will have some of the following responsibilities:
Gardening: 

  • Helping prepare meals
  • Helping to fish for food
  • Assisting with general maintenance of the lodge/ranch outstation and Gardening
  • Working with horses, cattle on the ranch outstation
  • Feeding and keeping resident ...

Typical day

As volunteers at Karanambu you will have some of the following responsibilities:
Gardening: 

  • Helping prepare meals
  • Helping to fish for food
  • Assisting with general maintenance of the lodge/ranch outstation and Gardening
  • Working with horses, cattle on the ranch outstation
  • Feeding and keeping resident wildlife company
  • Helping with tourists/guests. Any other jobs that need doing
Every day will be different and in general a flexible attitude will be required and a great asset will be to take initiative. Working on a ranch/farm means there will always be lots to day and never a boring moment. 

Free-time activities

Volunteers have the opportunity to go swimming, fishing, birdwatching, camping and so much more!

Free-time activities

Volunteers have the opportunity to go swimming, fishing, birdwatching, camping and so much more!


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Required Documents

CV, Resume, Letter of Motivation, Two pics and Signed Policies and Liability form

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 07:30 - 16:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Fronteering Travel

The Fee includes: 


  • Accommodation - shared room (Volunteer/Researcher Quarters)
  • Meals - 3 meals a day.
  • Transfers & Pick ups - On arrival in Georgetown one of our representatives will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Georgetown where you will stay 1 night. Our Georgetown coordinator will then take you around in case if you need to get money or anything from the stores before you take your domestic flight (also included). There will be several transfers domesticially by plane, car and 4x4 and in all cases you will be picked up until you arrive back in Georgetown.
  • Work permit - For volunteering in Guyana a work permit is required as well as premmission needed to visit the Amerindian reserves. This will all be arranged after your arrival (as Guyana has no embassies abroad) and will be HASSLE FREE for you. The fee for this is included in the program cost.
  • Mail and Communications - It is possible to receive and send mail from the town of Lethem via our Fronteering representative, however the postal service is very variable in such a remote area and the process regularly takes over a month. It is not unheard of never to reach it's destination! There will be internet connection and cell phone reception in both Georgetown and Lethem. There will be internet connection via satellite in the community, but it is worth noting that this can be very slow! There is no mobile phone reception outside of Georgetown and Lethem.
  • Ongoing service and 24/7 Emergency Contact

Airport Pickup at Cheddi Jagan International Airport

You will arrive in the capital of Guyana where you will need to catch a connecting flight to Lethem. On arrival into Lethem, someone from the project will be there to pick you up and transfer to your accommodation on the project site.

Accommodation

As a volunteer you will have to share room or a cabin where researchwers would usually. Please make sure you keep your room and bathroom clean.

Food & Beverages

Meals will be prepared by the kitchen staff at the Lodge and sometime with you may be asked to help. Drinking water, coffee and tea are available throughout the day. You may also purchase soads and beer from the ranch store. Breakfast would usually consist of boiled fish or beef along with bread and condiments. Lunch is usually meat (fish, chicken or beef) with rice, noodles and farine(Cassava product). Dinner is usually similar. The meats on the Lodge are often supplemented with wild meat, as it is seasonally available. If you feel the need to eat something else other than what they provide, you can always stock up on the foods/groceries you need when the Lodge vehicle is going to Lethem or Annai. Volunteers will dine with the Lodge staff in the staff kitchen and may sometimes be invited to dinner with the guests of the Lodge

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO) in Georgetown. We assist you to find cheap flights to Guyana. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Guyana provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Guyana you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Guyana. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

There are no specific arrival/start dates however, we recommend that you arrive in Guyana on a Saturday or Sunday.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 2,905€
6 weeks 3,390€
8 weeks (max. stay) 3,875€
Average fees 605€/week

Program fees

605€ per week 4 - 8 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 8 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Fronteering Travel during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Fronteering Travel

Perfect 4.6 rating (57 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2010

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Patrick

Spoken languages: English, German, Dutch

About the project

Fronteering arranges volunteering programs related to wildlife and indigenous people in less visited places of this world as well as more unique destinations.

Meet your organization

Fronteering arranges volunteering programs in some of the last frontiers of this world as well as more unique locations that other organizations ignore. From Field research programs in the Far north of Canada and Husky ranches in the Canadian Arctic to Amerindian community programs and wildlife conservation in the Amazon Rainforest and everything in between.

Most of our programs Focus on either wildlife rehabilitation and release, wildlife conservation & research or involve local indigenous communities.

Fronteering currently offers programs in Canada, Guyana, USA, Australia, Brazil, Borneo, South Africa, Madagascar and Panama.

True good causes: FRONTEERINGS volunteer abroad projects are either existing local projects or projects that are build from the group up by FRONTEERING. What these projects have in common is that you will be supporting a true good cause! You will have the opportunity to help where the need is the greatest. Our projects focus on helping the local communities, wildlife, indigenous people and the environment in cooperation with the local/indigenous communities. We focus on true volunteer projects where your effort really makes a difference. That’s why through Fronteering you will rehabilitate injured & orphaned wildlife with the goal to release the animal. That is the reason why will not send you to some far southern country to cuddle with tame lions & tigers with any real purpose. If you want to volunteer abroad with a real purpose, contact us!

Safety: At FRONTEERING we do our outmost best to provide the safety measures needed for our Volunteer Abroad projects and Adventure Travel Trips. However due to the fact that many of our projects and trips involve wild animals and/or are in remote locations there is a small element of risk involved. Not all of our projects and trips are for the faint at heart however we do cater to those of all walks of life. If you are not too sure about the suitability of a Volunteer Abroad project or an Adventure Travel trip then feel free to ask as we are always ready to answer any questions or discuss any doubts that come to mind. For more information please check our Safety & In-country Support section before you volunteer abroad.

A real adventure: We do not want our volunteers to end up trying to safe or clean up some small patch of rainforest which in some places they might call a wilderness. Instead you will volunteer in the immense jungle of the Amazon rainforest or venture in to the vast Canadian wilderness! Our volunteer abroad projects are situated in the remote areas of the world and we focus on countries and regions with the lowest population densities. We at FRONTEERING focus on what works; from sleeping in the jungle underneath the stars with nothing more than your own private hammock to back-to-basic cabins in the northern tundra with a cozy smothering fireplace and no electricity! When you volunteer abroad with FRONTEERING you can be sure it will be adventure.

Off the beaten path: With FRONTEERING volunteer abroad projects you will venture to places less visited. We focus on places that are fairly undiscovered where the nature, wildlife and indigenous cultures are still common. You will have the great opportunity to see these amazing places while they are still unspoiled and pure. It is these places where there is the most to lose but even more to gain through successful conservation work and sustainable tourism. 

Community involvement: Foremost when volunteering abroad the well being of the community should come first. For all of our trips we use local guides, local transportation and local communities so that through sustainable tourism we can help to protect the environment, wildlife and sustain the way of life of indigenous cultures & communities. More and more and governments choose the long term benefit of sustainable tourism over the short term gain of mining and logging. A good example is Gabon which in 2002 after recommendations from environmental researchers set up 13 new national parks. The government of Guyana is currently considering protecting its entire rainforest region which still covers 80% of the country. Hopefully through our combined effort this dream will one day become true.

Mission
FRONTEERING specializes in organizing volunteer abroad projects to preserve the environment, wildlife and indigenous people throughout the world while giving the volunteers a real and raw experience in some of the most beautiful and often remote places in the world to make a true difference.

Vision
FRONTEERING strives to provide real off the beaten path volunteer abroad experiences worldwide that satisfy the need for volunteer projects that truly makes a difference for the environment, wildlife and indigenous people.


57 reviews · rating4.6

I was first slight nervous about this programme as I am not so young any more as some other volunteers that join these programmes. I am from Spain and always loved South America and had been to most countries there. I always heard about this hidden gem called Guyana but did not know much about this ...
My Volunteer experience at the Amerindian community eco lodge exceeded all of my expectations. Having spent time living and traveling in diverse places all over the world, I must say that the interior of Guyana offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for a truly raw experience. In addition to the ...
Deirdre Conroy rating4.2

2024 at Pantanal Wildlife Research

My experience on this volunteer program was excellent due to the hard work and planning by my host Alexine. She is a fund of knowledge and is dedicated to her project (Peccary Project, see also on Instagram, peccary_queixada_project). I also worked with an amazing team working with the giant ant ...
Théo SMITH rating4.8

2023 at Scottish Husky Ranch Caretaker

I spent 6 weeks there, it was a great experience. The hosts are super friendly and very welcoming. The dogs are adorable and kind. The landscapes are magnificent and unique If you are looking for a new experience, go ...
Hanna Somsky rating5

2023 at Exotic Wildlife Caretaker Assistant

Can get really good hands on experience with a very diverse group of animals. Ranch care takers are very knowledgeable about the animals and will gladly spend time sharing their stories and experiences with you. If you are looking for somewhere that can you know the place and people you're ...
Cindy Lamaha rating5

2023 at Exotic Wildlife Caretaker Assistant

Dear future volunteer, The Hawaii sanctuary is not just a project where you will be taught about all the different kinds of animals and their behaviors, you will also learn a lot about humans, about yourself and you will learn how to feel home at a place that is not your own. If you thinking about ...

Location

Americas > South America > Guyana > Georgetown

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Contact Patrick
  Excellent response rate
English, German, Dutch

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