Why volunteer in Colombia? There are many reasons to choose this country for your meaningful travel. Colombia is a lively and colourful place, has a huge biodiversity and fascinating history. At the same time, it faces problems in various fields. Volunteering is the perfect way to do something meaningful while you experience this incredibly beautiful and interesting country.
The volunteer opportunities in Colombia are versatile. This allows you to find work in a field that aligns with your skills and thereby really impact the people’s lives. Find out about the available volunteer opportunities, the best time to volunteer in Colombia and the precautions to consider. Furthermore, learn about places and fun activities you shouldn’t miss in your free time!
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[item title=”Top 6 fun facts about Colombia”]
- Bogotá is located at 8360 ft above sea level, which makes it the highest large city in the world (with a population greater than 3 million).
- Bogotá has the largest network of bicycle routes in all of South America (with a length of over 300 km).
- The most famous Colombian in the world is most likely Pablo Escobar. Escobar’s Medellín Cartel controlled a massive drug empire between the 80s and 90s. Many films and TV shows are based on his story.
- Colombia is the 5th most popular country for plastic surgery. There’s a high demand within the country but Colombia has also become a hotspot for cosmetic tourism.
- Colombia has ranked as the happiest country in the world several times. Also, Colombian women are often voted the most beautiful in the world.
- Colombia has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It’s the only country in South America with this characteristic.
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Social Projects in Colombia
Volunteering in Colombia is very versatile. This gives you the chance to find a volunteer program that aligns with your skills and thus allows you to have a real impact. You can work with small farmers to help them keep their farms, teach children to improve their future or make unique experiences while working in health care. Find out more about the various possibilities below.
Environment
Are you a true coffee lover and nothing makes you happier than the smell of a good coffee in the morning? But sometimes you wonder about where it was made and what the working conditions for the farmers are like? Colombia is the third biggest producer of coffee in the world and the market for coffee is huge. But for small farmers it’s often hard. When they face problems like torrential rains, coffee tree diseases and changes in the world prices of coffee, it often ruins them.
What better way to give something back than to become a volunteer in Colombia and work on a coffee farm? By volunteering on a Colombian coffee farm, you’ll help the small farms to keep the production alive. Your ideas and research will also help to increase the production and you’ll work closely with the community to educate people about farming. Another way to make a difference in a Colombian community is by working with small farmers in sugar cane production.
Education
Volunteering in a Colombian school is a great way to combine meaningful travel with learning for your own career. Colombia has suffered from natural disasters for decades, which lead to poor infrastructure in many regions of the country. Some regions are also subject to flooding, which prevents young people from going to school for many months at a time. As a volunteer in Colombia, you’ll give children who normally don’t have access to education a chance to learn. Become a teacher for English, sports, arts or music. And additionally, develop your teaching skills and enjoy experiences that’ll boost your career!
Health Service
Are you studying medicine or working in the health field? Are you looking for a unique challenge and new experiences that’ll expand your horizon? Become a medical volunteer in Colombia and use your skills to make a difference in one of the smaller communities. Depending on your skills, you’ll work with the doctors, in nursing, in therapy or dental care.
Volunteering in these fields is a great way to improve the quality of people’s life, because many people in Colombia’s rural areas don’t have the same access to health care as the rest of the country. At the same time, those experiences you make while being directly involved will help you further with your professional development.
Living costs for a volunteer in Colombia
An important step of planning your volunteer stay in Colombia is figuring out the cost of your trip. The recommended daily budget for volunteers in Colombia is between $ 24 and $ 37, but the budget really depends on your individual plans. Eating out is not expensive in Colombia. The same applies to drinks. When traveling around, public transit is popular in Colombia and definitely the better choice than renting a car.
Tip: We don’t recommend to hitch hike, as it’s uncommon in Colombia and generally not entirely safe.
Our overview gives you an idea about some useful average prices:
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| Hotel $ 44.63 |
Big Mac® $ 2.63 |
Coca-Cola® $ 0.66 |
Eating out $ 5.32 |
Rental car $ 868.30/week |
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| Hostel $ 7.34 |
Marlboro™ $ 0.94 |
Beer $ 1.57 |
Fuel $ 0.68 |
Public transport $ 0.53 |
Additional costs: Keep in mind that additional costs include the program fees, the costs for your flight and for your visa.
Best time to volunteer in Colombia
Or better: Any time is the best time to volunteer in Colombia (At least regarding the weather conditions)! There is no winter near the equator, which means Colombia gets 12 months of summer. The temperatures are pretty stable throughout the year: Around 24 °C (75 °F) in the coastal regions and between 7 and 17 °C (45 – 63 °F) in the interior. But you should still consider the different seasons when planning your volunteer experience in Colombia.
Shoulder (Mar–Sep)
Even though the temperatures are pretty stable, rainfall varies throughout the seasons. Cartagena on the Pacific coast is sunny in April and gets rain from May on. In the cities Bogotá, Medellín and Cali it rains in April and May.
Tip: The best time for whale watching is from July until the beginning of the high season.
Low Season (Oct–Nov)
Planning your volunteer trip during the shoulder or low season is a great idea if you want to avoid tourist crowds and busy beaches (especially between March to May and September to November, when it’s wetter). During the low season it’s very wet at the Caribbean coast, but the water levels in the Amazon are low.
Tip: Because of that, the low season is great for hiking in the Amazon area!
High Season (Dec–Feb)
The high season is dry and the days are sunny and relatively warm. Weather-wise, this season is the most popular one for traveling to Colombia (as well as from June to August). During that season, the Amazon, San Andrés and Providencia are particularly beautiful.
Tip: Even though the coastal areas become very hot, the temperatures in the higher regions are relatively cool. Therefore, you should always bring warm clothes when volunteering in one of those areas.
What precautions should I consider as a volunteer in Colombia?
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[item title=”Health”]
- When trekking through national parks and traveling close to the coast and jungle, malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever can be a threat. Talk to your doctor about the vaccines you need.
- Another problem is the so-called altitude sickness. It might occur when you’re traveling in the mountains and ascend rapidly to great altitudes (for example when flying directly to Bogotá).
- It’s safe to drink from the tap in big cities. In remote areas it’s better to boil water or buy bottled water.
- In general, the medical care in Colombia is one of the best in South America.
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[item title=”Travel advice”]
- Getting around Colombia via public transport isn’t expensive if you don’t need all the comforts. The main way to travel is by bus. The bus network is really good and allows you to reach almost every town in Colombia.
- Traveling by plane is more expensive but also the easiest way to cover huge distances. Remember: Colombia is the fifth-largest country in Latin America. Almost all cities have airports and you can find some good deals when flying with a budget airline.
- Travel advice for women: It’s unlikely that you’ll have any problems as a female volunteer in Colombia, but take the usual precautions. Don’t walk around alone when it’s dark, look after your drink and avoid taking a taxi alone when it’s dark.
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[item title=”Culture”]
- Colombia ranked several times as the happiest country in the world. One reason for that might be the important role relationships play for the people. For many Colombians, the family is the most important part of their social environment. Even if the families don’t live in the same house, they often live close together and visit one another often. It’s also common for children to live with their parents until they get married.
- Another interesting fact about Colombian culture is that many indigenous languages survived and around 70 are still spoken! The vast majority of people (99 %) speak Spanish though.
- Regarding religion, there’s not a huge variety in Colombia. About 75 % of Colombians are Catholics. The church plays an important role in many areas of the community, for example in education, family life and social welfare.
- When you’re going out or are invited for dinner, there are some things to keep in mind. Before you start eating, you should wait for the host to say ‘buen provecho’, which means ‘enjoy your meal’, and is an invitation to start eating. In Colombia, it’s also polite to try everything you are given and leave a bit of food on the plate.
- Colombia’s national sport is tejo, which is a traditional sport. You throw a metal puck and try to hit a target. It looks a bit like shuffleboard.
- Tip: Playing tejo has become popular among travellers in Colombia. Try out this fun Colombian tradition when volunteering in Colombia! You can find hostels that host free tejo nights.
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[item title=”Packing Essentials”]
- Again: Always bring warm clothes, as it gets chilly in the higher regions (even in the high season)
- Hiking shoes and a small backpack are useful for long days of exploring
- Sun cream and a hat
- The busses are air-conditioned, so bring a light jacket
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Key phrases
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| Hello: ¡Hola! | Goodbye: Adiós | Thank you: Gracias/ Muchas gracias | How are you?: ¿Cómo estás? (inf)/ ¿Qué tal? (inf) |
How to spend your free time as a volunteer in Colombia?
Are you wondering about what Colombia has to offer for your free time? Well, one thing is clear: The Colombians know how to celebrate and enjoy life. The country is home to the biggest salsa festival, the biggest theatre festival, the biggest outdoor horse parade, the biggest flower parade and most importantly the second biggest carnival in the world! And if that’s not reason enough to get excited, read about the major cities, the beautiful nature and our list of top places to visit.
Cities
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[item title=”Bogotá”]
As the capital of Colombia, Bogotá is the country’s cultural and political centre. It also has a vibrant nightlife. Bogotá is a smart city in many ways. One of its advances is the TransMilenio, the public transit system. Also, every Sunday 75 miles of the city’s roads are being shut down for runners, bikers and roller-bladers.[/item]
[item title=”Medellín”]
This city is another major city but is less overwhelming than Bogotá. Colombia’s second largest city is blessed with excellent weather, which is why it’s sometimes referred to as ‘the city of Eternal Spring’. The flower festival in early August is a date you shouldn’t miss when volunteering in Colombia.[/item]
[item title=”Cali”]
The city is known as a business and industrial location. But it has a lot more to offer! As a volunteer in Colombia, this is your spot to learn to dance salsa! Let the rhythms carry you away when exploring Cali, the ‘World’s Capital of Salsa’.[/item] [item title=”Cartagena”]
Because of its famous fortress and walls, Cartagena is one of the most popular colonial cities in Colombia. In former days, it was the biggest Spanish port in South America. Need another reason to visit? Cartagena is also located close to the beach![/item]
[item title=”Small towns”]
Make sure to also visit the smaller towns, you might be surprised and find them to be even more interesting than the big cities. Santa Cruz de Mompox for example is a beautiful town that has kept its colonial character. It’s also famous for its Easter week celebrations.[/item]
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The great outdoors
Colombia’s nature alone makes it worth a visit. As a volunteer in Colombia, make sure to travel north to the Caribbean in your free time and enjoy the sun on one of the idyllic islands. Providencia for example is a mountainous and remote island that should definitely be on your list. Its clear waters are perfect for diving adventures.
Have you ever seen pink dolphins? Well, when traveling to the southeast of Colombia, you’ll find them in the Amazonian region. Explore the jungle, which covers a third of the country’s areas, and see all kinds of local animals.
Must visit places
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[item title=”Santuario De Las Lajas”]
The impressive church is located in southern Colombia, inside the canyon of the Guáitara River. It was built between 1916 and 1949.[/item]
[item title=”El Cocuy”]
Snow-covered mountains in Colombia? Yes, indeed. The hike up El Cocuy is challenging but you’ll be rewarded with a stunning view. This is the spot to take some unusual pictures of Colombia that will surprise your friends at home.[/item]
[item title=”Zona Cafetera”]
This is the region where the Colombian coffee bean is grown. You can stay on authentic coffee farms and walk around the places where the coffee is grown. The region with its breath taking walks is great for trekking.[/item]
[item title=”La Ciudad Perdida”]
The ‘lost city’ is the site of an ancient Colombian city. It’s believed to be even older than Machu Picchu. The ruins can be visited today and give an interesting insight on ancient Colombia.[/item]
[item title=”Caño Cristales”]
The river’s nickname ‘The Liquid Rainbow’ says it all. The Caño Cristales is considered to be the most colourful and thus most beautiful river worldwide. The riverweed that covers the rocks causes its stunning yellow, blue, black and especially red colour.[/item]
[item title=”Tayrona National Park”]
The national park is located in the Caribbean region of Colombia’s north. It’s home to an immense variety of wildlife, including titi monkeys, black howler and jaguars. Additionally, you can go on a guided tour to a native village. The national park has also great spots for experienced surfers.[/item]
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Food
When traveling to new places, one of the best parts is always trying the local cuisine. When volunteering in Colombia make sure to also try the dishes that sound a bit bizarre at first.
Our tip: The cheesy hot chocolate. It’s a Colombian custom to put pieces of cheese in hot chocolate and let them merge together as the cheese melts. Sounds quite weird? Well, be open to this taste experience and you might even discover a new favourite. 😉
Volunteer Requirements
- The minimum age for volunteering in Colombia is between 16 and 18
- You should speak Spanish at a basic level and basic English when teaching children
- Especially when working in health care, a health declaration is required
- Some of the projects also require a criminal background check
How to find Volunteer Opportunities in Colombia
Ready to start planning? Explore and compare volunteer programs in Colombia and find your very own volunteer opportunity on Volunteer World. This platform is all about making volunteering in Colombia simple and transparent. Featuring more than 500 volunteer programs and over 600 social projects in 70+ countries, Volunteer World is a one-stop resource for volunteer abroad opportunities.
