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Experience off-grid living in the Guatemalan highlands by the shores of Lake Atitlán. Help with simple daily tasks in a peaceful, nature-immersed setting. Ideal for independent, nature-loving volunteers seeking quiet, routine, and a slower pace of life. We provide basic vegetarian ingredients for you to cook your own meals.
10 hours of help per week
Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.
Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.
Farming: Plant crops, sow seeds and help in outside tasks.
Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens
Amount: US$ 130 One time
Fee pays for: Benefits for travelers
Description: Because the required work time is very minimal (only 2 hours per day), we share the common expenses.
2 days off per week
Tent: You will sleep in a tent at a camping site.
Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.
Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.
Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.
Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.
Intermediate English or Intermediate Spanish
Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers
Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa
We are looking for self-sufficient and collaborative individuals to join our team of four volunteers dedicated to maintaining and guarding the property. We offer a straightforward exchange: your work in return for food. If you value independence, don't mind routine tasks, love being surrounded by nature and embrace a self-directed way of living, this could be the perfect fit for you!
Help is 2 hours per day, always from Monday to Friday, usually from 7:00 to 9:00 or from 10:00 to 12:00. This schedule is fixed and not flexible. All volunteers choose one of those shifts and share the same days off (Saturday and Sunday).
Depending on the day or time of the year, the tasks may be organized by me, a local worker, or someone else, such as my partner, a close friend, or a lead volunteer. Sometimes I’ll be there to guide the tasks directly; other times, another person will take the lead. In some cases, one of us will explain the work in advance, and you’ll carry it out independently.
Currently, Eliseo, a local worker, is in charge of coordinating the volunteers. He speaks Spanish and Tz’utujil, but no English. He has extensive experience working with volunteers who don’t speak Spanish and communicates effectively through gestures, examples, and a patient approach to make sure everyone understands the tasks.
The tasks vary throughout the year depending on the seasons and since the property is very large, tasks often require consistent focus for extended periods. For this reason, it’s very likely that you will be doing the same task for the entirety of your stay.
During the rainy season, tasks primarily involve clearing vegetation, while in the dry season, the focus shifts to building dry stone walls, moving rocks and sand or digging trenches and holes. However, depending on the needs at the time, your tasks may vary depending on the priorities during your stay, as other types of work may also be required.
We never leave the property unattended, so we always coordinate to ensure that at least one of us stays behind.
If you need to skip a working day for any reason, we ask for a small contribution (50Q). This contribution helps maintain the balance within our volunteers by ensuring that the workload is shared fairly.
We align with nature’s rhythm by waking up early at 6:00 AM and going to bed around 8:00 PM, encouraging a lifestyle that follows the natural cycles. This is not the place for night owls, as noise from late-night activities can disturb those who are already resting. Furthermore, working very early in the morning is crucial to avoid the heat of the sun.
I will be out of the country for a few months. At the moment, Eliseo, a local worker, arrives each morning to organize tasks and work alongside the volunteers, sometimes providing instructions for independent work. Volunteers are expected to live independently during the week, which may involve spending some time alone or with other volunteers. Please note that Eliseo will only be present from Monday to Friday, so volunteers need to coordinate among themselves to ensure that someone remains on site during the weekends.
In general, the setup may vary: sometimes I might be on site and directly guiding the work, sometimes another collaborator will take the lead, and other times one of us may only come certain days to coordinate and explain tasks so volunteers can carry them out independently. There may also be periods when I am abroad and not present at all. This level of independence is part of the experience. I am always happy to provide support whenever I am here, and remotely when I am not. However, if you prefer a host who is constantly on site, this arrangement may not be the right fit for you.
