If you want to do something different with your gap break or on your next holiday, why not volunteer in South America?

This diverse, colourful continent is the perfect place to broaden your horizons while helping communities in need through projects such as teaching English, conservation efforts and building homes for underprivileged people in areas like Peru, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands and Brazil.

You could find your ideal South American adventure at i-to-i – we're one of the leading gap travel organisations in the UK and send thousands of volunteers to projects around the world each year with the aim of doing good in the regions that need it the most.

All about volunteering in South America

There are many projects in South America that require the help of volunteers eager to give something back to local communities as they travel around this unique continent.

You could spend between one and 12 weeks working on one of the dozens of programmes that are accessible with i-to-i.

Among our most popular schemes is the chance to assist a house building project in rural Costa Rica, which aims to create new homes for underprivileged families and allows you to use your free time to explore the country's magnificent natural landscape.

Another package that attracts a high number of keen travellers looking to volunteer abroad is a placement where you teach English in schools in the Peruvian capital, Lima. You can also experience all of the sights and sounds of the city while immersing yourself in local culture through a homestay with a local family.

If you're more interested in conservation, why not consider heading to the stunning Galapagos Islands to help preserve the beautiful but fragile natural habitat here through duties like maintaining trails and planting crops? You can explore the islands for yourself during your free time – an opportunity that many travellers would love to have!

For a more animal-focused project, you could spend time in Costa Rica assisting efforts to look after the local population of sea turtles – while also enjoying yourself with surfing lessons.

These are just a few of the programmes you could take part in with i-to-i – our other South America gap trip packages take volunteers to countries such as Brazil, mainland Ecuador, Argentina and Panama, among others.

Find your perfect South American adventure with i-to-i

If you're eager to volunteer in South America, i-to-i is perfectly placed to help you realise your dreams. We're one of the UK's leading responsible travel providers and send thousands of people on meaningful adventures every year – we're the original volunteer company, run by travellers for travellers.

Our packages are open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 80 and you're welcome to book your tour with a friend or relative.

We offer language lesson add-ons for certain projects where a basic understanding of the native tongue will be helpful and you are free to combine multiple schemes in the same country or across different nations if you wish.

As i-to-i is fully protected through ABTA membership and the ATOL initiative, you can rest assured that your money will be in safe hands.

We're also part of the Year Out Group and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's Know Before You Go scheme for added peace of mind.

To find out more about our South American volunteering opportunities, call us on 0113 205 4620 or visit our website to request a callback or brochure.