Panama: Tierras Altas
A two-week Deep Dive into Sustainable Farming and Climate Action in Panama
Project Overview
Explore the Panamanian highlands near the Costa Rican border, a region known as the country’s agricultural capital. Here, you’ll learn about sustainable environmental practices through community service and connect with local youth and children in fun, engaging ways.
Live with a host family and immerse yourself in the peaceful, pastoral scenery of your community. Along the way, you’ll practice Spanish, experience rural life, and gain insight into how farming communities are working to protect fertile soils and adapt to the challenges of climate change.
Training & Preparation
Start Strong, Stay Confident.
Discover projects offer a guided experience with full staff support, so training equips you to engage respectfully and safely with your host community.
National Volunteers:
3–5 hour self‑paced online course (about one month before departure)
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Local Chapter Volunteers:
In‑person chapter training (Feb–May)
Short online concept quiz (mid‑May)
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Ready to lead, ready to discover! Once you land, you’ll spend 2-3 days getting grounded. Orientation introduces you to local culture, daily life, and your community assignment. Project staff lead sessions on health, safety, and project activities and expectations so you feel confident and prepared before diving into the local community.
Closing strong, Carrying forward! In your final 1-2 nights, you’ll come together with fellow volunteers to reflect, celebrate, and prepare for the journey home. Debriefing helps you process your experience, navigate reverse culture shock, and wrap up travel logistics. It’s a supportive space to share growth and learn how to tell your story to family and friends.
What to Expect
Experience More, Discover Yourself.
AMIGOS projects are designed to challenge and inspire. You’ll dive into hands‑on activities, connect with local communities and experience life tech‑free. Every moment builds connection, leadership, and friendships that last far beyond the program.
A look at what volunteers do in the Tierras Altas project.
- SERVICE
- Contribute to community beautification projects that strengthen shared spaces.
- Participate in farming activities, supporting local agricultural practices.
- Lead fun and engaging activities with local kids, building connections through play and learning.
- CONNECTION & IMMERSION
- Learn about coffee production and visit an organic coffee farm in the nearby city of Boquete.
- Take part in cultural workshops, including learning to dance Panamanian folklore.
- Attend workshops on sustainable farming, conservation, and composting, gaining insight into local environmental practices.
- Visit the Panama Canal and Casco Viejo (the historic colonial district of Panama City).
Volunteers develop connections with the people who make each project possible: host families, local youth, community members, partner organizations, AMIGOS staff, and fellow volunteers. These relationships are central to the AMIGOS experience, creating space for cultural exchange, shared learning, and collaborative service.
Living with a host family moves volunteers past the tourist experience, offering a genuine sense of belonging in the community. It’s the ultimate way to rapidly improve Spanish skills and build cross-cultural relationships that often last a lifetime. With 60 years of experience, AMIGOS strictly vets every household through in-person home visits, interviews, and mandatory health and safety training. Staff supervisors conduct regular check-ins and provide 24/7 emergency support.
“Joel was the closest thing I’ve had to a real brother. Our close age gap made it easy for us to relate in so many ways, and I could not have asked for a better host family.”
Over the years, we have observed that volunteers who choose a full digital detox report higher satisfaction, stronger community bonds, and fewer instances of homesickness or emotional distress. Our experience, supported by emerging research on technology use and mental health, demonstrates that disconnecting from devices allows volunteers to connect more deeply with themselves, their peers, and their host communities.
Full Technology PolicyCurious about the daily experience? Explore a sample itinerary for this trip.
Safety and Support
AMIGOS prepares volunteers with health and safety training before departure and project-specific guidance during in-country briefing. Volunteers learn what to expect, how to make responsible decisions, and where to turn for support if needed.
Throughout the project, staff develop emergency plans for each volunteer and location, conduct regular risk assessments, and are available 24/7 through AMIGOS’ in-house Health and Safety On-Call System, supported by a team of medical and mental health professionals.
Cost and Financial Aid
Program fees covers all essential costs, including lodging with host families, local meals, in-country transportation, group excursions, and a 24/7 emergency support network. What’s included:
- 2 weeks of immersive programming and activities
- All meals and accommodations
- In-country transportation
- 24/7 safety and support system
- Pre-departure and training, online or in-person
What’s not included: flights, travel protection, gear.
More About Fees & FundingOur transparent, all-inclusive pricing and flexible financial aid and fundraising options maximize value for your family.
Participant Voices
Preguntado frecuentemente Preguntas
This project is best suited for students who thrive in a group setting, with supervisors and staff always present to guide and support them. Participants divide their time between group housing and homestays, joining their peers for structured weekday activities while spending weekends immersed in family life.
It’s a great fit for students who enjoy shared experiences with their cohort, building friendships and learning together through service, cultural exchange, and reflection. The program offers a balance of independence and strong support, making it ideal for those who want to explore Panama’s highlands while staying closely connected to their peers and mentors.
In Tierras Altas, you’ll experience the heart of Panama’s food production by living with families who cultivate their own fruits and vegetables in small farms and gardens. Some even distribute their harvests across the country, giving you a direct window into how local agriculture sustains communities nationwide.
Beyond daily life, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how environmental challenges and climate change are reshaping farming practices. This project offers a rare chance to connect cultural traditions — like preparing dishes such as sancocho or hojaldres — with the broader story of sustainability and resilience in Panama’s highlands.
AMIGOS first worked in Panama from 1981 to 1987, until political unrest and the U.S. invasion led to a suspension of projects. We returned in 2004, launching programs in Veraguas and Coclé, and over the years expanded to the Azuero Peninsula, Kuna Yala Region, Coclé, Veraguas, and Chiriquí provinces.
Through these initiatives, AMIGOS has impacted the lives of hundreds of volunteers and community members while building strong partnerships with government and social organizations. In 2022, we resumed operations with two projects, and today we proudly run three summer programs across Panama, continuing to expand our work with local agencies and communities.
Not for this project.
You can earn 36 service hours on this program.
You’ll experience both group living and host family immersion. At the beginning and end of the project, the entire cohort stays together in dormitory‑style lodging for orientation and reflection.
For the community experience, all students and the full staff team live in the same rural community, creating a strong sense of connection and support. Within that community, volunteers live with host families either individually or with one other peer, engaging in daily activities alongside their smaller cohorts while still being part of the larger team.
Most meals feature traditional Panamanian cuisine — a protein such as chicken, beef, pork, or eggs, served with rice, beans or lentils, and a fresh salad. Common sides include fried plantains, yucca, or hojaldras (fried dough).
This project can accommodate vegetarians, with host families able to adapt meals to meet dietary needs.
This program is primarily located in the highlands of Chiriquí Province, where temperatures range from the low‑60s to mid‑70s°F and the climate is cool and refreshing. The group spends most of its time here, surrounded by lush green landscapes.
For a few days, the program also travels to the Pacific coast of Coclé Province and to Panama City. On the coast, temperatures range from the mid‑70s to mid‑90s°F, with high humidity. From June to August, both regions experience tropical rainfall, though humidity is strongest along the coast.
Want to sound like a local? Here are a few everyday expressions you’ll hear in Panama — perfect for breaking the ice and connecting with your community:
Aguacero = heavy rain shower
Ofi = okay
Qué xopa = what’s up?
¡Ayala vida! = expression of surprise or misfortune
Fren = friend
Pipa = coconut
Ideal for volunteers interested in sustainable farming and climate action, the Panama: Tierras Altas project blends hands-on service, host family immersion, and cultural exchange in Panama’s agricultural highlands.
- Meet the health criteria for AMIGOS participation
- Receive required immunizations
- Be age 15–19 on the project start date
- Have taken 2 years of Spanish or the equivalent
- Passport valid 6 months after project start date
- Complete pre-departure training, online or in-person
