Head to Panama this summer to explore how local communities conserve the country's unique plants and wildlife! Spend a week in the Valle de Anton, supporting reforestation efforts and working at an orchid conservation center. Next, travel to a quiet town on the Pacific coast that's home to a sea turtle protection project and live with a host family. Enjoy the pristine coastline and do hands-on volunteer activities that help make the area safer for the sea turtles that nest and hatch there.

This project is almost full. Apply now!
Length Training
Dates
In-Country
Dates
Ages Application
Deadline
Price
Panama: Valle y Veraguas 3 Weeks

Online training on COVID-19, health and safety, mental health, travel, and AMIGOS history before departure. Leadership and orientation training take place in-country.

June 15–July 5, 2023

15–19 Final Deadline: April 18, 2023

$4,375 – Local Chapter (Find out more about joining AMIGOS through a local chapter here)

$5,875 – National Chapter

Fees include all in-country expenses.

  • Panama: Valle y Veraguas
  • Length
    3 Weeks
  • Training Dates

    Online training on COVID-19, health and safety, mental health, travel, and AMIGOS history before departure. Leadership and orientation training take place in-country.

  • In-Country Dates

    June 15–July 5, 2023

  • Ages
    15–19
  • Application Deadline
    Final Deadline: April 18, 2023
  • Price

    $4,375 – Local Chapter (Find out more about joining AMIGOS through a local chapter here)

    $5,875 – National Chapter

    Fees include all in-country expenses.

About the Project

Project Type

Homestay. Enrollment is 20 volunteers with two spots reserved for students from Panama.

Slang

aguacero = rain shower
ofi = okay
buenas = hi
que pritti = how cool

College Credit

Get two college credits for this project! Find out more here.

Service Hours

Earn 36 service hours!

Food

Sancocho de gallina – chicken soup with vegetables and yucca
Hojaldres – fried dough
Tamales – spiced meat filling in corn dough, wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked
Queque de coco – coconut bread
Pipa – coconut water

What makes this project unique?

See the different sides of Panama, from a cloud forest to the Pacific Coast. Live with a host family and hang out with local peers to practice your Spanish and learn more about the Panamanian culture. Inspire yourself by talking to community leaders to better understand the climate challenges they are facing and the actions they are taking. Volunteer with local organizations dedicated to flora and fauna conservation.  

 

El Valle de Antón, Panama
Find out more about our programs

Join an online info session!

RSVP HERE

What You'll Do

Community-Driven Conservation

Understand the importance of natural resource conservation to community well-being and native flora and fauna. Hear from local people about the challenges of climate change and its impacts on people’s lives.  

 

Partner Agencies

Volunteer with a sea turtle protection organization and Panama’s Ministry of the Environment. Earn 36 service hours while supporting local initiatives.

 

Example Activities

  • Nocturnal sea turtle monitoring on the beach
  • Meet youth from the Eco Club, dedicated to preserving the environment in and around their community
  • Explore waterfalls and an extinct volcanic crater
  • Earn 36 service hours volunteering on environmental projects
  • Wander through Panama City’s historic colonial center and watch ships pass through the Panama Canal

A Day in the Life

Morning

  • Wake up and have a Panamanian breakfast with your host family
  • Learn about the impact of microplastics in the ocean
  • Take part in a beach cleanup with kids from the surrounding community
  • Have lunch with your group

Afternoon

  • Visit an organic farm and try your hand at milking cows
  • Compete in a sea turtle sand sculpture contest
  • Enjoy a typical dinner with your host family 
  • Take a night walk along the beach to monitor the area for nesting sea turtles

Program Pillars

Ethical Service

Learn how to create ethical service initiatives by working with–not for–a community, engaging local organizations and partners, and evaluating the impact of your work. AMIGOS works with trusted local partners that are passionate and committed to working with our volunteers on community service projects.

Cultural Humility

Cultural humility is a process of both self-reflection about your own culture as well as learning about other cultures. You will examine your own beliefs and cultural identity and gain an understanding of how structural racism has impacted societies and the roles that communities can take to lead systemic change.

Leadership

Learn, grow, and discover your leadership potential! Explore your sense of purpose and start to establish your personal goals and values through introspection and inquiry.

Apply Now

Click here

Why Choose AMIGOS?

Have an Adventure

Travel off the beaten path and to must-see spots in Panama! You’ll travel as a group to experience unique destinations like extinct volcanoes, cloud forests, and waterfalls. You’ll get to see these places from the distinct perspective of someone who has spent time in that country and learned about the culture firsthand. Plus, you’ll bond with their fellow volunteers and have fun!

Travel with Trust

AMIGOS is the industry leader in health and safety management. Our staff is prepared to help you with any situation that may arise. Each volunteer receives a personalized emergency plan, as well as support from local staff teams and a professional 24-hour On-Call Safety Team of travel specialists, doctors, and mental health specialists. A Health and Wellness Coordinator is on staff with the group throughout the duration of their stay. AMIGOS also has an established network of vetted medical clinics and hospitals throughout the region.

Training for AMIGOS and Beyond

Prepare for AMIGOS through guided training in topics like: cultural humility, health and safety, emotional intelligence, travel safety, Spanish, leadership, and team building.

Upon arrival in the field, you’ll start country-specific training with your group. During your time abroad, you’ll meet regularly with an AMIGOS staff member who serves as your mentor.

Throughout the whole experience, I made life-long friends, learned about a new culture, and I got to make a real impact in some amazing peoples’ lives.

—Claire, Volunteer in Panama

Program Requirements
Apply Now

Field Notes

Montanas y Mar: Last Days at CATIE

Archive


Read More
La Costa: Volunteering at Asociacion de Recicladores

Archive


Read More
Western Colorado: Letter from Alex

Archive


Read More

Not us missing them 🤐💖



We guess it’s a tbt now 🤧💕
#explore #panama #amigospanama
...

Still deciding?

See more projects like this one!