Please Note: This program is temporarily unavailable. Check out our alternative programs in North America or schedule a one-on-one call with one of our expert volunteer advisors.
Join us for jaguar conservation: protect the beautiful felines that inhabit the jungles of southern Mexico by helping to preserve their habitat!
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum one-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Sunday: Arrive at Mérida International Airport (MID). You will be picked up from the airport by local staff and travel from Mérida to Calakmul. Volunteers will receive a welcome tour in Campeche. At the end of the day, volunteers will travel to the Calakmul Reserve.
Day 2, Monday: Volunteers will meet and greet the local staff and begin this training day with expert biologists.
Days 3-5, Tuesday-Friday: Volunteers will work 4-6 hours per day, placing trap cameras, partaking in environmental conservation workshops and monitoring wildlife activity. Volunteers will also take part in community workshops and language lessons throughout the week.
Day 6, Saturday: Trip day for volunteers. Example trips include visits to the Calakmul pyramid, City of Campeche, Cenote Miguel Colorado limestone sinkhole swimming attraction, Mayan city of Felipe Carrillo Puerto and visiting an area with pink flamingos.
Day 7, Sunday: Free day for volunteers.
What’s Included
What’s not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses
Calakmul is an ancient Mayan archeological site that is submerged in the jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula. Calakmul is a federal natural reserve where people have been living since the 12th century. It is located in the middle of the state of Campeche, which is a very rich oil state in Mexico. The project is based in Calakmul, Campeche, in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Campeche is home to the second largest jungle in Latin America, which provides a habitat for a diverse array of species. Campeche was originally built as a fort to protect the Caribbean coast from pirate attacks and is now a major attraction for tourists. The historic town is lined with cobblestone roads and multicolored, pastel houses.
Jaguars live in tropical jungles and the species is an iconic animal, recognized in traditional Mayan culture. The species has been labeled as endangered due to the destruction of its habitat, as seen by the decreasing population in the past several decades.
If you are passionate about helping preserve and protect threatened wildlife and want to make a difference in a location free of tourism, this project is for you.
Some of your tasks may include:
Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:
The project is based in Calakmul, Campeche, in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Campeche is home to the second largest jungle in Latin America, which provides a habitat for a diverse array of species.
Campeche was originally built as a fort to protect the Caribbean coast from pirate attacks and is now a major attraction for tourists. The historic town is lined with cobblestone roads and multicolored, pastel houses.
Volunteers often travel in Yucatan Peninsula before their volunteer placement. Some places you may want to check out include:
Ría Lagartos
You can visit this little town with pink lakes, crocodiles and flamingos. Ría Lagartos is one of the most popular places in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Chichén Itzá
One of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Chichén Itzá is a complex of Mayan ruins centrally located on the northern half of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
Mérida
Mérida is the capital and largest city in the Yucatán. It is the best place to eat typical Yacatecan food and purchase local handicrafts.
Izamal
Izanal is a small, vibrant town very close to the capital. There you can find archeological sites, churches and handicrafts.
If you arrive in Mérida before the program starts, we recommend joining a city tour and visiting the museums, restaurants and markets.
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