GoEco > Middle East > Israel > Desert Eco-Kibbutz Program

Israel – Desert Eco-Kibbutz Program

Please Note: This program is temporarily unavailable. Check out our alternative programs in Israel or schedule a one-on-one call with one of our expert volunteer advisors.

Get a taste of eco-friendly living! Volunteer on a sustainable, desert-oasis kibbutz that focuses on eco-building and sustainable agriculture!

Program Highlights:

Live in an eco-friendly, sustainable community in the desert
Assist in maintaining eco -structures in the Eco-Campus, Eco-Park and Nature & Migratory Bird Reserve
Help with natural, sustainable building projects
Orientation, sightseeing tour and overnight in Tel Aviv
Visit to Eilat’s Coral Reef Reserve
Live in a holistic manner and enjoy desert hikes and other nature experiences

Your Schedule at a Glance: (Ten-day commitment)

Arrival Day, Sunday: Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV). Volunteers will make their own way to their hostel accommodations in Tel Aviv. Orientation, including a walking tour of Tel Aviv, is provided on this day.

Day 1, Monday: You will travel by bus from Tel Aviv to Eilat (bus ticket included in program cost).You will stay the night in a hostel in Eilat along with the other volunteers and have the remainder of the evening to relax and get to know one another.

Day 2, Tuesday: You will visit the Coral Reef Reserve on this day. After enjoying the sea and coral reef, you will go by bus to the kibbutz.

Days 3-8, Wednesday- Monday: Volunteers will work on different tasks each day. Days begin at 7:00 AM with either gardening or mud structure building, followed by breakfast at 8:30 AM. Volunteers will then have a practical lesson and activity related to ecology, followed by lunch at 12:30 PM. Afternoons and evenings are free.

Days 9-10, Friday-Saturday: Fridays and Saturdays are free days.

Day 11, Tuesday: Departure day for volunteers.

Please note: This program is flexible with departure days. If you want to extend your stay with extra working days, please inform our team and it can be arranged if there is space for an additional fee.

Location of the Project: Arava Desert, Israel

Project length: 10 days

Arrival Airport: Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)

Volunteer Work: Eco-building, organic gardening, landscaping

Age: Min age of 18

Number of Volunteers: Up to 30 volunteers (This project requires a minimum of 5 participants, any less and the project will not take place.)

What’s Included

Accommodations: Shared eco-huts

Food: Most meals are included

Airport Transfers: Bus tickets to and from the kibbutz and Tel Aviv are included.

Orientation: Participants will receive a walking tour of Tel Aviv on the Sunday of their arrival.

Support: Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

What’s not Included

Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, some meals, personal expenses

Location

The Negev is a desert region that covers the southern half of Israel. The least populated area in Israel, it is home to a wide variety of people such as the nomadic, desert tribes,known as the Bedouin, as well as unique, Israeli wildlife. The kibbutz is located in the dramatically scenic Arava Valley.

Volunteer Work

Volunteers will get a taste of creating, maintaining and living in a completely sustainable community. This program is very learning-based, and volunteers will learn about permaculture, agro-ecology and ecological architecture. Volunteers will put their new knowledge to the test by engaging in hands-on tasks as well.

Some of your tasks may include:

Assisting in natural, sustainable building projects
Organic gardening
Landscaping

Living Arrangements

Internet icon Internet: WiFi is available

Laundry icon Laundry: There is a laundry room on campus.

Accommodations icon Accommodations: Participants will share single-gender, eco-huts, which accommodate up to three volunteers. Rooms are equipped with beds, air conditioning, shelves, pillows, linens and towels. The bathroom facilities contain compost toilets and showers. On the kibbutz campus, there is a tea house, dining room, pool (seasonal), football field, basketball court and pub which are available to volunteers.

Food icon Food: Seven breakfasts will be served in the dining room, six lunches will be served in the dining room and two dinners will be served in the dining room. Volunteers will have an allowance to purchase food for five dinners and one lunch. The local team can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets.

Requirements

Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:

Minimum age of 18
High level of English
Participants should be in good physical shape

Travel Highlights

The local staff can help arrange guided tours of popular destinations such as Petra, Jerusalem and Timna Park as well as help organize desert hikes.
The international beach resort of Eilat is only 50 kilometers away by bus (approximately $5 one-way by bus), if volunteers want to enjoy some snorkeling, go to an internet cafe or enjoy the vibrant nightlife. For those that want to see the rest of the country, it is easy to use public transportation and explore Tel Aviv or the north of Israel and no trip would be complete without a mud bath and float in the Dead Sea.

Check out a list of tours you can join for an additional fee, here.