Chile

Volunteering at the Botanical Gardens in Viña del Mar, Chile

Q: How far in advance do I have to register?

Ideally your registration takes place at least 3-6 months before the desired departure date , But also short-term registrations are up 1-2 months before the planned departure is possible. But it could be that your dream project is already booked. In this case we will try together to find a suitable alternative for you.

Directly at the sea
Urban everyday life
High recreational value

You have a green thumb and love to spend time in nature? Then get involved in the conservation of biodiversity in the botanical garden in Viña del Mar in Chile. This offers you the perfect mix of education, conservation, research and recreation. Do volunteer work there and gain a lot of new experiences and expand your knowledge in the field of nature protection and conservation.

Vina del Mar

from 18 years

4-8 weeks / from €1.290

Saturday

Volunteering at the Botanical Gardens in Chile

Measures for climate protection

Take immediate measures to combat climate change and its effects.

Project ID : FA-CH483

As a volunteer
Chile

4-8 weeks / from €1.290
to the cost overview

What's the matter?

The National Botanical Garden is a 24-year-old non-profit organization in Chile. This covers a 400-hectare site with a wide variety of plants and thus serves to preserve the biodiversity of the Chilean hotspot.

To this end, different conservation strategies have been developed. Sometimes the assignment site offers an environmental education program aimed at children from kindergarten to fourth grade.

The primary goal of the project is to preserve the great biodiversity of the regional flora. In order to achieve this goal, the transfer of knowledge in this subject area plays a major role. Therefore, the project in the botanical garden should also be used to further develop the local environmental education project for children.

Support the staff at the National Botanical Garden, whose number of visitors is increasing, and get involved in plant diversity!

Your tasks as a volunteer

On site you will be informed by trained staff about the work of the botanical garden. This gives you the opportunity to gather a lot of useful knowledge about the conservation of biodiversity. After about a week you will have received sufficient further training and can get involved in the work on site with full commitment in the field of gardening or education.

A total of 60 people work in the National Botanical Garden in Viña del Mar in Chile. You can help them with any work that needs to be done in the nursery, such as collecting and distributing seeds. But your help is also needed in the environmental education program with children!

Your everyday work in the botanical garden in Viña del Mar will be varied. Because you have the opportunity, depending on your interests and skills, to choose flexibly between different tasks.

Your working day usually starts at 9 a.m. in the morning. You report to the supervisor responsible for you, who will give you exciting and varied work tasks. At noon you have a break to eat something so that you can then get fit and full of energy for the rest of your working day. This ends around 18 p.m.

You usually have Saturdays and Sundays off - so you can use the weekend perfectly for leisure activities and discover the surrounding places.

Accommodation Catering

all fotos

Hostel in Vina del Mar

During your time as a volunteer you will be accommodated in a hostel with other volunteers. Depending on availability, you will stay in a single room with an ensuite bathroom and a queen-size bed or a single room with an ensuite bathroom and a double bed. The rooms are equipped with a TV and WiFi and are cleaned weekly. Nevertheless, you should also take responsibility for the cleanliness of your room.

In the communal kitchen you can prepare your food together with the other volunteers. If you need some variety, there are numerous restaurants in the vicinity that you can try as you please.

If you want to wash your clothes, you can use the cleaning service for a small amount of coins.

Location

Vina del Mar

Chile is characterized by its long but narrow spread on the South American continent. From north to south, the country is a whopping 4.200 kilometers long, while the east-west stretch averages only 175 kilometers. The Viña del Mar project location is located almost in the middle of the country, in the greater Valparaiso area.

Viña del Mar is the fourth largest city in Chile and is known for its beautiful beaches due to its location directly on the Pacific coast. The city is often simply called “Viña” by its residents and also bears the name “Garden City” because of the numerous parks and botanical gardens. But not only parks adorn the Latin American town - particularly striking are the numerous magnificent buildings from the former colonial era, which still leave a European flair today.

The city of Valparaiso is right next to Viña del Mar and the capital Santiago de Chile is also not far away. This can be reached within approx. 1,5 hours.

So Viña del Mar is a perfect combination of city, beach and nature! There is always something going on here, but relaxation is not neglected either.

Your free time in Viña del Mar

Viña del Mar is not only perfect for your work as a volunteer - it is also generally good to live here. Together with other volunteers you can explore the area in and around Viña del Mar in your free time.

Within the city, the numerous parks and botanical gardens invite you to take leisurely walks or sporty jogging units. During a stroll through the city, you can also admire other sights, such as the Flower Clock, or visit the picturesque castles Castillo Brunet and Castillo Wulff.

If you feel like a relaxing day at the beach, then Viña del Mar in Chile is probably the most perfect place for it. Since the city is located on a bay on the Pacific Ocean, you will find paradisiacal beaches here that invite you to sunbathe and surf.

The neighboring historic port city of Valparaiso is also worth a visit. Stroll through the colorful streets and alleys, admire imaginative graffiti artworks and take a ride on the ancient cable car for a sensational view of the old town and picturesque bays from the hills far away.

As Santiago de Chile is only around 1,5 hours away, the capital is ideal for a day or weekend trip. It is one of the few metropolises from which you can reach the sea just as quickly as the nearest ski area. From there you can explore the Andes in an 8-kilometer hike through the Cajón del Maipo Gorge and marvel at a 5.800-meter-high active volcano.

On-site procedure

Arrival in Vina del Mar

You land at the airport in the capital Santiago de Chile. From there you will be picked up by a team member and taken to your project location or accommodation in Viña del Mar.

Orientation program in Viña del Mar

In your first few days as a volunteer, you will be prepared for your forthcoming volunteer work as part of an orientation program. You will get to know the team and be introduced to your tasks and processes.

Your first day in the project

On your first day at work, you will get to know your colleagues and the assignment site better. Together you discuss your specific tasks and working hours and then you can start! You will be instructed in your activities and can start directly with your work.

Pricing

base fee

€ 1.290, -

4 weeks of participation
extension week

€ 205, - / week

up to 48 weeks respectively

included
Services

Before departure

Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
Non-binding flight advice
Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
RGV t-shirt

On site

Orientation program with the team on site
Support and guidance from the on-site team
RGV 24h emergency number
Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities

Airport transfer on the agreed day of arrival
Accommodation in hostel (single room)

After return

Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
Reflection course on your experiences abroad
Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion

useful additional services

not included
Services

Food and drinks

Round trip
Private expenses on site
Excursions with microlight flights
Travel and cancellation insurance
Visa and Vaccinations
All nights outside your agreed accommodation
Public transport and extra transfers

Individual Recommended additional offers
& must-haves

Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?

With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.

" Round Trip
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.

" Insurance
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.

Personal development introductory course

Free of charge

Two tools to get you started on your personal development
Red Cross Doctrine Course

185 €

Can only be booked as part of the "Volunteering at the Red Cross in Chile" project

RGV FAQ
to the project

How far in advance do I have to register?

Ideally your registration takes place at least 3-6 months before the desired departure date, But also short-term registrations are up 1-2 months before the planned departure is possible.

But it could be that your dream project is already booked. In this case we will try together to find a suitable alternative for you.

Can I travel with a friend or in a group?

Yes! On request we enable a double room if you for two with a friend or a friend, or an apartment or other suitable accommodation for groups.

We are very happy to enable our participants to go on a project and share accommodation with friends. Shared accommodation is usually possible both in the volunteer house and with the host family, although the room in the volunteer house may also be shared with other participants. In some locations there is also the option of sharing an apartment.

When registering, please always mention the person(s) traveling with you!

Can I combine projects?

Yes! You can combine projects at one location, at different locations, but also in different countries. It is also possible to combine a project with a trip. You can specify your desired combination directly when registering.

Combination options at a glance:

Combine programs in one country
Combine programs across countries
Combine a program with a language course
Combine a program with ours Adventure & Trips

There are a few things Project combinations to note: The minimum length of stay per project must be observed and you may incur additional costs for country combinations, for example for an intermediate flight.

What are the project fees used for?

Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.

What visa do I need for Chile?

A tourist visa is required for Chile for a stay of up to 90 days. The application takes place upon entry. A flight ticket with a departure date is required.

What language skills do I need for the project in Chile?

For the project in Chile, intermediate Spanish skills (at least B1) are required.

What vaccinations/ health precautions do I need?

If you are traveling from a yellow fever area, you need a yellow fever vaccination. Otherwise there are no compulsory vaccinations.

We generally recommend a consultation in a practice for travel and tropical medicine.

You can get general information about recommended health care and vaccinations online Center for Travel Medicine as well as on the side of Foreign Office.

What are the requirements for the project?

The most important quality you should have is an interest in plants and conservation. In addition, you should be physically fit in order to be able to cope with the upcoming work in the botanical garden. Good language skills in Spanish are also important, because this way you can communicate with the visitors and the staff on site and you can optimally contribute to the work.

How much does the daily transfer to the project cost?

Please note that the transfer from your accommodation to the Botanical Garden is not included in the services. There is a bus connection; alternatively, privately organized transport can be used. This costs around 18 euros daily.

What do I have to consider as an LGBTQ person?

Please be aware that homosexual acts are considered undesirable in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are even punishable by law in some places. In general, people who are identified as queer are often exposed to hostility.

For example, get information from Foreign Office about the exact regulations in your destination country.

General FAQ about volunteer work

Ready to volunteer in Chile? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!

Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.

You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.

Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.

RGV Your way
to the volunteer

1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.

2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.

3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.

4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.

Gallery Impressions &
Impressions

Activities at the Botanical Gardens in Viña del Mar

Volunteering at the Botanical Gardens in Viña del Mar

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Are you not sure yet? Think about whether a spontaneous assignment as a volunteer abroad is the right choice for you or whether you would like to Voluntary social year (FSJ) abroad want to decide.

With RGV you achieve flexible volunteer work in different countries worldwide. Maybe there is one too Internship abroad the ideal choice for you to gain valuable experience abroad.