| Volunteering at Montecristo River Lodge. Rio San Juan, Nicaragua. |
Montecristo has a very simple aim, to protect and preserve
the rainforest and its ecosystem; by promoting a
self-sustaining lifestyle and encouraging long term green
living. It is hoped that Montecristo can provide a window to
experience the wonders of the jungle and serve as an
inspiration to visitors from around the world.
In line with this aim the lodge uses solar energy to provide
electricity and power its running water supply. The
carefully cultivated land provides fresh pineapples,
oranges, lemons, herbs, spices, chillies, platanos, coffee
beans and much more. We also keep livestock including
chickens, pigs and milk cows, also horses used to access
the rainforest reserve for both work and pleasure riding.
Our main income is the tourists who come to enjoy and
appreciate the incredible wildlife and natural beauty of the
rain forest. They can enjoy tarpon fishing, kayaking, horse
riding and trekking through the rainforest or simply relax in
the friendly, easy atmosphere of the lodge. The profits
made are then put back into achieving greater
sustainability and preservation, like our reforestation
projects or the addition of more solar panels.
Maintaining this project takes a great deal of dedication
and commitment and any volunteers who share our beliefs
and goals and would like to come and help us are very
welcome. Requests will be treated individually and your
stay will be tailored to your needs. Activities may include
but are not limited to:
the rainforest and its ecosystem; by promoting a
self-sustaining lifestyle and encouraging long term green
living. It is hoped that Montecristo can provide a window to
experience the wonders of the jungle and serve as an
inspiration to visitors from around the world.
In line with this aim the lodge uses solar energy to provide
electricity and power its running water supply. The
carefully cultivated land provides fresh pineapples,
oranges, lemons, herbs, spices, chillies, platanos, coffee
beans and much more. We also keep livestock including
chickens, pigs and milk cows, also horses used to access
the rainforest reserve for both work and pleasure riding.
Our main income is the tourists who come to enjoy and
appreciate the incredible wildlife and natural beauty of the
rain forest. They can enjoy tarpon fishing, kayaking, horse
riding and trekking through the rainforest or simply relax in
the friendly, easy atmosphere of the lodge. The profits
made are then put back into achieving greater
sustainability and preservation, like our reforestation
projects or the addition of more solar panels.
Maintaining this project takes a great deal of dedication
and commitment and any volunteers who share our beliefs
and goals and would like to come and help us are very
welcome. Requests will be treated individually and your
stay will be tailored to your needs. Activities may include
but are not limited to:
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All volunteers would be provided with:
Accommodation: Room or cabin at Lodge
Food: 3 meals a day while at the lodge (food
is Basic, and some time we may ask volunteer
to help a bit with the food by purchasing some
item from the local town, like beef, pork,
chicken, or vegetables. About $8.00 per day
for food may be required, depending if we
have tourist or not.
Respect: We will never ask you to do
something which you can not or do not want to
do, also given plenty of free time!
We could not provide: Flights, medical and
travel insurance, personal expenses and visa
Volunteers would be expected to:
•Help wherever they can
•Act in a polite and orderly fashion to our
guests.
•Be aware of the environment and respect our
efforts to preserve it.
* Keep their room and surrounding area clean
* Help in the kitchen when needed
* Help cleaning and fixing room for customers
when needed.
Accommodation: Room or cabin at Lodge
Food: 3 meals a day while at the lodge (food
is Basic, and some time we may ask volunteer
to help a bit with the food by purchasing some
item from the local town, like beef, pork,
chicken, or vegetables. About $8.00 per day
for food may be required, depending if we
have tourist or not.
Respect: We will never ask you to do
something which you can not or do not want to
do, also given plenty of free time!
We could not provide: Flights, medical and
travel insurance, personal expenses and visa
Volunteers would be expected to:
•Help wherever they can
•Act in a polite and orderly fashion to our
guests.
•Be aware of the environment and respect our
efforts to preserve it.
* Keep their room and surrounding area clean
* Help in the kitchen when needed
* Help cleaning and fixing room for customers
when needed.
| Tanya Edgar, our first volunteer, who is helping us design our program. |
• Teaching English to staff
• Maintenance of buildings, for example thatched roof repair
• Rainforest trail designing, marking and cutting
• Horse riding with guests
• Milking the cows and making cheese
• Helping in the kitchen
• Kayaking tour guide with guests
• Crop tending and plantation
• Reforestation
• Maintenance of buildings, for example thatched roof repair
• Rainforest trail designing, marking and cutting
• Horse riding with guests
• Milking the cows and making cheese
• Helping in the kitchen
• Kayaking tour guide with guests
• Crop tending and plantation
• Reforestation
| Lauren and Austin Sharp from Montana, USA September - December 2011 |
Andrea Smith and Grabriel Aranda from the USA. December 2011
| Andrea is making sing with the name of plant, trees and places around our lodge. She did a great job. |
| Gabriel is building a shrimp trap or NASA with bamboo. Now we will be able to supplement our food with crab and shrimp from the river. |
Dustin and Teresa Dobson
Volunteers January 2012
Volunteers January 2012
