Traveling to the Galápagos Islands had been a lifelong dream, but experiencing them through a conservation-focused travel program transformed that dream into something far more meaningful. This is my firsthand experience joining a sustainable, volunteer-based Galápagos conservation trip with ConservationVIP. Why the Galápagos Islands Had Always Been My Dream Destination For years, the Galápagos Islands…
Experiencing the Amazon Differently I come from one of the most traffic-choked cities in America — a place where an hour-long commute is considered normal and monthly tolls quietly siphon hundreds of dollars from family budgets. Brake lights stretch endlessly. Engines idle. Patience thins. So when the opportunity arose to join the inaugural ConservationVIP Amazon…
A Conservation Leader’s Connection to Pacuare Reserve The first time I journeyed to the Pacuare Reserve Costa Rica, I connected deeply with this amazing place and the local people caring for it. Imagine a trip where you can contribute to conserving endangered sea turtles, preserving a rare heron nesting area and collecting information on primates…
A heartfelt gift from Peruvian friends is a reminder that our impact reaches beyond the hours we spend on the volunteer projects themselves. On our Machu Picchu Volunteer Trip, we visit the village of Chinchero and love to spend time with the artisans of Qori Puskay women’s weaving center. The center was founded by Guillermina…
Garry Oye – One Volunteer Who Impacts Many How do we measure a person’s impact on an organization, on fellow volunteers, on communities, on the land? It can’t be done with just numbers. We first featured this story about Garry Oye in our 2024 Impact Report. Then in mid 2025, Garry decided that it was…
Nine Reasons to Travel to Tanzania with ConservationVIP How My Dream Came to Fruition My first introduction to ConservationVIP® came during the summer of 2015 when an acquaintance at REI Adventures suggested I check out their volunteer conservation trips. I did and I liked ConservationVIP’s mission and vision. But I noticed there were no trips…