Organic food forest permaculture, natural building, and reforestation in the Amazon Rainforest in Loreto, Ecuador

Details

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  Description

  🌴🌞 Welcome Jungle Friends 🌞🌴
  "This is sure to be an eye-opening experience that will change your life forever.":
  
  If you're the type of person who values living freely in nature, growing an abundance of food, exploring jungle rivers and waterfalls, and being part of something that’s truly helping heal the earth, we invite you to learn more about our reforestation and food forest project in the Amazon of Ecuador 🌳
  
  As you may know, the Amazon—one of the most biodiverse and sacred ecosystems on earth—is under attack. Huge areas are being destroyed every day, mostly for animal agriculture and monoculture farming that are poisoning the earth and displacing its wild beauty 🌳🔥
  
  Amongst the destruction w are rewilding 3.5 hectares of land and transforming what used to be cattle pasture and monoculture plantations into a thriving, abundant, biodiverse organic food forest packed with tropical fruits, native plants, flowers, medicinal plants, and big jungle vibes. Think: Garden of Eden….with machetes and pineapples 🔪🍍
  
  This land is home to a wide variety of tropical birds and butterflies, fish and frogs, interesting jungle animals, and some crazy cool insects. A few small streams wind through the land, huge vibrant flowers explode out of an Asian lotus pond, and some massive trees dominate the skyline (free hugs) 🌲🤗
  
  There are many adventures and exploration missions from here, connecting with the land, the locals, and yourself. This is a place where you can be free to be you, accepted for whoever you are, and experience a simpler way of life.
  
  This is earth-based minimalistic living with the abundant songs of the birds, heartfelt efforts planting dreams in the soil, our living energy caring for the land, and exploring the vast rainforest around us. Sharing stories, making music, and falling asleep to the orchestra of the jungle around us under starlit skies🌿✨
  
  The weather is warm and tropical year-round creating the ideal conditions to grow a wide variety of vegetation, We harvest bananas, pineapples, plantains, guavas, passion fruit, coconuts, oranges, mandarins, limes,, sugar cane, cacao ( make your own sugar cane juice🥛 or chocolate 🍫when in season), and several other rare and wonderful fruits and vegetables you may have never heard of — but surely won’t forget.
  
  You will learn about planting, caring for, and most importantly harvesting food-producing trees and plants...jungle-style. There are a wide variety of herbs, medicinal, and other native plants and mushrooms growing here that you can use for fresh additions to your meals, spiritual, or healing journey.
  
  We build anything from jungle huts and furniture to bridges, stoves, tools, utensils, tree houses, and more with natural materials found around the land such as bamboo, stones, clay, palm, grass, and a variety of other resources, This is where you can learn and get hands on experience using your creativity to design and create using the simplest and most sustainable of natural building practices,
  
  You’ll witness the raw contrast between destruction and regeneration, and you’ll see what happens when land is loved back to life. When we work here we work hard, but we also enjoy the gifts of nature un many ways, plenty of time to ourselves, and the company of like-minded people with deep, meaningful conversations, nature exploration, creating unique food and drinks, singing, dancing, or making music with the guitar or our homemade instruments. Stay for a little while and get a little taste, or slow down and hang out longer for a richer and deeper experience.
  
  This isn’t just about fruit and trees. It’s about freedom. It’s about reviving the deep connection with living simply, in peace with the environment around us, and learning essential skills to support ourselves and being the best stewards we can to the earth and the peaceful beings we share it with🍌🌾

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Farming

  

  Photography

  

  Plant care

  

  Music

  

  Hitchhiking

  

  Languages

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Gardening

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Carpentry

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Art & design

  

  Mountain

  

  Dancing

  

  Hiking

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Fitness

  

  Camping
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Here, you won’t just be immersed in the emerging food forest—you’ll be surrounded by Ecuadorian campesinos (local countryside farmers) and Kichwa Indigenous families, where you will gain a deeper understanding of the local farming culture and South American rural living. We can share our knowledge about local edible and medicinal plants, natural building,, travel, buying land, and even the guitar or drums.
  
  🌈✨ We welcome everyone—no matter where you're from, who you love, how you identify, what you believe, or how well you can dance 💃🕺 Your stories, your dreams, and your presence are valued here.

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  Help

  🛠️🌱 Garden, Jungle Fun 🌱🛠️
  
  This isn’t a backyard hobby garden, this is jungle-style soul work with real synergies and challenges with nature, Helping bring the land back to life using your hands, your heart, and most definitely a machete 💪🍃
  
  The work here varies a lot and we flow with what the project needs at any given time. Sometimes we're destroying tall demon grass or other vegetation with ninja machete skills, sometimes we're planting fruit trees or flowers. Sometimes we're chilling in the shade weeding, sometimes we're building, repairing, pr whatever other random projects come up.
  
  Here’s a taste of what you might dive into:
  
  🌿 Food Forest Gardening
  Planting, pruning, weeding, harvesting, composting, clearing competitive vegetation, and generally getting your hands deliciously dirty in the soil as we grow food and improve fertility in the land.
  
  🪵 Natural Building & Handcrafting
  We have a variety of projects building with natural materials from the land to create all kinds of things from bamboo and other natural resources growing on the land.
  
  💡 Your Creativity Is Welcome!
  Got an idea for a project that fits the vibe and helps the forest or living space? Let’s hear it—we love fresh ideas and creative souls.
  
  ⏳ Work Hard/Chill Hard
  Spend a few hours working in the garden or some other project, then take the rest of your day to swim in jungle rivers, explore the rainforest, or just lie in a hammock and soak it all in.
  
  🌈 No Experience Needed
  Whether you’re a total newbie or you’ve done something like this before, you’re welcome here. We’ll teach you everything you need to know, and you’ll learn by doing, side by side with the land.
  
  We and the land are always grateful for your energy—because everything you do here helps restore the rainforest, grow nourishing food, and build something that gives back to both people and the earth.
  
  But more than anything, we want you to have a meaningful, unforgettable, educational, and empowering experience while you’re here 🌻💫

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Intermediate
  Vietnamese: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  We can speak English, Spanish, French, or Vietnamese, and maybe even throw in a few interesting words in some other languages we’ve picked up along the way. If you’re interested in improving your Spanish we’re also happy to help. We can especially share some of the local slang and idioms to make your Spanish more colorful here. And if you speak a language we don’t know yet—we’d love to learn a few words (or more!) from you too.
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  Accommodation

  🏡🌿 Simple Living, Deep Connection 🌿🏡
  The volunteer home here is spacious, humble,, and rooted in living simply and naturally—in harmony with the forest around us, but with lots of colorful artwork and all the essentials:
  
  🍽️ A simple but well-loved kitchen with jungle views over the food forest, homemade bowls and spoons, and storage for your food
  ⚡ Electricity, Wi-Fi, running water fresh from the land, and composting/natural toilets
  🛏️ Basic but cozy sleeping areas with mattresses or sleeping pads, bedsheets, pillows, and mosquito nets (not many mosquitoes here)
  🌄 A spacious loft and hammock overlooking the surrounding land and rainforest
  🌳 Surrounded by fruit trees, tropical flowers, and spring-fed jungle streams
  
  There aren’t many furnishings, and you won’t find a fridge, washing machine, microwave, TV, or hot tub—but you will find birds singing all day, starlit skies, and a gateway to experiencing some of the wild of the Amazon✨🌌
  
  🏞️ If you like exploring, you’ll find beautiful rivers and streams perfect for swimming or cooling off (the one in our photos is just a short walk away). There’s also a mirador (lookout point) nearby with sweeping views over the vast Amazon rainforest—a perfect place for quiet reflection or a magical sunset. We can guide you through hidden jungle trails to explore some of the jungle that most people experience.
  
  Most days are peaceful and relaxing, with lots of time to read, write, draw, rest, or explore. You will have plenty of quiet time for yourself, and sometimes we gather for shared meals, games, music, or jungle adventures. 🎶🌱
  
  🥗 Food & Meals
  Since volunteers are only asked to contribute a few hours of help per day, everyone takes care of their own food (inexpensive here, usually just a few dollars/day). There’s a food truck that usually comes by once a week with fresh fruit and vegetables, a few small shops nearby, local neighbors who have produce from their land, and we can also make trips to town.
  
  We happily share what the land gives: bananas, plantains, papayas, massive passion fruits, sugar cane,, limes, herbs, wild greens, and sometimes pineapples or rare fruits—depending on the season 🍌🍍🌿Harvests change with the weather and time of year, so it’s always a bit of a surprise.
  
  ♻️ Values & Way of Life
  We live with care and intention—no alcohol, no cigarettes, no animal products or by-products. You don’t have to be vegan to join us, but we don’t bring any meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, etc on this land.
  
  We also ask visitors to bring re-usable bags for groceries and refrain from any unnecessary plastic, chemicals, or toxic products. We will share what grows on the land that you can use as natural soaps, shampoos, and personal care items 🌱🧼
  
  This is a place for those who feel called to simplicity, plant-based living, deep respect for animals, and sustainable, earth-honoring choices.
  
  We may not have luxury... but we have freedom, purpose, and wild beauty 🌿💚✨

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  What else ...

  🌟 We’ve Been on Both Sides🌟
  
  After years of using Workaway—both as hosts and traveling volunteers—we deeply appreciate the spirit of help-stay experiences and what they can mean for both sides. We've felt the joy of working with open-hearted people from around the world, and we truly understand what makes a stay meaningful, peaceful, and inspiring. 🌟🌱
  
  Our goal is to make your time here not just productive, but nourishing, eye-opening, and deeply worthwhile—a space where you can both contribute and grow. If something about this project speaks to you, send a message with any questions, or just tell us a little about yourself and what draws you to this path And if your adventure brings you to our little corner of the world—we’ll be ready to welcome you with open arms and jungle smiles😊

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We work online too, feel free to bring your digital projects here :)

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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