Volunteering at Ambue Ari Wildlife Sanctuary

Parque Ambue Ari is located on the road that connects Santa Cruz and Trinidad. It is 348 km from Santa Cruz and 202 km from Trinidad. At the entrance you can see a small cabin and some signs. Most volunteers arrive from Santa Cruz, and some from Trinidad, both of which are very simple, and explained below:

Map & location

Parque Ambue Ari lies on the Santa Cruz — Trinidad road, just north of Ascensión de Guarayos.

Open the location in Google Maps

From Santa Cruz

Go to the ‘Terminal Bimodal’. There, go to the provincial departures platform called “la terminal provincial”, by passing through the tunnel under the railroad track. If you take a taxi to the bus terminal, ask the driver to drop you off directly at the provincial terminal. From here you have two options: By bus: Trans Guarayos Line 102 has daily departures at 9:00 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm towards San Pablo, a town that is 2-3 hours past the sanctuary. Tell the ticket seller and the bus driver that you are going to Parque Ambue Ari. The trip costs about 50-60 Bs and takes 7 hours. We recommend that you take the 9:00 bus, in order to arrive during the day. Confirm that the bus you are taking is going to San Pablo. The same company offers services to Ascensión de Guarayos, a town roughly 45 minutes before Parque Ambue Ari. These buses drop you off at the terminal on the outskirts of town. If you arrive at Ascensión de Guarayos, take a motorcycle taxi to the ‘estación de trufies’ and follow the instructions below. The 2:00 pm bus will drop you off at the sanctuary after dark, so we recommend that you have a flashlight ready. Please try to arrive during the day, and therefore we recommend that you do not take any bus that leaves later than 2 pm. By rapidito: Minivans known as “rapiditos” or “trufies” will take you to Ascensión de Guarayos, from the Terminal Bimodal in Santa Cruz. They leave whenever they are full of passengers. Tell the driver that you are going to Parque Ambue Ari. On rare occasions some minivans go to San Pablo and may drop you off at the entrance of the sanctuary. However, most only go as far as Ascensión de Guarayos. They cost 50-60 Bs and take 4 to 5 hours. In Ascensión de Guarayos take another rapidito (next to the market) to San Pablo. Ask to be dropped off at Parque Ambue Ari. The trip from Ascensión de Guarayos to the sanctuary costs around 20 Bs in a rapidito and takes 45 minutes to an hour. The rapiditos go when they are full of passengers.

From Trinidad

Take a motorcycle taxi to “la parada para San Pablo.” From there, take a minivan (known as a “rapidito” or “trufie”) to San Pablo. The trip costs between 15 and 25 Bs and takes from 2 to 3 hours. Rapiditos leave whenever they are full. From San Pablo, take another rapidito towards Ascensión de Guarayos, but ask to be dropped off at Parque Ambue Ari. This part of the journey costs between 10 and 15 Bs and takes from 2 to 3 hours. We recommend leaving Trinidad in the morning to ensure you arrive during the day.

On arrival

At the entrance of the sanctuary there is a path that leads to the camp. Follow the path and ask anyone you see for the administrator/director or a member of staff. There is almost always someone in camp during the day, but if not, you can leave your things in the comedor and wait there for someone to arrive. Depending on the time of arrival, you will be shown your room, and then be given a tour of the camp, followed by an introduction to Ambue Ari and the work. Please try to avoid arriving after dark, and on Saturdays, as this is the day off of most volunteers and members of staff and there may not be anyone around to receive you. We will also be in touch before your arrival to help with questions, doubts, and to help organising and planning your arrival.

Deposits on arrival (cash)

• Security deposit: $50 / 500 Bs — fully refundable at the end of your stay if no damage or loss occurs
• Café / candy shop deposit: $50 / 500 Bs — covers optional items such as snacks, drinks, second-hand clothes and restaurant night; any unused amount is refunded on departure

Other costs to consider

• Transportation from Santa Cruz to the sanctuary: 80–100 Bs
• Work clothing: 20–30 Bs per item
• Rain boots in Guarayos: 150 Bs (plenty to borrow in the sanctuary)
• Transport to Santa Maria / to Guarayos: 5–20 Bs
• Meals in town, for example on your day off: 20–40 Bs
• Extra groceries and snacks in town: 20–50 Bs
• Special breakfast in camp (eggs, French toast, sandwiches): 2–5 Bs
• Fresh fruit in Guarayos: 10–20 Bs
• Mobile data, e.g. 6 GB incl. unlimited WhatsApp per month: 50 Bs
• Other personal items: 20–50 Bs

These prices are estimates and may vary depending on your personal needs and inflation within Bolivia. We also recommend bringing some additional cash for unexpected extra costs such as medical attention.

Cash on arrival: bring US dollars if possible. There are ATMs in Guarayos, the local town, but we recommend bringing all the cash needed for your entire stay.

Online payment: we also accept electronic payments through MoneyGram, Western Union or Remitly. Please tell us in advance if this is how you prefer to pay — the payment must be received before your arrival date.

Essential items

• Clothes that you don’t mind throwing away (we do have plenty available that you can buy here — please note that volunteers are generally assigned to two work areas, and will need an entirely different set of clothes for each area).
• Quick-dry clothing (although please be aware that this is generally not thick enough to protect against mosquitoes)
• More underwear than you think you need, and long socks
• Headtorch
• Pocket knife
• A small backpack for daily work
• First aid kit
• For women: tampons (can be hard to find in the local town)
• ENTEL SIM card

Wet season (November – May)

• Insect repellent (only for use outside of work hours)
• Waterproof bags/boxes for storing electronic devices
• Waterproof phone case
• Mosquito hat (we also have them available here)
• Waterproof coat and trousers
• Clothes for the mosquitoes: two layers, thicker clothing, light colours (also available to hire here)
• Talcum powder for your feet

Dry season (June – September)

• Some warmer clothes, e.g. fleece, hoodie, as it can get colder
• A sleeping bag (although we do also have plenty)

What is it like to volunteer during rainy season?

The mosquitoes, the swamps, the humidity — this is not an easy time of year to be at Ambue Ari, but in many ways it is the most rewarding. However, we advise that you come prepared for the conditions to be physically challenging, to be prepared to wear wet clothes day after day as it is hard to dry them, to battle constantly with the mosquitoes and wear multiple layers of clothing, mosquito hats and gloves to protect yourself, all while sweating in the heat and humidity. However, the jungle is at its most vibrant and lush, there are birds, monkeys, fruits and flowers everywhere and the animals need your care and attention just as much, if not more, during the rains.

Where will I be able to withdraw cash?

There are plenty of ATMs in Guarayos, a small town that is around 45 minutes away from the Park, by “rapidito” or hitchhiking. Although they are not always available, you should be able to withdraw cash here. However, we advise that you come with sufficient cash to cover your entire stay.

Where can I buy essential items such as toiletries, or extra food/snacks?

Within the park we have the ‘Candy shop’ — a small shop that sells toiletries, snacks, soft drinks, mosquito spirals, washing detergent, rain ponchos and more, all useful items to survive your stay here! You can find similar items in Santa Maria, the local village a 10 minute bus ride away, and many more options in Guarayos, including fresh fruit and vegetables.

Medical resources

The closest hospital is 1 hour away by bus, in Ascensión de Guarayos. Pharmacies are often well-stocked. However, we suggest that you bring a basic medicine kit. If you take any specific or unusual medication, we recommend that you bring enough to cover your entire stay. At the sanctuary we provide first aid in case of an accident.

Banks and ATMs

We recommend that you bring enough cash to cover your expenses during the entirety of your stay (you can take it out in Santa Cruz, Trinidad or any other big city), although in Ascensión de Guarayos there are several options for withdrawing:

• Banco Unión, Ecofuturo, Banco Prodem, Banco Fie – all have ATMs in the town, to withdraw cash.
• Western Union: you can request an advance with your credit card (charging a commission of at least 5%).

The sanctuary is a 15-minute bus ride from the nearest town, Santa María, where there are basic shops and food stalls.

1 hour by bus is Ascensión de Guarayos, a larger town with more shops, restaurants, pharmacies and several hospitals.

It is common that you work with more than one animal or management area (especially in the rainy season) and it is necessary to have separate clothing for each area so as not to transmit odours from one animal to another (some of our animals are prey to others in the wild). Due to this, and the high humidity and rain that make clothes hard to dry, you are likely to need more clothes than expected. There are second hand clothes available in the sanctuary, as well as in local towns, but please take this into account. We recommend bringing more pairs of socks and underwear than you think you will need.

During the rainy season many areas of the sanctuary are flooded for months. The presence of mosquitoes multiplies and the volunteers walk through water up to the waist (sometimes it reaches the chest) to reach their work areas. When the water levels rise above the height of the boots, boots with holes are used to allow the water to drain quickly. You should dry your feet well and apply talc to prevent fungus.

Humidity is high throughout the year, so we recommend storing electronic devices (phones, cameras, computers, laptops and hard drives) in airtight containers or waterproof bags with rice or silica bags to absorb moisture and so avoid damage. It is necessary to carry waterproof bags to carry your electronic items (phone) with you while you work, as the rains can be unpredictable. Mold is common, especially during the rainy season, and can damage your belongings.