Location
  • Guatemala
    • Antigua
Length
1 to 24 weeks

Program Details

Language
Spanish
Timeframe
Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
385
Price Details
Fully hosted experience from only $385 for 1 week - this includes airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Some Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
May 01, 2024
Apr 27, 2025
32 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Trusted by 136,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's #1 rated volunteer programs in Guatemala and 50+ destinations worldwide.

For the past 6 years, we've won the "Top Volunteer Abroad Provider Award" from GoOverseas, so you can trust that you're in the safest hands with IVHQ in Guatemala.

Our affordable projects start from $28/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement and local support. Projects run year-round, with durations from 1-24 weeks. Choose from 12 projects, ranging from Childcare, Medical, Teaching and Construction in the colorful city of Antigua and surrounding rural and coastal locations. Plus, you’ll stay with other like-minded, impact-focused travelers from around the world (private room options available).

With IVHQ’s superior pre-departure support services, you’ll gain exclusive access to your own Volunteer Travel Specialist, comprehensive preparation tools and volunteer training before you leave home.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Cheapest volunteer programs from $28/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement & local support.
  • Volunteer for 1-24 weeks, year round start dates most Mondays
  • 15+ years experience & only B Corp certified volunteer travel organization
  • Get free changes up to 14 days before you start with our flexible booking policy
  • Affordable way to earn college credit - gain 5 credits for only US$500!

Popular Programs

Childcare volunteering in Guatemala with IVHQ

As a Childcare Volunteer in Guatemala, you'll provide assistance and care to children from disadvantaged communities. These children often lack support and guidance from their family and schooling, so your support will be fundamental to their development. Work varies according to your specific placement, but generally consists of playing with children, organizing games and activities, helping with lessons and assisting with homework.

Volunteer in Guatemala with IVHQ

Looking for a hands-on volunteer experience? As a Construction & Renovation Volunteer in Guatemala, you'll work alongside locals to improve the infrastructure around Antigua and uplift local economies and communities. Projects focus on home building and school renovation, as well as building playground and bathroom facilities. Your tasks can include laying bricks, carpentry, painting, laying tiles and landscaping.

Volunteer in Guatemala with IVHQ

If you're an aspiring Medical professional, this is the program for you. Volunteers are placed in elderly homes, clinics in under-resourced communities and special needs facilities where you'll be able to make a tangible difference to those in need. Tasks vary based on medical skills & experience (more experienced volunteers are able to act independently with hands-on tasks). For less experienced volunteers, your duties will be mostly observational, assisting local staff with routine jobs.

Volunteer in Guatemala with IVHQ

As an English Teacher Volunteer, you'll help Guatemalans improve their English skills which gives them a better opportunity to find work across a range of careers. Volunteer work varies but generally consists of teaching small groups of children, tutoring local students, setting up workshops, assisting local teachers and organizing educational games and activities.

Volunteer in Guatemala with IVHQ

As an Animal Care Volunteer, you'll work across dog and cat shelters, veterinary clinics and an exotic animal refuge, catering to crocodiles, snakes, lizards and turtles. This one-of-a-kind volunteering experience will allow you to interact with animals of all kinds, helping to improve their quality of life. This project is open to all volunteers and a veterinary background is not required, although is highly advantageous.

Program Reviews

4.91 Rating
based on 67 reviews
  • 5 rating 91.04%
  • 4 rating 8.96%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.75
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.95
  • Value 4.8
  • Safety 4.8
Showing 17 - 24 of 67 reviews
Default avatar
KERA
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Guate!

I loved the program that IVHQ worked with. They were very helpful, fun and professional. I lived with the nicest host family who were so giving. Both of these things made my experience so enjoyable. I don't think I had a single dull moment. I was able to get so much out of the country thanks to the program IVHQ uses called Maximo Nivel. I will be going through IVHQ again next summer for my next volunteer trip. I have now done 2 trips through them and they have yet to let me down! Please go! This country has so much to offer. I was able to fit so much in from just a week and a half. I really feel like I was able to be a tourist in this country while still being able to be fully emersed into the culture with the locals.

Pros
  • The program
  • The host family
  • My Spanish teacher
Cons
  • food portions really small
  • not always coffee
73 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
jessica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Guatemala Experience 10/10

Great communication from IVHQ from the start through to the staff from Maximo Nivel Antigua Guatemala the moment I arrived - providing plenty of advice/help throughout my 2 week programme .
The eco farm project was an amazing community with so many different volunteer options and so beautifully looked after and activities throughout the week to join as well
Living in a shared accomodation with other volunteers was also a highlight as everyone is on different projects and Spanish classes, at dinner time you all come together to share your day with one another.

Pros
  • People
  • Project
78 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Briana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Internation Volunteer HQ

I loved being able to gain patient experience during this program. I was able to take patients vitals, take their glucose, and assist the dentist! These are things I would've never had a chance to do in the US without some type of medical certification. I also absolutely loved the entire staff. Everyone made me feel so welcome, including the people in my homestay:) Additionally, I loved the cultural experience I gained as well as the chance I had to speak in Spanish again. I think it is very important to learn Spanish as a medical student so I can help bridge the language gap in the health care system.

Pros
  • Gained patient experience
  • Gained cultural experience
  • Able to improve my Spanish skills
Cons
  • I only did the one week program
  • A bunch of side fees to pay (like getting a background check)
78 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Elena
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best gift for the soul!

I decided to do this volunteering experience to grow as a person but the reality is that what I immagined was not even close to what I got. Guatemala is a beautiful country and the experience was organized perfectly. The family that hosted me was amazing! They treated me like I was part of the family. They had little but they shared everything. The kids I helped during my volunteering experience were so curious, nice, loving and kind. They really loved connecting with a person that was coming from another country and they asked me so many questions. I let all my barriers down and I've been surrounded by unconditional love. This is the best gift I ever gave to myself!

Pros
  • Kind people
  • Great food
  • Beatifully organized
Cons
  • It requires a bit of flexibility
78 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Gidon
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Medical Volunteer Trip to Antigua

IVHQ helped me go to Guatemala to do medical work there as a undergraduate pre-med student. They held my hand through everything and made travel, food, housing, and even entertainment extremely easy to access and plan through their user-friendly website and easy-to-reach staff. I felt extremely informed and safe the whole trip, accommodations, were much more upscale than I had expected as I was placed in a comfortable bed, shared a bathroom with only one other person, and had a very helpful host family who were happy to help with everything. I had an amazing and easy time volunteering and travelling in Guatemala.

Pros
  • Helpful staff
  • Good accomodations
  • Meaningful volunteer program
82 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jovan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CHANGED MY LIFE

As a current medical student, I always listened to doctors talk about going overseas to volunteer in understaffed clinics. It sounded interesting but I was not sure if it was something I would be into or not. I figured I would volunteer in a clinic in Guatemala for a week and see what it was like. I wished I had booked longer. Much longer. In the beginning, the instructions are few but concise, so make sure to follow them closely. Once you get there, you have more support than you know what to do with. They answer all your questions, make sure you are set up with everything you need, and even offer activities to draw you closer with the culture. My experience in the clinic was amazing. We opened up a clinic that had closed due to covid. Many patients who we saw had chronic conditions that had gone untreated during covid. It was incredible to be able to help them, small or large in scale. None of the patients spoke english, so brush up on that espanol!!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay longer. The people on my medical team were there for 2-3 weeks and I wish I had a cleared schedule so I could extend my trip. Some of the patients we asked to come back and follow up and I was just starting to build connections with the locals. One week was much too short.
138 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Christina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Antigua, Guatemala

I love to travel and lately I've been interested in giving back to the countries I visit. In 2020 I was an English tutor in Honduras through another agency, and I got hooked! Since that agency isn't taking volunteers due to Covid, I found that IVHQ was, so in February I started the application process and paid my fees. By March I had a position in Antigua, Guatemala, caring for horses. I fell in love with them, even though it was hot outside and could be hard manual labor grooming them. The exercise was good for me and I also did a ton of walking. My house mom was gracious and welcomed me in. My house mates were equally gracious. The local people were welcoming. I had to speak Spanish most places, and that was fine. It was good for me. The food, volcanos and other activities were worth the time and money. I cried my last day because I knew I'd miss the horses and the stable hands I worked with. I am very tempted to go back doing the same thing sometime soon, but I also want to see other countries. I can't do everything. IVHQ and their partner company Maximo Nivel worked very well together. The logistics were smooth. I had no trouble assimilating. I will use IVHQ again. I'm just not sure if my next application will be working with horses or another country.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Getting lost the first three days or so going to and from my assignment working with horses. Initially, I hailed taxis and tuk tuks until I figured my way around. I suggest, if you're poor with directions, have a strong phone with Google Maps or an equivalent program loaded. In order to save on international charges, I downloaded maps prior to my journey while I had free wifi at either Maximo Nivel or at the house I lived.
122 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Dana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

IVHQ is a travel and volunteer game changer

Absolutely life changing!!! My friend and I volunteered for a week in Guatemala teaching English to children ages 5-12. Not only is Guatemala beautiful but everything about the IVHQ experience was amazing. Airport pickup was prompt safe and secure, our host family were so welcoming and the house was gorgeous. Teaching was out of this world! The kids were so precious and smart and so happy to have us there as well! 10/10 by far and already booked again with IVHQ to volunteer on a sea turtle conservation bc my IVHQ 1 st experience was outstanding! Recommend to anyone looking to give back, travel, and experience life outside of our own 🤍

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I could do it all over I would’ve stayed more than a week teaching with those beautiful children! By the middle of the week we were growing closer so leaving after a week was hard! Wish I could’ve stayed longer
120 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hi Henry, The program fee for two weeks is $515, add to that either $50 - $55 a week (depending on if you want a 2 hour small group language class or a 1 hour private one) which bring the total to around $625. Hope this helps!

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