Colombia
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Hi there! We are a Dutch couple and after traveling the world we settled down on a beautiful secluded plateau in the mountains, just outside the cultural heritage village of Barichara. With a passion for sustainable architecture, construction and nature, we renovated the finca´s old farmhouse (rammed earth and adobe) and started with ecological water use and reforestation. And there are still many exciting things to do!
Currently we are also setting up a campsite to share our little patch of Colombian landscape with travelers from all over the world. The property feels a bit like a natural playground where we are planting many trees and keep experimenting with various sustainable (building) techniques. We love to exchange ideas, work together, being creative and learn. We also like hiking and have two adorable adopted dogs.
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Other
Help with Eco project
Helping with Tourists
Language practice
We would be happy to share what we have learned about (sustainable) architecture, construction, water use, design, recycled wood, furniture, gardening, tour guiding, archaeology, reforestation, dry tropical forests, stone- and sand sculpting.. Furthermore, on our finca we work with a wonderful local Colombian couple which likes to share things related to agriculture, fishing and local dishes/customs… in Spanish. Our guests on the campsite come from all over the world and generally are very inspirational people. In the village of Barichara you can learn about various arts and crafts, traditional architecture and much more.
We have various construction projects including: two open air bathrooms, a natural swimming pool, a chicken coop and an irrigation system for our fruit trees. Apart from that, there is always much to do on a day-to-day basis such as the development and general maintenance of the garden, the campsite, the trees, the house, etcetera.
We´re especially interested in handy and creative people who also like physical work and don´t mind to get their hands dirty. It would be great if you have specific skills such as building, (landscape) gardening or carpentry. If you have (other) work experiences which you think could be helpful, please let us know! We really welcome new ideas that our volunteers suggest, for example we now have a beautiful compost bin. The idea is to do work that you are interested in!
We prefer volunteers to stay for a minimum time of two weeks. Furthermore it is essential that you have your own international health and accident insurance.
English, Spanish, French, German and Dutch
We can offer regular tents with bedding, located on the campsite with panoramic mountain views over the valley. The climate here is actually perfect for camping all year round. Like the other guests you can use the bathrooms (hot solar shower), wifi, the social area with hammocks, fully equipped guest kitchen, drinking water, campfire/BBQ, refrigerator and washing machine.
We ask for a maximum of 5 hours of help per day in return for a (large & healthy) daily breakfast, basic (non-perishable) ingredients for the other two meals, and accommodation in a spectacular natural environment. You can prepare your lunch and dinner in the guest kitchen, and Barichara offers a nice variety of restaurants if you are in for something else.
The location of our finca is very convenient for exploring the area, with many trails nearby to Barichara (a 35 minutes walk), Guane and many other villages. It´s also very easy to catch a tuk-tuk between our place and Barichara (a 10 minutes drive), or to take a bus. Barichara has a unique cultural and bohemian atmosphere combined with tranquility and a perfect climate. Its authenticity attracts artists and travelers from all over the world. Other activities in the area include extreme sports such as rafting, paragliding, canyoning, mountain biking and caving, mostly close to San Gil (at a 40 minutes drive).
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
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(5.0)
