Coffee & Sustainable Toursim
Overview
This is a unique and holistic internship placement based at a locally owned, high-end eco-lodge, organic farm, and conservation project come together to create one of the most innovative locally-run models in the Galapagos. Led entirely by Ecuadorians, this social enterprise blends regenerative conservation and ethical ecotourism, showing how tourism in a high-traffic destination can be done differently. As an intern, you’ll become part of a movement that explores how ecological hospitality can support biodiversity, empower local people, and finance innovative conservation efforts.
The site integrates green architecture, organic food systems, wildlife restoration, and community education into one seamless, living project. Depending on your skills and interests, you may choose to focus more on regenerating land for endangered Galapagos tortoises, supporting creative workshops with local youth, or engaging with the award-winning coffee operation. While you can lean into specific areas, interns are encouraged to take part in the full rhythm of daily life here and gain insight into how these efforts work together.
Daily Life
As an intern, you’ll live with a local host family and work on the lodge’s farm and coffee estate. Mornings might include harvesting organic fruits and vegetables, helping care for the chickens, or maintaining native plant gardens used to attract tortoises. You might join tasting sessions of Montemar’s signature Arabica coffee, assist with marketing and sustainability documentation, or support small construction or green infrastructure projects around the villas.
Afternoons may focus on time with your host family or at the lodge, engaging with visitors, preparing materials for youth workshops, or contributing to social media efforts. You may also help welcome and orient eco-tourists, assist in farm-to-table guest experiences, or help lead sustainability tours of the property. Interns generally work 4–5 hours a day, Monday through Friday, with plenty of time in the afternoons and weekends to explore the natural wonders of the island.