ECOTOUR JOBS : The Yachana Foundation

The Yachana Foundation

The Yachana Foundation operates in the Amazon region of Ecuador. The foundation owns a world renowned geotourism lodge, Yachana Lodge and started an innovative high school four years ago called Yachana Technical High School. The focus of the lodge is now going to be much more toward a training facility for the graduates of the Yachana Technical High School. The idea is to provide hands-on training involving work in all of the aspects of the lodge operation. We need a person with extensive experience in hospitality and/or hotel management who would be willing to come, live in the jungle, and oversee the administration of the Lodge and the training of the students in all aspects of hotel operations: cooking, housekeeping, bookkeeping, maintenance, etc. They would have to like young people. The person would also have to speak Spanish fluently.
Yachana Lodge is located in the Amazon region of Ecuador, 2.5 hours from the nearest city, accessible only via motorized canoe. We work on a schedule of 21 days on, 7 days off. On the 7 days off, a person can go wherever they want within the country. During their rotation, the hours will be relatively long, but there is down time too. The operation is in the tropics so houses are very open. The house is raised on posts, wood construction with basic facilities available, solar electricity and supplemental generator electricity until 10:00 at night, running water, etc. There would be no cost for housing or meals. Other amenities include access to the Internet (satellite, solar powered) and the opportunity to be in one of the most beautiful places in the world working with wonderful young people. This is an opportunity for a very special person who has a strong social drive. The income from the lodge goes to support the high school, so the success of the lodge is vital to the continuation of the education program. A person would have to feel comfortable in this remote, but interesting environment and understand that their participation is to help the people and protect the environment. We need the volunteer to start as soon as possible. To be most effective, staying with us for six months to a year would be best.