Welcome to the Ranquilco Volunteer Program. We have had great luck and good fun with almost every one of our volunteers in the past, attempting to match our work needs with their abilities and interests. We aim to make the experience as healthy and rewarding as possible for all parties. Ranquilco is an out of time place, wonderfully remote, and the work offerings reflect the time honored gaucho and livestock values. We expect our volunteers to relax on the techno front, to respect our hard working gauchos by working well alongside them, and to contribute to the deep Nature community with good, compatible intentions, happy vibes, and positive work/living energies.
Don’t come if you require techno boredom relief, or if you don’t want to get out of bed early, or if you need convenience store items overmuch. But do come if you want to experience a real immersion in an honored culture, and if you are ready to saddle up and ride, really ride.
Estancia Ranquilco offers the following volunteer programs with the below listed charge per day for room and board:
Gaucho Volunteer: 3 month minimum, experienced riders only, mainly working with livestock and guest riding programs. $30/day – wannabe gaucho vols add $20/day for the first 50 days for instruction and experience, and then down to $30.
Guest Volunteer: 1 month minimum, 4 days horse use permitted with 5 days work in garden, maintenance, trail building, guest attention. $70/day.
Skilled Volunteer: 3 month minimum, for builders, gardeners, landscapers. 1 day a week of horse use, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week of work. $10/day.
To apply see, How to sign up for our Volunteer Program.
All volunteer pricing drops in half after minimum stay, if so invited by the estancia.
Vols will be housed in the volunteer bunk house with shared kitchen, bath, electricity, fireplace and hot water facilities. Meals will be prepared and shared communally – sometimes with the gauchos. All vols bring their own sleeping bags and towels – rustic laundry machine is available at the volunteer house.
Persons desiring upgraded housing can apply for the following with additional pricing as indicated below:
Private room – $10/day.
Private cottage with cooking facilities and outdoor bath – $20/day.
Camping and mostly cooking on your own: 30% less per day.
There are no phones or internet at the estancia. We do have a satelite email only service which costs $10 per message incoming or outgoing. The address is ranquilco@skymate.com.
All clients and volunteers must present proof of travel insurance with horse riding coverage before they will be allowed to ride at Ranquilco.
Parents of volunteers are cordially invited to consider a visit to Ranquilco to check in on their children’s experience and to enjoy the excitement and peace which Ranquilco has to offer. We are happy to offer discounts for parental trips.
