Volunteering week in Portugal
Spend a week restoring the native dune habitat on the sea cliffs of Portugal. Join forces with the Mossy Earth team to control invasive species so native vegetation can thrive again. You will be working half days and will have the rest of the day to relax and explore the area, home to the famously stunning Fishermen’s Trail.
Portugal | 7 days, 6 nights | 8 volunteers max | £425 per person
What’s included
TIME WITH BIOLOGISTS
You will spend every day with Mossy Earth biologists, who are always keen to share their knowledge of nature
TRANSPORT
Transfers from and to Lisbon, and everything in between
ALL ACCOMMODATION
6 nights in a shared twin room at a local hostel in a beach town
2 MEALS INCLUDED
First and last dinners are included. The rest of the week, you can cook your own breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hostel or try the restaurants in the local village
EQUIPMENT
Gloves, tools and training will be provided
NATURE-LOVING GROUP
8 volunteers maximum per trip, all passionate about nature. Solo travellers are welcome!
Week schedule
On Sunday, our team will pick you up in Lisbon and drive you to your hostel so you can settle in. We’ll all gather for a welcome meeting and dinner.
From Monday to Friday, our team will pick you up from the hostel every morning and drive you to the dune restoration site, where we will do hands-on, invasive removal work until about 1pm.
Our team will drive you back for lunch. There is a kitchen at your disposal at the hostel and many grocery stores and restaurants within walking distance.
The afternoons will be free, so you can relax, hike or go to the beach. One day, we will also go on an excursion to visit our rewilding reserve and other projects nearby. On Friday evening, we will enjoy a goodbye dinner altogether.
On Saturday, you are welcome to leave whenever suits you. We will organise one drop off back to Lisbon.
The work
You will help our Wilder Mira team control two invasive species: the ice plant and the long-leaved wattle.
Also known as sea fig, the ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis) is an invasive species native to South Africa that spreads rapidly. It forms dense, impenetrable mats that, if left unmanaged, can completely replace native vegetation and even cover native shrubs more than one meter tall! Fortunately, in dune habitats it’s relatively easy (and satisfying!) to remove.
The long-leaved wattle (Acacia longifolia) is another invasive species encroaching on native dune ecosystems. It is a fast-growing small tree, native to southeastern Australia, that can produce up 12,000 seeds per squared meter per year and alters the soil composition to its own benefit. The most effective way to control its spread is to debark the tree using a knife.
By controlling invasive species, you will help protect an incredibly diverse community of native plants; from the endemic Camphor Thyme, to the coastal wild carrot with its unusually large white flowers, the Yellow Sun Rose and the Portuguese Prickly-Juniper, a keystone species.
Where you’ll stay
You will sleep in a shared twin room at a local hostel right near the ocean. The hostel features three bathrooms, a terrace and a fully equipped kitchen.
Getting there
You will be based in the coastal village of Zambujeira do Mar, on the famous Fishermen’s Trail in Portugal.
-
We will organise a group pickup at the Lisbon airport on Sunday at 3pm and drive you to your hostel.
To get to Lisbon, we suggest you look at coaches or trains, there are lots of options from France or Spain for example. If that doesn’t work, you can find flights to Lisbon airport.
-
There are coaches, e.g. Rede Expressos, that can take you directly to Zambujeira do Mar. They usually cost under 30€.
Meet your guides
Meet the wonderful team of humans who will spend the week with you, sharing their knowledge and passion for nature.
Pick your dates
If the trip you wanted to join has sold out, register to the waiting list and we’ll contact you when we open up new spots.
By booking you agree to the trip Terms and Conditions.
NOTE: This trip includes physical work. Only book if you’re comfortable with repetitive, manual tasks and being on your feet, outside, for multiple hours.
Spend the week with our biologists to help remove invasive species on the beautiful cliffs of the Portugal coast.
Spend the week with our biologists to help remove invasive species on the beautiful cliffs of the Portugal coast.
FAQs
You’ve got questions,
we’ve got answers
-
This trip is for anyone who loves nature and is keen to get their hands dirty and bend their back for a few hours a day!
You should be comfortable with manual, tedious, repetitive work and ideally have done volunteering before. We will be on our feet multiple hours a day, so you need physically fit.
You don’t need any previous knowledge or skill to join.
Our trips are made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2, of any age - from 23 to 80 years old!
-
Absolutely! Many people join as solo travellers and make friends along the way. Everybody on the trip is passionate about nature restoration, and friendships are often created during our trips!
-
If you are a European Union citizen, you do not need a VISA. Just make sure you bring a valid ID with you.
If you are a non-EU citizen, you may need a VISA that can last up to 90 days. Please check the requirements for your nationality.
You will also need a valid passport. That is, your passport should have been issued in the last 10 years and should be valid until the end of your stay plus 3 months.
-
There is no mandatory vaccine requirement to travel to Portugal.
You can check the CDC recommendations here: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/portugal
-
Yes. We require all guests on our trips to book their own travel insurance.
Your travel insurance must provide protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation or repatriation, your personal items, and the specific activities planned in this trip.
To get travel insurance, you can first check if your credit card company offers anything. Otherwise, you can check online for travel insurers.
-
If you would like to cancel your trip, please notify us by email.
You may be entitled to a refund, as set out below:
If you cancel more than 24 weeks before the scheduled start date for the trip, we will refund you 75% of the Trip Price you have paid us;
If you cancel less than 24 weeks before the Trip Date, but more than 12 weeks before the Trip Date, we will refund you 50% of the Trip Price you have paid us;
If you cancel less than 12 weeks before the Trip Date, we will not provide you a refund.
We may issue a voucher or refund if we can find someone else to take your spot, in which case we will charge you a £50 administrative fee.
Note that if your cancellation is within the terms of your travel insurance policy, you may be able to make a claim.
-
All our staff is certified in first aid, and we maintain a small number of guests per trip for close supervision. Every day, our team runs through risk assessment checklists to ensure we have all the equipment needed and are ready in case of any emergency. We will also ask you to tell us about any allergies and medical needs so that we can ensure your safety.
-
We pick the dates for our trips to optimise for the best weather forecast. However, in case of rain or extreme heat, we have alternate activities planned. We appreciate your understanding as we adapt to Mother Earth. We’ll communicate any schedule changes via Whatsapp. Don’t worry - we’ll find a way to have fun!
-
You will be sharing a room with someone else on the trip.
The rooms are spacious and will include two single beds, so you have a bed each. You will share a bathroom with the other person.
If you are travelling with someone you know, you can ask us to share the same room in the enrolment form after you’ve booked.
If you are a solo traveller, we will pair you with someone of the same gender and similar age.
If you feel really uncomfortable sharing your room, please reach out to us and we may be able to arrange a private room for an extra fee.
-
On the first and last evenings, we will cook something altogether at the hostel
The rest of the week, you will be responsible for your breakfast, lunch and dinner
There is a fully equipped kitchen at the hostel and grocery stores nearby
You can also try the various restaurants in town
-
We recommend bringing the following:
T-shirts you feel comfortable walking in
Jumpers
Waterproof jacket in case of rain
Long trousers, waterproof if possible
Closed shoes
Swimming suit, if you want to swim
Sunscreen
Sunglasses and hat
Day backpack
Water bottle
We will provide gloves and tools.
-
The hotel provides free WiFi. During the activities in nature, you may not always have phone service depending on your provider.