What Countries Can Male Volunteers Go To On Their ILP Trip?

Picking your country for your ILP trip is tricky when you have so many options.

Volunteering with ILP is the perfect way to get some travel in and live abroad for a few months, but all on a budget. You're set up with a group of fellow volunteers who are your age, you get to live in a local neighborhood and really immerse in the culture, and also give back by serving kids while you're at it.

It's the perfect getaway if you're looking for a little break from college or just want some adventure before you get into your career and other commitments.

Not an ILP volunteer yet? 
Come fill out an application here.

In some ILP locations, we are only accepting female volunteers. Why? Well, it's really a housing issue. Sometimes the bedroom set means we're limited on who we can take in that area, but the good news is that the majority of our locations are open to both females and males. So you've got quite the list of options.

These awesome countries are all open for male volunteers: 

• Mexico
• India
• Ukraine (currently paused)
• The Dominican Republic
• Costa Rica
• Nicaragua
• Uganda
• Peru
•  

Mexico 

Okay, not to pick favorites, but this country is a bit overlooked and I haven't the slightest clue why. Mexico boasts the prettiest beaches (where you can release baby turtles, by the way), jungle treks to the coolest cenotes (hidden swimming spots), and is the best country set up for travel. You can hop on a bus for a couple of dollars and end up in a new and colorful city every single weekend if you want to.

And I haven't even started on the food yet — plan a bit of spending money for iced horchata, piles of street tacos, cut mangoes sprinkled with chili, and hear the churro man shouting from his little cart. Unreal. 

Get more on Mexico, here. 

India 

Get ready for a semester of adventures! Our volunteers in our Himalayan program are living with those towering mountains in their backyard — yep, come hike in the Himalayas any weekend you want! Plan on a semester filled with hiking, zip lining, exploring mountain towns, white water river rafting, and yak riding all without straying very far from where you live. 

On vacation? Explore everything India has in store for you (which goes way beyond the Taj Mahal, by the way). See cities filled with hundreds of temples, visit the coastline for surfing and houseboat rides in the river, go on a jungle safari to find tigers, or trek across the desert by camel. You can also snag your passport to visit places like Nepal. 

If you're ready for a semester like that, learn more about our India program, here. 

Ukraine 

Really experience Ukraine’s culture by living with host families, head to the coast for a weekend in Odesa, and don’t miss out on seeing Big Mama while living here. A semester in Ukraine will keep you busy (and happy, happy, happy — dive into a bowl of hand-folded pierogi dumplings or pile on the chocolate at the famous Lviv Chocolate Factory).

Oh, and did I mention that you can vacation in places like Prague, Athens, Rome, and Budapest? There is also so much to do in the city you live in, this is a European country perfect for someone looking for adventure. This country has tons to offer and isn’t just for the girls. You will have a pretty busy itinerary living in Ukraine. 

*Our Ukraine program is currently paused due to the war. We hope to reopen if circumstances allow, it's just hard to foresee when that may happen.

The Dominican Republic

Come experience life in the tropics when volunteering in the Dominican Republic. We're sending large groups of volunteers to this country, so a semester packed full of lots of go-to travel friends who are there to teach, travel, and live with.

If you're ready for a semester full of teaching English to kids who really need it and vacations where you can island hop, check out which beach is your favorite, and trek to waterfalls. We have tons of details about what a semester in the DR looks like here. 

Costa Rica 

If hikes through the dense jungles, adventure through waterfalls, hanging out on white sand beaches, and exploring all the rainforest has to offer, Costa Rica is for you. Costa Rica is one of our newest locations in Central America and we're thrilled to add it to our Humanitarian program. There are limited spots for this country (probably 2), so plan on coming with a friend to volunteer here. 

Take a peek at what volunteering in Costa Rica is like. 

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is meant for the adventurous traveler who also wants to make a difference. Nicaragua is the hotspot for volcanoes — you can hike 'em, kayak in the craters, camp on the slopes, peer over the rims to see boiling lava for yourself and even slide down the side. 

Nicaragua is also full of rainforests, miles of gorgeous coastline and high adventures, like ziplining and canyoneering. Like Costa Rica, it's a Humanitarian program with spots for about 2 males. Come see what volunteering in Nicaragua is like, then apply now and secure your spot. 

Uganda 

Bring your friends and head to Uganda! The way the living situation is set up, your best bet is having a few guys come along for a semester of safari and making a difference in and out of the classroom. 

Volunteers will be teaching English to children who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford this type of education (read more about why English is so crucial in Uganda here). Volunteers will also be able to help out with clean water projects and other sanitation projects during their free time ... when you're not out on safari or exploring the waterfalls hiding in this country, of course! 

Get more info on Uganda here. 

Peru

If South America is calling your name, Peru is a popular pick. Our program is set on the Pacific Coast, just a few hours south of Lima. Home for the semester is just outside of the Paracas Peninsula where you'll find sand dunes jutting right up to the sea. Of course, no trip to Peru is complete without visiting ancient sites like Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, but we're also big fans of hiking in the mountains and the Amazon jungle — you get a little bit of everything here.

Get more info on volunteering in Peru here.

We've got spots open for upcoming semesters, so be sure to get in your application ... good luck choosing between these options!