Volunteering in the Virgin Islands 7 Days
Volunteering in the Virgin Islands Discover the unspoiled beauty of St. John, the smallest of the Virgin Islands. This trip has all the highlights of a Caribbean vacation, including snorkeling among tropical fish, strolling on the white sand beaches, and kayaking through mangrove forests. But it also allows you to give back, helping St. John recover from two major hurricanes that walloped the island in 2017. Volunteer at a school whose campus was badly damaged and help restore trails in Virgin Islands National Park. This is a tropical paradise adventure that promises to be extra rewarding. Details Testimonials Depart: I have taken 12 trips with MT Sobek. Each has left Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas a positive imprint on me widening my view of the world and its peoples. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas Duration: 7 Days Group Size: 4-16 Guests Minimum Age: 13 Years Old Arrive: Activity Level:. Jane B. MT Sobek took care of everything for our extended family vacation. Not a hiccup in the planning, the itinerary, the lodging or the guide. Everything in life should be so easy. Kathy J.
REASON #01 REASON #02 REASON #03 MT Sobek has been pioneering unique adventures across the globe for 50 years, working with expert local teams for an immersive experience. This trip combines rewarding volunteering opportunities at an island school and National Park with relaxing exploration of St. John, both in the sea and on land. Blend an active adventure with the chance to give back by helping a community heavily impacted by hurricane destruction. ACTIVITIES LODGING CLIMATE Volunteer by rebuilding a hurricane-damaged school and mending trails in a national park. Plus enjoy snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding in the Caribbean. We stay in a boutique, beach condominium property with the Caribbean Sea on one side, and an Audubon Wildlife Salt Pond on the other side. Expect a varied climate, from extreme mountain wind and rain to warm sun. High daytime temperatures range from 70-90ºF in June and September - the nicest months of the year for hiking. A native of Nashville, Arthur graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in English literature and decided to follow his passion for the outdoors. He began his path to a guide as an instructor for the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School. In 1990, he moved to St. John, USVI, where he founded a small adventure travel company specializing in sea kayaking, paddle boarding and fly fishing excursions. Arthur is a US Coast Guard licensed captain, an ACA level 1 kayak instructor and an ACA level 1 and 2 SUP instructor and brings 20+ years of leadership experience. Arthur Jones
Itinerary DAY 1 ARRIVE IN ST. THOMAS Arrive at the airport in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, then take a taxi to the Red Hook ferry dock. Board the ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John, where you will meet your MT Sobek representative and transfer to your hotel. In the evening, gather with your group for a welcome dinner. Meals: D DAY 2 SNORKEL & KAYAK IN THE CARIBBEAN Start the day with kayaking instructions on the beach in Cruz Bay. Paddle to Honeymoon Beach and stop to snorkel the seagrass bed, looking for turtles and rays. Next, paddle to Henley Cay for some superb reef snorkeling. If you've never snorkeled in the Caribbean, you'll be amazed at the variety and vibrancy of colors. After resting and refueling with a hearty picnic lunch, paddle on to Lovango Cay for more snorkeling. Return to Cruz Bay in the late afternoon and relax a bit before meeting for dinner. Activity: 6 hours hiking, snorkeling & kayaking DAY 3 CLEAN-UP DAY AT GIFFT HILL SCHOOL Visit Gifft Hill School for your first day of service on St. John. The two hurricanes that hit here in September of 2017 wreaked havoc on this island, destroying churches, schools, homes, and businesses. Spend the day helping with the clean-up and rebuilding process at Gifft Hill School, whose upper campus was badly damaged in the. storm, so that students can return to classes. Dinner tonight is at Rhumblines in Cruz Bay. Please note The specific volunteer work planned on day 3 may vary depending on the progress of projects currently underway, and what is needed at the time of service. Activity: 5-6 hours volunteering DAY 4 STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING AT HAULOVER BAY Spend the morning learning the basics of stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) in the calm, protected waters of Haulover Bay. After getting comfortable on the boards, go for a short paddle, then return to the beach for lunch. After lunch, take a short trail to the north side of Haulover Bay, where there is superb snorkeling. Then, get back
on the paddle boards and paddle out to Pelican Rock, where you can snorkel the reef. Dinner tonight is at The Longboard. Activity: 6 hours paddle boarding & snorkeling DAY 5 VOLUNTEER AT VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK For your second day of service, visit Virgin Islands National Park, where trails were badly damaged in the. hurricane. Clear the trails of debris and help rebuild trails that were eroded from the storm. Please note The specific volunteer work planned on day 5 may vary depending on the progress of projects currently underway, and what is needed at the time of service. Activity: 5-6 hours volunteering DAY 6 KAYAK CORAL REEF NATIONAL MONUMENT Climb aboard for a kayak trip to the Coral Reef National Monument in Hurricane Hole. Kayak through the mangrove-lined bays of Water Creek, Otter Creek, and Princess Bay. Snorkel in the mangroves, where you'll see schools of juvenile snappers, barracuda, starfish, colorful sea anemone, and more. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch near Turner Point, then take a short hike over the hill for a view of Round Bay. From here, paddle to Borck Creek and on to a small, white-sand beach for a nice reef snorkel. Activity: 6 hours kayaking and snorkeling DAY 7 DEPART FROM ST. JOHN & RETURN TO ST. THOMAS Head back in to Cruz Bay for breakfast at the North Shore Deli, then enjoy a couple of hours of free time for shopping in town before boarding the ferry back to Red Hook. From there, head to the airport and then back home. Meals: B
Jan 13-19, 2019 Feb 10-16, 2019
2019 $ 3,295 per person Additional Cost $ 700 Single Supplement PRICE INCLUDES Expert leadership from experienced adventure guides Accommodations as noted in the itinerary PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE Meals as noted in the daily itinerary Optional tips to your lead adventure guides Personal expenses such as medical immunizations, phone calls, laundry, or souvenirs Optional travel protection Potable water and snacks throughout All tips and gratuities for support staff with the exception of your lead adventure guide(s) All necessary snorkeling, kayaking, and paddle boarding gear All group entrance fees, activities, and ground transportation International airfare, any airport taxes, or excess baggage charges Arrival and departure day airport transfers