GVI レビュー 1,092

A choice you will never regret. My GVI experience was one of the best decisions I’ve taken and I wouldn’t be where I am without it. The experiences, skills and friends I made there have all been life changing, and it’s a period of my life I look back on with gratitude.

Student beware!
My daughter was pressured over the phone to pay a deposit for a internship to Peru in 2027 . In ordered to secure a grant from her university to help with the cost , she was told to act quickly she was not given any dates or details of the trip.
Once she paid the deposit and her direct debit was set up , she received the dates available to her , she realised she could not make these, she contacted them straight away and was told an additional 150£ was payable.
She already paid 850£ deposit and by then she lost confidence in the company and has she was well within the consumer protection act of 14 days cooling off period, she wrote to inform them she wanted to cancel everything.
She was then told her deposit was not refundable!
She had no term of conditions read out to her or no contract sign .
How does this company who advertise being ethical and transparent take so much money from someone .
I am so disappointed for her and angry of what this company is capable of.
Rest assured we will take this further

I strongly advise anyone considering GVI to be aware of the serious delays and lack of accountability when it comes to refunds.
I was promised that my refund would be processed within 180 days. It has now been 228 days since that date, and I am still waiting for my money despite sending numerous emails. What has been most frustrating is not only the delay itself, but the constant cycle of apologies, vague reassurances, and no concrete action. Each time, I was told that the finance team was “investigating,” that the matter was a “priority,” or that they were “waiting for feedback.”
This experience has been extremely disappointing and stressful. I would urge others to think carefully before committing financially, as getting your money back, if something goes wrong, may be far more difficult and delayed than promised.

Do not book a program with GVI. I booked my daughter on the Teen Marine Conservation Programme in Mexico for July 2025, when I booked it I was told multiple times that there were already enough people booked and it would definitely go ahead.

GVI then cancelled the trip just 5 weeks before the departure date, citing not enough people had signed up - GVI broke their own conditions stipulating trips will be confirmed no less than 12 weeks before. Of course when it was cancelled we had already booked flights, taken out insurance (through GVI, which doesn't include cancellation) and bought the equipment needed.

GVI stated we were eligible for a full refund, and that would be paid within 180 days - that is an appallingly long time period when they cancelled.

Despite numerous emails and calls no refund came. Eventually I submitted a claim through the credit card I paid with - GVI rejected this claim without giving any reason. I submitted a second claim which was eventually upheld, 9 months after GVI cancelled. I still have not received the refund from GVI for the insurance, which I asked to be cancelled and refunded as soon as the trip was cancelled - in my last email chasing this GVI had the audacity to tell me to submit a claim through my credit card for a refund of the insurance. I am disgusted how it has been a real battle to get any refund from them, and they cancel projects at such short notice with little concern or regard to the impact of the people booked on them. I know many others were booked on this trip and I question whether a supposed lack of numbers was the true reason they cancelled.

I booked my daughter last minute on a Projects Abroad teen marine conservation trip to Thailand instead, I was hugely impressed with them - a total contrast to GVI. Please do not give GVI any of your money, I have zero confidence in them.

Additional comment following GVI's reply:
GVI - this is appalling that you ask me to submit (another) claim request through my credit card for the refund of the insurance you owe me, this will take months. Why cannot you just refund me this insurance amount I paid, as you owe me this money and had previously confirmed it would be refunded. This shows exactly why people should not book with GVI. I expect a full refund directly from GVI for the insurance, I should not need to submit a claim for it through my credit card especially when GVI cancelled the program.

I applied for the apprenticeship in South Africa and was initially very excited. However, during my call with a manager, I did not receive clear explanations about the real impact of the conservation work.
I was also offered a “grant” but pressured to decide within 48 hours, despite the total cost still being over €10,000. For such a large financial commitment, this felt unreasonable and concerning.
Unfortunately, this experience left me questioning the transparency and intentions of the organisation. I encourage others to ask detailed questions and carefully review all terms before committing.

I had an amazing time and did so many cool things. The only part of the trip I was disappointed with is the lack of hands on marine science. To be more involved you seem to need more time than 1 month. I wish I knew that before signing up. Besides this, I absolutely loved it

My trip for this year got cancelled by GVI. They were good and apologetic and thanks to their TOS said they will issue a full refund but I had to get in touch with another department.

I got in touch to no response for weeks afterwards. About a month after I was initially told it was cancelled I finally got an email asking me for my details to process the refund to, I gave them the details the same day. That was a month ago and there has been silence since.

It is a bit disappointing, I have another trip with them coming up which I am still looking forward to however am disappointed with the lack of communication and the slow response.
They’ve had my money for a long time so that I am also down money from what I would have had, had it remained in my investments gaining value!

Amazing experience at GVI Trang – Highly recommend!

My sister and I spent two weeks at GVI Trang, and it was the absolute best experience. We learnt so much, met inspiring and like-minded people who are all passionate about the environment, and gained a real insight into everyday life in Thailand.

The staff were amazing- highly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and were very happy to tailor activities to our individual interests.

Our weeks were packed with numerous learning opportunities with great variety inclusive of maintenance of turtle habitats, microplastic analysis, beach cleans, mangrove planting and seagrass research. We developed practical conservation skills and felt that we genuinely contributed to important projects. We also were fully immersed in Thai culture. This included learning some Thai, participated in Muay Thai, explored local restaurants, and visited a range of unique places around Trang.

Overall, the program exceeded our expectations. The combination of supportive staff, well-structured yet flexible projects, and rich cultural experiences made it an unforgettable experience. I couldn’t fault any aspect of the program and would highly recommend GVI Trang to anyone with a few weeks to spare and an interest in conservation, learning, and cultural immersion.

Thank you Suni, Sara, Marcos ☀️🙏🏖️

I am so upset with my recent experience with GVI.

I volunteered with them in 2019 in India and 2023 in Cambodia - no problems at all!

I have booked again for March 2026 for their Tanzania programme. Due to unforeseen circumstances, their base has closed. They gave me 2 month's notice that their base has closed, and I have been offered a full refund. My flights, pre-programme accommodation, insurance etc. are all booked

However, I am still waiting for a £395 refund and now my emails are meeting automated responses. Every time I call the UK number I reach dial tones.

I have opened a fraud case via my bank and will be going to the FCA by the end of next week.

I am so upset it has come to this as I truly loved my past experiences and this has upset me. All I was asking for was a refund but after being fobbed off multiple times and reading similar experiences, I am worried they are opening 'bases' and closing them down to take money from people!

All I was requesting was the refund, which was offered due to the cancellation, and that is all I need!

I attended the dolphin and whale conservation program in Tenerife, Spain which was one of the best travel and volunteer experiences I have ever had. Not only was I able to spend six weeks on such a beautiful island, but was able to do it while taking part in such interesting, fun and fulfilling work. Almost every time we did a boat survey we had incredible and often once in a lifetime sightings of Tenerife’s wildlife. Furthermore, the other leaders and volunteers in the program were so welcoming and passionate, they made it easy to get involved in the group, both socially and in the volunteer work. Overall, if you are able to, a GVI program like this is not something you want to miss out on, and I cannot recommend my experience enough.

Unfortunately my two-week stint in Kekoldi got cut a bit short due to my contracting dengue. I spent half the trip confined to quarters and heading down to the local clinic every day.
Before that point, however, everything was going very well. The participants all got on very well and the lessons were very interesting.

Very helpful staff who helped me narrow down which internship to choose. Awesome guides who were knowledgeable but also fun and encouraging, met and made amazing friends and saw and learnt about fascinating species. Highly recommend

I traveled with GVI to Kekoldi, Costa Rica to participate in a wildlife conservation volunteer ship in the heart of a rain forest. During this volunteer ship I was exposed to so many new experiences, animals and people! Besides meeting amazing people the wildlife such as vipers, monkeys, toucans and macaws made this trip extremely worthwhile.

My GVI trip to Thailand was genuinely one of the most unforgettable and meaningful experiences of my life. From the moment I arrived, I immediately felt safe, supported, and excited for what was ahead.

The work we did felt incredibly rewarding and made me feel like I was contributing to something that truly mattered. The GVI staff ( Sara, Sunny, and Joe) were absolutely amazing they were knowledgeable, passionate, and always approachable, and they created such a positive and inclusive environment within the group. I learned so much—not just about conservation and the local community, but also about myself.

Thailand itself was absolutely stunning. Being able to experience the culture, people, food, and natural beauty alongside the project work made the trip perfectly balanced between purpose and adventure. Every day felt meaningful, and I came home with amazing memories, new skills, and friendships I know will last a lifetime.

I couldn’t recommend GVI Thailand enough to anyone looking for a well-run, impactful, and unforgettable volunteer experience. If you’re thinking about it—do it. You won’t regret !

I went to teach English to monks in Cambodia for 3 and a half months, 2 days after I turned 18. It was the most enlightening and fun experience I have so far had in my life. I loved teaching english to the monks and adults in Cambodia and I loved the environment that all the workers at GVI Siem Reap made me feel. It was truly an amazing time for me to be able to do everything I did with GVI and being able to do it so young will definitely help shape who I am later in the future for the better. I think everyone should go teach abroad at least once in there life and at any age, because I met a volunteer who was 76 and still volunteered every year to go teach english in Siem Reap. She is proof that no matter how old you are, its never to late to be a volunteer.
Thank you everyone who worked at GVI for making me have the best 3 and a half months of my life.

It was amazing the whole experience, we had a great crowd and the homestay was friendly and a learning curve of what they do on an every day life , Amazing people , i enjoyed. Helping them in the fields and on my free day Sunday i helped my homestay lady peel her corn which was very satisfying. The Elephant work was good too and very interesting , and the gibbon sightings and callings were out of this world. So Exciting and a bonus. Even though it was hard work with a dodgy knee i sore amazing night life on the night walks And learning how the villagers lived and coped with everyday life was a lesson well learnt, the bit i found most difficult was ignoring the wild ish dog that had given birth under the base camp and not giving her any of our leftover scraps as she-had pups to raise . Thank you all so much for Giving me a chance to be part of your family and learning about what you do and having an amazing time in my two weeks . Also the help and support from Nikita in the months before i traveled . It felt very reassuring and helped with the questions . Thank you .

GVI’s website is super clear and concise in their descriptions about all of their programs. The site offers a comprehensive space to explore your next volunteer-ship/ internship abroad, whether it be environmental or community based. All the contact information is clearly outlined as well.

After spending one month with GVI Tenerife, it's safe to say that this was the most exciting and insane experience of my life!

My history is a little different, I don't study anything related to marine conservation at uni, didn't went there for any professional development and booked really late, only one month before actually going.

But I knew, from the time I first encountered the program, that it was right for me and aligned perfectly with everything I wanted to develop personally: seeing the most beautiful creatures alive in a daily basis, staying close to the sea, where I could always call home, and, most of all, meeting exciting people motivated to change the world and being able to help.

I couldn't be more right about investing in this experience. The people that I met I will take with me for my entire life. The beauty that I have experience will always make my eyes sparkle a little more. Knowing that I did good to this world will always make my heart warmer.

I would like to thank GVI Tenerife and everyone that was with me throughout this experience. Every moment that I spent with you guys was the best that could ever be. I am imensaly happy to say that I was part of this and that you are part of me now.

Thank you!

0 STARS. This company extorts people with an Interest in conservation. I last September I went to the Seychelles for a month undergoing their coastal conservation programme. Whilst I was expecting basic facilities, we were essentially squatting in a derelict school building with little to no resources that was infested with rats. We were advised not to wear shoes in the tiled bathroom which you can imagine was always wet coming back from snorkels/dives so that it wasn’t always dirty, subsequently I fell and split my chin open resulting in a concussion, hospital visit and stitches. When I requested some sort or non-slip mechanism for the bathroom or even bath mats I was told to buy them myself. Seychelles authorities later came and decided the base we were staying at was not habitable and all volunteers and interns were moved to hotels. Later, after I left, Seychelles authorities reviewed the work permits of the staff and concluded that they were not suitable for the to run the programme there so all volunteers, interns and staff were forced to leave and threatened with deportation. THE SEYCHELLES PROGRAMME IS STILL AVAILABLE TO BOOK BUT IT IS NOT RUNNING. Since returning home I have had no recognition of the internship I paid to do, I have requested a refund and investigation and was initially palmed off and no get no response at all despite multiple efforts. I would NOT encourage anyone to use this company, you will not get what you paid for. Communication is poor and they do not prioritise providing a good service.

Fabulous time at GVISiem Reap.

I have just returned from my third trip to CM reap and I can’t believe that this one was even better. I was incredibly well looked after, the staff were amazing, helpful, friendly, attentive and professional. I was regularly consulted about the programs I wanted to do and how much or how little contact time I preferred. They were plenty of teaching resources available and help was always on hand if you couldn’t find exactly what you wanted. Group planning meant that ideas were exchanged andwe could help each other with this process.

I was particularly impressed with how the team talked to local groups as to how best we could help them to achieve their goals. All the work we did was directed towards the needs of the local people, particularly the disadvantaged in this fabulous place.

We stayed in the Secret Garden Hotel, which is small, quiet and incredibly comfortable with delicious food. The hotel staff were friendly, courteous, professional and couldn’t do enough to help. My upgraded room was large and exceeded expectations. The hotel swimming pool was a delight, immaculately clean and enabled me to exercise in comfort.

Go now, you won’t be disappointed.