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Visit Maximo Nivel's website to learn more about their programs abroad
Overview
Overview
Founded in 2003, Maximo Nivel is the Intercultural Center of Latin America. We offer Volunteer Abroad programs, TEFL Certification, International Internships, and our Native Spanish Program in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Maximo Nivel is a local organization in each country and we work in partnership with community groups, schools, orphanages, and hospitals to help lead development initiatives with civic and environmental goals. Volunteer opportunities include: Working with Kids, Animal Care, Teaching English, Eco-Agriculture, Conservation, Construction, and Medical projects. Internship opportunities include: Education, Micro-Business, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Rights, and Medical. Everyone has access to our support team and great home-base facilities 7 days/week year-round.
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Editorial
By Sarah Vandenberg
Director of Partnerships
Sarah has worked in the volunteer travel industry since 2004. She supports all of our partners, and shares stories, trends, and advice for travelers who want to volunteer, intern, or teach abroad.
With four institutes and unparalleled in-country support, Maximo Nivel is a leader in international education, study abroad, and travel in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. This organization is a top-ranked local provider in Latin America, specializing in three specific areas for people who want to learn and make an impact: work abroad programs (including volunteer and intern placements), study and teach abroad opportunities, and travel adventures.
Trips to Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru
Maximo Nivel’s programs in Costa Rica bring you to San Jose and Manuel Antonio – two very different locations for very different travel styles. San Jose is Costa Rica’s capital city, and the institute is based downtown. Manuel Antonio, on the other hand, is more of a smaller, quiet beach town.
In Peru, Maximo Nivel’s programs are based in and around Cusco, with their institute located downtown (though arguably in a less hectic area than San Jose). Depending on your placement, you may work right there in Cusco or out into the mountains – or even in the Sacred Valley.
If you’re interested in Guatemala, Maximo Nivel’s programs there are based in the city of Antigua, a top destination for ecotourism that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Teaching English in Peru with Maximo Nivel
Impactful adventures
Maximo Nivel emphasizes education and cultural exchange among all of its participants. Travelers of all ages are welcome to join, and can choose from volunteer, intern, teach, study, and adventure abroad programs. No matter where you go or what you do, you will be encouraged to learn from your counterparts in-country, share skills and stories, and explore the beautiful places where Maximo Nivel works.
Programs are community-developed, meaning a local organization, school, or center either has an ongoing need or has identified an unmet one, and requested volunteers, interns, or teachers from Maximo Nivel. And all programs undergo a vetting process to ensure participants help to provide a local solution to a local problem.
Construction volunteering in Costa Rica with Maximo Nivel
Support and safety
A recurring theme with Maximo Nivel is an emphasis on support and safety. Travelers are provided excellent support before, during, and after their trips – whatever questions or concerns they have, a team member can answer. A few highlights:
- Maximo Nivel has a 24/7 emergency support line
- Institutes and staff are based in the communities where you’ll work, so they have local knowledge and context to ensure safety, to respond to any issues that could arise, or just to answer questions about places to go and things to see
- All host families are carefully vetted, and travelers are asked for feedback about their experience
Because Maximo Nivel works with so many students and less-experienced travelers in particular, they want to make sure you have the best trip possible – to get out of your comfort zone, but still to know there’s a safety net if you need it.
Volunteering with animals in Peru with Maximo Nivel
Top projects
Gallery
Volunteer working with children in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. https://maximonivel.com/volunteers/working-with-kids/
Volunteer working with rescued animals in Guatemala.
Turtle conservation projects in Costa Rica and Guatemala.
https://maximonivel.com/volunteers/conservation/sea-turtle/
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Troy M Englade
16 Mar 2026
The trip went phenomenally. Learned and practiced lots of spanish as well as was guided with what to say and how to say certain phrases or words when unsure. The...Read more
The trip went phenomenally. Learned and practiced lots of spanish as well as was guided with what to say and how to say certain phrases or words when unsure. The practices and volunteering was straight forward, felt rewarding and overall can feel the impact towards the communities helped. Highly recommened and would go back again.
Sammantha Lopez Guarin
16 Mar 2026
Overall the experience was amazing. It was organized and we got to serve all types of people from kids to the elderly. Thank you! Thank you Kevin and Jorge, best...Read more
Overall the experience was amazing. It was organized and we got to serve all types of people from kids to the elderly. Thank you! Thank you Kevin and Jorge, best duo ever.
giulia raymondi
15 Mar 2026
After living for two weeks with Zuly’s family in the village of Santiago Zamora, near Antigua in Guatemala, I had the wonderful opportunity to discover and appreciate the daily life...Read more
After living for two weeks with Zuly’s family in the village of Santiago Zamora, near Antigua in Guatemala, I had the wonderful opportunity to discover and appreciate the daily life of a Mayan family. I lived with Zuly's family, and I would love to share how this experience has deeply moved and transformed me. What struck me the most was the extraordinary attention to detail and the time devoted to creating each textile. Textile work is at the heart of their everyday life, and children begin learning this ancestral art as early as seven years old. Living with the family, I experienced an incredibly warm welcome and gained a true appreciation for the their dedication behind their craft. At Zuly's family, I shared their meals, most of the time, expressing traditional Mayan recipes, with tortillas and fresh vegetables from their fields. They make fresh tortillas every morning, after grinding the necessary quantity of maize for the day, tortillas for all the family. Watching them work for many hours each day in the fields and at home, I came to understand the patient and highly skilled labor behind every embroidered blouse, woven tapestry, table runner, and bag, or behind a basket of coffee beans. After two weeks in the "pueblo", I have decided to commit myself to supporting and developing their textile tradition. My original task was to help at home and in the field of coffee and camotes ( sweet potatoes). But the real goal - as a volunteer - is not just to help, but to bring some know-how to improve their lives with respect of their History and traditions. I realized that they are not skilled in social media and marketing activities. With Zuly's family, I have started a project to create a webpage where they can show and sell their textiles in Guatemala and in the other countries of Central and South America, by now. I suggest that any explorer and lover of the Central American culture spend one or two weeks at Zuly's home. You will bring back an unforgettable experience. I thank Maximo Nivel to organize these opportunities for the local people and for the volonteer who want to help and discover new cultures Giulia
Julie Heifetz
9 Mar 2026
I had the opportunity to work with IVHQ on a project in Antigua with men and women in a rehabilitation center (drugs, alcohol, abuse issues). We conducted art workshops engaging...Read more
I had the opportunity to work with IVHQ on a project in Antigua with men and women in a rehabilitation center (drugs, alcohol, abuse issues). We conducted art workshops engaging the participants in drawing and writing their visions for the future and what activities each person enjoys doing that help to heal. The drawings and writings were heartfelt and expressed a great deal about their honest desires and goals. I found the IVHQ and Maximo Nivel staff to be very supportive and they providedv input about potential activities for the workshop and allowed us volunteers (3 of us) to develop our own ideas for the week at the rehabilitation center. I appreciate coming back to the Maximo Nivel office on a daily basis and the variety of offerings such as tours, salsa, cooking classes and Spanish one-on-ones. The homestay was a wonderful experience with a local family who were welcoming, supportive ,and I was fortunate to have meaningful conversations with about life in Guatamala. Maximo Nivel and IVHQ and Guiness staff thank you for your help in add-on tours and also arranging transport. I plan to go to Peru next with this outstanding organization. Thank you all.