International Volunteer Travel

The language of business in Uruguay is Spanish. A few people in the area, your program coordinator or some of the program staff will speak English. Except the nature and reforestation project, all Uruguay programs require one week of Spanish study in Uruguay for those fluent in Spanish and two weeks for all others. We offer Spanish study under the Survival Spanish Program.

Q2. When is the best time to participate in your programs?

Ans. Uruguay is a good place to visit any time of the year. Some say that the best time to visit Uruguay is December to March, which is the height of summer.

Q3. When do the programs begin?

Ans. Beginning dates are Second (2nd) and Fourth (4th) Thursday of each month. Please plan on arriving the day before.

Q4. Where can I read more about Uruguay?

Ans. You can click here to go to the Uruguay Country Profile Page, where you can read more about Uruguay.

Q5. What is the Weather like in Uruguay?

Ans. Uruguay is the only Latin American country that lies wholly outside the tropics and the climate is mild. The average temperature in winter is 10°C and the average summer temperature is 22°C. Rain falls throughout the year and droughts are rare. However, the cold winter pampero winds from Argentina, as well as storms from the South Atlantic, can be violent and destructive. There is no snow in Uruguay.

Summer is from December to March and is the most pleasant time; the climate during other seasons offers bright, sunny days and cool nights.

Section 2: Traveling and Visa Issues

Q6. What kind of visa do I need? Do I need a work permit?

Ans. Most foreigners require a visa, except nationals from neighboring countries, western Europe, Australia, the USA, New Zealand and Canada. All visitors need a tourist card, which is valid for 90 days and extendable for a similar period.

Q7. How much do I need to pay for a Uruguayan visa and how do I get one?

The consular fee to get a TOURIST visa is about USD 45. Enquire at the consulate (or Embassy) in your country for cost as it may vary with the exchange rate. Visas are for stays up to three months, except for visas issued to Malaysian nationals which are valid for one month. Extensions for three months are possible: apply at the Immigration Office in Uruguay.

Q.8. What Airport should I fly to?

Ans. You will fly to Montevideo Carrasco International Airport in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay. The conventional airport name is MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY and the Airport Code is MVD.

Section 3: Fees and Money

Q9. How much money should I bring for my personal expenses in Uruguay?

The amounts of money you bring depend on you. Meals during adventure tours will be in the range of USD 5 for a meal and USD 2 for a snack. If you spend the night in Montevideo, airport pickup plus one night bed and breakfast will cost you about USD 50 to USD 70. Transport by decent public means from Treinta Y Tres to Montevideo will cost you about USD 10.00 one way. Airport drop off taxi from the city of Montevideo will be in the range of USD 20. A weekend getaway will cost you between USD 250 and 500.

Q10. What does my payment cover?

Ans. Please go to the Uruguay Fees page and our terms of service page to find out what the fee does and/or does not cover.

Section 6: Living In Uruguay

Q11. If I take the Uruguay Survival Spanish program, will I need an extra two weeks to participate in other programs?

Ans. The Survival Spanish program is offered in Uruguay. The program takes two weeks.

Q12. How much time must I spend in your programs in Uruguay?

Ans. You can spend a minimum of 1 week if you are fluent in Spanish (1 week taking Spanish Survival class and 1 week volunteering); or 2 weeks if you are not fluent in Spanish (2 weeks taking Survival Spanish class).

Q13. What are the living conditions like in Uruguay?

Accommodation is provided by host families or in hostels. For the nature project at Quebrada de Los Cuervos, participants can stay at the cabins or tented camps at the nature park. Hostel and cabin accommodation does not come with meals and participants have to purchase their own meals at local eateries. Prices vary depending on individual preferences from USD 2 for a light meal to USD 8 for dinner in a 5 star restaurant. Where meals are not provided, a good budget would be around USD 85 per week.

Q14. What is the food like in Uruguay?

Uruguayans eat meat at most meals. Beef and lamb are relatively cheap and Uruguayans prepare them in many ways. The traditional asado is a barbeque where the meat is cooked slowly over coals. Other ways to prepare meats include sausages (salchichas) or soups (pucheros) prepared with meat and vegetables. The parrillada is a typical Uruguayan dish of roasted meats prepared in various ways. Chivito is a steak sandwich and húngaras are spicy sausages served in a roll. Milanesa Uruguaya is a breaded, deep-fried steak. Vegetarian meals can normally be arranged.

For questions of general nature, please go to the International Volunteer Travel general questions page. If you can’t find answers to your questions or would like clarification, please Contact Us.