GVI Recenzje 1080

I volunteered with GVI in the Elephant Conservation program in Chiang Mai Thailand.

I got to stay with a host family in the village of Huay Pakoot. The village residents were very kind and welcoming. They treated everyone like family.

The staff were amazing and very helpful while preparing for my trip and adjusting to life on the base. They were also very knowledgeable on the species native to the area.

How I spent the day would vary, but usually in the morning we would get to choose between an elephant hike, gibbon hike or assisting with teaching English at the local school.

Being able to witness semi-wild elephants in their natural habitat was such an incredible experience. On the elephant hike, we would monitor their foraging habits, behavior, physical health and how they interacted with their mahout.

Occasionally we would also conduct biodiversity surveys where we would record sightings of birds, reptiles, and other mammals in the area.

In the afternoons we had lessons where we learned how to speak Pakinyaw which was the primary spoken language in the village.

If you are interested in wildlife conservation, and are looking for a one-of-a-kind travel experience, I would highly recommend volunteering with GVI.

I hope I was able to leave a positive impact on elephant and gibbon conservation, but above all else I am thankful I got to experience a new culture, make new friends from different parts of the world, and create fun memories.

Had yet another great time volunteering with GVI.

GVI is an incredible company that allows you to travel to dream destinations while giving back to that country and the community. It is fulfilling and a satisfying experience letting you feel like an active member of the local community while on a holiday! I would highly recommend if you are into active holidays where you want to give back and meet people .

It’s hard to put into words just how much my time with GVI impacted me, but “life-changing” genuinely feels like the most accurate way to describe it.

I completed a six-week global health internship in Cambodia, teaching English to monk students, and running women’s health and empowerment sessions at schools and universities. Living in Cambodia was surreal — the people were endlessly kind, the culture vibrant, and the land completely unique. Every day felt like a mix of learning, reflection, and immersion that I’ll never forget.

I also spent time with GVI in Fiji, living in a remote fishing village on the mainland and travelling out to surrounding villages to support local district nurses and deliver community health education. Seeing the impact we could make firsthand, even in small ways, was incredibly rewarding and humbling.

The team on the ground in both countries were amazing — knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely caring. They created a space where you felt welcomed, empowered, and challenged in all the right ways.

If you want to experience the world in its truest, rawest form, and actually make an impact, this is it. I’ve come home changed, with a new perspective, a lot of gratitude, and a strong desire to return. GVI doesn’t just give you an experience — it gives you a lens on life you can’t get anywhere else.

I worked with G.V.I Cambodia for ten weeks, Jan 17th to Mar 23rd. I had the most amazing experience of my life hands-down. I learnt so much about myself and gained so many new world perspectives. Teaching people brought such joy into my life I decided to follow TEFL as a teaching career! I got to eat so many delicious foods with such great company. I miss cambodia and the people so much already and I have intentions of coming back to Siem Reap.

I am writing this as a warning to other parents and volunteers. We booked the "Dolphin and Whale Conservation" program for my daughter for August 2025. In May 2025, GVI cancelled the program and promised a full refund of £2,136 within 180 days.
​It is now April 2026, nearly a year later, and I am still fighting to get our money back.
​Despite dozens of emails and repeated sincere apologies claiming my refund was a priority escalation or being discussed in Finance Director meetings, GVI has failed to return our funds. They have missed every self-imposed deadline they set. This is despite them acknowledging in writing that the delay is "unacceptable" and having our bank details for months.
​I have been forced to formally escalate this to the County Court via a Money Claim Online to recover the debt, plus statutory interest and court fees.
​GVI was quick to take our money but has proven incredibly difficult when it comes to returning it for a program they cancelled. If you are considering booking with them, be aware that "180 days" can easily turn into a year of broken promises.

Update:

After 11 months of broken promises, I have finally secured my refund, but only by taking GVI to court.

I was informed I was due a full refund in May 2025. By April 2026, I was still being ignored. It wasn't until I served them with a formal Money Claim Online (MCOL) and Requested Judgment that the money finally appeared.

Even after admitting the debt, they still attempted to dodge the court fees and interest they legally owe me. I have now successfully secured a Court Judgment against them for these outstanding costs.

My advice to anyone else waiting: Don't waste your time with their support emails. They are just stall tactics. File a court claim immediately. It is the only language they speak.

Relieved to finally have the court’s support and my money back.

While preparing for this program I received incredible help from Nikita, she always responded quickly to the many questions I had. The people in Huay Pakkoot were also super helpful and welcoming, I was sick for a couple days and my homestay checked in on me frequently and made me simple meals to ease my stomach. It’s easy to feel like an imposter while staying in someone else’s home, but I always felt well cared for and almost a part of the family.

During my time with GVI in Chiang Mai, there were a multitude of opportunities accessible to me that made my time during the program so worth it.

First of all, I became close with one of the staff members on base and he became a very important mentor to me in my life. Since this experience is something that I want to pursue, it was only natural that I found some to ask advice of.

Secondly, you get to meet likeminded people who become your friend almost instantly. I never knew that I would become friends with people all over the world ever in my life, this experience gave me that opportunity.

Lastly, you get to learn what it is like to do real rewarding work. Never in my life have I been so happy with working as I was in the village looking after elephants almost everyday.

I highly suggest working with GVI.

The Kèköldi indigenous reserve is an amazing place that I felt very lucky to visit. The staff were lovely, very knowledgeable and passionate. I learnt a lot from them and they were very kind and helpful. The other participants were also amazing with so many passionate and skilled people. The vibes on-site were great. However, the programme itself was not what I expected and I think what is advertised online is a bit misleading. I excepted to be conducting fieldwork all day, most days during my stay. This was not true and most of my stay I was dwindling my thumbs wondering what to do. Of course, the weather plays a major role in this and I acknowledge that this is obviously out of anyone’s control but I just think the website should be honest about this. Also, when we signed up to the programme it gave you the option to choose reptile and amphibians, mammals or bird conservation. We chose birds and up until we arrived on base, we had the impression that we would be conducting migratory raptor surveys. This was not true and while I thoroughly enjoyed the general biodiversity surveys that we ended up taking part in, I just think some transparency would have been great so that you know what to expect. What I expected from the experience based on what I signed up for and the information provided was not at all what I got. Again, I learnt a lot, the staff and participants were amazing and the reserve and wildlife was incredible but when people are paying so much money to be there, it would be great if what is advertised matches what is offered.

Hi! I participated in a two-week program in Mexico focused on diving. Although the duration was relatively short and I unfortunately arrived during a period of storms, my diving instructor (Ursula from Scuba Kraken) genuinely cared about my experience and tried really hard to get me as many dives as possible.

On the conservation side, we were educated on local fish species and learned about scientific conservation approaches in the area. We also had the opportunity to contribute to the cultivation of certain crab and reef species at a marine conservation ranch.

However, the overall structure of the program felt quite disorganized at times. The general goals and daily tasks can be unclear sometimes, and it seemed that a lot of pressure was placed on the local partner, Scuba Kraken, and the role and presence of GVI within the program were somewhat ambiguous.

Overall, this program could be a good option if you’re looking for a short, guided getaway or a first glimpse into marine conservation, especially if you don’t mind the cost.

The team where extremely kind and helpful especially when I was trying to decide if I would actually go on my adventure. Once there I was also supported and made some amazing friends while doing some good work.

Loved my time with GVI at the Seychelles, learned a lot about the beautiful marine life! Would definitely recommend, trustworthy!

GVI has amazing programs all over! I enjoyed being able to travel to amazing places but also do good while I was there. I connected with locals and schools on education in Costa Rica and Thailand. I visited community Gardens and soup kitchens in South Africa. I observed and studied marine wildlife in Greece and Spain. I wouldn’t have the chance for connections like these without GVI and World of Difference.

My experience with GVI was truly incredible and something I’ll never forget. From the beginning, the booking process was straightforward and easy, which made everything much less stressful.

What I was most excited about was getting hands-on experience and being able to contribute to something meaningful—and it definitely lived up to that. Working in the field and being surrounded by passionate people made the whole trip even more special.

Maria Ingreso helped me the most throughout my journey. She was always supportive, approachable, and made sure everything ran smoothly, which really made a difference in my overall experience.

I would highly recommend GVI to anyone looking for a meaningful and well-organized experience. It’s not just a trip—it’s something that stays with you long after you leave.

I had a really amazing experience with GVI. I was lucky enough to go on 4 trips with them. The trips I went on were: Under 16’s 2 week trip to Greece (turtle conservation), Under 16’s 2 week trip to Mexico (Open water class), over 18’s divemaster internship in the Seychelles and over 18’s diver master internship in Mexico (there’s a water theme here 😜)

I loved all of the trips I went on and got to learn a lot about myself and of course the beautiful world we get to live in. GVI make it a mission to involve themselves with the communities in which they reside in. This is something that is really important to me as well.

I was also with them for the very beginnings of Covid and they did an excellent job at getting us home in time before a full blown shut down.

I recommend any and all of these trips to those who might be considering them as an option. Thanks again GVI for the amazing experience!

Ive had a wonderful experience with GVI over the years. Ive found the organisation to be ethical and educational, it’s helped me grow as a person. It’s a company I know I can trust and will deliver on their values. I have always had great communication with them and have developed many great relationships from my experiences with them. I recommend GVI to many friends and family who want to do some good whilst gaining valuable experience in beautiful places!

Absolutely loved my time on Karongwe Game Reserve!

Saw a lot of animals, including numerous sightings of lions, elephants, and buffalo!

The highlights of the trip included:

1) spotting a leopard in the wild.

2) a close encounter with a spotted hyena.

3) a close encounter with elephants.

4) four separate lion sightings.

5) the chance to part-take in a cheetah walk-in!

6) community day at a local school teaching the children geology.

Would highly recommend!

WARNING – Please read before considering GVI internships.

I need to share what happened to me because I don’t want anyone else going through this.

After paying a deposit, I had NOT confirmed any dates, duration, or final agreement for going to Thailand. Despite that, £924 was suddenly taken from my account without my clear permission. I never authorised that full payment.

When I contacted them, I was initially reassured that I could get my money back. That turned out to be completely false. They refused to refund me, despite me never attending the internship at all.

In total, they have taken £1019 from me, including the deposit. I never went on the program, never finalised anything, and still lost over a thousand pounds.

This has been ongoing since 24/09/2024, and I STILL have not received my money back.

Please be extremely careful. Do not trust verbal promises, do not assume your money is safe, and do not proceed unless everything is 100% confirmed in writing. Learn from my experience—once the money is gone, getting it back may be impossible.

Protect yourself and think twice before using them.

Update- they have responded to this and said this is in accordance with their terms and conditions but again just to confirm I never agreed to any dates and the timescales for how long I will be going for just proves how much of a scam company they are i will be taking this to the smalls claims court.

Amazing sea turtle conservation experience in the Maldives. Learned so much, met incredible people, and felt genuinely part of meaningful marine protection.

Update: Since GVI replied to this post advising my refund has been processed, I can confirm I did not get any refund and have had no response from the company.

GVI is nothing short of a scam. They are so unethical in that they charge a lot of money for an experience, and when they cannot give you what you paid for, they refuse to give any refund or credit. I paid for a research fellowship which is heavily project focused. In week 7 of my 8 week programme I still hadn’t managed to get the one research coordinator to meet with me to start my project - there were 15 other participants in the same boat. We spent most of the time sitting around the base. I complained and argued with GVI, but months later I still never got to do a project. I could have volunteered for half the price.
It is very unclear where the money goes as the standard of accommodation is so poor (broken doors, nails sticking out, broken chairs, bug-infested broken showers) and most staff are unpaid. I cannot recommend them to anyone.