Day to Day Life
About Lobitos
Lobitos is located on the northern coast of Peru in the region of Piura. It is considered a small fishing town, but has a long history of oil extraction dating back to the late 19th century, when the first enterprise here, led by Balfour Williamson & company (a Scottish firm based in Santiago de Chile) established the Peruvian Petroleum Syndicate with other partners in 1901. The first wells were drilled in 1903 but actually turned out to be uneconomic. New and deeper wells were again drilled in the northern zone of Lobitos in January 1904 and these turned out to be much more viable: Lobitos was born.
Lobitos, located in the Ecuatorial Dry Forest, has a warm, hot and dry weather all year round. Unless we are under an extreme “El Niño” event, very little to no rainfall can be expected only during the summer months (December - March). The average yearly rainfall is only 2mm per year. Nights are also warm indoors but can get a bit windy and chilly outdoors especially at night (a windbreaker light jacket is perfect for this). The coastal landscape is rocky and sandy but is home to a vital dry forest ecosystem of many endangered plant and animal species.
What a day in EcoSwell looks like?
What a day in EcoSwell looks like?
Life at EcoSwell balances professional project work with teamwork, community connection, and wellbeing. While no two weeks are the same, a typical weekday looks like this:
08:00 – EcoSwell Breakfast
Start the day at the EcoSwell headquarters in Lobitos with breakfast alongside local staff and fellow volunteer interns. This is a key moment to connect, share updates, and align priorities for the day.
09:00 – Project Work Begins
Mornings are focused and productive. Depending on your role and project phase, you may be:
Working from the office alongside local and international staff, volunteer professionals and interns, as well as the Co-Founders
Completing onboarding and orientation sessions
Conducting technical analysis, research, or project planning
Preparing reports, designs, or funding materials
13:00–14:00 – Lunch Break
Enjoy a lunch break with the team which is cooked by our local chef and can cater to dietary requirements. Enjoy a variety of Peruvian dishes with all food sourced and grown locally including fresh fruit, vegetables and locally caught fish.
14:00–17:00 – Fieldwork
Afternoons often blend office work with hands-on field work. This may include:
Visiting project sites to learn directly about ongoing initiatives
Meeting community members and local partners
Supporting implementation, monitoring, or data collection for projects
Continuing collaborative work back at the office
Late Afternoon / Early Evening – Ocean & Wellbeing Time
Once the workday wraps up, it’s time to embrace life in Lobitos. Participants often choose to:
Surf consistent waves at the Lobitos beach or surrounding surf spots
Practice yoga or meditation with ocean-views
Go for a coastal run or walk
Swim in the ocean and watch the golden hour sunset
Evenings – Community Living
Return to the EcoSwell house to cook dinner together, share stories from the day, or head out to a local Peruvian restaurant. Evenings are relaxed and social, offering space to recharge and reflect.
Activities to get involved with:
Surfing
Co-founder Alejandro surfing in Lobitos.
Artisanal Fishing
EcoSwell volunteer catches himself a keeper on an artesanal fishing trip in Lobitos!
pottery
visit local market
native tree planting
yoga
Yoga class with Naiana Lunelli (www.instagram.com/ritmonatural.es)