Typical Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday
Welcome to the tropical jungles of Costa Rica. Arrive at the airport where a GVI staff member will be waiting, and travel with other teens to where you’ll stay overnight.
Day 2: Sunday
Today you’ll travel to Tortuguero National Park, a protected area in Costa Rica where you’ll learn about the work being done to conserve species like turtles and jaguars.
Day 3: Monday
Help researchers collect data about the health of the jungle. Later, set up remote camera traps to spot elusive jungle species like jaguars and learn how to monitor sea turtles.
Day 4: Tuesday
Walk the Carribbean beach at sunrise, looking for mother sea turtle tracks and new nests. Learn more about how sea turtle monitoring works later during the day.
Day 5: Wednesday
Canoe down the rivers of Tortuguero National Park noting the many tropical birds along the way. Head out at night to spot mother sea turtles making their nests on the beach.
Day 6: Thursday
Trek through the forest again, spotting tropical wildlife along the way. Later, learn more about what local organisations are doing to protect these species and natural habitats.
Day 7: Friday
Spend the weekend white water rafting down the Pacuare River with your new friends. A true adrenaline rush, the river features rapids up to class IV.
Day 8: Saturday
Spend the weekend white water rafting down the Pacuare River with your new friends. A true adrenaline rush, the river features rapids up to class IV.
Day 9: Sunday
Spend the weekend white water rafting down the Pacuare River with your new friends. A true adrenaline rush, the river features rapids up to class IV.
Day 10: Monday
Learn about the conservation work conducted by Tortuguero National Park management and representatives from the Sea Turtle Conservancy.
Day 11: Tuesday
Trek through the jungle noting local wildlife species. Then, at night, walk along the Carribean Sea looking for nesting mother sea turtles.
Day 12: Wednesday
At sunrise, look for sea turtles. Then you have the option of either looking for wildlife species on a jungle trek or looking for birds while on the river boat. At night, look for sea turtles.
Day 13: Thursday
Today you could either travel the jungle canals looking for birds or carry out another biodiversity survey. In the evening all volunteers can help look for mother sea turtles.
Day 14: Friday
Tour the Costa Rican city of San Jose on foot. Visit local markets, sample exotic fruits, and take in the laidback lifestyle known in Costa Rica as pura vida.
Day 15: Saturday
Say a tearful “adiós” to the beaches, jungles, and wildlife of Costa Rica. Reflect on the friends you’ve made and how much you’ve learnt about conservation while abroad.