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Good 4.21rating (52)

Save The Turtles and Beach Clean Up In Natl. Parks

location
1 - 50 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Learn how to protect the animals in danger of extinction
  • Visit all the beauties of Costa Rica, Volcanoes, Beaches, National Parks, etc. during your free time

Highlights

  • Learn how to protect the animals in danger of extinction
  • Visit all the beauties of Costa Rica, Volcanoes, Beaches, National Parks, etc. during your free time

  • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Join us to help with community and environmental related tasks and especially to rescue the sea turtles!

    We work with all the National Parks, North (GUANACASTE) and Carribean Area (RESERVA PACUARE)  supervised by Park Rangers. Our projects have the most beautiful vegetation and attractive environment and are located at the Pacific North side.

    We work with leather back turtles from January to August and ...

    About the program

    We work with all the National Parks, North (GUANACASTE) and Carribean Area (RESERVA PACUARE)  supervised by Park Rangers. Our projects have the most beautiful vegetation and attractive environment and are located at the Pacific North side.

    We work with leather back turtles from January to August and with the green sea turtle from August to December, the remaining months we prepared a kind of nest and we works with the community and the school. 

    Leather Back Turtles: Leatherbacks can exceed 540 kg (1180 lbs). Leatherback turtles are generally not killed by poachers for their meat but for their eggs which are among the most desirable turtle eggs.

    Green Sea Turtes: Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are not actually green but take their name from the colour of their body fat. These turtles are hunted for both their eggs and their meat, which is widely held to be the most delicious of all the sea turtle species.

    The volunteer will be trained in sea turtle monitoring techniques and will work under the supervision of the Research Coordinators. They will work mainly with adult Leatherback turtles, adult Green turtles and Leatherback hatchlings. Some Hawksbills may arrive to the beach but it's not very common. The primary responsibilities of the Volunteers will include leading night beach censuses, conducting morning beach surveys, tagging and collecting data, and relocating and excavating nests.

    Monitoring activities are carried out along 6 km of nesting beach. Volunteers will be in charge of leading volunteers and/or groups of students while on the beach, explaining the beach protocol and supervising them on the process of data collection.

    Volunteers are expected to participate in other activities carried out by the Reserve like environmental education activities, talks and workshops with students and volunteers, beach cleaning, recycling projects, or other needs of the station. Volunteers are expected to work long hours throughout day or night, often with little sleep.

    Volunteers arrives to San Jose, staying in Our Airbnb, the next day preferably Monday morning take a bus that takes them to a nearby town, (3 hours), then another bus is taken to another community (30 minutes ) and must then take a boat that takes them to the project (30 minutes). If you go to the Caribbean Area, but if you go to the North Area take a bus 4 hours road.

    The place is surrounded by nature and is very safe site for volunteers, it is a small community where everyone knows each other and help each other.



    Typical day

    The turtle activities of the volunteers are: 

    • night patrols in different shifts (one group goes from 20:00 to 00:00 and another from 00:00 to 04:00)
    • working in the care nursery where they carry all eggs to guard them until they hatch (this is done in periods of 4 to 6 hours 24/7 depending on the ...

    Typical day

    The turtle activities of the volunteers are: 

    • night patrols in different shifts (one group goes from 20:00 to 00:00 and another from 00:00 to 04:00)
    • working in the care nursery where they carry all eggs to guard them until they hatch (this is done in periods of 4 to 6 hours 24/7 depending on the number of volunteers who have the project) 

    We also work in social work such as 

    • a vegetable garden at the school which is right next to the project 
    • teaching English at the school 
    • make composting with coconut fiber
    • recycling program for plastic
    • maintenance work the volunteer house take turns every day to help in the kitchen
    • cleaning the beach
    • bird monitoring
    • different occasional social work


    Free-time activities

    Beyond the adventure: While other programs offer stunning sunsets and rainforest hikes, ours goes beyond the typical itinerary. Jenny, your dedicated program leader, weaves in personalized touches and meticulous attention to detail, crafting an experience tailored just for you so you can feel part ...

    Free-time activities

    Beyond the adventure: While other programs offer stunning sunsets and rainforest hikes, ours goes beyond the typical itinerary. Jenny, your dedicated program leader, weaves in personalized touches and meticulous attention to detail, crafting an experience tailored just for you so you can feel part of a true costa rican family. Additional to the volunteer, you can ask Jenny to set you up differentiated adventures from bespoke tours to surprise picnics under hidden waterfalls to hand-picked accommodations reflecting your preferences, everything is curated to exceed your expectations. Prepare to be pampered, surprised, and utterly captivated by Costa Rica's magic, all under Jenny's attentive care.

     Normally volunteers have the weekend free to do different activities such as:

    • Surf Lessons
    • Spanish lessons
    • Tours by the city of Carribean Side , Puerto Viejo Town and Tortuguero Canales
    • Tours by the city of Guanacaste Side, Flamingo, Tamarindo, etc.
    • hike to Volcanos
    • visit Beaches
    • visit National Parks 
    • Horse Ride,  Canopy

    We can help with reservations.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak Spanish (basic level) or English (basic level)

    Required Documents

    contract signed with our organization

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    Love for animals and patience are important. Take care of the environment.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 07:00 - 17:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Our fees  includes accommodation, meals, coordination, supervision, training, 

    Local transport are not included. 

    Accommodation

    Volunteers working in Turtle Conservation Project stay in the Volunteer house accommodations close to the project near the beach. Dorm style accommodation is provided where you will be sharing rooms with other volunteers. Upon arrival in Costa Rica you need to book the first night in some hostel. After completing the orientation and project introduction on the first days, volunteers join their respective Turtle Conservation Project in the Caribbean Coast.

    Food & Beverages

    Volunteers are provided with three cooked meals a day at the project. Local Costa Rican cuisine is a fusion of cuisines from different parts of the world. Common foods are Rice, Vegetables, Beans, Pork , Meat , Chicken etc. We also offer vegan's and vegetarian's food.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site
    You don't have to pay anything yet

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

    An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose. We assist you to find cheap flights to Costa Rica. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Costa Rica provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Costa Rica you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Costa Rica. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Star dates: from  Monday to Saturday 

    Arrival Dates: Any day 

    Minimum stay in the project: 7 days mínimum stay in the project  ( Take 1 day to go and 1 day coming back)

    Your arrival: Once the volunteers land, are picked up at the airport and taken to our Airbnb (at no additional cost) for the first night, Before 8PM, if the volunteer land after this time, need to book a hostal and  next day  they are taken to the bus station to take the bus that takes them to the project (  5 hours away) when they arrive at the town where the project is located, a taxi driver or the boat awaits them to take to their final destination (15 minutes). Local transportation is not included, approximately $50 both ways.  In this area are the best beaches in Costa Rica that they can visit on their  day off.  Alcohol and drugs are not allowed.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    1 week (min. stay) 349€
    2 weeks 697€
    3 weeks 1,046€
    4 weeks 1,395€
    5 weeks 1,743€
    9 weeks 3,138€
    50 weeks (max. stay) 17,434€
    Average fees 349€/week

    Program fees

    349€ per week 1 - 50 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    1 - 50 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Volunteer Now Costa Rica during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.2
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers

    Location

    Americas > Central America > Costa Rica > North and Caribbean Area

    Meet your project coordinator

    Jenny
    52
    reviews
    4.21
    Good
    2004
    Founded

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate
    Spoken languages: English, Spanish
    Travel safely by using Volunteer World for your communication and bookings. This way, you can benefit from the Flex Option, Refund Guarantee, and Resolution Support.

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    Contact Jenny
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    English, Spanish

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    Travel dates

    1. - 1. Jan 1

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    Price details