from 586€

Great 4.4rating (205)

Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

location
2 - 30 weeks  ·  Age 17 - 50+

rating  Great 4.4  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Complete your reservation as soon as possible. This project fills up quickly and is already booked on certain dates.


Highlights

  • Experience an extraordinary journey of conservation, guiding baby sea turtles to the ocean and witnessing enchanting moments firsthand
  • Join thrilling beach patrols to locate endangered female turtles and protect their nests, playing a crucial role in safeguarding them from threats
  • Immerse yourself in nature, monitoring sloths and rescuing endangered sea turtles, uniting two iconic species in a noble mission of wildlife preservation
  • Contribute to a cleaner planet by revitalizing untended beaches and explore the remarkable biodiversity of Costa Rica, one of the world's most biodiverse countries
  • Embrace the Costa Rican lifestyle, surrounded by exotic fauna and flora, actively participating in wildlife protection and creating unforgettable memories

Especially suitable

Age 17+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Volunteer and save turtles, make a difference and meet one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! Join us in Pacific Costa Rica!

What we do:
Sea turtles are at risk around the globe. They are endangered throughout the world’s oceans, and several species native to the eastern Pacific (where Matapalo Sea Turtle Conservation is located) are nearing extinction. Factors that are contributing to this endangerment include ...

About the program

What we do:
Sea turtles are at risk around the globe. They are endangered throughout the world’s oceans, and several species native to the eastern Pacific (where Matapalo Sea Turtle Conservation is located) are nearing extinction. Factors that are contributing to this endangerment include pollution, poaching, and low hatchling survival rates. At the Matapalo Conservation, volunteers are key to the preservation of the sea turtle species native to Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.

What You’ll Do:
Sea turtle conservation – As a volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to be involved in the entire turtle hatching process. This includes taking shifts patrolling the beach in the evenings to locate female turtles who have come ashore to lay their nests.
 Nests are then transported to a hatchery, where they can be monitored 24/7 on 6 hours per shift to protect them from poachers and predatory animals. You will take one shift every few days to keep watch of the hatchery. Finally, upon hatching, you will assist the baby sea turtles in reaching the ocean safely to ensure maximum survival rates. You may also help in the general maintenance of the hatchery. 
Other tasks – Volunteers will also participate in sloth walks to monitor and record the migration patterns of local sloth populations. Additionally, you’ll assist us in gathering beach litter once per week ( Tasks may vary depending on the time of year) . You can expect to help with cleaning the kitchen and bedrooms once per week, the conditions are those of a camp, volunteers will be assigned the task of cleaning common areas, showers, toilets, etc. You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in community service work with local schools and community facilities. 

Location:
The conservation project can be found in the small village of Matapalo. Located about 200 kilometers south of San Jose, Matapalo lies on the Pacific coast with the closest city being Quepos. The conservation is situated 100 meters from the ocean. The site is within 30 kilometers of the breathtaking Manuel Antonio National Park. Within walking distance is a waterfall in the mountains as well as surf shops, beach horseback riding, and hiking trails.

Information About the Turtles We Work With:

More than 400 olive ridley turtles arrive annually at our beaches. Our mission is to patrol in search of turtle mothers who look for a place on the beach to leave their eggs and then return to the sea. On night walks when we find turtles laying eggs, we take them and take biometrics of the turtle. Then the eggs are brought to a place called hatchery, where we take care of them until babies are born and we release them to the sea.

One important thing when we work in animal protection is: wildlife isn't predictable, so we cannot say exactly how your experience will be. We are only sure of one thing: mother nature is awesome and always surprises us. This is why we love to work with turtles.

Our Association is accredited by the Ministry of the Environment of Costa Rica, as such we must follow the guidelines for the proper functioning of the program, as all programs that aim to do professional work and offer the best experience to our volunteers must be aware of the rules to follow, since coexistence must be in a healthy environment and enjoy the experience.

1. Respect schedule work 
2. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or drugs in the camp and the nursery or during work hours, you will have days off so you can go anywhere you want 
3. Respect the rest times in the camp
4. Respect the staff and the other volunteers 
5. Sexual harassment is totally prohibited
6. The person who comes to the camp under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be prevented from entering 

Turtle season: 

Mums lying eggs - June, July, August, September, October, November 
Baby turtles hatching - August, September, October, November, December, January 
Keep in mind that the sea turtle season is not all year round and that there are months of the year in which other work will be carried out at the camp. Our organization is supporting programs on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, the sea turtle seasons. Turtle season on both coasts occurs in different months, so we offer you the option, if you applied for the Pacific program and the turtle season is occurring in the Caribbean you can change your schedule at no additional cost and vice versa.


Typical day

Meals:
Breakfast – 8:00 am 
Lunch – 12:00 pm
Dinner – 6:00 pm 

Volunteer Obligations turtle season:
Beach cleaning, mantainance of the hatchery, turtle patrolling, hatchery care shifts, wildlife moinitoring (These tasks, by their nature, have schedules that can be varied 24 hours a day, such as ...

Typical day

Meals:
Breakfast – 8:00 am 
Lunch – 12:00 pm
Dinner – 6:00 pm 

Volunteer Obligations turtle season:
Beach cleaning, mantainance of the hatchery, turtle patrolling, hatchery care shifts, wildlife moinitoring (These tasks, by their nature, have schedules that can be varied 24 hours a day, such as patrols in search of turtles and shifts to take care of the hatchery.) 
Daily task 
9:30 – 11:00 am
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Cleaning the camp is the task of the volunteers, so our camp coordinator will assign them tasks to carry out in the camp to keep it clean and tidy.

Our of season 
Wildlife moinitoring, some days of the week
Beach cleaning
Mantainance of the camp 
The schedules vary depending on each task, the camp coordinator writes on a white board the tasks that correspond to each person.
Cleaning the camp is the task of the volunteers, so our camp coordinator will assign them tasks to carry out in the camp to keep it clean and tidy.
Typically wildlife monitoring is done in the mornings before breakfast, daily tasks are done after breakfast and in the afternoon two hours after lunch, however schedules may vary.

Free-time activities

Volunteers can expect between 3 and 6 hours of work per day 6 days per week. This leaves plenty of time to explore the beautiful country of Costa Rica and experience all of the activities it has to offer. 

There is a surfing school down the road from the conservation that offers surf lessons and ...

Free-time activities

Volunteers can expect between 3 and 6 hours of work per day 6 days per week. This leaves plenty of time to explore the beautiful country of Costa Rica and experience all of the activities it has to offer. 

There is a surfing school down the road from the conservation that offers surf lessons and rentals. Beach horseback riding is available just minutes from the site location. By bus, you can reach the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park or the gorgeous Dominical beach in less than 45 minutes. However, you don’t have to travel far to enjoy a lazy day on the beach as we are within 100 meters from the ocean in Matapalo. Additionally, there is a soccer field and volleyball net right across the street from the site. 

Here you'll have many different activities to do:

  • A surfing school is on the neardest town called Dominical 15 km away, also if you know surfing our beach offers the best chance to go surfing, the waves are awesome.
  • Manuel Antonio National Park, the most popular and beautiful natural park in Costa Rica 
  • An amazing waterfall lies within 1 hour walking distance by the mountains.
  • Manuel Antonio National Park is 45 minutes north by bus.
  • Dominical beach is 30 minutes south by bus. Here you can also do sports, snorkeling, fishing or recreational fishing.
  • Marino Ballenas National Park just 45 minutes away, here you can observe humpback whales with their young at certain times of the year
  • The beach is just in front of our house, so sunbathe, enjoy the beach and live in a tropical and nice place.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 17 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 17 years old on the program start date.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Nationality Restrictions

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

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Tortugas de Pacuare

Our program includes: accommodation on site, 3 meals a day as well as the support of 2 Volunteer coordinators who will be attentive to coordinate anything you need before during and even once the program is over.

We also offer the opportunity to our volunteers to combine programs, even if you only applied for one program and wish to divide your stay in any of our programs, we will take care of coordinating your reservation and transfer to the other camp (the change of programs is subject to availability of space in the programs)

Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

Our driver will pick you up at the airport duly identified with the logo of our organization, he will get in touch with our coordinator infirming your arrival then will take you to the car where he will provide you with Wi-Fi

The driver will also give you an activated sim card with national coverage, mobile data and a telephone number with which you can have communication at all times, the card will carry a balance of $4 and you can recharge your balance when you need it at the recharge stations

In this way you can be in contact with your family, friends and with our coordinators, who will be attentive to your needs.

The camp is located 3.5 hour from San Jose, so the taxi takes you to the TRACOPA bus station, the person in charge of picking you up will provide the bus ticket for you and will help you board the correct bus

Keep in mind that if your arrival at the airport is after noon, you must spend the night in San José and travel the next day to the camp, taking the 10:00 am bus, in which case we will coordinate a stay for you. 

If due to arrival time you must spend the night in the hostel, our driver will take you from the reserved hostel to the bus station to TRACOPA bus station, will provide the bus ticket for you and will help you board the correct bus

The cost for this service US$80 

The stay in the hotel must be covered by the volunteer and has a cost of $20 in a shared room

Pick up from the airport to the camp $180 this option apply if your arrival to Costa Rica come before 18:00

Accommodation

You will live in camp-style accommodations with fellow volunteers. There are both male and female dormitories with bunk beds and an attached bathroom. 

There are shared rooms with eight people or four people. 

You can also ask for our single rooms for a higher price.

Food & Beverages

We provide 3 meals a day: our camp it's 100% vegetarian 

Rice and beans, spaghetti, patacones, empanada, picadillo, and typical local foods.
Drinks will be always tropical flavors.

There are also restaurants and convenience stores located near to the camp the site if you would like to purchase additional food, beverages, or toiletries.  

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

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

You can arrive any day of the week except for Sunday. 

From the TRACOPA bus stop near the San Jose airport, take the bus going to Uvita 6:30 or 10:30 in the morning (have in mind these are the only 2 buses that you can take to get to the camp, if you cannot take any of these 2 buses you must wait in San José and take the bus the next day). Let the bus driver know that you will be getting off at the stop in Matapalo (in Spanish: "Yo bajo en la entrada de Matapalo por favor") 
If you request private transportation from the airport to the camp we offer you this option for an additional cost $170 one way 

After you apply for our program we will get in touch with more information regarding your arrival. We provide options for transportation from the airport to the site at an additional cost. 
Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 586€
3 weeks 878€
4 weeks 1,171€
5 weeks 1,464€
9 weeks 2,549€
17 weeks 4,080€
30 weeks (max. stay) 7,200€
Average fees 266€/week

Program fees

266€ per week 2 - 30 weeks Age 17 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 30 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 Tortugas de Pacuare during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Tortugas de Pacuare

Great 4.4 rating (205 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2012

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Luis

Spoken languages: English, Spanish

About the project

Tortugas de Pacuare is an organization created to protect the most endangered turtles in the world, supported 100% by volunteers.

Meet your organization

Why coming as a volunteer to save sea turtles in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica has many of the most important beaches in the world for turtle nesting. The government protects some areas, especially national parks, but many important beaches for turtles are unprotected. For this reason we started our project Tortugas de Pacuare and with the help of volunteers around the world. We have been working and saving turtles for more than 12 years now! Without the help of the volunteers, protecting these wonderful animals wouldn't be possible.

The protection of the turtles and the biodiversity of this area is our goal. In order to achieve it, we need the help of international volunteers. You, as a volunteer, should have the willingness to help with tasks that require a close attention. To support our diligent helpers, we create an atmosphere at the Tortugas de Pacuare project that makes them feel like at home. You should have a desire of leaving a mark in a humble village as well as the desire to succeed in the fight for a good cause. 

Our project Tortugas de Pacuare is located 40 km South of Tortuguero in a small town called Barra de Pacuare, an island in the middle of the Caribbean. This makes us one of the most strategic destinations for leatherback turtles, green turtles, and hawksbill turtles, which are some of the most threatened species and are in serious danger of extinction. On the island are living a few people, there are several bars; the closest one is called "Las Machas". There, the volunteers can also buy what they need like shampoo, gel shower etc. or biscuits, cookies, cigarettes, beers etc.

Our vision is to save these turtles by hard work and making a change, not only for the animals, but also for the people, starting with the education of the children of our community.

A lot of reasons can steer a volunteer to take part in a humanitarian project: a cheaper way of travelling or a new experience and a different way of living. The volunteers come to learn about turtles, to improve their Spanish, to live a new experience, to isolate themselves and disconnect themselves from the reality.

We want to make your stay with us as enjoyable as possible, excited to share with you. Your help is necessary to maintain the preservation of sea turtles. Without our patrols, the beach will be vulnerable. We want you to enjoy your experience with us as much as possible.


What does a volunteer need to bring to Pacuare? (packing)

In the following list, you will find objects that you should take with you in order to make your stay in Pacuare more comfortable. This list is also helpful for travelling around Costa Rica.

  • During some hours a day, the wifi is available. However, if you want to assure you an internet access whenever you want, it is better if you by a Costa Rican phone card. Kolbi is the more effective operator on the island, you can recharge it on the island but its efficiency depends on the climatic conditions and the number of devices connected.
  • There are no banks on the island, you need cash (colones).       
  • Put your stuff in plastic bags and remove the air with a straw, it is useful to organize them and if it rains, they will not get wet.
  • Black Crocs with socks (comfortable and appropriate for night patrols).
  • A soap-dish if you use bars of soap (for hygienic reasons).-    
  • Mosquito bed net and mosquito repellent (Off or Relec) in the form of spray, bracelet and patch.
  • A lot of underwear
  • A coat and pants, especially if you come during the rainy season; because, it can be colder.
  • First Aid Kit
  • Cap      
  • Padlock
  • They do not sell hand rolling tobacco in Costa Rica
  • Make a photocopy of your passport and laminate it. Take it with you instead of your passport when you go for a walk or go shopping.
  • Also, you cannot stay more than 90 days in the country without a visa. If you want to stay longer, you will have to leave the country during at least 72 hours.

  Essential:

  • Sunblock
  • Dark clothes for night patrols (lght)
  • Headlamp with red light (you can put a translucent red paper on it)
  • A watch if you are an assistant

Day work

The type of work depends on the period of the year, the number of volunteers and the night work. Sometimes, you will work during a certain amount of hours and sometimes till the end of the task

We try to make the day work as relax as possible because night patrols are tiring. But if a volunteer wants to work on a particular task, which is very important to him, the volunteer must feel free to do it without waiting for staff members’ instructions

  • Clean up the beach: remove organic materials and rubbish which hobble the sea turtles on their way to the beach or hobble the babies to reach the sea
  • Breeding pond: construction of the breeding pond, clean it up, check its condition, take data and watch it during the night
  • Construction of shelter to protect oneself from the rain during the night patrols
  • Night patrols: walking on the beach at night to find sea turtles
  • Housework
  • Maintenance of the garden and construct a kitchen garden and take care of it (harvest)
  • Compost: to dig a hole in order to throw the organic trash inside it
  • Bring the sorted waste to the Coast Guards
  • Wash turtles’ stuff
  • Construct a kitchen garden and take care of it (harvest)

Pastimes

The project has some books and games to entertain oneself and chill out.

  • One-day trip to the mountain, game/quiz night, Latin music class, Spanish class, Hanging out, baking cookies, survival class, caimans tour, cooking class, campfire y marshmallows.
  • The volunteers can also go to the Tortuguero national park or Puerto Viejo during the weekend.

205 reviews · rating4.4

ELOISE LE HO rating1.8

2024 at Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

***** Statement from the organization below ***** Si vous pensez faire ce volontariat, n'y allez surtout pas à la fin de la saison ou hors saison des tortues. En 2 semaines, de mi janvier à fin janvier, je n'ai vu des tortues que le premier jour. La présentation du programme fait rêver mais ...
Alice Dupont rating5

2023 at Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

I have been fascinated by turtles all my life, I have seen many documentaries about turtles, I have read books about turtles, but I never had the opportunity to meet them until now, for a month I was helping to save these wonderful animals from extinction, this experience It changed my life, I was ...
Fabio Pérez rating5

2023 at Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

If you are looking for a place with a beautiful beach, where you can enjoy every moment, you should come to this place, the wonderful sunsets make you think that you are in a magical place, the camp has the basics, nothing out of the ordinary, but the experience is worth it Every minute here is ...
Francesca Sabatini rating4.2

2023 at Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

I stayed one week in the camp on the pacific, and 3 weeks on Pacuare. I tourned back home since 2 weeks and I still can’t stop think about the great time I had in Costa Rica. At first it is difficult to get used to a total different culture, based not on the cities but on the nature and animals, ...
Ben Luca Tschauder rating3

2023 at Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

Es war ein sehr schönes Erlebnis und ein wunderschöner Ort. Das camp liegt direkt am Strand. Aber für das was man bekommt ist es viel zu teuer das Essen ist nicht gut und es ist alles sehr Basic ...
Fredo Meek rating4

2023 at Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

The best thing to happen at the start was Bernie picking me up at the airport, and making sure that everything ran smoothly from that point forward. Talking with other volunteers, they too agreed that having Bernie around and available, was essential to getting this endeavor off on the right foot. ..

Location


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Contact Luis
  Excellent response rate
English, Spanish

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