Work in a National Park

For this project, you will be assigned to work at one of the many amazing national parks throughout Costa Rica. The diverse wildlife and nature of Costa Rica attracts many tourists to its national parks every year, and the country has become a world-famous travel destination. The parks offer various attractions, such as beautiful beaches, volcanoes, mountain ranges, rain and cloud forests, lagoons, rivers, waterfalls, and many species of exotic animals.

The parks are home to endangered species and also offer outdoor activities, such as hiking, horseback riding, rafting, zip-line and many more. During your stay, you may witness Costa Rica’s diverse wildlife first-hand, which includes monkeys, sloths, racoon, sea turtles and many types of birds and reptiles.

The main attraction at the coastal parks is its amazing sea turtles. The parks focus a lot on these beautiful creatures because they are in danger of extinction. Thousands of sea turtles come onto the beaches every year to lay their eggs.

Since there are so many national parks to choose from in Costa Rica, daily tasks vary depending on the location you want to go. Usually, you will work 5-6 days per week from 8am-5pm, with an hour lunch break. Volunteers usually have at least one day off every week, and this gives them time to explore the breathtaking nature and rich culture of Costa Rica.

Possible tasks may include:

• Clearing and maintaining hiking trails
• Cleaning beaches 
• Protecting and taking care of the local wildlife
• Helping with the operations at the national parks by educating visitors on the local wildlife and environmental protection 
• Administrative tasks in a national park’s office
• Working at the visitor's center
  

Upon your arrival in Costa Rica, you will learn about the parks at an orientation meeting. Once you are familiar the parks available, it is up to you to choose which one you want to volunteer at. The selection process is based on the availability of the park and your experience in Costa Rica. No matter which park you choose, you will have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience.

You can also work in more than one park at no additaional cost. If you volunteer for longer than 4 weeks, you have the chance to experience different parks and regions of the beautiful country. Each additional park requires a minimum stay of 2 weeks.

Note: The tasks may vary. They depend on factors such as number of volunteers, weather, season, current needs of the project, as well as self-motivation. Not every volunteer may be fully involved in all these tasks.

There are many activities that you can enjoy on your days off, such as hiking, horseback riding, rafting, kayaking, and more. In addition, you can explore the beautiful nature of Costa Rica and take in its breathtaking views.

Weekends are the perfect time to enjoy an exciting hike through Costa Rican nature since the main attractions of Costa Rica is its system of national parks and protected areas, which cover around 25% of the national territory, in order to protect the rich variety of flora and fauna, which is estimated to contain 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 0.1% of the planet's land mass. In addition, Costa Rica has countless amazing beaches on both the Pacific and the Caribbean Ocean. 

Costa Rica is the perfect place to combine volunteer work with tourism, enjoy activities like:

- Adventure sport
- Dream beaches
- Ecotourism
- Local culture
- Bird / wildlife watching
- Visits to unique National Parks
- Rural tourism
- Sightseeing and history in San José