• Life On Land

Environmental Preservation

location
2 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups

About the program

Volunteers work in various projects aimed at preserving the fragile ecosystem in protected areas, parks and foundations

Costa Rica is famous for its rich natural resources. Volunteers from around the world come to experience Costa Rica's lush rain forests and rich biodiversity. In fact, Costa Rica is one of the more bio diverse countries in the world and it is home to more than 500,000 different species, which ...

About the program

Costa Rica is famous for its rich natural resources. Volunteers from around the world come to experience Costa Rica's lush rain forests and rich biodiversity. In fact, Costa Rica is one of the more bio diverse countries in the world and it is home to more than 500,000 different species, which represents nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide. Strict laws and NGOs help preserve this great natural oasis of which volunteers can be a great help. Volunteers work in various projects aimed at preserving the fragile ecosystem in protected areas, parks and foundations. 

Your volunteer is important because  Costa Rica aims to be the first developing nation to meet the UN biodiversity commitments, and to be a model for other nations to follow.


Who is this program better for?
 People who like rustic environments, the outdoors and are passionate about conservation. 

What could I be doing?

-Working in organic gardens;

-Helping to catalog species of plants and insects;

-Field research of specific plant/insects species;

-Helping maintain trails;

-Educating the community about ecological practices;

-Taking care of butterfly farms;

-Maintaining medicinal gardens.women.

Typical day

Working hours are usually 6 hours per day, monday through thursday. The center will provide you any equipment that you need. You will be working with the personal of the project center

Typical day

Working hours are usually 6 hours per day, monday through thursday. The center will provide you any equipment that you need. You will be working with the personal of the project center

Free-time activities

One of the reasons Costa Rica has so many varied activities is thanks to the variety of the country itself! Costa Rica is considered a tropical country, but it features its own plethora of microclimates. Each of these destinations – which might be separated by only a few hours of driving – ...

Free-time activities

One of the reasons Costa Rica has so many varied activities is thanks to the variety of the country itself! Costa Rica is considered a tropical country, but it features its own plethora of microclimates. Each of these destinations – which might be separated by only a few hours of driving – feature their own unique and unforgettable adventures. There are hot springs tucked away in lush rainforests, hanging bridges over misty cloud forests, palm-tree studded white-sand beaches, dramatic seaside cliffs, the arid rolling hills of Guanacaste – there’s no end to the experiences! Visit 

Arenal Volcano and wonder at a massive volcano and surrounding verdant rainforest, and then the next day you might find yourself only a few hours away relaxing on Papagayo’s white sand beaches, watching the kids stand-up paddleboard, or kayaking among the mangrove jungles of Tortuguero. 

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 English (basic level) or Spanish (basic level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

CV, background check and application form and passport

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 and Friday from 08:00 - 02:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Integrated Learning Experience

We are using the fees to pay
  • Accommodation
    Participation in cultural activities.
  • On call support throughout the service.
  • Coordination with the host country organization of volunteer service.
  • Orientation to volunteer work or intern placement
  • Welcome at airport with transport.
  • Certificate of program completion.

Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

One of our coordinators will pick you up at the airport and take you to the guest family.

Accommodation

Participants are placed in a welcoming Costa Rican host family that provides them with a room, a place to store their belongings, a share bathroom , and two meals per day.



Food & Beverages

Host family , in private room with two meals per day

Internet Access

Limited 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

Please select a Sunday for arrival.

Our team will guide you for the best Sunday start date for your project

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

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 919€
3 weeks 1,291€
4 weeks 1,669€
5 weeks 1,846€
6 weeks 2,024€
7 weeks 2,202€
8 weeks 2,379€
9 weeks 2,558€
10 weeks 2,735€
11 weeks 2,913€
12 weeks 3,090€
24 weeks (max. stay) 5,224€
Average fees 338€/week

Program fees

338€ per week 2 - 24 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

2 - 24 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 Integrated Learning Experience during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

Integrated Learning Experience

Perfect 4.6 rating (48 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2005

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Diego

Spoken languages: English, Spanish

About the project

Integrated Learning Experiences was founded in 2005 by former Peace Corps staff that wanted to provide flexible volunteer programs with a positive impact.

Meet your organization

Integrated Learning Experiences’ (INLEX) mission is to strengthen human resources in Central America and South America through volunteer programs, educational travel and internship opportunities.

In addition to this, INLEX provides opportunities for students and professionals to further gain experience in their field of choice by matching participants with the best opening available.

We work towards:

  • Sustainability in the projects and communities that we work in.
  • Programs that promote cultural exchange.
  • Safe and affordable programs.
  • Strengthening and empowering communities.
  • Authentic experiences for our participants.
  • Facilitating education.

INLEX was set founded by former Peace Corps staff in Guatemala in 2005 who wanted to provide flexible programs for volunteers in Central America. This flexibility allows our participants the option to commit for as long as they want in the area they are best suited to support; creating a positive impact and a rewarding experience. We do this because we believe in the principle that every volunteer can make a difference.

Many years and happy people later, we continue working with key partner projects to develop communities in the Latin American region.

48 reviews · rating4.6

Max Gierth rating4.8

2024 at Environmental Preservation

I stayed in Costa Rica for a rather short time but even in two weeks I had the chance to learn a lot and to dive a bit into tico culture. My work was dealing with butterflies, the rearing and handling of caterpillars and planting tasks for the host plants of the caterpillars. The work was very ...
Emmerson rating5

2023 at Environmental Preservation

i feel it could have been more environmental conservation, some times it just felt like i was helping with the tourism instead of the environment. the host family was wonderful and i made friends that i know will last a life time but for the actual position itself i struggled to find meaning and ...
Jack Palmer rating4.2

2021 at Environmental Preservation

Going to Costa Rica was just a brilliant idea from the beginning. I have always been very passionate about nature, conservation and biodiversity. The work at the reserve was mostly manual labor that included cleaning trails, planting bushes and trees, and guiding some visitors. Asides from that, I ...
Abby Stratford rating4.6

2019 at Environmental Preservation

Although I only undertook my placement for two weeks, I feel like I have learnt a lot of things in that time! I have discovered an environment completely different from those which I am used to, and I have been able to understand the importance of conserving that environment. It’s been amazing to ...
Jefferson Dalton rating4.4

2019 at Environmental Preservation

Initially my program was scheduled for 4 weeks in the environmental and conservation project and a two week Spanish course. The time I spent there was extremely rewarding because I was given the liberty to modify my work to be done. For example: I built a new pond, conducted research, review footage ...
Mathew Stainsby rating4.4

2019 at Environmental Preservation

This was an amazing projects I loved everyday. All the workers were friendly and made me laugh. They were great company and were always making jokes. The work was good however there were some times where we were just sitting around and waiting for someone to tells us what to do. Out of the two ...

Location

Americas > Central America > Costa Rica > San Ramón

You might also be interested in

Volunteer Abroad  >  Environment  >  Conservation Work in Costa Rica
Contact Diego
  Very high response rate
English, Spanish

Most volunteers ask about

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