from 1,087€

Perfect 4.6rating (128)

Protect Sea Turtles in the Caribbean

location
2 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Experience the fascinating sea turtles up close and contribute to the preservation of the species
  • Explore a country that is famous for its amazing national parks and dream beaches
  • Live and work right at a wonderful beach at the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica
  • Boost your CV with international volunteer experience showcasing your commitment to positive change and adaptability to different environments
  • Immerse yourself in the relaxed "tico way of life," as the locals affectionately call themselves.

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Support the efforts to protect sea turtles in Costa Rica at the Caribbean coast by patrolling beaches, rescuing turtle eggs, observing sea turtles, and collecting data.

In this volunteer program you support a sea turtle conservation project in the northeastern area of ​​Costa Rica on the Atlantic coast near the border to Nicaragua. The nature reserve is located north of the province of Limon and covers an area of ​​800 hectares of rainforest and 6 ...

About the program

In this volunteer program you support a sea turtle conservation project in the northeastern area of ​​Costa Rica on the Atlantic coast near the border to Nicaragua. The nature reserve is located north of the province of Limon and covers an area of ​​800 hectares of rainforest and 6 kilometers of beach. It is located directly on the Caribbean Sea and is approximately 25 kilometers from the city of Limon.

The conservation project has set itself the goal of protecting the endangered Baula and Lora turtles. Every year, many thousands of turtles come to the Caribbean beaches of Costa Rica to lay their eggs there. As a volunteer, you'll help the local team to watch the turtles laying their eggs, to guard their nests, and to dig up the eggs, if needed. Those eggs will be stored in incubators until the baby turtles hatch and can be released back into the sea. The work is incredibly exciting, as the turtles weigh up to 700 kg and impress with their beautiful huge shells. And, it is a fascinating experience to observe the hatchlings finding their way back to the water.

Volunteers work together with local staff and from time to time with marine biologists to observe not only the animals, but also the environment and record the climatic conditions in the region. It is important to collect and analyze the data in order to identify changes early and to learn more about the sensitive ecosystem. In addition to the turtles, various mammal species, as well as reptiles and about 200 species of birds are protected and observed in this area. The reserve is surrounded by a impressive rainforest and the frequently used means of transportation are small boats to navigate through the many channels. Close to the nature reserve is the famous Tortuguero National Park.



Typical day

In the evening and nights, volunteers group up to patrol the beaches in order to spot nesting sea turtles. It is a one-in-a-lifetime experience to observe these huge and mystic animals how they come out of the water to dig out their nest. Volunteers need to monitor the turtles to collect information ...

Typical day

In the evening and nights, volunteers group up to patrol the beaches in order to spot nesting sea turtles. It is a one-in-a-lifetime experience to observe these huge and mystic animals how they come out of the water to dig out their nest. Volunteers need to monitor the turtles to collect information regarding their size, habits and behaviors. 

The Baula turtle comes to the beaches for nesting in the months between March and July, while the Lora turtles can be found in the months of July to October. So, sea turtles can be observed and protected in this volunteer project almost all year round, sometimes you will be able to see more sometime less. Remember that nature is unpredictable! 

You will be able to get close to the animals weighing up to 700 kg to admire their huge shells. Each sea turtle is examined and measured by volunteers and marine biologists, and their data are logged. Some of the eggs (when nests are at an obvious bad location) are collected by the volunteers and placed in incubators, where they are kept safe until the hatchlings hatch. Subsequently, the hatchlings are released back to the sea under guard.

The aim of this project is to protect the eggs of sea turtles from natural predators and poachers in order to favor the growth of the population of sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean. A large part of the turtle eggs fall victims of poachers because the eggs are considered a delicacy, while others do not make their way back to the sea once hatched due to natural predators. In addition, the adult sea turtles in the oceans are exposed to the many threats of modern humanity, especially pollution and fishing.

We would like to point out that we do not have control over nature and we cannot guarantee to see a certain number of sea turtles during your volunteer stay!


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.


Free-time activities

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 ...

Free-time activities

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


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)

Education Requirements

at High School level

Required Documents

CV and Volunteer Questionnaire

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 South America Inside

  • Shared room in Volunteer House
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Airport pick-up in San José with 2 overnight stays in San José (single room, breakfast & dinner)
  • Transfer from San José accommodation to bus terminal for journey to project site *
  • Advice from our experienced staff
  • On-going support via WhatsApp, phone or mail
  • Elaboration of your application profile in Spanish
  • Your placement in the volunteer project
  • Pre-departure information
  • Packing list
  • Country handbook
  • Intercultural guide
  • Welcome meeting in San José
  • On-site volunteer coordinator
  • 24/7 emergency number
  • Advice on travel insurance
  • Certificate of participation

Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

  • Airport pick-up San José and transfer to your overnight homestay in San José (2 nights in San José).
  • Transfer from your homestay in San José to the bus station to start your journey to the volunteer site

You will be picked up at the airport in San José and brought to your homestay (single room with breakfast and dinner) where you will stay overnight. The next day, after an orientation session, our local staff will bring you to the bus station where you will start your journey to the volunteer project site (costs for bus ticket not included).

Important note: Volunteers can only check in at the project site on Monday or Thursday as these are the days that the boats can bring the volunteers to the project site. The project is only accessible via boat. This having said, your arrival to San José should be on a Saturday or Tuesday. You can still arrive on other days, but in this case you will need to stay longer in the homestay in San José.

Accommodation

Volunteers will live together in the volunteer house, which is located very close to the beach. Living all together in the volunteer house is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people. The house is simple but has a fully-equipped kitchen and shared bathrooms. There is no electricity, so gas lamps are used for light. Volunteers usually cook their meals together with gas powered appliances. Ingredients are provided.

Food & Beverages

The volunteer program includes daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated but have to be informed to us in advance.

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

The volunteer work can be joined between the months May to October with flexible start and end date. Ask our experienced staff to coordinate your participation in this meaningful volunteer project.

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

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 1,087€
3 weeks 1,370€
4 weeks 1,652€
5 weeks 1,935€
6 weeks 2,218€
7 weeks 2,500€
8 weeks 2,783€
9 weeks 3,066€
10 weeks 3,348€
11 weeks 3,631€
12 weeks 3,914€
24 weeks (max. stay) 7,306€
Average fees 423€/week

Program fees

423€ 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 South America Inside during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

South America Inside

Perfect 4.6 rating (128 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2003

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Marion

Spoken languages: Spanish, English, German

About the project

South America Inside promotes intercultural, linguistic and educational exchanges. Its volunteer programs are addressed to students, professionals and retirees.

Meet your organization

South America Inside is an intercultural management agency, founded back in 2003, which specializes in the promotion of programs abroad, language travel and educational programs throughout Latin America.

Since 2007, to enrich the experience of our global-minded clients and to provide them with even more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding their program offerings throughout South and Central America.

Working together with some of the best language schools in Latin America, South America Inside provides high quality language courses in almost every Latin American country.

Thanks to a professional team of motivated and friendly staff, South America Inside has been very successful over the past several years and have been able to establish an outstanding network of what we call "Insider Contacts." To enrich the experience of their clients and to provide them with more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding our program offerings throughout Central and South America, in addition to our well-established Chilean programs.

Volunteer Work

Do you dream of staying abroad while doing something positive? Are you looking for a unique experience that will leave a mark on your life? Then a Volunteer Work program in South America or Central America is perfect for you!

With South America Inside you can combine an adventure abroad with social commitment, and create lasting memories in Latin America. Support the protection of endangered species; help a local community construct new homes; give new hope to impoverished children.

The possibilities to lend a hand are diverse, as there are the many places where help is needed. We have classified our volunteer projects in different areas so you can easily find the one (or more!) projects that best match your needs and interests.

Why with us

There are many persuasive reasons that speak in favor of South America Inside when it comes to selecting your perfect provider of language, study and volunteer travel abroad. Following, we have prepared a short summary so that you can get us to know a little better.

Our Insider benefits at a glance:

  Regional Experience
Over one decade (established in 2003) of dedication to language, work and study travel programs in Latin America. Thanks to our long standing work and life experience in the South American continent, we know this region really well. Therefore, we can help and inform you in a professional and competent way.

  Multifaceted Offers
Over time we have developed new programs to offer a wide array of work abroad opportunities to our clients. We have been pioneers in launching new exchange programs, as we have been the first in offering Work & Travel/Working Holiday and Farm Stays in Chile and successfully introduced these programs into the market back in 2005. Since 2012, we are the only agency to offer this type of program in Costa Rica.

  Insider Advice
Despite living in the modern era of the internet, we know that reliable and competent advice is still an important criterion for most of us. At South America Inside, you will find the benefits of an internet provider and an independent travel agency. We will be glad to pass on our extensive knowledge and regional experience.!

  Location
It is difficult to run programs when there is nobody “on the ground” to evaluate existing options and search for new opportunities. So, we are located in Chile, on location, and we know everything that is going on first hand. We know what it is like to live as a foreigner in South America and will be happy to assist you in making your stay unforgettable!

  Independence
South America Inside is an independent provider of language courses, internships, volunteer work, Farm Stays and Work & Travel programs in Latin America. We neither depend financially nor structurally on any other company, language school, association or organization. Therefore, we are able to give personalized information in accordance to your needs and availability.

•  Multilingual Team

Our team is multilingual and international! We speak fluent English, Spanish and German, as well as some French and Portuguese. With our customers, we can communicate in their native language and we avoid misunderstandings with local partners by communicating in Spanish with them. You can be sure that there will be an English-speaking contact person for you before, during, and after your stay.

  Customer Service
Excellent customer service is one of the most important goals for South America Inside, and this is evident with the positive feedback we regularly receive from our many happy clients. Emails are answered within 48 business hours and every client is treated with the same friendliness and expertise.

  Gapless and Accurate Information flow
With South America Inside you will have one and the same contact person before, during and after your trip. With that said, we guarantee a gapless and accurate information flow and you will always be very well informed.

  Approved Program Places
Many of our program places, especially in the area of internships and volunteer work, are designed in the way that they will be recognized by most universities, colleges or academies.

128 reviews · rating4.6

Mattia Malfanti rating5

2024 at Countryside School Assistant

Very good location and people. Really good organization and people are really hospitable. Peumal is a really good alternative school. I sincerely advice if you want help in an alternative school to go ...
Regina N. rating5

2024 at Help Stray Dogs

Die Arbeit gefällt mir sehr gut! Ich bin super reingekommen und fühle mich sehr wohl 🙂 Die Menschen sind sehr offen und freundlich! Herzlichen Dank! ...
Nathalie K. rating5

2024 at Local Wildlife Helper

Everything is alright. The family host in San José is very kind. I visited San José yesterday. This morning I arrived at the rescue center and it's amazing! It beautifull, the animals are so cute. And the volonteers are very friendly. Thanks for everything and have a good ...
Alex S. rating5

2024 at Help Stray Dogs

Mir geht’s prima. War ein langer Tag, bin daher auch gut kaputt 🙂 Sowohl Spanischkurs als auch die Arbeit im Tierheim machen sehr viel Spaß! Ich muss zwar all das bisschen, was ich an Spanisch kann, zusammenkratzen, um durch den Tag zu kommen, aber das wird sicherlich besser mit der Zeit ...
Stacey Garratt rating5

2024 at Local Women Empowerment Supporter

I have been travelling for 7 months in total and just had the most wonderful experience in Ecuador. I can confidently say in the last 6 weeks I have created my favourite memories of this journey in an all-encompassing way. Firstly, the program itself was incredible, I constantly felt supported, ...
Gabriel P. rating5

2024 at Community Worker for Children

Letzten Mittwoch bin ich in Libera gelandet. Die Reise war relativ lang und mit Verspätung. Nach 15 Stunden bin ich dann im Hostel angekommen. Ich brauchte einen Moment um mich dran zu gewöhnen. Ich blieb bis am Sonntag in Liberia und habe auch dort schon Leute kennen gelernt 🙂 Am Sonntag ...

Location


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Contact Marion
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Spanish, English, German

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