Costa Rica Adventure Program (Start in Peninsula de Osa)

For two weeks we will explore the unparalleled beauty of Osa and The Corcovado National Park, learn about regenerative farming practices, produce organic foods, and engage in vital community and environmental awareness efforts, including turtle conservation. This is a one-of-a-kind travel experience that deeply connects you with Costa Rica's natural wonders and remote communities.

Week 1
The turtle season is short on Playa Ganadito and only about 200 mothers come to nest each year with July to November seeing the most activity. For the months with less or no turtle activity we will offer night walks to see nocturnal wildlife, enjoy the moon and the stars and make beach bonfires.

Sunday
Arrival
Icebreaker Game

Monday
Breakfast
Yoga
Orientation and Farm Tour, Beach Workshop
Lunch
Dinner

Tuesday
Breakfast
Biodiversity Monitoring Survey, Jungle Survey
Regenerative Farming (making soil, fertilizer, boxes, planting food, etc.)
Lunch
Spanish Class
Dinner
*Seasonal Activity: Night Sea Turtle Patrol or other nocturnal activity

Wednesday
Breakfast
Biodiversity Monitoring Survey, Jungle Survey
Regenerative Farming (making soil, fertilizer, boxes, planting food, etc.)
Lunch
Dinner

Thursday
Breakfast
Yoga
Coconut Workshop G1, Soup Workshop G2
Lunch
Spanish Class
Dinner - Coconut Curry Night

Friday
Breakfast
Cano Island Snorkeling Tour (Optional)
Lunch
Dinner

Saturday
Breakfast
06:00 Full Day - Corcovado National Park Tour* (Optional)
13:00 Lunch at the Sirena Ranger Station (Included)

* If you don't go on the tour, the free day includes meals and beach volleyball

Week 2
In addition, you'll engage in meaningful environmental conservation efforts. Collaborating on community work and recycling initiatives, you'll contribute positively to the local ecosystem. This leg of the trip isn't just about enjoying the natural beauty and cultural richness of Osa Peninsula; it's also about giving back and ensuring that this paradise remains vibrant for generations to come.

Sunday
Breakfast
Yoga
Tortilla Making Workshop
Coconut Workshop G2, Soap Workshop G1
Lunch
Dinner

Monday
Breakfast
Yoga
Guided excursion to Ganado Estuary
Lunch
Horse riding and Waterfall Tour (Optional)
Dinner

Tuesday
Breakfast
Biodiversity Monitoring Survey, Jungle Survey
Secret Beach Maintenance
Lunch
Spanish Class
Dinner

Wednesday
Breakfast
Ganado Beach Clean Up
Lunch
Dinner
Sunset Catamaran Tour (Optional)

Thursday
Breakfast
Yoga
Biodiversity Monitoring Follow Up and Presentation
Lunch
Spanish
Dinner

Friday
Breakfast
Free Day or Floating River Tour (Optional)

Saturday
05:00 - Breakfast
Free Time for Packing

*Pre-book weekend activities at Jakera: Corcovado National Park Full Day Tour 140€ or Cana Island Full Day Tour 100€. If you don't go on tour, free days includes meals and beach volleyball.

Sunday
06:00 - Breakfast
07:00 - Departure to Natuwa

Travel to Natuwa:
After hopping on the small boat back to Sierpe (a 1-hour boat ride), we'll drive up the coast to PUNTAREANS (approx 5-hour drive). Next, you'll be pick up by our driver to take you to NATUWA WILDLIFE PROJECT which is e a 1 hour drive form the pick up point in Puntarenas.

The entire journey will take all day blending scenic views with exhilarating travel experiences. There will be plenty of stops to freshen up and places to purchase meals/snacks along the way. You will be having lunch on the way on your own expense.

This week will be exclusively dedicated to Animal Conservation at Natuwa, a sanctuary with over 500 animals requiring daily care. Our schedule is intense, demanding a passion for animal care and conservation. More details will be provided upon your arrival.

Monday - Friday
This week you will spend at Natuwa. You’ll be helping in the sanctuary to take care of animals and their homes.

All meals are included.

Weekends
Free time to explore the area.

Animal Conservation Activities
Some of the activities you might be involved in at Natuwa include:
Feeding Baby Animals
Cleaning Animal Enclosures
Assisting during tours at the Sanctuary
General maintenance of the Sanctuary
Assisting animals for medication
Gardening

Travel to Jakera:
Depart Natuwa at 07:00. Our driver will pick up up again and take you straight to the Ferry, this is 1 and a half ride to Paquera to begin the last one hour drive to Santa Teresa.

Monday and Thursday
07:30-08:30 - Breakfast
09:00-11:00 - Spanish Class
12:00-13:00 - Lunch
14:00-16:00 - Surf Lesson or Yoga Session

Tuesday and Friday
07:30-08:30 - Breakfast
09:00-11:00 - Spanish Class
12:00-13:00 - Lunch
14:00-16:00 - Volunteering Session

Wednesday
07:30-08:30 - Breakfast
09:00-11:00 - All Day Hike
12:00-13:00 - Picnic
14:00-16:00 - Interactive Spanish Class

Wednesday is a full day out, the hike is about 7-10 kms walking (depending which hike we are doing ) and everyone can do it. It's not just hiking; we stop along the way to swim and picnic on a secret beach. In the late afternoon or evening, there is a group Interactive Spanish class. This interactive class can be cooking, games, or cultural activities. It will be either on the beach or back at the Jakera camp in the evening.

Evenings
In the evenings, we provide budget-friendly dinner choices (approximately $15), and multiple times a week we host various complimentary events such as dance classes, cooking sessions, game nights, karaoke and more.

Saturday
Morning - Little Breakfast
11:00-12:00 - Brunch
12:00-16:00 - Free day. If you want, you can try the additional weekend activities (not included)*.

*Additional weekend activities are available for an extra charge between $40 to $100. These includes horse riding, fishing, waterfalls and island tours.

Sunday
Brunch. The day is free for you to spend as you like!

Monday
Departure to Turtle Placement

During Week 7, you'll spend 4 days in a Turtle Conservation Sanctuary engaging with Permaculture, Reforestation and activities aimed at protecting the ecosystem. In the high season (August to January), the primary focus is on Turtle Conservation, where efforts are concentrated on safeguarding the eggs and hatchlings of Olive Ridley, Green Turtle, Hawksbill and Leatherback species. This involves protecting adult female turtles and their nests from various threats, including human predators, wildlife, beach erosion and flooding caused by high rainfall. Depending on the season, there may be a shift to work more in other sectors such as Permaculture.

Weekend
Your stay will be at the Turtle Conservation Sanctuary for 4 days, you'll return to the Jakera Jungle Camp to enjoy the weekend.

During week 8, you’ll embark on an overland adventure to explore Monteverde’s unique cloud forest, discover her rich biodiversity and experience high adrenaline activities. We have two accommodation options for our groups in Monteverde, Santa Elena Hostel right in the heart of the village and the other is Catleya Hostel 20 minutes walking from town, both very cozy and secure.

Monday - Breakfast / Travel to Monteverde/ Lunch in Monteverde/ Welcome walk, Ficus tree & Sunset Hike. (The welcome walk takes about an hour and the sunset hike activity around 2 hours.)

Tuesday - Breakfast / Finca Lantana - Cloud Forest Exploration with nature guide* / Lunch /Extra activity not included (Zipline- Bungee- Horse riding)

Wednesday - Breakfast / Valle Escondido Guided Exploration (this is a 3-hour hike with beautiful waterfalls, jungle and incredible views/ Lunch / Extra activity not included (Zipline- Bungee- Horse riding)

Thursday - Breakfast / Reforestation Project in Finca Lantana* / Lunch / Transfer back to Jakera.

Friday plus Weekend - You will stay in Monteverde for 4 days, then you will return to the Camp.

Cloud Forest Reforestation in Monteverde*
We have joined forces with Finca Lantana for our new project that all our students in the All in Program will participate in. The preparation of soil, tree planting and maintanance of sapplings. Our goal is to reforest this land previously clear for cattle to its original glorious cloud forest state over the coming years.

Weeks 4-6 in your program include 2 x 45 minute Spanish lessons from Monday to Friday* (usually between 09:00-11:00 with breaks but subject to change depending on surf conditions). Tuition is delivered by accredited and licensed teachers and on the first day you will receive a short test to establish your level and objectives. These lessons will be tailored to suit all levels from beginner to intermediate and are designed to help you interact and immerse with the local community and enjoy being in a Spanish speaking country.

*On Wednesdays during Weeks 4-6, regular Spanish classes will be replaced with Interactive Spanish classes in the afternoons.

During weeks 4-6, you enjoy a surfing OR yoga lesson.

6 surf lessons (approx. 2 hours each) are delivered by a local professional surf instructor. As well as showing you the basics - or taking you to the next level - you learn basic safety principles taking into account local issues such as rip tides. Boards are provided for surf lessons (guided/supervised surfing). Additional lessons are available on request as well as board rental.

Alternatively, you can enjoy 12 professional yoga sessions. For a long time now, this magical place has been a destination for yogis from all around the world. What better place to learn or practice yoga than on a wild beach with the sound of waves crashing on the soft white sand, or in our jungle lodge surrounded by lush foliage to the sounds of the river and birds? Many people come here every year to practice and teach yoga so there is a class to for every level from absolute beginner to advanced yogi.

Popular classes include Yoga for all, Vinyasa Flow, Slow Flow, Ashtanga, Hatha, Deep Restorative, Relaxing & Mediation. You are invited to try a variety of forms of yoga during your time with us. Each class is 90 minutes - a combination of group and private classes depending your needs. Yoga provides mental balance, body control and it will help you to relax and enjoy every part of your journey in Costa Rica. Enjoy the mantras and discover a new way to relax and be in tune with your body (and nature) by doing yoga and living the pura vida lifestyle.

Our weekly nature hikes aim to explore the natural wonders of the Nicoya Peninsula. Delve into the lush tropical forest during our Jungle River Trek, uncovering diverse flora with medicinal applications and gaining insights intricate ecosystem. We also enjoy a beach hikes to exposed rock pools during low tide, revealing a vibrant array of sea life.

During weeks 4-6 (2-3 hours per day), you participate in volunteer projects designed to conserve and respect local natural resources. Project work is varied and priorities are seasonal and weather dependent.

However, most of our efforts are focused on the following areas:
Recycling & Bionics
We are leading the charge in our local community to create as many recycle stations and collection points for plastic waste in particular so that Bionics can easily collect it all once a week from main road. We have built two recycle stations on our street and this has reduced the normal garbage by 30 % or more. As a result on our street alone we collect a huge amount of plastic for Bionics each month. We clean the beaches of plastic once a week at least and participate in community clean ups on a monthly bases and this month collected close to a ton of recyclable rubbish in one day with the help of about 100 volunteers. We go once a week to the Bionics Depo 30 mins away in Cobano to help them clean, organise and package the plastic for shipment to the USA where they turn it into shoes, T-shirts, building blocks and a whole variety of consumer goods , hence giving real value to this recycled material. This is the future and this is what may just save the planet or make a difference at least. Once this "rubbish" has value people will start to take notice and collect it and turn it into something useful. This way we show our students the full cycle of events, how plastic gets into the eco system, how hard it is to take it out once it's in there, and finally the light at the end of the tunnel, what we can do with it once we collect it.

Beach Conservation
Here we work alongside the ‘Santa Teresa Lifeguards’. Having seen the amazing beaches of Santa Teresa, and adjoining Playa Hermosa and Playa Carmen, the recreational opportunities are clear. However, beaches need to be maintained to keep them clear of debris that not only looks unsightly but can cause harm to people and wildlife. Work includes promoting Lifeguard issues with regard to beach safety and etiquette (through signage, presentations and speaking to visitors), organizing clean ups with focus on recycling. We also invented a “Public Microplastic Collection” where we encourage beach walkers to collect some microplastic whilst they walk the beautiful beaches of Santa Teresa.

Reforestation
Our main focus is the forests' most important resource - water! You help with the maintenance and supply of our tree nursery; planting carefully selected saplings, gathered seeds and ongoing support of recently planted trees to ensure their success. We support the local Waterkeepers who patrol the river systems of Santa Teresa and neighboring tropical forest resources by helping to report any contamination, clear forest debris and litter from streams before it is washed out to sea and can cause further damage to wildlife, and by maintaining walking/hiking trails that allow visitors to access this beautiful area. It is also a great opportunity to learn about the biodiversity of flora and fauna in this special part of the world.

You will spend 4 days at Cirenas Playa Ario and depending on the season, also be working on our Sanctuary close by.

You’ll be protecting the eggs and hatchlings of Olive Ridley, Black Turtle, Hawksbill and Leatherback species, who visit local ‘semi intensive’ nesting beaches at night to nest. The principle objective of the project is to protect adult female turtles that frequent beaches along this coastline, and their nests, from human predators and wildlife, natural events such as beach erosion and flooding due to high amounts of rainfall in nesting season.

This is achieved by maintenance of infrastructure and surroundings, beach cleaning, night patrols to look for nesting female turtles (in season), transport of food and water, collection of data and releasing baby turtles into the ocean (in season) and the construction of a ‘hatchery’.

At Cirenas, all three meals are included.

*As an alternative to turtle conservation (off season), we also support animal conservation at Natuwa and help in other works.

Seasonal Support
It is important to note that although turtles nest frequently in peak nesting season (July to November), there will be times where turtle activity is very low. We still need help during most of the year for the construction and maintenance of the hatchery, critical for the upcoming season.

Besides the Turtle conservation you will do in Cirenas, there will be some other works you will do:

Caletas-Ario Mixed National Wildlife Refuge
- Maintenance and Hikes on the trails
- Bird watching
- Monitoring of Wild Fauna through camera traps
- Identification of native trees

Permaculture and Healthy Eating
- Sowing and planting
- Composting
- Biomass
- Irrigation installation for plants
- Prune fruit trees and harvesting
- Hen house

Forestry Reforestation
- Collection of seeds of native trees by dry season
- Sowing in seedbeds
- Reforestation of native tree species on and off campus

During the weekends, there are a lot of opportunities to explore the area and try out different activities. If you're into yoga, try a beach session on Sunday mornings: get up a little earlier than usual to enjoy a pre-breakfast yoga session on the beach. Yoga is very popular in this part of the world and 45 mins costs around $15. You can also try white water rafting, horse riding, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, whale watching, a jungle canopy tour etc. There is always something to do and if it all sounds to active, you can just enjoy the beach or pool.

Please note: Travel on the weekends, or any of the extra activities is at your own expense and risk. We cannot be responsible but, if anything happens, we will of course be there to assist. Please ensure that you have adequate medical insurance before you carry out any activity.

Police Clearance Certificate

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.