Overview
Be a volunteer for the amazing '2 Weeks Special Voluntour' in Costa Rica and experience the best that the 'Land of Ticos' has in store for you! Perfect for students looking for an experiential learning journey, as well as for backpackers and travelers who are keen on making a difference while exploring Costa Rica - this program would definitely be the best option for one and all.
Work at a community kitchen and help to prepare food, clean the place, wash dishes and share with the children and adults who go to this NGO to maybe have their only meal at the day. As a responsible traveler, engage yourself in beach cleaning work and protect the environment. Other than that, there will be ample time to explore and pump your adrenaline while looping through the canopy and soaking in the freshness!
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program and should be prepared to work outdoors and get their hands dirty. Participants in the program should have a keen interest and love for environment conservation work as well as for working with children. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report.
Itinerary
Day 1 Sunday: San José airport picks up and transfers to Volunteers’ House & Hostel to unpack and rest.
Day 2 Monday: -Brief orientation, starting at Jesús Soup Kitchen Project and Walking Santa Bárbara City Tour in the afternoon.
Days 3 – 6: Barrio Jesús Soup Kitchen.
Our Social projects seek to contribute to the development of the poorest families in our population, principally in poor rural areas and marginalized urban areas in order for them to attain integral human development, which translates into better living conditions in harmony with nature. Volunteers will be working in Barrio Jesús Soup Kitchen by helping to prepare food, clean the place, wash dishes and share with the children and adults which go to this NGO to maybe have their only meal at the day. During this first week, you will be helping four hours daily from Monday to Friday. You will provide care, love, and attention for these children and parents as well as assisting staff at the projects.
Days 9 – 13: Jacó Beach Environmental Program.
- Cleaning the beach and Recycling Campaign every Monday and Wednesday morning.
- Volunteers will pick up garbage all along the beach and place it in special garbage containers. Please keep in mind that because of the ultraviolet rays you can’t spend the four hours working at the beach. Volunteers will separate and recycle the garbage they collected from the beach.
- Reforestation Program every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
- Volunteers will look for, pick up and place in the “greenhouse” beach almond trees which are the main food for the Big Scarlet Macaws.
- Helping community every Friday morning. Optional and if you didn't work 5 hours a day Monday to Thursday.
- Volunteers will work in different projects at the community, such as painting murals, working in the playground or the soccer field, working in the local community buildings, etc.
Day 14 Saturday: Goodbye Costa Rica.
You can spend your last day saying goodbye to Costa Rica and shopping or continues traveling around the country. This is your last morning at the Volunteers’ House & Hostel.
Weekend Tours
Day 7 Saturday: Poás Volcano Tour: As we ascend the mountain, we will see coffee plantations as well as fern, flower and strawberry farms along the way, creating a beautiful array of colors and visuals.
There is a noticeable change in temperature and vegetation, preparing us for the pleasure of the exuberant cloud forest of the Poas Volcano.
The Poás Volcano is an active 2,708-metre (8,885 ft) stratovolcano. The crater of the volcano is over a mile across and 1050 feet deep. It has erupted 40 times since 1828, including April 2017.
At the Volcano, we will have time to enjoy the impressive main crater with its sulfur fumaroles, and hike on a trail to the beautiful Botos Lagoon as we learn about the different ecosystems in the park. Enjoy your day at the Worlds’ Biggest Active Geyser.
Day 8 Sunday: Canopy Adventure Barva Volcano. Zip-lining in the morning and transfer to Jacó Beach in the late afternoon.
Our trip begins with an early pick up 8 am approx. at your place. From there you will be transported to our Operation Center in San Jose de la Montana, Heredia. After registering and using the restrooms, our guides will be gearing you up for the adventure with a professional climbing harness, pulley, leather gloves, and helmet. Once the gear is in place we will jump back in our transportation to do a short (1/2 mile) drive up the hill. During this last drive, we will be able to learn about the cypress plantation and the way that it is managed.
Once we get to the top of the hill our guides will be conducting a “safety talk” where all the doubts about how to properly use the gear, the right position to ride on the cables and the way the broken system works will be explained. On this adventure, all you have to do is enjoy the ride.
After the safety talk, we will be walking into the primary forest. As we make our way to the first platform we will stop along the way to learn more about the cloud forest. At the end of this nature hike, we will find ourselves at the foot of a staircase that will take us to the top of the forest, climbing along a gigantic oak tree. Once we get to the first platform we will start using gravity to travel.
Volunteer Work Schedule
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Arrival: Sunday
- Project: Intercultural & Ecological Projects
- Working Days: Monday – Friday – 5 days a week, 4-6 hours in a day
- Weekends: Travel / Sightseeing included in Cost
Living
Being an International Organization, we try to make sure that our volunteers are given the kind of comfort and flexibility they seek. In terms of airport pick up, stay, local travel or work and even city tour, we help our volunteers and facilitate everything for them.
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from the San Jose International Airport by the local coordinator or representative. Those volunteers who are arriving overland or are already in Costa Rica will be picked up at a meeting point decided beforehand.
Accommodation
As a volunteer for the ‘2-week Special Program’, volunteers work in two different cities, Heredia in the first and Jacó in the second. Jaco is about a 100 kilometers from Heredia and all volunteers will be transferred after the first week accordingly. Accommodated in a volunteer house in both these cities, both the houses are laced with all basic amenities such as attached bathrooms, electricity, running water, clean linens amongst others. The rooms are shared on a same-sex basis and each room accommodates 4 people on bunk beds with separate storage space for each bed.
Orientation
All volunteers are given an Orientation beginning on their project start date. Orientation is conducted by the local staff and covers topics such as Costa Rican Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety and Introduction to your project and placement.
Meals
Meals for the project will be provided twice a day at the volunteer house. Often, volunteers pitch in to prepare meals together which becomes a great bonding activity for all the volunteers at the house.
During your Free Time
Volunteers are free to visit and see places or do shopping during their free time. You can explore the local markets or travel to the beaches which can be visited on the weekends. The country offers unparalleled natural beauty, active volcanoes, rainforests, and a wide range of national parks and eco-tourism. In addition, Costa Rica has over 1,000 miles of gorgeous white-and-black sand beaches. Visit these things you can do in your leisure time.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £149 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- Pickup from the airport
- Orientation & Walking Santa Bárbara City Tour
- Placements in the Volunteering Projects
- Accommodations at Volunteers’ Houses in Santa Bárbara & Jacó, including two meals a day (Breakfast and lunch)
- Tours to Poás Volcano and Zip-lining
- Participation’s Certificate if desired
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Flights
- Local transportation
- Towel & Toiletries
- Insurance
- Dinners
- Pocket Money
- Transportation back to the airport but we can help you to organize it
Program Dates
| Months | 2021 | 2022 |
| January | 0317 | 0216 |
| February | 0721 | 0620 |
| March | 0721 | 0620 |
| April | 0418 | 0317 |
| May | 0216 | 0115 |
| June | 0620 | 0519 |
| July | 0418 | 0317 |
| August | 0115 | 0721 |
| September | 0519 | 0418 |
| October | 0317 | 0216 |
| November | 0721 | 0620 |
| December | 05 | 0418 |
FAQ's
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Volunteers must be 17 years or older for Teaching, Childcare, and Spanish Immersion at the beginning of the program. For all other programs, you need to be 18 years or older.
Volunteers joining the medical volunteer project must be either Pre-Medical, Medical or Nursing student or possess other qualifications related to medical and nursing field. Medical professionals such as doctors and nurses are also welcome to join the program.
Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment.
The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
The participant must be in good health.
Knowledge of Spanish (basic to intermediate) is necessary for all the programs.
When do I need to arrive in Costa Rica for my program? What will happen once I arrive in Costa Rica?
To add to the project experience, you can also join the Spanish Immersion Week which gives you a crash course in Spanish and even tests your current Spanish skills which would help you in volunteering, and you would also get a chance to experience Costa Rican culture, learn cooking and Latino dancing before beginning the program.
Note: Host accommodation is located in suburbs of San Jose in the Heredia and Santa Barbara areas, along with your projects placements.
The Childcare, Teaching and the Medical Healthcare projects are located near San Jose, primarily in the areas of Heredia and Santa Barbara.
The Turtle Conservation project is located in both Pacific and the Caribbean coasts.
The Wildlife and Animal Rescue Center is located 4km away from Puerto Viejo and 220km from San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital.
Flights and Visa
US Airways
Delta
For those flying in from Europe, direct flights are available, and the recommended airlines are:
Condor
Iberia
Health and Safety
If you already have a valid Travel and Medical insurance, you can email us a copy of the same. It is also advised to bring along the Insurance documents during your trip.
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit ?the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
Accommodation and Living
Volunteers working in Turtle Conservation Project stay in ranger house, host family or volunteer house accommodations close to the project near the beach. Dorm-style accommodation is provided where you will be sharing rooms with other volunteers (same gender basis). Upon arrival in Costa Rica, volunteers are provided lodging in a host family accommodation in Heredia or Santa Barbara. After completing the orientation and project introduction on the first days, volunteers join their respective Turtle Conservation Project in either Pacific or Caribbean Coast.
For all other projects, volunteers will be staying with host families. More details about the host families would be provided after you apply for the program. Volunteers would be provided meals 2 times a day.
Volunteers working in the animal rescue center project in Puerto Viejo are provided accommodation in a hostel in San Jose on arrival. While at the project volunteers stay at a dorm style hostel accommodation. Meals are not included but volunteers cook their own meals at a fully equipped kitchen.
The local coordinators will be happy to help you with more information.
