Costa Rica Environmental Community Service Program | Turtle Conservation Project

Journey to a secluded beach in the heart of the tropics to help ensure the survival of the leatherback sea turtle. These majestic animals face massive threats to their nesting grounds from hunting, pollution and development. Spend a week helping to patrol the beach, building a hatchery, and guaranteeing that the turtles make it through another nesting season.

Prepare by Day for Turtles at Night
During the morning, you’ll work on the beach clearing away plants, logs, and other debris so the turtles have a place to lay their eggs. Help design and construct a hatchery, which involves fencing off an area, digging and sifting through sand, clearing driftwood and making grids for the new turtle nests. You’ll also help build environmentally friendly containment units for the baby turtles. At night, you’ll patrol the beach for turtle nests. If you’re lucky, you’ll stumble across one of the huge 140-pound mother turtles in the midst of laying her eggs. Upon locating a nest, you’ll carefully transport the eggs to the hatchery where you’ll learn to mark the location of the nest and the time you found it. With the help and protection provided by volunteers like you, 95 percent of these eggs hatch into healthy baby turtles and head out to sea.

Turtles and Beyond
During your free time, you can play Frisbee, volleyball or soccer on the beach, or grab a book and head for one of the hammocks at the rustic bunkhouse. There will also be trips to the nearby beach towns of Esterillos and Jaco for swimming, pizza, and shopping. You may also spend a day teaching English or working on other projects at a local school. Take some time to explore
Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests and warm oceans during exciting optional activities such as zip lining through a rainforest alive with monkeys, sloths and birds, or heading to the Pacific and learning how to catch the waves during a surf lesson.

Life on the Beach
Your accommodation will be a large and very rustic bunkhouse that sits only a few steps from the ocean. With an open-air lounge and several hammocks, it is the perfect place to hang out before a night of turtle patrolling. You’ll live and work with other volunteers, park rangers, and Rustic Pathways staff and share meals in the adjoining kitchen while taking in brilliant Pacific sunsets and cool ocean breezes as you eat dinner.

The Way of the Turtle
This program is designed for students with a genuine interest in animal and marine research who are not afraid to get their hands dirty and work hard while living in a rustic environment.

Special Note for Turtle Students
This program is located in a beautiful but remote location and includes very rustic accommodations and lots of hard work. Although this program runs during the height of the turtle season at Punta Judas, we cannot guarantee that every student will see a leatherback sea turtle. However, we can ensure that every participant will make a significant contribution to the conservation of this endangered species.

Questions? For more information please contact costarica@rusticpathways.com.

Day 1 (Tuesday) Depart United States for San Jose, Costa Rica
Upon arrival at the San Jose airport you will be greeted by your Rustic Pathways Staff. From here you will head over to the hostel rented out by Rustic Pathways where you will meet the other students on your trip and spend your first night. Good luck and enjoy your stay in beautiful Costa Rica!

Day 2 (Wednesday) Welcome to Punta Judas!
Wake up at 6:30 am for a light breakfast before departing for Punta Judas beach and National Wildlife Refuge. Get settled into the rustic and beautiful volunteer quarters situated right on the beach. This afternoon, students will begin to get to know each other and prepare for the week’s Servicio comunitario projects with the support and assistance of the National Park rangers. Be ready to start your experience with a night patrol along the beach looking for turtles

Day 3-7 (Thursday-Monday) Service and Fun with the Turtles
Days at the service project involve waking up early for breakfast at the base house on the beach, and setting off for one of the day’s service projects which could include work in the turtle hatcheries or beach clean ups (both physically demanding tasks). Occasionally, students will visit the nearby town and help upgrade the facilities at the local elementary school. In the afternoon, play soccer on the beach, go on a zipline adventure, or take surf lessons on the world famous beach of Jaco. At night, students will patrol the beach for turtle nests and transport eggs to the hatchery, aiding in the conservation of this beautiful species.

Day 8 (Tuesday) Back to San Jose
Wake up for your last morning at the base. Say good bye to the park rangers and depart for San Jose for a final dinner with your group and a good night’s rest.

Day 9 (Wednesday) Homeward bound or off to new adventures
It’s time to say ‘Adios’ to Costa Rica and head home or on to another exciting Rustic Pathways adventure!

*** SPECIAL NOTE 1: The National Park we will visit does experience substantial rainfall due to the rainy season. The rain does not slow us down so please come prepared. This program involves working hard and getting dirty – one of the more gratifying aspects of the trip for most students. We expect everyone to arrive excited to work and play in this beautiful location while at the same time learning about the turtle conservation projects that are taking place in Costa Rica.***

*** SPECIAL NOTE 2: The itinerary described above is typical but not set in stone. Work and optional activities vary depending upon the needs of the National Parks we work with. This itinerary is designed to give you a good, general idea of the day to day schedule and activities on this program but may be changed during the summer as staff see fit.***

1 - How long is the flight to this country?
1A – Direct flight from Newark to San Jose takes approximately 5.5 hours.
Direct flight from Houston to San Jose takes approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

2 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
2A – Yes. All flights between Costa Rica and the USA will have a flight leader starting in both Newark and Houston. Return flights to the USA will also have a flight leader as far as Newark and Houston. Flights between Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua are also escorted by a Rustic Pathways guide. Flight from Costa Rica to Peru and Mexico will not be escorted.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
3A – Students from the United States and Canada will be automatically issued a 90 day tourist visa upon entry into Costa Rica.

4 – What Costa Rican province(s) does this program pass through?
4A- During Turtle Conservation Project, students will spend the majority of time in the Puntarenas province. They will spend their first and last night in country at a hotel located in Heredia, close to the airport.

5 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
5A – Rustic Pathways does not make recommendations regarding immunizations. We strongly suggest that you consult with a travel doctor or your family physician for medical recommendations based on the area where the student will be traveling (as listed above). You can also check the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov for more information. Yellow fever vaccinations may be required to enter Costa Rica if you have traveled to some international destinations including Peru prior to your trip to Costa Rica. Please check the Center for Disease control website for more information.

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
6A – On Tuesday night students will have a final group dinner and stay the night in Heredia at the hotel. Wednesday morning students will meet with their new group and guides at the same hotel where they stayed and go off on their new program.

7 – How long is the drive from San Jose to this program?
7A—The bus ride from San Jose to Puntarenas beach is approximately 2 hours depending on road and weather conditions.

8 – What is the climate in the region where this program takes place?
8A—Students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80’s and 90’s during the day with a daily afternoon rain shower.

9 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
9A— This program focuses on the conservation of the turtles and there will not be a significant amount of immersion into a Spanish speaking environment. However, students will get a chance to work with local communities and Tico park rangers where they will be able to practice their Spanish skills.

10- What service projects will I work on and how are the projects identified?
10A-. Rustic Pathways works with the national parks and community organizations to identify meaningful service projects that will aid in the conservation efforts of the turtles. Students will participate in beach clean ups and nightly turtle patrols and will also work in hatcheries to provide a safe space for baby turtles. Students may also facilitate educational and cultural projects with local children or work on small scale construction projects to improve the local elementary schools. During the first two weeks of Julio, Costa Rican school children are on vacation, so students should expect to work with children in more informal environments.

11 – How physically strenuous is this program?
11A- The Turtle Conservation Project is appropriate for students of most physical activity levels. Students should be prepared for some light manual labor and very rustic conditions during this program.

12- What costs are not included on this trip?
12A- The majority of costs associated with the program are included on this trip. Students should have extra allowance money if they wish to buy souvenirs or additional snacks or sodas from the local grocery stores. Students should bring extra money if they choose to participate in optional activities that are not included in the trip costs.

13 – What are the optional activities available at an additional cost on this program?
13A-Optional activities are:

Surf Lessons: $45 (approximate)
Zipline trip: $55 (approximate)

Please note that these optional activities are subject to change. Occasionally Rustic Pathways staff identify new opportunities throughout the summer that we feel will enhance the students overall experience. Optional activities may also be canceled.

14 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
14A— Students will be eating meals prepared by local cooks at the base house. They will also occasionally visit restaurants in the area. The food will vary between traditional Costa Rican food and occasional American and international selections.

15 - Can we cater to specific diets?
15A-Rustic Pathways can cater to most dietary needs on this program. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated. Please know that while we are happy to accommodate alternative diets, many of the special diets common in the United States are not common in other parts of the world and travelers must be patient and understanding in having these needs be met. Please contact costarica@rusticpathways.com with any questions regarding special diets or allergies.

16 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
16A—While at the ranger station/base house students will drink bottled water provided by the park rangers. Students will be able to refill their water bottles when necessary. When in town students will be able to drink the tap water.

17 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
17A - Students will be staying in a large, but very rustic bunkhouse that stands only a few steps away from the beach. Each student has their own bunk and is provided with sheets, pillows, covers and a mosquito net. It is important to note that occasionally there are non-Rustic Pathways volunteers that work with the park rangers and stay in the house as well. However, guides ensure that this does not affect the quality of the program.

18. What are the bathroom facilities?
18A- Bathroom facilities are located next to the base house. There is running water, American style toilets and showers. Hot water for showers is not available.

19 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
19A – There are typically more girls than boys however the exact numbers vary from week to week

20- What is the ratio of guides to students?
20A- Rustic Pathways generally strives to maintain a ratio of approximately 1 guide for every 5 students. Our guides go through a rigorous selection process including interviews with our program managers and a full background check.

21-Is your staff qualified in First Aid?
21A- Because safety is our number one priority, all of our programs have staff that is certified with First Aid and CPR training. Many of our guides are also qualified Wilderness First Responders, EMTs, Wilderness EMTs, or Life Guards.

22 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
22A—Students will not be able to do laundry on this program so they should pack sufficient clothes for 1 week. Many students avoid over-packing by designating work/play clothes and rest clothes. At the end of their program those that will be connecting to another program will have access to another laundry service in San Jose which costs $10-$15 per load.

23 - How often will they have access to phone and internet?
23A-Students will have limited access to internet during their program when they visit Jaco, where they can go to internet cafes. They will be able to purchase international phone cards in Costa Rica from the guides or at local convenience stores which can be used to call home from the public phones.