Turtles, Wildlife & Permaculture Volunteer Experience

Yes, however, you must inform us in advance and also mention about any dietary requirement in your application form. 

Your program fee does not cover your personal expenses. You will need to provide for yourself your personal expenses, such as bottled water, local transport, telephone, shopping, sightseeing etc. However, you should carry around $70-$80 per week for your basic personal expenses. This amount can vary and you would need a higher amount if you choose to go on weekend trips out of town.

Volunteers usually work for 4 to 6 hours a day depending on their program. You will have weekends off so you can travel on weekends. However, volunteers need to be flexible, open-minded and understand that work requirements can change as well on certain occasions.

Turtle, Wildlife and Permaculture Project
Upon arrival in San Jose accommodation is provided in a hostel for the night. When at the project in Nicoya Peninsula, the accommodation is located closer to the beach and the turtle nesting sites. This rustic station
accommodates volunteers in shared rooms with basic facilities, ideal for those seeking a more immersive field experience. All meals are freshly prepared, mostly vegetarian, and often made with local produce. Solar power supports essential needs, and Wi- Fi is limited — encouraging full connection with the natural surroundings. Wildlife is part of daily life here: monkeys,tropical birds, and even the occasional deer or iguana can be seen near the camp. The atmosphere is communal, friendly, and rooted in respect for the environment

Teaching, Childcare and Women Empowerment Projects
Volunteers stay with welcoming local host families, offering a great chance to experience Costa Rican culture and daily life. You’ll receive two meals per day, and detailed information about your host family will be shared after your placement is confirmed.

Animal Rescue Project (Puerto Viejo)
On arrival, volunteers stay one night in a hostel in San José. During the project, accommodation is provided in a dorm-style hostel near the center. Meals are not included, but you’ll have access to a fully equipped kitchen to prepare your own food.

Osa Peninsula Projects
Volunteers in the Osa Peninsula stay directly at the project site in shared dorm-style accommodation.

We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions Costa Rica program participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group to communicate with other participants.


To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit ?the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.

Participants (most nationalities) require a Tourist Visa to travel to Costa Rica. Travelers from most countries can get a 90-day permit stamped on their passport on arrival.We advise you to check with your nearest Costa Rican embassy as well. 

Several international airlines offer convenient flights to Costa Rica from both North America and Europe. From North America, airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and Air Canada operate frequent direct and connecting flights to Costa Rica from major cities in the United States and Canada. These airlines provide good connectivity via hubs such as Houston, Miami, Atlanta, New York, Toronto, and Montreal, making travel to Costa Rica straightforward and accessible.

Travellers flying from Europe can choose from a number of well-established carriers offering direct or one-stop flights to Costa Rica. British Airways operates direct flights from London, while Iberia offers direct connections from Madrid. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France provide direct services from Amsterdam and Paris respectively, and airlines such as Lufthansa and SWISS International Air Lines offer convenient one-stop connections from other European cities via their main hubs.

Volunteers are recommended to book flights arriving at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in San José, which is Costa Rica’s main international airport and offers the widest range of international connections, as well as the most convenient onward travel options to the project location.

Depending on your project placement, you will get evenings and the weekends free to travel and explore the place. In the evenings, volunteers usually get together and go out for social gatherings, eat out or just relax at the volunteer house. Weekends are free for the volunteers and you can go for short weekend trips. There’s actually so much to do in Costa Rica. Visit Nicoya Peninsula, Arenal Volcano, Corcovado National Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Tabacón Hot Springs, San José, Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Tortuguero National Park and much more. For volunteers in Playa Ario, there is plenty to experience in and around Playa Ario and the Nicoya Peninsula when you’re not working on conservation projects. Many volunteers also organize shared taxis to visit Santa Teresa, a lively beach town located about 45 minutes away. Known for its vibrant cafés, surf culture, and relaxed atmosphere, it’s a great place to spend a day off with fellow volunteers. Free activities offered at the camp include guided night walks, movie nights, and communal dinners — perfect moments to relax, share experiences, and enjoy the sense of community that grows naturally here.
 

Yes, for all participants, it is mandatory to have a valid travel medical insurance for their trip. Volunteers have the option to purchase Travel and Medical Insurance at a nominal extra cost from Volunteering Solutions.  To provide the best option to our participants, we offer comprehensive insurance coverage in collaboration with a leading insurance provider. 

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.

Costa Rica is considered one of the safest and most stable countries in Central America, and it is a popular destination for international travellers, students, and volunteers. The country has a long-standing reputation for political stability, a strong democratic system, and no standing army, which has contributed to a generally peaceful society.For visitors, Costa Rica is safe to travel when normal precautions are taken. Most trips are trouble-free, especially in tourist-friendly areas such as San José, the Nicoya Peninsula, and coastal regions.

All participants are recommended to consult their physician or travel doctor before traveling to Costa Rica. To view the general list of vaccinations recommended for your travel to Costa Rica, click here.

It is advised to apply for the projects once the volunteering/ traveling dates are decided as there are limited spots available. The application fee is valid for one full year and can be sent earlier than the desired period of volunteering, for timely confirmation of the seat. As soon as you decide the travel dates, we suggest you to apply for the program and hold your spot. We abide by the first come first serve policy.

Usually, it takes around 10-12 working days for the application to be processed and placement to be confirmed. After we review your CV and documents, your booking is confirmed and the booking confirmation is updated in your My Account and you can view the information in your account. The application acceptance depends on the availability of seats in the project as well as the eligibility criteria of the program (age, skills and experience etc.).

Below are the necessary requirements to participate in the Costa Rica volunteer projects:
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.

Yes, you are welcome to take part in Costa Rica Volunteer Programs as part of a group. We welcome families, friends, high school students, college/university and corporate groups to volunteer together in the Costa Rica volunteer programs. Please get in touch for a customized program suitable for your group as per your budget and requirements.

Yes, most definitely you can, as we believe that every participant brings something new to the project. If you do not have previous experience, we offer you the opportunity to have a great start with us. We make international volunteering easy – not only are our Volunteer Abroad opportunities rooted in offering you extensive support, but they are also very affordable.

Yes, we will provide you with the Certificate after successful completion of your program. The certificate is provided on request.

All volunteers are required to arrive on the designated program start date. Upon arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport, participants will be met by a local representative and transferred to their assigned accommodations.

Volunteers joining the Childcare and Teaching programs will stay with carefully selected host families. Those participating in the Animal Rescue Project in Alajuela or the Turtle Conservation Project in Matapolo will spend their first night in a homestay before continuing to their project locations.

Participants enrolled in the Animal Rescue Project in Puerto Viejo will be collected from the airport and provided overnight accommodation in a hostel in San José. Volunteers joining the Turtle and Environmental Conservation Project in Osa Peninsula should arrive directly in Puerto Viejo, unless they have booked the optional San José Arrival Package, which includes airport pickup and an overnight stay.

We offer a wide variety of programs in Costa Rica located in all different regions of the country. The Childcare,Teaching and Women Empowerment projects are located in and around San Ramon de Alajuela which is around 45 minutes from the capital city of San Jose.The Turtle and Environment Conservation project is located in Osa Peninsula.The Wildlife and Animal Rescue Center project is located near Puerto Viejo. The Turtle, Wildlife and Permaculture project project takes place near Playa Ario, a wild and beautiful beach within the Caletas–Ario National Wildlife Refuge, where forests, rivers, and the ocean meet.