Turtle Tour through Costa Rica and Panama

  Costa Rica

• San Jose: 
San Jose
• North Western Region: 
Alajuela
• Eastern Lowlands: 
Gandoca,  Puerto Viejo

  Panama

Panama City

Description: With its bustling cities, pristine coastlines and a vast array of wildlife, Costa Rica has developed a reputation as a first-class travel destination and this tour will show you why. Starting in San Jose, the country's bustling capital, you will just have time to enjoy the vast array of entertainments including restaurants, theatres, bars and nightclubs before being whisked off to Gandoca where you will begin work at one of the countrys world-renowned turtle conservation projects. Needless to say, you will find yourself surrounded by pristine beaches and stunning coastal views for the entirety of your stay.

Then it's off to the beautiful coasts of Panama where you will have time to relax and enjoy the tropical climate. Next you'll be whisked off to San San Pond, one of the country's most important marine environments, where you will start work at a local turtle and manatee project.

Both of these extraordinary marine creatures are in serious danger of extinction and without the help of conservation programs across the world would probably have passed into memory long before now.

Finally you will leave for Puerto Viejo where you will have a chance to enjoy the local music scene in true style!

Highlights: Tour details:
This amazing 3 week tour allows you to experience the key marine turtle conservation projects in the Caribbean coasts of Costa Rica and Panama. You will be escorted to each destination starting your tour in Gandoca to work with leatherback turtles, then moving to Panama to work with leatherback turtles and manatees and ending back in Costa Rica with a traditional Reggae Night in Puerto Viejo.

Itinerary:
Includes: San Jose, Gandoca and Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica, and San San Pond and Bocas del Toro in Panama

Day 1 - Sunday: Alajuela
Airport pickup / Hostel

Day 2: Alajuela and San Jose
Orientation and Sightseeing in San Jose

Day 3 - 9: Gandoca
Volunteer at project working with leatherback turtles.

Day 10 and 11: Bocas del Toroa
Travel to Panama and stay in Bocas del Toro at a hostel for two nights. Accommodation and breakfast included, additional tours and meals not included.

Day 12 - 19: San San Pond
Volunteer at project working with leatherback turtles and manatees.

Day 20: Puerto Viejo
Travel back to Costa Rica and stay in Puerto Viejo at a hostel for one night. Visit a local bar for Reggae Night. Accommodation and breakfast included, additional tours and meals not included.

Day 21: Alajuela
Final Day. Arrive back in Alajuela. Accommodation and farewell dinner organized at the hostel.
End of Tour

Why go on this placement:
This trip enables you to combine volunteering with a bit of sight seeing. Over the 21 day trip you will get a chance to try your hand at two important turtle conservation projects. You will also have the opportunity to enjoy "la pura vida" (the pure life) in the very relaxed and laid back Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panama.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of placement:
You need to be physically fit to walk long distances (about 6km per turtle patrol) and the ability to swim, but above all you need the desire to help and get involved with conservation work.

Your role as a volunteer:
You will get involved in a number of different volunteer activities during the trip. Your role will be to get as involved as possible, helping the projects to protect leatherback turtles and manatees. Your volunteering will be for the majority of time to give you a good insight into conservation work protecting a turtle species that is almost extinct, as well as the unique opportunity to work in a manatee monitoring program.

Where the placement is based:
This tour moves around the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panama. Staying in Gandoca (CR) and San San Pond(Panama) and visiting Bocas del Toro (Panama) and Puerto Viejo(Costa Rica).

This is a small group tour with a minimum of 2 and maximum of 15 individuals on each date. Note: This itinerary is subject to changes due to circumstances beyond our control.

Please book your flight to arrive into San Jose Costa Rica (airport code SJO) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. Please note that you should book your return flight to leave from San Jose as well.

Please DO NOT book your flights until the tour has been confirmed by your Desk Officer. The tour will be confirmed at the latest one month before your project start date.

Cost in US$: $1702

Included:

    * Airport pickup / Orientation
    * 3 weeks accommodation
    * All meals while at project
    * Other meals as per itinerary
    * Tour transport as per destinations on the itinerary
    * Tour guide and tours / excursions as per the itinerary

Not included:

    * Flights, visas and departure tax
    * Excursions not described as included above
    * Meals not included above
    * Vaccinations and travel insurance
    * Tipping
    * Items of a personal nature (drinks, gifts, photos etc.)

This Program is open to World Wide Participants.

Participants Travel Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: Founded in 1994, i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 15,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 300 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994