I’m so happy to have been able to join this ConservationVIP trip! From start to finish, our days were filled with meaningful work, new experiences, and wonderful company. As a team, we worked hard to construct turtle hatcheries in Punta Banco and to improve quetzal habitat in Cerro de la Muerte. We also enjoyed incredible experiences. We witnessed a mama olive ridley sea turtle lay her eggs, and we helped collect these eggs so that they could safely incubate in the hatchery. We released newly hatched turtles and watched them begin life by scurrying from the beach to the ocean. We spent time observing a breathtaking diversity of Costa Rican wildlife, including scarlet macaws, toucans, three species of monkeys, a sloth, and the resplendent quetzal. We worked in tropical heat and humidity at Punta Banco, and in cool mountain air at Cerro de la Muerte. We were treated to good food and were introduced to some fruits and dishes that are uniquely Costa Rican. Many thanks to Jim and Chris, our ConservationVIP leaders, Alex, our awesome Costa Rican guide, Sergio, our driver, who kept us safe and comfortable along our journey, and to my fellow travelers for an amazing nine days. To anyone considering this trip, I highly recommend it!

It only took a split second before I was reminding myself why I was in Punta Banco after stepping off that bus. I had to get my head in the game! I stepped into a world so foreign to my “normal” life! The heat and humidity, the birds, the monkey’s, the iguanas and the turtles - ohhhh those incredibly amazing turtles - a bucket list adventure of a lifetime for me with some truly amazing people - all there with the same mission in mind - save the turtles. My life will never be the same! After 5 days of hard work in Punta Banco, the adventure continued to the highlands altitude of 8500 ft. We worked hard every day of this trip to make a difference and to give back for the greater good.
On the second half of the trip we built trails, nesting habitat and planted avocado trees.
Humans are responsible for taking away some of this vital habitat for these creatures - It was so awesome to try to improve their odds for survival and relieve their burden.

Wow. What an incredible 9 days in Costa Rica with Conservation VIP. Watched a momma Olive Ridley turtle lay 124 eggs in her self built nest on the beach, and watched another 100 or so newborn OIive Ridley's be released to scurry into the ocean to a new beginning. Such a rewarding experience. All of us worked pretty dang hard for the cause. It was worth every sweat soaked shirt we created. We made a difference in Punta Banca, and it made a difference on us. And the Quetzal's! Built a nest, cleared a trail, built some steps, planted a bunch of avocado trees and saw several of these beautiful birds in the wild. A big highlight for us was the close relationship and connection Conservation VIP and our incredible local host Alex have with the small local communities and the people within them. We met and worked alongside some wonderful local people, even danced with a few. 🙂 We wouldn't hesitate to participate in another Conservation VIP excursion. Thank you Alex, Sergio, Chris and Jim! Loved every minute of it.

What a great trip. A wonderful way to experience the real Costa Rica while doing important conservation work. This was my first trip with Conservation VIP, but certainly won't be my last. As I write this review, I am still in Costa Rica, enjoying an extended vacation. The volunteer portion of my trip has surpassed my experiences as a tourist. After our work days, we had time for exploring the local flora and fauna. Our gude Alex was incredibly knowledgeable. I saw more animals and plants on our hikes with him then on the subsequent tours that I paid for! The work part of the trip was difficult, but incredibly rewarding. I have shown my videos of turtles hatching and being released to several guides here who have never seen this! So, if you want to have experiences that not even locals have, join this trip! BTW, you will have amazing homemade meals, way better than the overpriced restaurants in Costa Rica.

"Pura Vida" is a common phrase in Costa Rica. The direct translation is pure life. It means, everything is great, life is good, and nothing is worth getting stressed out about. That's a great way to describe this trip. This was my third Conservation VIP trip and like the others it was a fantastic and unforgettable experience. We saw some wonderful scenery in this Pacific Ocean side of the country. A highly knowledgeable and fun to listen to guide, Alex, was one of the highlights of this trip. His knowledge of the flora and fauna of this beautiful country was endless! His energy was contagious. I learned a lot about this amazing country. What makes this trip really special is the rare opportunity to see an olive ridley female sea turtle return to the same beach where she hatched many years ago and lay eggs. This takes place mostly at night and it's an amazing process to watch. It's amazing to think that these turtles enter the ocean newly hatched and over the years these female turtles defied the odds and return to their birthplace to lay eggs. We also had the experience of a lifetime in participating in a hatchling release. The project was helping a small and somewhat isolated Costa Rican village, Punta Banco, finish building a turtle hatchery. A conservation group made up from these local residents are constructing hatcheries along the shore. The eggs are collected and transferred to a safe, free from predators, hatchery. We had the unique opportunity to participate in the hatchling release where they are safely released to their new home. It is a rewarding experience working alongside these wonderful Costa Rican people. Working together for a common purpose and forming friendships that I hope will last for years to come.

Though I've traveled around the world, I think this trip had more impact on me than any other. To have the privilege to witness and participate in the mysterious and wondrous cycle of watching a olive ridley sea turtle come ashore and lay her eggs, to building habitat for the eggs safe from the dangers of predation and poaching, and watching the turtles hatch, to releasing the hatchlings on the beach and seeing them in a mad scramble to the ocean touched my heart and soul deeply. It connected me back to the sheer wonder of life on this planet, and how perfectly it has adapted itself to its environs.
The other best part, was working along with the lovely and dedicated Costa Ricans who have dedicated themselves to protecting the sea turtles that land of theses beaches. We parted, reluctantly, as good Friends.
And the last best Part is that ConservationVIP made this trip through Costa Rica easy and fun, arranging all the details with comfortable lodging, good food, transportation. and a fabulous Costa Rican guide, Alex, who kept us laughing, and amazed with his 6th sense for spotting wildlife. Our CoservationVIP trip leader Carol, worked behind the scenes to keep the trip running smoothly.
I heartily recommend this trip!

The trip to Costa Rica is not my first volunteer trip with Conservation VIP, but it may well be my favorite! Every trip I've done with this organization has been amazing - but this trip touched my heart in a new way. We witnessed a female Olive Ridley sea turtle lay her eggs in the dark of night, having traveled thousands of miles to find the beach upon which she was hatched. As the dawn broke the next morning, we had the incredible opportunity to watch as a new batch of baby turtles were released into the ocean to begin their own adventure. It brought me to tears - the full circle of life. The efforts of this little village of Punta Banco are helping to ensure the survival of these amazing creatures. Assisting with those efforts filled my heart. Planting trees for the macaws and putting up a nesting box for the Quetzel was frosting on the cake. As was the amazing birds and animals we saw thanks to our amazing guide Alex!

Going to Costa Rica was my 5th volunteer trip with ConservationVIP and that alone should tell you something. This trip far exceeded my expectations in every regard. Although I had the itinerary, read the reviews and had recommendations from former fellow travelers nothing prepared me for this wonderful experience. It was so gratifying and uplifting to work with the communities that we visited. The people were warm, welcoming and appeared to be sincerely happy to see us come and support their efforts of conservation. We got to experience their Independence day celebrations (9/15) at their schools and even joined in a Bingo fund raiser. Alex was an exceptional naturalist and guide who was eager to share his knowledge and love for his country. He was fun and so talented. With over 30 years of experience, he simultaneously educated and entertained us. Cergio, our bus driver who like Alex worked beside us throughout the trip was so helpful and caring, in addition to being an excellent driver. Every day was fun despite the hard work, sweat and a few minor muscle aches. The food was excellent and abundant. The accommodations despite the lack of a/c were basic and comfortable. Working with the sea turtle hatchlings was the highlight of the trip for me. Seeing the mama turtle dig her nest, deposit her eggs and then return to the sea was quite an emotional moment. It was surpassed only by later witnessing the eruption of hatchlings emerging from a nest in the hatchery, their subsequent release on the beach and their journey to the sea. Many tears of joy and awe were shed on this trip. I wish to thank Carol for her dedication , commitment and experience in leading our group. Her many years of passionate service to ConservationVIP volunteer trips is inspiring and contagious! Her goal is to keep us safe, get the work done and have some fun in the process. We had a super group of volunteers. Some new, some seasoned, some young, some mature but all were enthusiastic and hard working. We became more like a family than just fellow travelers. Overall, it was the trip of a lifetime and a unique travel opportunity that few have the privilege to experience. Thank you CVIP for providing this for us!