Volunteer in Costa Rica: Pura Vida!
Experience conservation in the land known for its progressive environmental policies and rich biodiversity. Help protect the area’s biodiversity by participating in a sea turtle preservation program at the Pacuare Reserve along the Caribbean Sea on the eastern coast of Costa Rica and improve habitat for Resplendent Quetzals in the highlands.
Pacuare Reserve is hidden in a dense jungle forest along the Caribbean Sea. A quasi-island surrounded by the ocean and canals, it is a safe haven and conservation research site for thousands of animal and plant species. The Pacuare Reserve is one of the most important beaches in the world for the nesting of the vulnerable Leatherback Sea Turtle. The reserve is also home to the Agami heron, a reclusive and rarely seen heron of the humid tropical lowlands.
Project activities | Itinerary | Price | TRIP REVIEWS | Trip reports | Safety
Participants on the Costa Rica Volunteer Trip to the Pacuare Reserve will help protect endangered Leatherback Sea Turtles that nest at the reserve. Global populations of sea turtles have decreased significantly in the last 30 years. While there were once many species of sea turtle, only seven remain today, and all of them are either threatened or endangered, two of them critically.
Volunteer projects include late night and early morning beach patrols to locate, excavate, and relocate sea turtle nests to a protected turtle hatchery, working in and around the hatchery, and recording scientific data on sea turtle hatchlings. 
Other projects in the Reserve may include trail construction to access important habitat recovery areas and assisting biologists in data collection and surveys for 3 species of primates that inhabit the Reserve.
The group will also volunteer on projects which support Resplendent Quetzal habitat. These projects are in the highlands of Costa Rica in Cerro de la Muerte, where the group will collaborate with the community-based KABEK Families Pro-Quetzal Project. These project activities include building Resplendent Quetzal nesting boxes, planting vegetation for Quetzal food supply, and trail projects to access Quetzal habitat.
Because local conditions and the project needs continually evolve, please remember that detailed project plans are often finalized or revised after the group arrives and the trip leaders review the conditions at the site and consider the capabilities and special interests of the volunteers. Volunteer trips offer the opportunity to experience the land in a unique way not available to the average tourist.
Look through the tabs on the left for more details about the itinerary, price and gear list.
Day 1 Meet the group in San José, Costa Rica.
Welcome to Costa Rica! Our trip begins at 5:00 p.m. with an orientation where you’ll get acquainted with your trip leaders, local guide and fellow volunteers and get an overview of the exciting days ahead. Our group meets at a hotel in San José, Costa Rica. After the orientation briefing, the group will share its first dinner at the hotel (dinner and hotel lodging included).
Day 2 Travel to Pacuare Reserve
After breakfast, we will load up our gear, board our private bus, and travel east toward the Caribbean to Goshen Dock. Along the way we will stretch our legs while taking a guided tour of a banana packing plant. At Goshen Dock we will transfer to boats which will take us to Pacuare Reserve.
After checking into Pacuare Reserve Ecolodge, we will have an introduction to the reserve. Later, we will have our first experience with turtle census, nursery care & turtle release. (all meals and lodging included)
Day 3-6 Sea Turtle and other Projects at Pacuare Reserve
During these volunteer project days, the group will participate in late night beach patrols to locate, excavate, and relocate sea turtle nests to a protected turtle hatchery. Volunteer activities will also include a variety of tasks working in and around the turtle hatchery, recording scientific data, as well as trail projects to improve habitat access.
There will be rest time in the afternoons. During these rest periods, there will be optional activities including joining the group for a guided hike in the forest, an Agami Heron walk, a private canal boat tour, and a cooking class. (All optional activities, meals and lodging included).
Day 7 Journey to the Costa Rica Highlands
After breakfast we will transfer by boat back to Goshen dock, then journey by private van to the highland forest area near Cerro de la Muerte. This region is very likely the best place in the world for observing resplendent quetzals, birds so spectacularly beautiful they were considered divine entities by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. We will have lunch along the drive, then continue to our hotel in Cerro del Muerte and introduction to the Quetzal projects. (All meals and lodging included.)
Day 8: Support the Resplendent Quetzal
Our volunteer projects within the quetzal protection zone include building quetzal nests, helping with maintenance on trails used for quetzal viewing, and planting wild avocado trees – a favorite food for the quetzal. (All meals and lodging included.)
Day 9: Return to San José and complete your volunteer trip in Costa Rica
After breakfast, we will drive to the airport in San José, approximately 3 hours away, where the Costa Rica Volunteer Trip ends. You may board a flight home from the San José airport after 1:30 p.m. or opt to extend your stay in Costa Rica.
IMPORTANT NOTES about the Itinerary:
- Day 1 is the day you should plan to arrive at the meeting point for the trip. This may require departing your hometown one or more days in advance and traveling on an overnight flight.
- Before purchasing your airline tickets, please check with us to ensure the trip has the necessary minimum number of participants required to operate.
- Although we do our very best to adhere to the itinerary above, it is subject to change for reasons beyond our control, including changes in the local project needs, weather, and terrain conditions.
US$3,495 per person double occupancy for nine days; single room is $700 additional (subject to availability – see below)
(Note: Your trip expense may be tax-deductible. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page and consult your tax adviser for details.)
Price includes:
- all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 9 is included.
- all lodging is included. The lodging is double occupancy, unless a single is requested.
- all transportation as noted on the itinerary.
- gratuities for services provided to the group.
- project leadership and support staff
- group tools
- orientation and training
Price does not include:
- travel costs to and from San José, Costa Rica
- medical immunizations
- insurance (emergency medical and evacuation insurance is mandatory for this trip)
- excess baggage charges
- alcoholic beverages or soft drinks
- personal items
Payment terms:
A deposit of $500 per person ($600 for requested single) is required at the time of signup; final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. The payment and refund policy can be found here.
Group Size: 8 – 12 plus trip leaders
Our May 2025 Costa Rica Volunteer trip was the first time we offered the Pacuare Reserve Itinerary. Because this trip shares many features with our Costa Rica Pacific Coast itinerary, you may also want to read the reviews of our Pacific Coast Itinerary.
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Very different than the Pacific Coast trip. Both are very worth while.
The leatherback sea turtles were awe inspiring and it was a special treat to see the Agami Heron. Be prepared to be hot and smelly and rained upon but it's all doable. It was a pleasure to go up to the Cloud Forest and literally chill out.
Fantastic trip. Helping with recovering the eggs as the leatherback turtles were laying them (to return them to the nursery for safety from predators) - a once in a lifetime amazing experience. The scientists at Pacuare are so knowledgeable and patient, teaching us so much about the environment and wildlife there. And moving on to the highlands to help with the quetzals was the icing on the cake. An early morning hike (before we got to work) gave us the rare opportunity of seeing a nesting pair of quetzals, with the dad watching out while mom brought breakfast to the chicks. Incredible.
The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. The gear list has been created to help you in choosing your equipment for the trip. View the Gear List.
Our May 2025 Costa Rica Volunteer trip is the first time we are offering the Pacuare Reserve Itinerary. Because this trip shares many features with our Costa Rica Pacific Coast itinerary, we believe that the trip reports from the Pacific Coast itinerary may provide you insight into how our Costa Rica trips operate.
Please click on the links below to read Trip Reports from prior Costa Rica volunteer trips.
September 2024
September 2023
October 2022
October 2021
September 2021
October 2019
October 2018
September 2018
December 2017
ConservationVIP has always focused on our volunteers’ safety. Traveling with safety concerns requires some extra planning and flexibility both for trip leaders and trip participants!
To prevent illness or injury on the trip, participants may have to follow procedures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, methods for carrying and using tools and other site-specific procedures as instructed by the trip leader. More specific safety instructions will be provided on the trip.
Participants will also have to comply with any restrictions imposed by Costa Rica and their country of origin at the time of travel. While we know that the restrictions may change between now and the time of travel, we cannot predict what those changes will be.