Costa Rica: Nicoya Peninsula Turtle Conservation

Arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) or Liberia (LIN) and meet your program leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion and an introduction to the local culture.

Flights: Rustic Pathways is happy to book your flights as an optional add-on service. 

Overnight: Hotel in San Jose or Liberia

Depart to Camaronal Wildlife Refuge after a delicious Tico breakfast. Enjoy the beautiful drive over the mountains and along the coast, and arrive at Camaronal Wildlife Refuge to receive an introduction to the week’s service project with the turtles. After you get settled in and enjoy dinner, start your expedition with a night walk along the beach patrolling for turtles in the dark.

Overnight: Hotel Hacienda del Mar, Carrillo Beach (or similar)

Wake up surrounded by nature, gain energy from a tasty breakfast, and get ready to protect sea turtles. The next several days you’ll live as a Costa Rican park ranger and understand how important — and often challenging — it is to work on a conservation project.

This turtle expedition will involve nightly walks looking for sea turtles, working in the hatchery, and participating in beach clean-ups. All of this is designed to protect the turtles nesting on Camaronal Beach.

1. Night walks: During high tide and in the company of the park ranger, walk along the beach looking for turtles. If we’re lucky, we’ll see the whole process of turtles coming out of the ocean, looking for the right spot to lay their eggs, laying eggs, and finally coming back to the ocean. When a nest is found, the park ranger will decide if it’s necessary to move the eggs to the hatchery, and then plant the eggs in the hatchery.
2. Work in the hatchery: It is very important to keep the hatchery in good shape – things like airing the sand, raking the sand, cleaning it, and keeping the fence in good shape for stopping anybody or anything from coming inside and destroying the nest.
3. Beach clean-ups: All the labor is important in order to protect sea turtles, and beach clean-ups are one of them — removing garbage, driftwood or any other objects that can become an obstacle for sea turtles laying the eggs.

In your spare time, enjoy the natural beauty of the area with fun activities such as hikes through the wildlife refuge, walks through the forest to a river, soccer games on the beach, and surfing. On day four, take a break from service to take surf lessons.

Overnight: Hotel Hacienda del Mar, Carrillo Beach (or similar)

In the morning go ziplining above the trees! Afterwards, enjoy lunch and relax at the beach. Watch a beautiful sunset before gathering for an evening with your group. Dive into a post-service debriefing, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.

Overnight: Hotel Hacienda del Mar, Carrillo Beach (or similar)

After breakfast, travel along local dirt roads to visit a women’s cooperative where you’ll learn woodworking and traditional skills during an art class. After lunch, say goodbye to the beach and start driving to San Jose or Liberia.

At the program’s end, students reflect on their experiences and participate in the traditional Rustic Ties ceremony. This unique and powerful activity allows students to capture highlights of their program so they can share what they’ve learned with their communities back home.

Overnight: Hotel in San Jose or Liberia

Say goodbye to your newfound friends as your program leaders take you to the airport for your flight departure. We hope the people you’ve met, perspectives you’ve gained and lessons you’ve learned will serve you well as you head home.

Flights: Rustic Pathways is happy to book your flights as an optional add-on service.