Manatees Observation Supporter

location
1 - 23 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Good 4.2  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Feel like a part of a family at our small, local project!
  • Enjoy an amazing wild place with deserted beach, river and jungle!
  • Help our team saving and monitoring endangered animals!
  • Help and learn about the local community and biodiversity!

  • Live the real adventure in the heart of Costa Rica's Caribbean nature, while meeting like-minded people!


Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Take the opportunity of volunteering abroad in an amazing place! Our ecological goal is to observe and protect wildlife.

Come and join us for an unforgettable experience, the only requirement is adventurous blood!


The project Naturaleza Pacuare was founded in 2019 by local people and is also managed by them. Our goal is to preserve the ecosystem in a sustainable way, to support the biodiversity in our country. With the ...

About the program

Come and join us for an unforgettable experience, the only requirement is adventurous blood!


The project Naturaleza Pacuare was founded in 2019 by local people and is also managed by them. Our goal is to preserve the ecosystem in a sustainable way, to support the biodiversity in our country. With the help and cooperation of the local population, we have succeeded in creating an atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable and welcome. 


Our program offers a remarkable opportunity for volunteers to immerse themselves in the vibrant culture of Costa Rica. By participating in our program, you will have the chance to engage with locals, explore their traditions firsthand, and develop a deeper understanding of their way of life. Additionally, you will have the incredible chance to savor delicious local cuisine. Our program offers an invaluable opportunity to gain knowledge about the abundant wildlife that thrives in Costa Rica. Through hands-on experiences you will be able to closely observe and appreciate the rich biodiversity that defines this beautiful country. 


This program observes manatees through their migration and behaviour. Manatees in Costa Rica have become a national symbol, however, they’re not specifically protected. Manatees don’t have any natural predators, their only threat has been humans. Our aim is to collect enough information and knowledge about them in our area to be able to better understand and protect this amazing species.


You will need to bring a flashlight for the evenings. Make sure you also pack your preferred items to fight the heat and sun during the day. Pack a mosquito net for above the bed and mosquito spray. We provide bedsheets, but you will have to bring your towel.

For the observations, you will need to bring a pair of binoculars.

To have internet access - as we live on an island with limited signal - you will need to buy yourself a Kolbi SIM card. Worldwide data plans paid at your own provider won’t work, only the Kolbi Costa Rican line gets signal on the beach. You can buy and activate at the airport or bus station and it costs about $5. Make sure you recharge it another $5-$10 to make sure you have enough data for your time being here.


Typical day

We do observations from Monday to Friday, twice a day.

Your day will start at 6AM, with the day’s first monitoring activity.

At 8:30 AM, you will have breakfast.

After breakfast the first activity of the day starts which could vary from cleaning our beaches, maintaining our garden, to helping out ...

Typical day

We do observations from Monday to Friday, twice a day.

Your day will start at 6AM, with the day’s first monitoring activity.

At 8:30 AM, you will have breakfast.

After breakfast the first activity of the day starts which could vary from cleaning our beaches, maintaining our garden, to helping out locals with collecting and peeling coconuts, to name a few.

1 PM is lunchtime.

In the afternoon, depending on the mornings’ workload, we either do a second activity or enjoy free time on the beach playing games, reading, napping and on days when the sea is safe, we even enjoy a nice swim together! 

At 4 PM we go out to do our second observation of the manatees.

At 7 PM we have dinner.

Before going to bed we like to play some card games or maybe light a bonfire on the beach when we’re not in turtle season.


Free-time activities

In your free time you will be able to enjoy jungle walks, playing sports and cards with other volunteers, fishing, kayaking and even make bonfires on the beach, when we’re not in turtle season. You can learn the local cuisine while helping out locals and try out the typical dance types of Costa ...

Free-time activities

In your free time you will be able to enjoy jungle walks, playing sports and cards with other volunteers, fishing, kayaking and even make bonfires on the beach, when we’re not in turtle season. You can learn the local cuisine while helping out locals and try out the typical dance types of Costa Rica.

You can also organize trips to some of the touristic cities of Costa Rica, e.g. La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo, Monte Verde. The project also organizes day-tours to Tortuguero to go see the national park.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Naturaleza de Pacuare

 The fees are used to maintain the camp, buy food and materials for our day-to-day work.

Accommodation

Our volunteer accommodation features a range of basic amenities to make your stay comfortable. Constructed primarily from wood, it boasts two dorm rooms that can accommodate several volunteers. The house also includes a private bathroom that features a shower and toilet with the essential amenities provided. A kitchen is attached to the house from the outside where we prepare volunteers' meals.

Food & Beverages

We provide three meals a day.

We will be preparing a mixture of local and internationals meals to give a chance to our volunteers to get to know as much about cuisine as possible. We always have some cookies and fruits if you feel snackish during the day! There’s always water available but if you feel up for something special, you can treat yourself to some cold drinks at the local minibar, where you can also get some other kinds of snacks.

For breakfast we normally prepare e.g. sandwiches, pancake, or the local options, gallo pinto and empanadas. For lunch we like to go a bit light and have some veggies with some rice and fruits on the side. In the evening, we like making meals with rice and beans or potatoes, a meal with meat or fish for the carnivores, a veggie option for vegetarians/vegans, a salad or some pasta.

We are generally a vegetarian camp, meat is only served 2-3 times a week maximum. 

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose. We assist you to find cheap flights to Costa Rica. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Costa Rica provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Costa Rica you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Costa Rica. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

The best and cheapest way to arrive is by taking the bus from San Jose to Bataan. You can catch it at Grand Terminal del Caribe in San José center and buy your tickets directly there. There’s 2 options. There’s a bus leaving from San Jose at 7:30am, arriving to Siquirres around 10am. Then you can catch a bus at 11:15am from Siquirres to Bataan. The second option is the bus leaves at 2pm from San Jose and arrives directly to Bataan at 5pm. Bus tickets cost about 4000 Costa Rican colones. Then you catch the taxi from Bataan bus station (which is already pre-organized and waiting for you) to the boat dock for 10 000 colones. To finish off your journey, a 25-minute long trip by boat on the river which costs 25 000 colones, (12 500 colones each way) already including your departure ride. The whole trip all together takes about 4,5 hours.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 298€
2 weeks 596€
3 weeks 895€
4 weeks 1,193€
6 weeks 1,789€
8 weeks 2,386€
23 weeks (max. stay) 6,859€
Average fees 298€/week

Program fees

298€ per week 1 - 23 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

1 - 23 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Naturaleza de Pacuare during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Naturaleza de Pacuare

Good 4.2 rating (32 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2019

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Victor Alexander

Spoken languages: Spanish, English

About the project

Naturaleza de Pacuare, a local organization in love with nature works on biodiversity protection in the Carribean coast, to offer eco international volunteering.

Meet your organization

The project Naturaleza Pacuare was founded to 100% by local people from Costa Rica and is also managed by them. Our goal is to preserve the ecosystem in a sustainable way, to support the biodiversity in our country and to protect the sea turtles and others animals, some of which are highly endangered. With the help and cooperation of the local population, we have succeeded in creating an atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable and welcome. With the knowledge of doing something good and valuable, everyone should have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the world. We offer slow and eco tourism and international volunteering. Volunteering abroad and especially in Costa Rica is an opportunity to enjoy nature and wildlife and participate to animals rescue.

32 reviews · rating4.2

Christian Mittnacht rating5

2024 at Manatees Observation Supporter

For me, my stay at Naturaleza de Pacuare was the highlight of my trip to Costa Rica. I cannot recommend this project highly enough, especially to anyone who is passionate about nature. The project area is located remotely on an island between a river and the sea in a rainforest region of the ...
Jeremy Mathews rating4.8

2023 at Manatees Observation Supporter

This was a great experience for me. The staff, Alex, Enid and Barbara, were great and willing to cater to the type of experience you want. As long as you are aware that this is a remote camp and not a resort, you will be fine. Meals are healthy and hearty, and they will adjust if you have dietary ...
Kilian Deichner rating4.6

2023 at Manatees Observation Supporter

Sehr schönes naturnahes Camp direkt am Strand mit allem was man braucht. Das Programm war eine gute Mischung aus Freizeit und Aktivitäten und es gibt dort für jeden etwas zu tun. Ich war mit zwei Freunden dort, wir haben zwar keine Manatees gesehen, (dafür viele andere Tiere) würden aber auf ...
Lina Bagdzevičiūtė rating4.6

2023 at Manatees Observation Supporter

I voluteered for 2 weeks in the begining of March 2023 and the first thing that made my jaw drop was abundance of the wildlife around! Sloths, monkeys, huge fish, spiders, racoons, you name it! I have never been in a place that is so rich in terms of biodiversity, for me it was just a biologist's ...
Chris Cross rating4.4

2023 at Manatees Observation Supporter

I had a great time in the jungle with Alex, Barbara, and the other staff over my time in the jungle on the beach! They very much let me work at my own pace while being very accomodating! Alex and Barbara made the volunteering fun and tried there very best to get me to have a full and fun experience! ...
Abril Montes de Oca rating5

2022 at Manatees Observation Supporter

I highly recommend that anyone who has ever dreamed of feeling like in a documentary go to Naturaleza de Pacuare. It is not a luxurious location, you won't have the experience of being in a resort, this is not going to be that kind of experience. Instead, you're going to sleep in a rustic location, ...

Location


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Spanish, English

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