from 843€

Perfect 4.6rating (128)

Self-Sufficient Community Supporter

location
2 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Perfect 4.6  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Learn more about a healthy and sustainable lifestyle while volunteering in Costa Rica
  • Gain Spanish fluency by living and working with the locals up close
  • Become more passionate about our environment and the protection of our planet Earth
  • Immerse yourself in the relaxed "tico way of life," as the locals affectionately call themselves.
  • Visit one of the countries that is famous for it's friendly people, rich biodiversity and dream beaches

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

This volunteer opportunity on an organic finca in Costa Rica is ideal for you if you want to live a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with nature.

This volunteer opportunity on an organic finca in Costa Rica is ideal for you if you want to live a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with nature. Perched atop a hill with a view of the Orosi valley close to Paraíso, this nonprofit organization strives to inform visitors and the locals about ...

About the program

This volunteer opportunity on an organic finca in Costa Rica is ideal for you if you want to live a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with nature. Perched atop a hill with a view of the Orosi valley close to Paraíso, this nonprofit organization strives to inform visitors and the locals about sustainable living and the conservation of natural resources. Further the finca engages in organic farming, making use of medicinal plants, and preserving a diverse ecosystem.

The multinational group provides a range of initiatives that promote a way of life and means of subsistence that protects the environment and fosters a more positive attitude toward it. Among the work areas are:

  • Reforestation of agricultural land
  • Permaculture
  • Ecological plant cultivation
  • Cultivation of medical plants
  • Goat grazing
  • Organic food production
  • Yoga and meditation
  • Bio construction
  • Holistic lifestyle
  • Dance projects
  • Bee-keeping

The following four concepts underpin all of the projects:

  1. Natural resources (composting, self-cultivation, etc.)
  2. Sustainability (woodworking, recycling, cooking on solar power, using less energy, etc.)
  3. Health (vegetarian diet derived from herbal and vegetable gardens; body, mind, and spirit balance achieved through tai chi, yoga, etc.)
  4. Education and culture (exchange of cultural ideas and mutual learning)

Typical day

Farm work requires starting the day early in the morning when the sun rises. Then it is still fresh with pleasant temperatures to work in the gardens or stables. Volunteers usually start their work shift at around 7 a.m. after a strengthening breakfast. At around 12 p.m. lunch is serves followed by ...

Typical day

Farm work requires starting the day early in the morning when the sun rises. Then it is still fresh with pleasant temperatures to work in the gardens or stables. Volunteers usually start their work shift at around 7 a.m. after a strengthening breakfast. At around 12 p.m. lunch is serves followed by a siesta and time to relax. The afternoon work starts at around 2 p.m. for another 2 hours approximately. We would like to point us that working hours are subject to changes depending on weather, total amount of volunteers and current needs of the project.

As a volunteer you will be able to assist the community in various areas at the organic farm. Among the tasks are:

  • Organic farming
  • Forest and Botanical Garden
  • Taking care of farm animals (chickens, horses, dogs, and goats)
  • Performing tasks in the medicinal garden
  • Instruction on the environment
  • Helping out in the kitchen
Up to 35 people can be accommodated at once at the project. Volunteers contribute significantly to the team and are well-integrated into the project. You are welcome to bring in ideas and use your skills while working with the community. The group is always up for fresh suggestions on how to get better.

Free-time activities

The volunteer project is situated close to Paraiso de Cartago in La Flor. By bus, the nation's capital, San José, is roughly two hours away. "Paraíso" refers to Paraiso de Cartago in a literal sense. Located in the southeast of the province of Cartago, this heavenly city is well-known for its ...

Free-time activities

The volunteer project is situated close to Paraiso de Cartago in La Flor. By bus, the nation's capital, San José, is roughly two hours away. "Paraíso" refers to Paraiso de Cartago in a literal sense. Located in the southeast of the province of Cartago, this heavenly city is well-known for its dream beaches and picturesque surroundings. There are more than just beaches in the Cartago region; the lush countryside and perfectly formed volcanoes astound tourists. This stunning region can be explored in a variety of ways, including hiking, outdoor sports, and cultural events. 

The project site is situated at a higher altitude, contributing to the subtropical climate. The average daily temperature remains pleasant at 25 °C throughout the year. It becomes colder at night, just perfect for a good night's sleep. 

In their spare time, volunteers can enjoy exploring the stunning surroundings, which include hot springs, the Tapanti national park, and the tallest volcano in Costa Rica. Even an excursion to San José, the nation's capital, or to the beach is available to volunteers.

Additionally, you can participate in some of the project's nearby excursions for a discounted fee. This includes, but is not limited to, hiking tours to waterfalls and archaeological sites, and white water rafting.

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) or Spanish (basic level)

Required Documents

CV and Volunteer Questionnaire

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 from 07:00 - 16:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by South America Inside

  • Shared room in Volunteer House
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Advice from our experienced staff
  • On-going support via WhatsApp, phone or mail
  • Elaboration of your application profile in Spanish
  • Your placement in the volunteer project
  • Pre-departure information
  • Packing list
  • Country handbook
  • Intercultural guide
  • On-site volunteer coordinator
  • 24/7 emergency number
  • Advice on travel insurance
  • Certificate of participation

Accommodation

You will live in a volunteer house at the finca. There are shared dormitories and bathrooms available (single rooms may also be available upon special request and only if availability is provided). 

Cartago, the next largest city, is 45 minutes away by bus and offers entertainment and shopping. In addition, you can go to the natural hot springs or the Lankester botanical garden, which are both close by.

Food & Beverages

Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner with three healthy and delicious ingredients are included.

Internet Access

Good 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 volunteer program is up and running year-round and can be started on any day of the week.

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

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 843€
3 weeks 1,050€
4 weeks 1,257€
5 weeks 1,464€
7 weeks 1,878€
9 weeks 2,292€
24 weeks (max. stay) 5,397€
Average fees 323€/week

Program fees

323€ per week 2 - 24 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 24 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 South America Inside during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

South America Inside

Perfect 4.6 rating (128 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2003

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Marion

Spoken languages: Spanish, German, English

About the project

South America Inside promotes intercultural, linguistic and educational exchanges. Its volunteer programs are addressed to students, professionals and retirees.

Meet your organization

South America Inside is an intercultural management agency, founded back in 2003, which specializes in the promotion of programs abroad, language travel and educational programs throughout Latin America.

Since 2007, to enrich the experience of our global-minded clients and to provide them with even more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding their program offerings throughout South and Central America.

Working together with some of the best language schools in Latin America, South America Inside provides high quality language courses in almost every Latin American country.

Thanks to a professional team of motivated and friendly staff, South America Inside has been very successful over the past several years and have been able to establish an outstanding network of what we call "Insider Contacts." To enrich the experience of their clients and to provide them with more possibilities, South America Inside has been expanding our program offerings throughout Central and South America, in addition to our well-established Chilean programs.

Volunteer Work

Do you dream of staying abroad while doing something positive? Are you looking for a unique experience that will leave a mark on your life? Then a Volunteer Work program in South America or Central America is perfect for you!

With South America Inside you can combine an adventure abroad with social commitment, and create lasting memories in Latin America. Support the protection of endangered species; help a local community construct new homes; give new hope to impoverished children.

The possibilities to lend a hand are diverse, as there are the many places where help is needed. We have classified our volunteer projects in different areas so you can easily find the one (or more!) projects that best match your needs and interests.

Why with us

There are many persuasive reasons that speak in favor of South America Inside when it comes to selecting your perfect provider of language, study and volunteer travel abroad. Following, we have prepared a short summary so that you can get us to know a little better.

Our Insider benefits at a glance:

  Regional Experience
Over one decade (established in 2003) of dedication to language, work and study travel programs in Latin America. Thanks to our long standing work and life experience in the South American continent, we know this region really well. Therefore, we can help and inform you in a professional and competent way.

  Multifaceted Offers
Over time we have developed new programs to offer a wide array of work abroad opportunities to our clients. We have been pioneers in launching new exchange programs, as we have been the first in offering Work & Travel/Working Holiday and Farm Stays in Chile and successfully introduced these programs into the market back in 2005. Since 2012, we are the only agency to offer this type of program in Costa Rica.

  Insider Advice
Despite living in the modern era of the internet, we know that reliable and competent advice is still an important criterion for most of us. At South America Inside, you will find the benefits of an internet provider and an independent travel agency. We will be glad to pass on our extensive knowledge and regional experience.!

  Location
It is difficult to run programs when there is nobody “on the ground” to evaluate existing options and search for new opportunities. So, we are located in Chile, on location, and we know everything that is going on first hand. We know what it is like to live as a foreigner in South America and will be happy to assist you in making your stay unforgettable!

  Independence
South America Inside is an independent provider of language courses, internships, volunteer work, Farm Stays and Work & Travel programs in Latin America. We neither depend financially nor structurally on any other company, language school, association or organization. Therefore, we are able to give personalized information in accordance to your needs and availability.

•  Multilingual Team

Our team is multilingual and international! We speak fluent English, Spanish and German, as well as some French and Portuguese. With our customers, we can communicate in their native language and we avoid misunderstandings with local partners by communicating in Spanish with them. You can be sure that there will be an English-speaking contact person for you before, during, and after your stay.

  Customer Service
Excellent customer service is one of the most important goals for South America Inside, and this is evident with the positive feedback we regularly receive from our many happy clients. Emails are answered within 48 business hours and every client is treated with the same friendliness and expertise.

  Gapless and Accurate Information flow
With South America Inside you will have one and the same contact person before, during and after your trip. With that said, we guarantee a gapless and accurate information flow and you will always be very well informed.

  Approved Program Places
Many of our program places, especially in the area of internships and volunteer work, are designed in the way that they will be recognized by most universities, colleges or academies.

128 reviews · rating4.6

Mattia Malfanti rating5

2024 at Countryside School Assistant

Very good location and people. Really good organization and people are really hospitable. Peumal is a really good alternative school. I sincerely advice if you want help in an alternative school to go ...
Regina N. rating5

2024 at Help Stray Dogs

Die Arbeit gefällt mir sehr gut! Ich bin super reingekommen und fühle mich sehr wohl 🙂 Die Menschen sind sehr offen und freundlich! Herzlichen Dank! ...
Nathalie K. rating5

2024 at Local Wildlife Helper

Everything is alright. The family host in San José is very kind. I visited San José yesterday. This morning I arrived at the rescue center and it's amazing! It beautifull, the animals are so cute. And the volonteers are very friendly. Thanks for everything and have a good ...
Alex S. rating5

2024 at Help Stray Dogs

Mir geht’s prima. War ein langer Tag, bin daher auch gut kaputt 🙂 Sowohl Spanischkurs als auch die Arbeit im Tierheim machen sehr viel Spaß! Ich muss zwar all das bisschen, was ich an Spanisch kann, zusammenkratzen, um durch den Tag zu kommen, aber das wird sicherlich besser mit der Zeit ...
Stacey Garratt rating5

2024 at Local Women Empowerment Supporter

I have been travelling for 7 months in total and just had the most wonderful experience in Ecuador. I can confidently say in the last 6 weeks I have created my favourite memories of this journey in an all-encompassing way. Firstly, the program itself was incredible, I constantly felt supported, ...
Gabriel P. rating5

2024 at Community Worker for Children

Letzten Mittwoch bin ich in Libera gelandet. Die Reise war relativ lang und mit Verspätung. Nach 15 Stunden bin ich dann im Hostel angekommen. Ich brauchte einen Moment um mich dran zu gewöhnen. Ich blieb bis am Sonntag in Liberia und habe auch dort schon Leute kennen gelernt 🙂 Am Sonntag ...

Location

Americas > Central America > Costa Rica > Paraíso de Cartago

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Contact Marion
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Spanish, German, English

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