Overview
Dive into a Costa Rican ‘Pura Vida’ (‘pure life’, a national slogan!) by joining a team of Leap volunteers on a conservation and community project that will take you to the heart of amazingly diverse country. Your time will be divided between two incredible environments, the Pacific Coast with it’s palm fringed beaches, world renowned surf and rich Latino culture and the Caribbean Coast, a region of lush Tropical Rainforest, turtle nesting sites and African influenced heritage.
Experience real Costa Rican life and a mixture of exciting conservation and community projects. The first halfof your project willbe spent at El Silencio, a cooperative communtiy perched on the edge of pristine Rainforest about 1 hours drive from world famous beaches. Live with a local family and help villagers with their organic farm, ride out with cowboys, teach kids English and sport and care for El Silencio’s rescued monkeys and exotic birds in their animal rehabilitation centre.
After this you’ll travel as a team to Quelonios del Caribe conservation station on the Caribbean coast, situated close to Tortuguero on the mouth of the famous Pacuare River (which boasts the best white water rafting in Central America!). This area is one of the most bio-diverse locations on earth, home to over 400 species of tree and 2000 species of plant, where you can encounter jaguars, tapirs, river otters, ocelots, manatees, sloths and monkeys. Turtles abound in this region, and among those found nesting here are the Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, and Green turtles, which are threatened with extinction.
Your team will help to ensure the protection of these turtles as well as improving the quality of life for the local communities who live alongside them. You'll work along side conservation experts monitoring the beach for nests, collecting and measuring eggs as well as nurturing baby turtles before they are released back into the wild. In addition to turtle projects then volunteers will help at the community butterfly gardens, aiding research of butterfly development and species preservation, assist in self-sustainable organic vegetable gardens, as well as the construction of community trails.
Costa Rica really does have it all – wonderful beaches, both Caribbean and Pacific that are popular with backpackers, rainforests that spread right down to the edge of the ocean, enchanting people, exotic wildlife and some of the richest bio-diversity in the world.
How you help
Helping Who
El Silencio Eco-lodge, Elementary School of El Silencio Community, Pacific Wildlife Conservation Centre, Barra de Pacuare township and the turtles of the Caribbean coast
Helping how
Community
- Teach English, dance and handicraft skills to the primary school children at the El Silencio Elementary School and help entertain the children in the kindergarten – drawing, playing, singing songs etc.
- Paint community centres – school, church etc.
- Play volleyball and soccer with the local kids in El Silencio.
- Work at the Pacific dairy and agro centre.
- Work in the organic gardens of Barra de Pacuare township and help them to generate new food sources and livelihoods for the local community, to deter illegal turtle egg trade and improve local’s health. These projects include plans for fish and shrimp farming, composting projects including worm cultivation, animal husbandry via raising both chickens and hogs, organic and natural gardening.
- Help with trail building in the Caribbean Rainforest.
Conservation:
- Look after the rescued ocelots, monkeys and exotic birds and assist with feeding time in the Wildlife Conservation Centre at the Savegre River, El Silencio.
- Build feeding platforms, nest boxes and fences, reconstruct bridges and trails, clean cages and maintain the animal shelter.
- Based at the Quelonios del Caribe Station, assist wildlife experts in the protection and promotion of marine turtles on the Caribbean coast. This can include participating in nightly beach patrols, locating and cleaning the immediate surrounds of nesting zones, learning to track turtles, counting numbers of eggs found in each nest and relocate the eggs to a secure egg nursery, monitoring relocated turtle nests; monitor nest temperatures, freeing baby turtles for their initial journey to sea, taking biometric measurements of turtles.
- Assist in butterfly garden activities, breeding Blue Morpho butterflies. Keep the area constantly cleaned, collect cocoons, relocate cocoons to a safe “nursery”, tally the number of caterpillars produced, locate and monitor eggs and caterpillars in their primary stages of development
Eco-tourism
El Silencio has an eco-lodge where, tasks will vary from day to day depending on the host’s needs.
• Teaching English to the lodge staff.
• Maintenance of the lodge including the rebuilding of bungalow decks.
• Tending to the Medicinal Plants Garden.
Your base
Your Team
Maximum of 16 volunteers per departure. Anyone aged 18-27 can participate
Accommodation and Meals
Whilst on the Caribbean phase you will live alongside your team mates in Quelonios del Caribe Station, a large building with good-sized bedrooms and bunk beds. It has a power generator that is switched on for two hours per day, thus, cameras, phones and even laptops (!) can be recharged in your rooms. On the pacific phase you will stay with a family in the community, (one volunteer per house). The rooms and houses are basic but comfortable with a simple bed & wardrobe. You will have to share a bathroom with other family members and although hot water is available in some houses, it cannot be guaranteed. Most houses have electricity.
You will be well fed throughout your placement. A typical breakfast might be rice & beans, or scrambled eggs, cheese, tortillas with a hot drink. Lunch and dinners would typically comprise of rice, beans, vegetables with beef, chicken or fish. Spaghetti, chicken with vegetables, guacamole, different types of salads, tortillas, sweet plaintains and local food made of tubers. Drinks typically include tropical fruit juices, water and hot drinks such as coffee, tea or chocolate.
Local Towns
Londres is a 45 minute drive away and Quepos is 1hr away. There are internet cafes, banks, bars and restaurants in Quepos. The nearest town to Quelonios is Bataan, located 25 minutes by boat and 20 minutes by car, the Coastal city of Limon is a further 2 hours by road.
Wildlife
This area is one of the most bio-diverse locations on earth, home to over 400 species of tree 2000 species of plant and encounter jaguars, tapirs, river otters, ocelots, manatees, sloths and monkeys. Turtles abound in this region, and among those found nesting here are the Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, and Green turtles plus an array of exotic birds like parrots, cormorants, hawks and ibis.
Weather
Always hot and humid. The wet season is between May and November but in mountains and forests it can rain anytime. You can expect the mornings to be nice and sunny and rainstorms in the afternoons, lasting as long as an hour or more – you are in a rainforest after all!
Time In/Out
Time In
Those choosing a 6 week placement will fly out along with others who have chosen the 10 week option. You will all be met at San Jose airport and driven to a hotel for two nights in San Jose to relax, explore the city and get a briefing/induction from the Vesa staff. You will then be escorted by bus to the El Silencio community. At the end you will have a further one night in a hotel in San Jose.
6 week programme: approximately 2 weeks on each of the project phases.
10 week programme: approximately 3 weeks on each of the project phases.
You will generally work Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 12.00 then 2.00 to 4.00.
Time out
Weekends are free to travel and explore. There are daily buses to Quepos from Silencio which costs less than 1$.
Top Trips
White Water Rafting on the Savegre River (Class III), fishing, surfing, jungle canopy tours on zip wires (!), visits to the nearby beaches of Dominical, Matapalo and El Rey, horse riding and one day or overnight visits to the Manuel Antonio National Park.
Costs/Dates
Dates
2010 for 10 or 6 weeks
January 4th, March 30th, July 5th (6 weeks), September 2nd
2011 for 10 or 6 weeks
January 4th, March 31st, July 4th (6 weeks), September 1st
Once on the placement it is possible to switch from 6 to 10 weeks on receipt of the extra payment.
Costs
Up until 31st August 2010 Up until 31st August 2011
6 weeks £1892 6 weeks £tbc
10 weeks £2679 10 weeks £tbc
Includes:
Donation to the project of £80, and you choose how you want this spent.
Selection and briefing on all aspects of the scheme.
24 hour emergency back-up, management and support by UK team and in-country Placement Manager, with reliable communications and infrastructure.
Safety and induction course on arrival.
Host Employers Liability Insurance.
Airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement.
Food and accommodation throughout.
Not included:
International flights, internal flights (not applicable), visas, travel insurance, medical expenses (reclaimable through travel insurance), soft drinks/beer etc and independent/weekend travel e.g. food and accommodation whilst away from the placement location and any excursions not listed above. We are happy to arrange flights through STA Travel (ABTA 99209 & IATA 9122411) who are well known for offering good value.
Exchange Rates
Please note that as we are paying the project host in US Dollars to cover all in-country costs, and the cost of the placement is set so far ahead, if there is a big change in the exchange rate or fuel icrease then we reserve the right to increase the cost of the scheme, as per our Booking Conditions, but will absorb any minor fluctuations, and will give plenty of warning if we have to raise prices slightly.
Donation To The Community
Included in the cost of the scheme is a donation set at the level indicated above. We have agreed with the Project Leader that you can choose how, as a group or possible even individually, you want this donation to be spent ensuring you leave a lasting legacy. Given the average monthly wage is approximately £35 per month the donations do actually go far and in the past Leapers have paid for a child’s school fees, bought materials to build medical clinics etc or playground equipment. In addition to the donation the community use the remainder of the money we pay them on your behalf, to pay the host family and ‘pool’ the rest for the benefit of every family in the community.
