Looking for more flexible dates?See our current dates
Looking for more flexible dates?See our current dates
UPDATE (For British Citizens): Costa Rica is currently on the UK Hotel Quarantine Red List so our plan is to add 10 days in a non-red list destination on your way home to the UK.
Introducing our off grid adventure around Costa Rica, reaching places, people and wildlife that are way of the backpacking route.
Chris has pulled in personal favours to make this happen and by doing this we are literally rescuing Natuwa Wildlife sanctuary from the brink of defeat, so it really exciting and hugely positive.
So, backpacks at the ready, you are off to embrace the Pura Vida of Costa Rica.
This is what we have planned…
Venture out to Costa Rica to experience a unique mix of wildlife conservation and exploring the National Parks.
Welcome to our Costa Rican road trip of exploration and contribution across 3 locations of contrasting environments.
The following is a sample itinerary.
Welcome to Costa Rica
Day 1
You will all be picked up at San Jose Airport and taken to the Rosa of America hotel to decompress after your flight. There is a little pool here, cute little bungalows and surround sound jungle noise so you will instantly feel the tropical vibe of this stunning country.
Rosa of America. 20 mins from the airport, cute bungalows, surrounding a little pool.
Supper included.
Explore the iconic National Park
You’ll be up early (because of the jet lag and noisy birds), so after breakfast and a quick swim you’ll start the journey to reach the vast and iconic Antonio National Park, where you will spend 5 nights living in a private finca on the outskirts of the park.
However, on the way, Chris has planned a little detour so he can take you all on a crocodile safari. Here you will hop on speedboats to cruise the meandering rivers cutting through jungle to see some massive crocs. Apparently, you won’t believe the size of these guys.
In the afternoon you will arrive at the finca which is set amongst a combination of pasture and rainforest. The new owners are keen to reclaim the land for new growth rainforest so he will be putting you all to work, to tend to his new perma-culture projects. Think tropical gardening. He is also growing a new plant which is used as a plastic alternative, so get ready for lots of environmental conversations.
This is what we have lined up:
Day one: Induction and hike around the finca with local guides.Day two: Day exploring Manuel Antonio National Park. Trek included but there is the chance to zip wire as an optional extra. (Budget about $60 - decide when you get there.)
Day three: Beach clean-up and perma culture day.
Day four: Waterfall hike – brace yourself to see one of the largest waterfalls in Costa Rica.
The finca comes with a pool, football pitch, badminton and volleyball – so lots to do and you’ll sleep to the noise of capuchin and howler monkeys. Take your ear plugs.
Single sex dorms, with bunk beds, western style WC and showers with hot and cold water.
All meals included apart from on the 2 x hiking days when you will grab something on the journey.
Saving the Animals
This is one of those very special places which has been on the brink of collapse through lockdown as they rely heavily on volunteer income to feed the animals and employ staff. They are delighted to have you all to stay, they had invested in their volunteer accommodation just before the pandemic hit so they can’t believe their luck to get Chris’s phone call. Animals saved from being put down – literally, an amazing stroke of fate to help this project.
I visited this place last year and it is incredible – the wildlife is spectacular and the work you will do invaluable. Expect to see more tropical birds, panthers, jaguars, sloths, than you can shake a stick at, you name it ...it’s here.
Here we plan for you all to be split up into smaller groups to tackle the:
The plan is that you will have 4 days working, one day off at the beach. 4 days working.
You will be living in their volunteer accommodation which consists of a long house style bungalow, with a communal hang out area.It is rustic, remote but very special. It is a non- smoking, no alcohol policy on site.In the evenings it will be possible to pop up to the local village for a change of scene.
All meals included apart from lunch on the beach day.
Beach Time and Turtles
So, you've explored the jungle, helped the wildlife now it’s time to hit the beach and find the turtles. Samara is one of those cool, hip local hangouts with a great surfing vibe.
What we have planned here is to stay beach side for the last 10 days but within this time you will nip off for 3 nights to live and work in the Bueno Vista Turtle Sanctuary. They can only take 12 at a time so you will split into two teams and head out back to back.
Whilst you’re at the beach – you will have some down time, 2 x surf lessons and a spot of yoga thrown in for good measure.
AVSO is one of Costa Rica’s main wildlife conservation NGO’s. Their Bueno Vista base is focused on turtle conservation who need our help to protect the eggs and hatchlings of Olive Ridley, Black Turtle, Hawksbill and Leatherback species, who visit this ‘semi-intensive’ nesting beach at night to nest.
The principle objective is to protect adult female turtles and their nests, from human predators and wildlife, natural events such as beach erosion and flooding due to high amounts of rainfall in nesting season. This is achieved by the construction of a ‘hatchery’.
Here you will work between 4 and 6 hours per day with occasional night shifts.
Typical jobs will include; maintenance of infrastructure and surroundings, beach cleaning, night patrols to look for nesting female turtles (in season), transport of food and water, collection of data and releasing baby turtles into the ocean.
We are also trying to protect them from the effects of plastic in the ocean, so the beach clean ups are vital.
At the end of this phase you will be transported back to San Jose for your flight home or to Santa Teresa is you are completing our Spanish and Surfing program.
Samara beach – hip little beach side hostel.
Bueno Vista – you’ll live in a very rustic bungalow – one large mixed dorm, with basic showers and WC. Rustic but functional!
Samara – Breakfast and lunch included. Supper will be extra in one of the beach side cafes.
Bueno Vista – 3 meals a day provided.
Travelling to a Red List Country
We want to reassure people that whilst the UK has added Costa Rica to a red list we closely monitor the covid situation and have effective covid safety policies in place and whilst covid is a risk in any country it’s not hampering our ability to safely run the program and not affecting any activity.
Whilst the rates have recently increased in Costa Rica, rates are steadily dropping and their vaccination rate is being effectively rolled out – they have vaccinated approx. 29% of the population (1 st dose).
The government have taken local initiatives to reduce covid numbers, such as maintaining a curfew from 9PM and closing various establishments that do not abide by their covid laws. These initiatives are working. None of these restrictions stop us from delivering the program or itinerary and with a like-minded team of people at the camp, being back in camp before 9 PM doesn’t affect the ability to socialise in camp either.
Costa Rica has an excellent medical system and there is no risk of lack of beds in hospitals especially in the numerous private hospitals which would be the hospitals that Leapers use through their travel insurance.
They have an effective trace system and no known variants of concern (that we are aware of). All of which surprises us that the UK government has made this decision.
The Costa Rica government welcome UK travellers who comply with their entry requirements and they are made very welcome in our project locations by the communities who are so pleased with the help that Leapers are providing, not just to the projects we support but also to the local economy.
To minimise risk, we provide comprehensive covid safety protocols (risk management) pre departure outlined in the placement guidelines, in our briefings and on the website and during the program we carry out induction briefings, provide safety instructions: hygiene/washing etc to comply with any local laws (social distance, curfews etc).
Much of the program takes place outside in well ventilated spaces in a warm climate, all of which significantly reduce the transmission of covid.
In the six months we have been successfully sent volunteers to Costa Rica we have not had one Leaper become seriously ill or hospitalized due to covid.
To safely and responsibly avoid UK hotel quarantine, we add on 11 nights in an amber country on the way home.
Flying to another country for 11 nights is also safe as its based on complying with that countries entry requirement (such as a negative PCR test) before you can enter.
We will continue to run our programs for those who would like to go and will endeavour to find safe and responsible solutions to get you home.
Social Bubble
The Leap team and staff in the camp will create a social bubble. Handwash and cough and sneeze protocol as stipulated by WHO will be respected.
When outside the accommodation in each location, everyone will have to respect the social distancing rules and wear masks when they are in shops, cafes and supermarkets.
Airport Transfers
The whole team will be picked up in our sanitized air-conditioned minivans, with support vehicles for luggage. The drivers will all be part of the volunteer bubble.
Symptoms - Sick Bay
Anyone showing any mild symptoms will be housed in separate accommodation in each location. If we feel the symptoms are Covid related Chris will get the patient and team tested and protect everyone accordingly.
If someone tests positive, we will follow the government regulations, but this will involve isolating the whole group for 8 days to make sure no one else gets sick. In this case we will make sure everyone is kept busy with projects in the phase, before moving to the next phase.
This program is lead by our experienced Costa Rican team and is hugely popular as it is dynamic, challenging and fun. We have several departures throughout the year, and have built a special Costa Rica Mexico fusion program for July - please get in contact with zoe@theleap.co.uk for more information.
Programs start on:
24-hour emergency back-up, management and support by UK team and in-country Placement Manager and English-speaking guide, with reliable communications and infrastructure.
Safety and induction course upon arrival.
Accommodation throughout
Group leaders throughout
2 surfing classes
1 x yoga lesson
Crocodile safari
Entry and Guided tour of Antonio Manuel National Park
Entry and guided tour of Waterfall tour.
Beach trips
Airport pick-up and drop off at the end and transfer to and from the projects
Food as described.
Please note: The Leap help co-ordinate flights.
Live in one of the most iconic National Parks in the world.
Team of 24 volunteers, who come from all over the world, so it's busy and fun.
Help save the wildlife center.
Three different environments to explore.
Free time
You will have free time interwoven into your 4 week.
Backpacker favourites:
This program is run by the dynamic Chris Patterson who has been our Costa Rican partner for over 10 years.
Chris has run travel and Spanish courses since the 1990’s and has become increasingly passionate about the crisis of plastic waste in our waters and the damage it is doing. Seeing dolphins and turtles time and time again, washed up on the shoreline wrapped up in discarded fishing nets was enough to break him into action.
So, Chris now welcomes volunteers into his home, lovingly named the Jungle Surf Camp, who will set about learning Spanish with the aim to get out into the community to bang the drum about plastic. Backed by the Oceans of Plastic campaign and documentaries he wants our leapers to teach, explain and steer changing attitudes.
In addition to teh above Chris has planned this adventure for us, in response to the demand of gap year students who want to travel responsibly.
Have a read of what our Leapers have been getting up to...
So the first week of our stay in Costa Rica at Jakera is done. In my opinion I feel it has gone slowly but for others it’s gone quite fast. Our first day was just travelling from the airport to Jakera. It was a LONG journey, mini bus then a ferry and then a mini bus again. But the next day was great it was a free day but most of us all went out to watch the sunset and for dinner. The sunset here is so beautiful!
A lot of us have tried various restaurants and some have been amazing and some not so much. But while we’re here why not try something new and not order a burger?
Spanish lessons. I’ve started to really enjoy our Spanish it’s so nice to be able learn the language whilst we are here. We have different groups based on your level of understanding but we all have them in the morning.
One of the projects we have been doing is creating signs for the beach on littering, recycling, no vehicles on the beach and rocky areas. To finish them it took us maybe 3 days as we had to let the paint dry so we could go over to outline it.
Our turtle watches. I’m afraid to say we have not seen any baby turtles yet as they haven’t hatched. We hope they will in the next day or two. We all take 3 hour shifts everyday from 6am till 12pm. The shifts were uneventful and slightly painful sitting for 3 hours with no turtles. But hey they will come some day!
We also have had a trip to another beach to teach some kids how to surf. When I say the word teach I use it loosely, we took them out spun them around and then pushed them when a wave came. It was a lot of fun being able to help them out and play with them though.
Hopefully we will see turtles next at Montezuma. Until then it was lovely chatting with you!
We began building our own turtle hatchery at Banana Beach in Santa Teresa on Monday. Jakera decided they would like to take on the mission of helping out the turtles themselves. With our shovels and rakes we cleared out an area and began digging as well as made signs for the new hatchery. We spent a couple of our mornings this week surfing. With the help of Chris, we rented a couple of surf boards, got up early in the morning and headed down to the beach. Since Henry surfs almost daily back home in California, he acted as our surf instructor and helped us attempt to catch a couple of waves. Also, this week Kat and I attended another yoga class. This one was also at sunset. The yoga classes always make us feel very relaxed and, while some of the stretches may be strange or difficult, it’s very enjoyable.
On Friday, as a group, we decided to take a short weekend trip to a town called Tamarindo. I was impressed to see paved roads and sidewalks. The first day we arrived, we didn’t waste any time finding a place to eat lunch. As we explored the new town and the new night life, we started the night off with a toast to our friends that couldn’t be there with us and to the ones that have already made their way back home. Saturday was spent relaxing at the beach and visiting the shops in town.
Sunday, we booked a boat tour on the river. Tamarindo is known for its crocodiles and we saw a few, we also were able to see monkeys, different types of birds and iguanas. To see the monkeys our guide had us get off the boat and walk through the jungle. We also discovered a new kind of insect this weekend. Our time in Tamarindo was a great way to spend the weekend and I felt that we were able to bond in a different kind of way than before. The next day would be spent going back to Santa Teresa for a final week before we all head our separate ways back home.
Monteverde has been a very different experience, since we got to work in a variety of places!
For the first week, we helped out at a local school with their gardening project. There were multiple different beds that needed work, as well as a cute car tyre garden that we created! The best part of that week was working together. The tyre garden came together from nothing with everyone helping in different ways. It was nice to have a project to work on from start to finish, and at the end, we left our mark, with everyone painting their hands and leaving handprints! We had lots of fun and did lots of work! The kids at this school were just as welcoming as the last school, and we played games with them during free time. The kids were always willing to help, and insisted on grabbing our shovels and paint brushes and being a part of the team!
In our free time, we got to explore the Monteverde Reserve, discovering beautiful overlooks and an amazing suspension bridge! It was wonderful to be able to actually get to know the trails that we worked on, and we loved the forests so much we went back for more, doing hikes over and over again and making sure everyone in the group got to see it.
Last weekend, we found out about some natural hot springs nearby and a group of us braved the long, slippery walk down to relax in them! It was definitely worth the hike- the view of the hills was incredible, and the hot springs were two levels high and right next to a beautiful waterfall. We spent the entire afternoon there, leaving right as it started to rain.
We’re very excited for our reforestation work next week, look out for more info and pics on it soon!
When we aren’t working, we’ve been exploring Santa Elena, finding great restaurants and ice cream shops! The area is beautiful, but walking the hills every day wears us out, so we’ve had early bedtimes here. The host families we’re staying with have been incredibly welcoming and accommodating, and we’re trying to practice our Spanish more with them!
April 2021
