MARINE CONSERVATION & SEA TURTLE EXPEDITION

Fly into San José (SJO) where staff will be waiting to greet you with open arms. Meet up with your fellow travelers and get acquainted with your new travel cohort. We will stay one night near San José to recover from travel and use the time to get to know other students and staff, as well as our new country and culture for the next two to three weeks.

Wake up to the sounds of the native birds around our Home Base, then get ready for a welcome orientation before departing on our two-hour journey to our remote Home Base on the Caribbean coast, an ecolodge surrounded by an organic farm, built by one of our long-time program partners.

Spend your days exploring the lush surroundings of Home Base, spotting wildlife like sloths and howler monkeys, enjoying a boat tour through the canals and supporting local conservation through beach cleanups and environmental projects. At night, join turtle patrols to protect nesting turtles and collect eggs for safekeeping at the hatchery. You’ll also visit the nearby town of Parismina to meet locals, enjoy cultural activities and learn about ongoing sea turtle conservation efforts.

Please note: Sea turtle nesting on the beaches of Costa Rica is a natural phenomenon that occurs annually throughout the spring and summer months. While every opportunity is given to maximize the chances for GLA students to witness this phenomenon in person, we unfortunately cannot control or predict the exact time a turtle will emerge to nest or baby turtles will be ready to be released into the ocean and therefore we cannot guarantee that students on any specific session will see a turtle in person. However, the service work students do on this program has a direct and lasting impact on local sea turtle conservation efforts.

Conclude your final service project in Parismina before traveling to Cartago, where you’ll explore a new ecosystem and spend a day hiking through Irazú Volcano National Park and Costa Rica’s magical forests.

Experience the back roads of Costa Rica as we journey down the Pacific coast, including a ferry ride where you might spot dolphins. We’ll stop for lunch and visit the famous crocodiles of the Tarcoles River. By early evening, we’ll arrive at our next home base, located along the stunning Pacific Ocean.

Support local conservation efforts by building hatcheries, patrolling beaches and reforesting turtle habitats while practicing your Spanish with community members. Between service, enjoy adventures like hiking to waterfalls, exploring a wildlife reserve and kayaking through bioluminescent waters, followed by evening reflections with your group.

For 14-day students, cap off your journey with a thrilling zipline adventure before returning to San José for a celebratory farewell dinner and final reflections.

For 21-day students, continue south to Puerto Jiménez, stopping for a surf lesson along the way, and meet your new sea turtle conservation partners while exploring your final destination in the Osa Peninsula.

Work with a local sea turtle foundation in one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, restoring habitats, monitoring wildlife and supporting conservation through hands-on service. Between projects, hear from guest speakers, snorkel around Caño Island’s vibrant reefs and deepen your connection to the people and ecosystems of the Osa Peninsula.

Travel back toward San José for your final adventure and closing days together. Soar through the treetops on a thrilling zipline and enjoy a nature walk to spot wildlife and explore local flora. As the program winds down, come together for final reflections and leadership activities before sharing a celebratory dinner to honor all you’ve experienced and achieved on this unforgettable journey.

After breakfast and final goodbyes, head to the airport where GLA staff will check students in for their journey home. ¡Adiós!, or better yet, ¡Hasta luego!