Discover
Costa Rica

On arrival, you will be met by your Gapforce Leader and transferred to your accommodation in Alajuela. After checking into your rooms, you will receive a welcome & safety briefing over dinner followed by an early night. 

After breakfast, visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest, where you might spot monkeys, toucans, or sloths. In the afternoon, tour LIFE, a fairtrade organisation focused on conservation, organic agriculture and low environmental impact energy systems. Explore the farm’s animals, organic garden, forest trails, and coffee plantation, with a chance to sample various coffee roasts. 

Your first full volunteering day includes learning about sustainable production and Life farm’s evolution. You’ll help with tasks like planting trees, collecting seeds, and working on the organic farm. After sunset, enjoy a guided night hike to spot Costa Rica’s nocturnal wildlife, including kinkajous, frogs, spiders, and many insects. 

This morning, finish your volunteer work at LIFE. After lunch, experience the high ropes course and zip lines through the canopy. Later, enjoy a guided walk along forest trails where your guide will highlight local wildlife and rainforest plants, making for an exciting and educational afternoon. 

This morning, explore the Monteverde cloud forest and biodiverse highlands. Afterwards, travel east to a remote beach in Tortuguero National Park to join our turtle conservation partner, helping with efforts to protect and preserve the local turtle population. 

Continue supporting the turtle conservation project by assisting local volunteers with beach patrols, hatchery work, turtle health checks, rescues, site maintenance, and habitat monitoring. Costa Rica is crucial for turtle nesting, especially Green Sea and Hawksbill Turtles, which frequently lay eggs along its protected shores. 

This morning, travel along the Caribbean coast to Puerto Viejo. In the afternoon, visit the Ara Project to learn about the conservation efforts protecting endangered Scarlet and Great Green macaws, supporting their future in Costa Rica’s vibrant ecosystems. 

Next, travel inland to a cacao farm in a Bri Bri rural community. Learn about the Bri Bri culture and how a mushroom fungus devastated cacao production. The farm staff will share the impact on the community and their ongoing efforts to revive this important crop and preserve local traditions. 

Today, help plant trees to protect cacao plants and learn about the plantation’s sustainable chocolate-making process. Spend time with local community members, sharing stories and building friendships. In the afternoon, travel back to Puerto Viejo, reflecting on a day of meaningful work and cultural exchange. 

Today, you will visit the Jaguar Rescue Centre for an inspiring tour. Learn about its mission, explore rehabilitation facilities, and meet rescued wildlife, including jaguars, monkeys, sloths, and exotic birds. Enjoy behind-the-scenes insights, observe feedings, and witness enrichment activities, all showcasing the centre’s commitment to animal care and conservation. 

Today we spend the day trekking in the jungle with local guides. Follow trails through the forest, passing waterfalls and caves, while spotting wildlife. Return to Puerto Viejo at day’s end for a refreshing shower and a well-deserved meal at a local restaurant. 

After days packed with discovery, it’s time to journey home. As you make your way to the airport and reflect on all you’ve experienced – the challenges you embraced, the landscapes you explored, and the people you met – you’ll realise how much you’ve seen and achieved in a short time. 

This trip will broaden horizons, strengthen skills, and offer a deeper connection to the world. Students return not only with memories, but with perspectives and experiences that will continue to shape their futures.