Costa Rica, Turtles & Conservation

Feel the energy of Costa Rica’s capital, with its loud music, buzzing traffic and pulsing Latin culture. Dive into expedition life and meet the ground team to discuss your plans. Next, hit the markets to buy food supplies and a SIM card for the team phone (the currency is Costa Rican colones). As you walk around the city, discover the colonial architecture of the Barrio Amon neighbourhood, the eucalyptus trees in La Sabana Park and the famous ‘Teatro Nacional’ (national theatre). You could book a city walking tour or salsa class, visit the galleries and museums, or check out the souvenir shopping in the central market.

Travel to a special reserve that monitors turtles and educates local communities about conservation and sustainable livelihoods. This helps to reduce their reliance on turtle poaching. Learn about the green, leatherback and hawksbill turtles that live here, then head out on morning surveys to monitor their tracks. Return to the beaches at night to collect data on nesting turtles. Experience more with a canal tour, keep your eyes peeled for crocodiles, tapirs and jaguar tracks. After dark, head into the jungle to spot red-eyed tree frogs and poison dart frogs.

Strike south for Santa Maria de Dota, a mountain town surrounded by green peaks, coffee plantations and incredible birdlife. Get ready to calculate the carbon footprint of your expedition and offset it by planting trees near the town. You’ll be planting species that grow to produce food for native and migratory birds. Outside the tree planting season, you could get involved in seed collection, maintaining the nurseries and preparing the land. It’s a short transfer to your hostel. When you arrive, make any final preparations for your trek and get some rest, you’ll need it!

Boots on, time to trek. You’re about to tackle a four-day route that crosses the Continental Divide, a line of peaks that separates the Pacific Ocean watersheds. Wake up early and take a 4x4 to Las Rejas, it’s a stunning journey, with views of the Zona Santos valley. Hop out and set off with your guides, you’ll be trekking past creeks, canyons, jungles and waterfalls. You’ll have distant ocean views when you reach the high point of Cerro Flecha peak (1,705m). Spend a day and night with the remote Tinamu community. Explore the local area, have a go at fishing and help out with milking the cows. From here, it’s onwards to the village of Londres, where you can see how sugar is made. At the end of your trek, it’s a short ride to Manuel Antonio. Crash out at the hostel, you’ll sleep like a log tonight.

And relax, you’ve earned it. You’ve got a full day to explore Manuel Antonio and its national park, a wildlife haven with a beach-lined rainforest. Listen out for the calls of birds and monkeys as you head deeper into the park’s rainforested hills. Look up and spot baby monkeys and sloths in the trees. Fancy a beach day? Head to the golden sands of the national park, or hit a free beach outside the park, like Playa La Mancha. Return to San Jose for a final night in the city. As your trip wraps up, gather the team for a celebratory meal. Share your memories and set your friendships in stone.

After the best two weeks of your life, it’s time to travel home. Cram everything into your backpack and head to the airport. Check in, sit back and let it all sink in. You’ve just experienced something incredible. Costa Rica has opened your eyes and challenged you more than you ever imagined. You’ve fast-tracked your life skills and connected with locals; you’ve led your team and made new friends for life. These experiences will shape who you are and put you on the path to becoming a true global citizen. Prepare to return home forever changed.