Saving Sea Turtles In Costa Rica Eco-Retreat 2024
Join cinder + salt on a 9-day retreat to save sea turtles in beautiful Tortuguero National Park, an important nesting site for endangered green and leatherback sea turtles.
Explore Tortuguero by day, keeping an eye out for fascinating wildlife, or relax poolside with your favorite tropical drink. Opt in to the included excursions like canal boat tours, hikes and coconut cooking classes.
At night, volunteer with Sea Turtle Conservancy researchers on their sea turtle patrols throughout the nesting grounds. You'll see dozens of behemoth turtles emerge from the sea each night to dig nests and lay eggs.
When : Sept 7 - Sept 15, 2024
Where : Tortuguero, Costa Rica
*All volunteer work & excursions are optional - this trip can be as action-packed or relaxing as you want.
Highlights
- Work alongside Sea Turtle Conservancy research biologists for nightly turtle patrols & morning nest surveys on the beach.
- Experience a hatchling release of endangered Leatherback Turtle hatchlings pending hatching time.
- Navigate Tortuguero’s natural canals on a private boat tour & see all sorts of wildlife including spectacled caimans, southern river otters, dolphins, anteaters, toucans and spider, howler, and white-faced capuchin monkeys.
- Explore Mawamba Lodge’s butterfly gardens & on-site park on a guided tour.
- Visit the town of Tortuguero and learn about the value of the coconut industry in the area. Learn to cook coconut several ways with a private lesson.
- Spot sloths, crocodiles, toucans, jaguars and countless bird species during your stay.
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Volunteer Work
Nightly beach patrols
Work as part of a nesting survey team to help tag and record data about the nesting turtles. This includes measuring turtles, counting eggs, and marking nests. The presence of tagging teams on the beach also acts as a strong deterrent to poachers and egg collectors.
Morning nest surveys
Walk the beach in the morning to check the status of nests marked during previous night patrols. Look for signs of poaching & predation and keep an eye out for hatchling tracks!
Beach Clean-Up
Assist with a voluntary beach clean-up along the gorgeous black sand beaches.
Travel & Lodging
All in-country travel is included in the trip cost including pick-up and drop off at the SJO Airport. We will travel by van and boat to and from our destination. Tortuguero is only accessible by plane or boat. (:
We will be staying at Mawamba Lodge which is about a ten minute walk from the STC Research station, and less than 1 minute from the beach. All solo-travelers will be paired up (two occupants per room). You may request a specific roommate during the booking process, or for an additional fee of $275 you can have a private room.
Why Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is one of the most bio-diverse countries on Earth and their government has a strong environmental ethos tied into their liberal democracy.
This trip will be led by cinder + salt's printshop manager, Tin Lohr. Rachel DeCavage, owner of cinder + salt, has traveled to Costa Rica many times and believes that the country perfectly embodies the spirit of eco-optimism that we aim to project through our brand, and transports us to a pristine & wild world full of robust nature & awe-inspiring vistas.
Deets!
Trip cost is $2595* per person and does not include airfare.
Required $500 deposit to confirm your booking. Balance of $2095 due by June 4, 2024. Cancellation available until May 27, 2024 with $300 cancellation fee. No refunds if cancelled after May 27.
Additional Resources :
Photos from 2022 Trip
Photos from 2021 Trip
Download Costa Rica Travel Resources