Costa Rica Wildlife Sanctuary

We were impressed. From the moment we arrived at the sanctuary everyone was so welcoming. The accommodation was far better than expected. Two sets of bunk beds with an en-suite in each room. Luckily we didn’t have to share which was a bonus. Food for breakfast was provided in the shared kitchen. Lunch and tea were selected from a menu from the cafeteria. Plenty of choice for vegans and vegetarians as well. There is even a small swimming pool. Which the volunteers have access to. The work schedule for volunteers was interesting and varied. All of the instructors were so friendly and knowledgeable and passionate about their work. Our work included feeding the various animals, making enrichment puzzles then introducing and monitoring them. We were delighted to hear that over 3,000 animals were released back into their natural environment last year. I would advise that volunteers take a decent pair of wellies as access to some of the enclosures can get really muddy. You are given two days off each week, so we made the most of it and went and explored. We visited the most amazing waterfalls, national parks and volcanoes, we saw some wonderful wildlife. We were sad... We were impressed. From the moment we arrived at the sanctuary everyone was so welcoming. The accommodation was far better than expected. Two sets of bunk beds with an en-suite in each room. Luckily we didn’t have to share which was a bonus. Food for breakfast was provided in the shared kitchen. Lunch and tea were selected from a menu from the cafeteria. Plenty of choice for vegans and vegetarians as well. There is even a small swimming pool. Which the volunteers have access to. The work schedule for volunteers was interesting and varied. All of the instructors were so friendly and knowledgeable and passionate about their work. Our work included feeding the various animals, making enrichment puzzles then introducing and monitoring them. We were delighted to hear that over 3,000 animals were released back into their natural environment last year. I would advise that volunteers take a decent pair of wellies as access to some of the enclosures can get really muddy. You are given two days off each week, so we made the most of it and went and explored. We visited the most amazing waterfalls, national parks and volcanoes, we saw some wonderful wildlife. We were sad when it was time to leave as we thoroughly enjoyed our adventure. We were a little apprehensive about the trip as we are both 65 years old. We needn’t have worried we were absolutely fine. Although it’s a long journey from the UK.. Costa Rica Wildlife Sanctuary isn’t too far from the airport which is a bonus. We would highly recommend this volunteer experience. (Show More)

Volunteering in Costa Rica is a must. This was an incredible experience in which I learnt so much about myself and the incredible animals I worked with. From the beginning of the trip I was met with amazing airport pickup service by the lovely David and then greeted by the lovely Rossin who settled me in nicely. The facilities at the project are very much up to standard really enjoyed the house share environment, always find it is easier to make friends that way as well. I didn't know what to expect coming into this but I was very happy to find the lovely organisation of the timetable and being able to voice your opinion within the next week so they could cater to your choices. I was also very grateful that I got to work with basically all the animals at the centre so that I was really able to gain as much knowledge about each species as possible in my short time there. Not only this but the incredible people I got to work with, I have never met such lovely welcoming people. The managers go above and beyond in making you feel comfortable. Big shoutout to Rossin,... Volunteering in Costa Rica is a must. This was an incredible experience in which I learnt so much about myself and the incredible animals I worked with. From the beginning of the trip I was met with amazing airport pickup service by the lovely David and then greeted by the lovely Rossin who settled me in nicely. The facilities at the project are very much up to standard really enjoyed the house share environment, always find it is easier to make friends that way as well. I didn't know what to expect coming into this but I was very happy to find the lovely organisation of the timetable and being able to voice your opinion within the next week so they could cater to your choices. I was also very grateful that I got to work with basically all the animals at the centre so that I was really able to gain as much knowledge about each species as possible in my short time there. Not only this but the incredible people I got to work with, I have never met such lovely welcoming people. The managers go above and beyond in making you feel comfortable. Big shoutout to Rossin, Ellie, Ethan, Rachael for making my experience the best it could be with their amazing personalities. It is immediately obvious that they have such a strong passion for helping animals. For anyone who is even the slightest bit interested in animals or shares a deep love for animals I would highly recommend coming here. (Show More)

Overall, it was a great experience, and we enjoyed being part of the team. The tasks that we performed were not quite as expected, for example we did not really get involved with the feeding of the animals other than some of the macaws. The main tasks seem to revolve around creating enrichment for the feline, mammal, primate and bird groups or behavioural observations. This was very rewarding, but became a little repetitive, and it was easy to run out of ideas for the enrichment. Some of the managers who were overseeing us were very good at explaining what we were expected to do, why, and the outcomes that they were looking for. However, this was not across-the-board, and we have given feedback that this is an area for improvement. Unfortunately, there was little opportunity to carry out any work in the rehabilitation centre and so I think it is important when promoting this project to not get peoples expectations up that this is something they will be able to contribute to. The reasons are sound because they do not want the animals that are being rehabilitated to have much, if any, contact with humans. Although we were there for... Overall, it was a great experience, and we enjoyed being part of the team. The tasks that we performed were not quite as expected, for example we did not really get involved with the feeding of the animals other than some of the macaws. The main tasks seem to revolve around creating enrichment for the feline, mammal, primate and bird groups or behavioural observations. This was very rewarding, but became a little repetitive, and it was easy to run out of ideas for the enrichment. Some of the managers who were overseeing us were very good at explaining what we were expected to do, why, and the outcomes that they were looking for. However, this was not across-the-board, and we have given feedback that this is an area for improvement. Unfortunately, there was little opportunity to carry out any work in the rehabilitation centre and so I think it is important when promoting this project to not get peoples expectations up that this is something they will be able to contribute to. The reasons are sound because they do not want the animals that are being rehabilitated to have much, if any, contact with humans. Although we were there for two weeks, we effectively only had two days off as we had to count two of our travelling days as part of our time off. It would be useful as part of the project information to make suggestions around what could be done on days off, or at least have someone at the site who is knowledgeable on these opportunities. The accommodation was very basic but adequate and clean. It sounds like this will be improved by a move to a better location on site in the future. The food was reasonable with a selection from around 20+ meals for lunch and dinner. Dinner was provided in plastic cartons that then had to be warmed up in the microwave in the house. In summary, it was a very worthwhile experience and has provided some excellent memories. (Show More)