photo credit: Hal Brindley

ACCOMODATIONS

2 nights at the Rosa del Paseo in San Jose, 4 nights at Delfines de Golfo lodge, 1 night at Cedrela Ecolodge

MEALS

7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners

NOT INCLUDED

International airfare, drinks other than water, guide and driver tips, a few meals.

ALSO INCLUDED

• Airport Transfers

• Private van & driver

• Bilingual guides

• All listed excursions

• Entrance fees

• Community activities

D A Y O N E | ARRIVAL

Please arrive into San Jose Airport (SJO) anytime today. You will be met at the airport by our guide and transferred to our hotel for the night. 

Sleep | Rosa del Paseo

D A Y T W O | TO THE OSA WE GO!

After filling our bellies with a delicious, local breakfast we’ll head out to begin our journey south to the Osa Peninsula. Upon arrival, we will have an orientation to the sea turtle project and be introduced on what we will be doing for the week. (B,L,D)

Sleep | Delfines del Golfo Lodge

D A Y T H R E E | SEA TURTLE RESEARCH

Today is all about sea turtles. We’ll head out in a covered boat to help researchers set nets to catch the turtles. Turtles will also be brought ashore to be measured, examined and recorded. You’ll be helping the staff with everything. In the afternoon, there is also time to swim and relax by the beach. (B,L,D)

D A Y F O U R | MANGROVES & CHOCOLATE

In the morning, we will join LAST in their mangrove restoration program by working in the nursery and planting young trees. Mangroves are critical for sea turtles as well as many other ocean life and unfortunately they have been disappearing year after year. In the afternoon you’ll get to visit a nearby organic cocoa farms and learn all about the origins and process of chocolate. (B,L,D)

D A Y F I V E | SEA TURTLE RESEARCH

Head out on the water again to look for more sea turtles to study and release. (B,L,D)

D A Y S I X | BORUCA INDIGENOUS RESERVE

After breakfast we will board our van and say goodbye to the Golfo Dulce. We will head into the Talamanca mountains to visit the Boruca community. With the help of local artisans we will participate in a mask-making workshop to see what goes into these incredible pieces. Tonight we stay in a beautiful eco-lodge surrounded by the sounds of the cloud forest. (B,L,D)

Sleep | Cedrela Ecolodge

D A Y S E V E N | FARM TOUR & RETURN TO SAN JOSE

Before we head back to the capital there is time for a farm tour around the Cedrela property. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the ecology and natural history of these tropical forests. After lunch at the hotel we’ll finish our 2 hour drive back to San Jose. We’ll have a celebratory last dinner together! (B,L,D)

Sleep: Rosa Del Paseo

D A Y E I G H T | DEPARTURES

After one last delicious breakfast it's time to head back home. (B)

LAST is a Costa Rican association focused on turtle conservation. Their mission is to create environments where humans and sea turtles can live together in balance. They have different projects throughout Costa Rica focused on nesting, tagging, measuring of leatherback, green and hawksbill turtles.

Through their efforts LAST is developing voluntourism projects that generate alternative livelihoods for local communities thus improving the overall success rate for a balanced environment for both human and turtle.

SEE TURLES

For this trip, Purposeful Nomad partners with SEE TURTLES, a non-profit whose mission is to protect endangered sea turtles through conservation tourism.

SEE Turtles protects endangered sea turtles throughout Latin America and the world by supporting community-based conservation efforts. They not only have conservation projects in Costa Rica but Belize, Mexico and Ecuador.