Turtle conservation on a remote
tropical island? Yes please!

The Mighty Roar welcomes volunteers from all nationalities, religions and backgrounds. No previous experience or qualifications are required to volunteer and we look forward to hosting everyone who is willing to come and help make a difference and bring lots of positive energy.

We ask that all volunteers have a good level and understanding of English, although it does not need to be your first language. You of course do not need to speak the local dialect, but you will find learning a few words will go a long way.

You must be able to provide a clean criminal background check in advance of volunteering with us abroad. We're afraid we are generally unable to accept anyone who has any previous convictions, but please do get in touch so we can discuss this further.

Volunteering abroad can at times be both physically and mentally challenging, therefore we ask that all participants be fit in both areas. If you do have any medical / mental health conditions that you believe may affect your time volunteering, then these must be declared to us during the application process. If you have any questions regarding your suitability, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are hoping to volunteer with us in Costa Rica, then you will need to be at least 18 years old on the programme start date. If you are travelling to Costa Rica as a family (with at least one person being aged 18 years or over), then we are happy to welcome anyone from 13 years and up on the programme start date. Generally the average age range for our programmes is 18 - 25, although this is by no means definitive.

None of our programmes have an upper age limit and in the past we have hosted participants of all ages. We find that age does not play an important part of volunteering abroad, as everyone has travelled for the same reason and to make new friends. However, in saying this, we have found at times that our more mature participants have perhaps expected a higher level of accommodation or structure. We cannot stress enough that all volunteers should remain open minded and flexible.

Over the years we have hosted many volunteers across all of our programmes in Costa Rica and have obtained lots of feedback from everyone. The comments suggest that if you are looking for a large social experience then volunteering between June and July will provide the best experience. During this time we host our peak numbers across all projects and this is when we will be at total capacity in terms of the accommodation and numbers at the projects. Although we may not be as busy outside fo these months, there will still be a good sized group with many other volunteers to become good friends with - generally between 10 and 20 at a time.

The sea turtle season in Costa Rica runs from March until September, with your volunteering activities dictated by the time of year you are looking to volunteer. The peak nesting season starts from March until the middle of June and this is the best time to see sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. If you are looking to volunteer at the start of March, then we recommend choosing a 3 week duration or more, as the nesting season start time does vary during this month.

From the middle of June until September, many of eggs that are currently being protected at the sanctuary start to hatch, so this is the perfect opportunity to baby sea turtles making their way to the sea.

Please note that the above is just a guide and as you will be working with wild sea turtles, timings do of course change on a regular basis. No matter when you plan to head to Costa Rica, you can be sure of an amazing experience working closely with sea turtles and to meet many other people from around the world.

You are more than welcome to apply at any time for any of our programmes, with start dates available at least two years in advance. We recommend that you apply as soon as you know it is something you 100% want to do, to ensure the best chances of availability on your chosen dates. Many of our programmes have limited capacity and at times these spaces can get filled very quickly - this is particularly true for our peak period between June and August.

We generally recommend applying at least 60 days in advance to give you ample time to ensure everything has been arranged. However, if you are looking to volunteer sooner than this, then it should not be a problem. Please do get in contact if you have any concerns about arranging any essentials within a shorter timeframe.

Once you have applied and confirmed your place on the programme, then it is possible to amend your start date and / or duration. Any changes need to be made at least 60 days prior to your start date and are subject to availability. 

This is of course down to personal preference, however, on gaining feedback from previous volunteers we believe 3 to 6 weeks is the ideal amount of time to volunteer for. You will you be able to get fully involved with all aspects of the programme and integrate yourself within the local community. We regularly have volunteers come for 1 to 2 weeks that tell us they wish they stayed for longer.

You should arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose (SJO) on the day before your selected start date, therefore a Sunday. You will be met by one of our local team members or an appointed driver who will be holding a named sign and will take you to our accommodation in capital.

The programme ends on a Monday of your final week and we recommend organising any flights for Tuesday. Our local team will transport you back to the bus station, where you will then hop on-board a bus and make the journey back to San Jose - the same itinerary as when you first arrived. You will of course be able to stay within our hostel on Monday night and arrange your transfer back to the airport with our local team.

Yes of course! Although The Mighty Roar is located within the United Kingdom, we welcome participants from all around the world. Over the years we have hosted many volunteers from across the globe, including USA, Germany, France, Canada, Australia and more. We wish for everyone to have an equal opportunity to travel and help make a difference, no matter where you are from.

You are of course more than welcome to travel and volunteer with your friends, family members and / or your partner. If required, we can ensure that you stay within the same accommodation and volunteer at the same project - so that you are together as often as wanted. Our volunteer accommodation is on a single-sex basis, so if you are wanting to share a a room with someone of the opposite sex, we will do our best accommodate this. However, it would be dependent on space and logistics at the time.

The Mighty Roar was founded with the aim to make all of our volunteering programmes as affordable and accessible as possible, allowing this once in a lifetime opportunity to all travellers. If you really want, we will even allow you to compare our pricing with other organisations, charities and not-for-profits where you will find us significantly cheaper.

How can we do this I hear you ask? Well, it’s pretty simple really! We do not need big fancy offices, lots of employees or massive monthly overheads. Our small family team work from a cosy farm office and we have done away with out-dated glossy brochures, an unnecessary high street shop or plush office and because we are passionate about what we do, we don't need 10+ staff to handle all of the operations.

Each and every destination we operate in has its very own dedicated Facebook group where you can talk with past, present and future volunteers. This is the perfect place to ask any questions from previous volunteers and to also talk with other volunteers who will be volunteering at the same time as you.

You can request to join the Costa Rica Facebook group by clicking here.

Due to the remote project location, there will no opportunity to travel and explore the rest of Costa Rica while volunteering. However, you are more than welcome to extend your trip and plan to see Costa Rica either before or after your volunteer programme - we would be happy to help assist with your arrangements. 

While we can never guarantee your volunteer experience will be 100% trouble free, we have taken all of the necessary precautions to minimise all risks and to ensure all programmes are as safe as possible. Our helpful and knowledgeable UK team are with you throughout your whole journey, from answering questions about programmes, through the application process, providing pre-departure information, support while in-country and to answer any questions you may have on your return home.

A member of our UK team visit each and every volunteer programme we offer on a regular basis to rigorously check all aspects of the project - something generally not done by most other organisations! We experience every programme just like a volunteer would, from staying within the accommodation, helping on the projects, eating the meals provided and travelling the local area. By doing this, not only can we ensure everything is safe and running as planned, but we can truly tell you what to expect and can provide informed recommendations and advice about anything relating to your trip.

As part of our commitment to your safety, we monitor the stability of all of our volunteer destinations on a daily basis. We are in communication with the local embassies and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and we are also in constant contact with our overseas teams to ensure we can identify and act upon any problems immediately.

Every volunteer programme we offer has a co-ordinator and several key team members who will be in charge of ensuring your whole trip runs smoothly. Our local teams are made up of highly experienced individuals who have hosted international volunteers for many years. Everyone will be introduced to you during your orientation and it's these amazing people that will be on hand to answer any questions, deal with any issues and to help make any travel arrangements. Over the duration of your programme, we are sure that the local staff will also become your new best friends and will make your experience even more enjoyable!

With the majority of our programmes, a member of our local team or a trusted appointed driver will be waiting for you at the airport for when you arrive. Over the first day or two you will be given a full orientation that will cover things like emergency procedures, how to use the local transport, the do's and don'ts, local cultures and health and safety information.

Please do not forget that our UK office is available 24/7 in case of any rare emergencies, on the number provided within the volunteer handbook. Both our UK and international team's contact details can be passed onto friends and families and to ensure everyone has peace of mind.

In order for you to confirm your placement on one of our programmes, you need to pay the registration fee of £179. Your remaining balance for your programme fee and any weekend trips and / or optional extras is then due no less than 60 days prior to your programme start date. if you're applying within 60 days of your programme start date then the remaining balance will be due no later than 7 days after your initial application.

When paying for your remaining balance, this can be made in one lump sum or split into several smaller instalments - just as long as the balance is clear 60 days prior to your programme start date. If you have chosen to take travel insurance through The Mighty Roar, then this must be paid in full before the policy can be processed and made live.

We accept payments via BACS (bank transfer) or through our website using all major debit and credit cards. All details required to make payment will be outlined in our email communications with you and they can also be found within your online account once you have confirmed your place.

Yes, it is generally possible to use the majority of our programmes as part of your university or college placement. Since all placements have different requirements and parameters, we recommend that you speak to a member of our UK team to ensure that your chosen volunteer programme will be suitable. Any school / college / university representative is more than welcome to contact us to discuss further the suitability of our programmes and to ensure they are satisfied with all aspects of the trip.

Our UK and in-country teams are able to complete and sign-off any paperwork that is required before your volunteer placement begins, during your trip and upon your return. The Mighty Roar regularly receives college and university students on our programmes and have built up strong ties with many leading universities.

Although we do our best to keep our programme costs as low and as affordable as possible, when you add flights, travel insurance and spending money you may find that you need a little financial help. The money you and other volunteers pay for the programme goes towards the overall structure of the project and includes your accommodation, meals, airport transfers and support from our UK and local teams.

Consequently, a large number of our volunteers decide to fundraise for their upcoming trip. We find that the best way of letting all of your friends and family know about your volunteer adventure is to create an online fundraising page. The Mighty Roar have teamed up with GoGetFunding who are an online crowd funding website that many of our volunteers have used and have recommended in the past. You will be able to create a personalised fundraising page of your own where you can tell everyone exactly what you are doing and why you need some extra money (the more detail you go into the better), set financial goals and upload lots of pictures.

You can read some more advice about fundraising for your upcoming trip here. 

It is very difficult for us to give an exact figure for how much spending money you will need to take with you. The amount you spend is totally dictated on what you plan on doing during your free time and at the weekends. We recommend that you budget between £50 and £100 per week for general expenses and some independent travel. However, if you plan to travel every weekend and take part in many activities then you should budget accordingly. If you are on a tight budget, then we have had many volunteers come and not spend that much at all.

As we are not medical experts and have no qualifications or experience within this field, we are unable to give any advice about what vaccinations you should or should not have. It is important for you to consult with your local doctor or travel clinic to find out which vaccinations are needed / recommended. They will generally ask where abouts you will be travelling to and what activities you will be involved in. Additional information can be found on the NHS Fit For Travel website.

Our programmes in Costa Rica are run by a dedicated and experienced in-country local team. Robert and his colleagues are in charge of providing the overall structure for your stay, including the accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, in-country orientation and 24/7 emergency support.

All local staff have been fully vetted by our UK team and over the years we have built up a strong relationship with them. The local team provide a great framework for you to enjoy a unique volunteering experience with us in Costa Rica and they are sure to become your good friends, giving you a unique insight into Costa Rica.

Our volunteer accommodation in Costa Rica involves sharing a room with other participants on a same-sex basis. I'm afraid this means we are not able to offer a private room.

Our local team will do their best to cater for any dietary requirements you may have. Any dietary requirements should be provided on your application and re-iterated to the local team on arrival into the country. It is important that if you have any concerns for major requirements, that you raise these with our UK team before confirming your place on the programme.

It is important to note that we cannot guarantee that we can cater for all requirements. Consequently, there may be instances where you need to purchase alternative ingredients or arrange dinner plans at a third party restaurant at your own expense.

Day 1 (Sunday) - Arrival

You should ensure that your flight lands into Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose on your selected start date – being a Sunday. The airport pickup is available between 11am and 9pm and costs $32.

Upon meeting, you will be taken straight to our local team’s hostel in bustling Barrio Escalante. Known as the hipster area of San Jose, you can enjoy the dense concentration of gastro pubs, bars and cafes. You will spend your first night at our local teams hostel. This is your chance to meet everyone else volunteering at the programme, explore the capital and relax after a busy day of travelling.

Day 2 (Monday) - Travelling

Transport from the hostel on the first day of your reservation will be arranged for straight after breakfast at 8.15am. The journey to the bus station is 15 minutes and costs in the region of $5usd.
 

The bus for Bataan departs at 9am.

After travelling from San Jose through the spectacular Braulio Carrillo National Park, nature lovers are in for a special treat. On arrival to the Caribbean and after transferring to a 4x4 you will be driven through the heart of one of the many of the banana plantations to our small dock.

Here the adventure begins with a slow glide through the narrow canals and mangroves to the loud roar of howler monkeys. On sunny days it's possible to see 3 different types of monkeys including everyone's favourite cheeky swinging white-faced monkeys. You can see many species of birds, fresh water turtles, iguanas, Jesus lizards, caimans and if you are really lucky - crocodiles!

On arrival at the project you are greeted by the manager and given a health and safety induction and a general explanation of how things work.

You will be shown your accommodation and then usually turtle patrol training is quite soon after. You will be expected to work with the turtles on your first night as you are often replacing volunteers that have left earlier that day. It is a good idea to try to get a good nights sleep the night before arrival.

Day 3 (Tuesday) - Training and Volunteering

Breakfast most often involves excited volunteers sharing their turtle experiences from the night before.

Today is the day you will get your hatchery training which will allow you to man the hatchery guarding those nests that will explode with energetic little babies (hatchlings are present May to end of August).

Again your trainer will instruct you on the correct protocol to follow whilst volunteering in the hatchery. You and one other will be responsible for measuring, weighing and releasing hatchlings as they hatch. All nests need to be checked frequently and data has to be recorded accurately.

Hatchery shifts can be between 4 and 6 hours long. The hatchery is manned by volunteers on a 24 hour basis to stop predators getting in to the nests. Crying is allowed when you see the babies flapping madly towards the sea and their new lives!

At the beginning of the season volunteers are involved in constructing the hatchery, which involves a lot of digging, sand sifting and carrying buckets of sand.

Your Remaining Volunteering Time

The rest of your volunteer time will be made up of turtle patrols, hatchery work, turtle exhumations, lectures, dish washing, bathroom cleaning, raking, card games, sunbathing, language practice, swinging in a hammock, making friends with locals and co-volunteers, snoozing, reading books from our library, watching wildlife, hand washing your clothes, writing your travel blog, listening to the jungle noises or the waves breaking on the beach....

Last Day (Monday)

It is recommended that you pack your belongings in daylight on this day making sure you are all prepared for the 5am boat departure the next morning.

Turtle patrols are usually optional on a volunteers last nights but day time hatchery work will most probably happen.

A last chance to get your camera out and snap things like giant butterflies, iguanas and leaf cutter ants around the project and maybe a group photo with your turtle volunteer friends? A time to exchange contact details and say goodbye to fellow volunteers, locals and staff with the deeper knowledge that you all formed part of something truly memorable and worthwhile. 

You will follow the same route back to San Jose, so please read through the details provided for day one – just reverse them.

We recommend that you book your flights home or any other activities for the following day – Tuesday. Due to the route taken, there can at times be unexpected delays or cancellations due to weather and other factors outside of our control.

You are more than welcome to stay in the same hostel as on day one and this can easily be booked through their website or upon arrival.

The turtle conservation project is almost 4 hours travelling time away from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica and is located on the Caribbean coast approx. 1km north of where the River Pacuare enters the Caribbean sea.

The programme is situated on a beautiful isolated beach and right behind the project begins, what people call, The Amazon of Costa Rica, a mangrove rainforest, rivers, canals and lagoons. They form a unique area to visit and one can only get there by motor boat.

Conservation and protection is focused predominantly on the endangered leatherback and green turtles that come to nest in large numbers in this area of Costa Rica.

This is your chance to enjoy the remoteness and natural beauty of Costa Rica. 

As with most tropical destinations, Costa Rica has a dry and wet season, however, this is not such the case where our programme is located. As there is a host of different climates across this small country, the seasons will affect each region differently.

Because of this, we will just focus on the area around where our programme is focused. But please remember to Google the weather overview for any other regions you may plan on visiting once your volunteer placement comes to an end.

Several factors influence Costa Rica weather patterns, including seasonal temperatures and fluctuating trade winds.

Trade winds arrive from the northwest, carrying moist air from the Caribbean – bringing regular rain to Costa Rica’s east coast. You should expect some amount of rain each and every week, although this will generally come in short and sharp bursts.

Costa Rica is located just 10 degrees north of the equator, ensuring temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year. You can expect average temperatures of between 17-26˚C. 

We ask that all volunteers take the approach of a smart and responsible image during your time in the communities and on projects. It is best to also take some older clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.

Generally, it is best to avoid tight and very short clothing and anything that may have offensive slogans on it. It's recommended that you take some nicer clothes for weekends or any free time you may have.

We do not wish to impose strict regulations, however we do ask that you respect the local culture and do your best to adhere to the clothing guidelines within the volunteer handbook.

We aim to communicate as clearly and accurately as possible all holidays that may affect project availability and closures. However, holidays can often be sporadic or prone to change. We ask that you be flexible with regards to holidays and generally a holiday would offer a unique experience to enjoy in the festivities. Some programmes may not be affected by certain holidays, so if you would like to confirm any details please just let us know.

As it stands we do not foresee any public holidays that will alter the programme’s opening dates.

You will need to arrange your flights to and from your chosen destination and we will happily assist wherever required. When you first sign up to volunteer with The Mighty Roar you will gain access to your pre-departure volunteer handbook that will have all of the important arrival and departure details, including correct airports, dates and times.

We recommend using a flight comparison website like Sky Scanner. Not only will you be able to see the range of prices, but you can also see what airline and route / duration is best for your requirements and budget. Although we recommend booking your flights as early as possible to help ensure you secure the best price and required dates, it can also help to monitor the price over the course of a few weeks to see what the average is.

There may also be times when changing your flight dates by a day or two provides substantial savings, so this is always worth checking and bearing in mind. We may not be able to accommodate you within the volunteer accommodation outside of your selected dates, but can provide hotel recommendations etc...

If you are unsure about anything regarding your flights then please just get in contact with us. We are more than happy to check over your preferred flights to ensure they are correct with the requirements of your programme before you book them.

We strongly recommend that you do not make any flight and / or third party travel arrangements until your place has been confirmed via email by The Mighty Roar. Please note that we cannot accept standby flights, all flight details provided to us must be fully confirmed.

Whether you are travelling for 1 week or 6 months, having adequate travel insurance that covers your entire duration abroad is an essential and compulsory part of your adventure. Although The Mighty Roar does everything in their power to ensure each and every trip is safe, inevitably things can and do go wrong. Therefore, having a travel insurance policy in place will help you with any problems you may encounter during your time away.

We have teamed up with Endsleigh to create an affordable and comprehensive travel insurance policy specifically for The Mighty Roar volunteers. You can be safe in the knowledge that you have full protection if needed and that our polices cover all of your volunteering activities.

If you would like to purchase your travel insurance through TMR then you can easily add this on when applying under the optional extras page. Alternatively, you can contact us today to add this onto your existing application. Please do not contact Endsleigh directly, as they will be unable to assist.

We recommend that you organise your travel insurance as soon as you confirm your place. This will ensure that your pre-departure cancellation starts from the day you are accepted and will cover you should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason (such as illness).

You should ensure that your travel insurance covers you for the total duration of your trip i.e. from when you depart your home country to the day you return. It is important to note that our travel insurance is inclusive of your start and end date. For example, if you are volunteering for one week, from Saturday to Saturday, this is in actual fact 8 days and you will need to take out 2 weeks insurance to be fully covered.

For further information about our travel insurance, please click here.

In order for you to participate in any of our volunteering programmes, you will need to present to us a clean criminal background check (also known as a DBS or Police Check). This must be submitted and approved no less than 21 days prior to your programme start date. A criminal background check is a mandatory requirement for all volunteers aged 16 and over. We are unable to provide any exceptions to this, which is why it is important that you apply for one as soon as possible – at least 6 weeks prior to your start date.

If you already have a criminal background check that has been issued within 18 months of your programme start date, then you are more than welcome to provide this.

If you don't have a valid DBS check then you will need to apply for one. UK volunteers need to apply for a "Basic Disclosure" through the government website here. This costs £23 and can take up to 15 working days to process.

For international participants, we recommend you obtain a Police/Criminal Background Check through your local police station or official governmental body.

All volunteers will receive a comprehensive volunteer handbook that provides all of the information you need to prepare for your upcoming trip. This includes details on what to pack, how to obtain a visa, what to expect and so much more. With this in mind, it is really important that you read through the volunteer handbook carefully.

You will receive your volunteer handbook once you have confirmed your place by paying the registration fee. We will send an email entitled 'Welcome to TMR', which will include a link to your online account where you can access the handbook and other important details. Please note, all material is sent via email and hard copies cannot be sent.