Live with Indians, protect their wildlife - Costa Rica

Product Details

Live and work with an Indigenous community in pristine Rainforest

Costa Rica has it all - wonderful beaches, both Caribbean and Pacific,rainforests that spread right down to the edge of the ocean, enchanting people, exotic wildlife and some of the richest bio-diversity in the world.

Join a Leap team heading out to live and work in the wonderful El Silencio community carved out of the rainforest on a hill with views all the way to the pacific coast. The village is surrounded by pristine rainforest full of refreshing waterfalls and exotic wildlife. The village is about ½ hour away from the many pacific beaches famed for its surf and travelers atmosphere.

El Silencio is unique as it is a very successful cooperative community. It aims to become totally self sufficient and all income generated goes into a central pot from which each family gets paid just above the minimum wage. All the surplus income goes towards improving schools, water supplies, farming equipment etc.

Your experience:

The whole team will be 'adopted' by a Costa Rican family from this community. You will become totally immersed in their family life and treated as one of their own. Speaking Spanish is helpful but not essential.

During the day you will work alongside the community on all the village projects and on their various income-generating schemes which are either conservation or community based:

Community

Teach English, volleyball and football to the community children.
Teach local primary school children dance and handicraft skills.
Work at the local dairy and agro centre.
Paint the community centre.

Conservation

Look after rescued ocelots, monkeys and exotic birds at the Conservation Wildlife Centre.
Build feeding platforms, nest boxes and fences.
Reintroduce rehabilitated animals back into the wild.
Reconstruct bridges and trails.

Highlights

Our Leapers love the challenges involved with living with their new families and are generally amazed by the motivation and fairness of the whole community. They loved the work at the wildlife centre especially releasing the animals and birds back into the wild.

Time out

In the evening and at weekends you'll have your team to travel with...walks to the waterfalls and natural pools, white-water rafting on the Savegre river seem popular and at the weekends you'll be able to hitch down to the coastal hotspots to surf, fish, snorkel...

General info:

Team size: 10 - 12 volunteers per placement.

Departures: 10 or 6 weeks - January, April, September

July - 6 weeks only