Costa Rica: Olas y Cerros
A 3-Week Exploration of traditions, culture and environmental protection
Proyecto Resumen
Immerse yourself in rural Costa Rica by living with host families in the valleys of Cartago Province, a farming region surrounded by rivers, mountains, and cultural heritage sites. You’ll join small groups of volunteers across three communities, learning how conservation, farming, and cultural traditions come together to shape sustainable futures.
Midway through the program, travel to the Caribbean coast for a 3–4 day excursion supporting sea turtle protection projects in a community nestled between the ocean, jungle, and wildlife reserves. Along the way, you’ll volunteer with women‑led organizations promoting rural tourism and environmental conservation, explore one of Costa Rica’s largest archaeological sites, and deepen your cultural understanding through daily life with your host family.
Capacitación y preparación
Empieza fuerte, mantén la confianza.
Explore projects offer a guided experience with support, so training equips you to engage respectfully and safely with your host community.
Voluntarios Nacionales:
curso en línea a su propio ritmo de 3 a 5 horas (aproximadamente un mes antes de la salida)
Seminario web sobre información del proyecto (PIP)
Familiar asiste a seminario web sobre salud y seguridad
Voluntarios del capítulo local:
Capacitación presencial del capítulo (feb-may)
Breve cuestionario de conceptos en línea (mediados de mayo)
Seminario web sobre información del proyecto (PIP)
Familiar asiste a seminario web sobre salud y seguridad
Ready to lead, ready to explore! Once you land, you’ll spend 3-4 days getting grounded. Orientation introduces you to local culture, daily life, and your community assignment. Project staff lead sessions on health, safety, and project activities and expectations so you feel confident and prepared before diving into the local community.
Closing strong, Carrying forward! In your final two nights, you’ll come together with fellow volunteers to reflect, celebrate, and prepare for the journey home. Debriefing helps you process your experience, navigate reverse culture shock, and wrap up travel logistics. It’s a supportive space to share growth and learn how to tell your story to family and friends.
Qué hacer Esperar
Vive más, descúbrete a ti mismo.
AMIGOS projects are designed to challenge and inspire. You’ll dive into hands‑on activities, connect with local communities, live with a host family, and experience life tech‑free. Every moment builds connection, leadership, and friendships that last far beyond the program.
A look at what volunteers do in the Olas y Cerros project.
- SERVICIO
- Trail maintenance, restoration, and preservation at Monumento Nacional Guayabo (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Civil Engineering).
- Farm work, including organic gardening and trail upkeep.
- Beach clean‑ups to protect coastal ecosystems.
- Partner with Local Youth Leaders (LYLs) to facilitate Recreos — fun, educational activities for kids — five days a week.
- CONEXIÓN E INMERSIÓN
- Take part in traditional milking and cheese‑making processes with local families.
- Join beach clean‑ups alongside community members.
- Participate in nighttime turtle monitoring and conservation efforts.
- Visit and volunteer at a sea turtle hatchery, supporting protection initiatives.
Los voluntarios desarrollan conexiones con las personas que hacen posible cada proyecto: familias anfitrionas, jóvenes locales, miembros de la comunidad, organizaciones socias, el personal de AMIGOS y otros voluntarios. Estas relaciones son fundamentales para la experiencia de AMIGOS, ya que crean un espacio para el intercambio cultural, el aprendizaje compartido y el servicio colaborativo.
Vivir con una familia anfitriona lleva a los voluntarios más allá de la experiencia turística, ofreciendo un genuino sentido de pertenencia en la comunidad. Es la manera definitiva de mejorar rápidamente las habilidades en español y construir relaciones interculturales que a menudo duran toda la vida. Con 60 años de experiencia, AMIGOS evalúa rigurosamente a cada hogar mediante visitas domiciliarias en persona, entrevistas y capacitación obligatoria sobre salud y seguridad. Los supervisores del personal realizan visitas de seguimiento periódicas y brindan apoyo de emergencia las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana.
“I was ready to do service, but I wasn’t expecting to make so many connections – from my host family to the other volunteers.”
A lo largo de los años, hemos observado que los voluntarios que optan por una desconexión digital total informan una mayor satisfacción, vínculos comunitarios más fuertes y menos casos de nostalgia o angustia emocional. Nuestra experiencia, respaldada por investigaciones emergentes sobre el uso de la tecnología y la salud mental, demuestra que desconectarse de los dispositivos permite a los voluntarios conectarse más profundamente consigo mismos, con sus compañeros y con sus comunidades de acogida.
Política Integral de Tecnología¿Tienes curiosidad sobre la experiencia diaria? Explora un itinerario de ejemplo para este viaje.
Seguridad y Soporte
AMIGOS prepara a los voluntarios con capacitación en salud y seguridad antes de la salida y orientación específica sobre el proyecto durante la sesión informativa en el país. Los voluntarios aprenden qué esperar, cómo tomar decisiones responsables y a dónde acudir en busca de apoyo si es necesario.
A lo largo del proyecto, el personal elabora planes de emergencia para cada voluntario y ubicación, realiza evaluaciones de riesgo periódicas y está disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana a través del Sistema Interno de Llamadas de Salud y Seguridad de AMIGOS, respaldado por un equipo de profesionales de la salud médica y mental.
Costo y Ayuda Financiera
Las tarifas del programa cubren todos los costos esenciales, incluidos el alojamiento con familias anfitrionas, las comidas locales, el transporte dentro del país, las excursiones grupales y una red de apoyo de emergencia 24/7. Qué está incluido:
- 3 weeks of immersive programming and activities
- Todas las comidas y el alojamiento
- Transporte dentro del país
- sistema de seguridad y soporte 24/7
- Antes de la salida y capacitación, en línea o en persona
Lo que no está incluido: vuelos, protección de viaje, equipo.
Más sobre aranceles y financiamientoNuestros precios transparentes y con todo incluido y nuestra ayuda financiera flexible opciones de recaudación de fondos maximice el valor para su familia.
Voces de los participantes
Preguntado frecuentemente Preguntas
Olas y Cerros is ideal for volunteers ready to step outside their comfort zones with a mix of independence and teamwork. You’ll split time between group lodging and host family stays, placed individually across three rural communities with peers nearby and staff support.
This project is perfect for students who enjoy outdoor work, walking, cultural immersion, and connecting with local youth — plus the unique chance to volunteer at a UNESCO World Heritage Site and support sea turtle conservation on the Caribbean coast.
You’ll spend most of your time in the volcanic valley of Turrialba, living with a Costa Rican host family and learning how culture, farming, and conservation intersect. Midway through, travel to the Caribbean coast for a 3–4 day excursion supporting sea turtle conservation.
Along the way, you’ll meet local organizations adapting their environmental protection efforts to the challenges of climate change and live like a local by joining in daily community activities.
AMIGOS has operated in Costa Rica for more than 35 years and in that time has built strong relationships with our partner agencies and host families. We are so excited to be continuing these relationships in the summer of 2027!
Yes! Receive college credit for joining this project! Learn more Aquí.
You can earn 60 service hours on this program.
You’ll experience both group and family living. At the beginning and at the end of the project, the whole group stays together in dorm‑style lodging. For most of the program, volunteers are split into groups of up to six and placed with host families — either independently or with one partner. An AMIGOS staff member is regularly present in the communities, ensuring support while you immerse yourself in daily life.
Most meals feature traditional Costa Rican cuisine — plates with rice and beans, meat or eggs, fresh vegetables, and salad. This project is vegetarian‑friendly, with host families and cooks able to adapt meals to meet dietary needs.
This project takes place in both the Cartago and Limón provinces during Costa Rica’s rainy season (June–August). Daily temperatures range from the low 70s to high 80s°F, with consistently high humidity. Expect frequent rain showers and afternoon downpours, especially in Limón’s Caribbean lowlands.
Cartago, located in the Central Valley at higher elevation (~4,700 ft), has cooler evenings and a more temperate feel, surrounded by mountains and volcanic landscapes. Limón, on the Caribbean coast, is hot, humid, and lush, with tropical forests, rivers, and beaches. Together, these regions offer a mix of cooler highland terrain and vibrant coastal environments, both rich in biodiversity.
Costa Rica has a lot of unique slang, here is a taste of it!
pura vida = life is good, cool
tuanis = cool
mae = dude, friend (used like “bro”)
brete = work, job
choza = house, home
AMIGOS uses an Asset‑Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, meaning service activities respond to the priorities of each community. For Explore programs, AMIGOS works with partner agencies and local leaders in advance to identify needs. Volunteers then join to support these efforts through hands‑on service and connection.
Past service activities have included:
Cleaning and revamping partner agency headquarters
Community or beach clean‑ups
Beautification projects (painting, planting, signage)
Working in community gardens
Reforestation and environmental conservation activities
Because service activities are prepared ahead of time, volunteers focus on participation and teamwork, building relationships with local youth while contributing to meaningful community efforts.
Ideal for volunteers who enjoy outdoor work and cultural immersion, the Costa Rica: Olas y Cerros project connects farming communities in Cartago Province with sea turtle conservation on the Caribbean coast. Volunteers live with host families, collaborate with local youth, support environmental protection efforts, and experience how Costa Rican traditions, conservation, and community life come together.
- Meet the health criteria for AMIGOS participation
- Receive required immunizations
- Be age 15–19 on the project start date
- Have taken 1 year of Spanish or the equivalent
- Passport valid 6 months after project end date
- Complete pre-departure training, online or in-person
