Costa Rica: Olas y Cerros
A 3-Week Exploration of traditions, culture and environmental protection
Project Overview
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.
Training & Preparation
Start Strong, Stay Confident.
Explore projects offer a guided experience with support, so training equips you to engage respectfully and safely with your host community.
National Volunteers:
3–5 hour self‑paced online course (about one month before departure)
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Local Chapter Volunteers:
In‑person chapter training (Feb–May)
Short online concept quiz (mid‑May)
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
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.
What to Expect
Experience More, Discover Yourself.
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.
- SERVICE
- 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.
- CONNECTION & IMMERSION
- 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.
Volunteers develop connections with the people who make each project possible: host families, local youth, community members, partner organizations, AMIGOS staff, and fellow volunteers. These relationships are central to the AMIGOS experience, creating space for cultural exchange, shared learning, and collaborative service.
Living with a host family moves volunteers past the tourist experience, offering a genuine sense of belonging in the community. It’s the ultimate way to rapidly improve Spanish skills and build cross-cultural relationships that often last a lifetime. With 60 years of experience, AMIGOS strictly vets every household through in-person home visits, interviews, and mandatory health and safety training. Staff supervisors conduct regular check-ins and provide 24/7 emergency support.
“I was ready to do service, but I wasn’t expecting to make so many connections – from my host family to the other volunteers.”
Over the years, we have observed that volunteers who choose a full digital detox report higher satisfaction, stronger community bonds, and fewer instances of homesickness or emotional distress. Our experience, supported by emerging research on technology use and mental health, demonstrates that disconnecting from devices allows volunteers to connect more deeply with themselves, their peers, and their host communities.
Full Technology PolicyCurious about the daily experience? Explore a sample itinerary for this trip.
Safety and Support
AMIGOS prepares volunteers with health and safety training before departure and project-specific guidance during in-country briefing. Volunteers learn what to expect, how to make responsible decisions, and where to turn for support if needed.
Throughout the project, staff develop emergency plans for each volunteer and location, conduct regular risk assessments, and are available 24/7 through AMIGOS’ in-house Health and Safety On-Call System, supported by a team of medical and mental health professionals.
Cost and Financial Aid
Program fees covers all essential costs, including lodging with host families, local meals, in-country transportation, group excursions, and a 24/7 emergency support network. What’s included:
- 3 weeks of immersive programming and activities
- All meals and accommodations
- In-country transportation
- 24/7 safety and support system
- Pre-departure and training, online or in-person
What’s not included: flights, travel protection, gear.
More About Fees & FundingOur transparent, all-inclusive pricing and flexible financial aid and fundraising options maximize value for your family.
Participant Voices
Frequently Asked Questions
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 here.
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
