Monday - Friday
07:00-08:30 - Breakfast
09:00-11:00 - Spanish Lesson
12:00-13:00 - Lunch
14:00-16:00 - Surf or Yoga Lessons
With the exception of Wednesday where the surf session or yoga lesson from 14:00-16:00 is replaced by a hike exploring the local area.
Weekends
Brunch. On weekends, there are always optional tours or you can have extra surf/yoga lessons (not included).
Monday-Friday
On Monday of Week 3, we will transport you to Cabuya to the Animal Rescue Center, where you will volunteer for the next 2 weeks.
Weekends
Brunch. On weekends, there is free time for optional waterfall hikes, beach time, weekend tours (not included).
During your first week with us, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday you enjoy a surfing OR 2 yoga lessons per day.
Surf lessons (approx. 2 hours) are delivered by a local professional surf instructor. As well as showing you the basics - or taking you to the next level - you learn basic safety principles taking into account local issues such as rip tides. Boards are provided for surf lessons. Additional lessons are available on request as well as board rental.
Alternatively, at the times scheduled for surf lessons you can enjoy professional yoga instruction. For a long time now this magical place has been a destination for yogis from all around the world. What better place to learn or practice yoga than on a wild beach with the sound of waves crashing on the soft white sand, or in our jungle lodge surrounded by lush foliage to the sounds of the river and birds? Many people come here every year to practice and teach yoga so there is a class to for every level from absolute beginner to advanced yoga.
Popular Classes include Yoga for all, Vinyasa Flow, Slow Flow, Ashtanga, Hatha, Deep Restorative, Relaxing & Mediation. You are invited to try a variety of forms of Yoga during your time with us. Class times range from 60 to 90 minutes and you can have up to 8 classes per week.
Each day Monday to Friday there will be 2 x 45 minute Spanish lessons (usually between 09:00-11:00 with breaks but subject to change depending surf conditions). Tuition is delivered by accredited and licensed teachers and on day one you will receive a short test to establish your level and objectives. These lessons will be tailored to suit all levels from beginner to intermediate and are designed to help you interact and immerse with the local community and enjoy being in a Spanish speaking country.
We would like you to enjoy Nicoya Peninsula - an area of outstanding natural beauty - so each Wednesday in weeks 1 and 2 we will explore our surroundings on foot. The first is a 2 hour ‘jungle river trek’ along a river that runs by Jakera Jungle Surf Camp and into the lush tropical forest that surrounds us. You will quickly find yourself ‘lost’ and wondering which direction the seemingly nearby beach is.
The second Wednesday we hike from ‘beach to waterfall’ to discover a multitude of waterfalls and rivers that tumble and twist through the rainforest and out into the Pacific Ocean. This hike helps us to understand how the whole eco system works. There is a huge range of flora including trees with specific medicinal applications. We begin to understand the beauty of this truly diverse location.
In weeks 3 and 4, you will support the animal sanctuary, “Sun Rescue”. Wild Sun is located in Cabuya, Costa Rica and borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve. Cabo Blanco is a pioneer of wildlife and environmental conservation, becoming the first protected area in Costa Rica in 1963. Situated on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, the reserve protects 1,788 hectares of ocean and 1,270 hectares of tropical forest that is home to many native and endangered species. This includes 150 species of trees and 240 species of birds, making this area an important habitat for wildlife.
Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Animal diet preparation
- Enclosure cleaning, maintenance and construction
- Making enrichment for animals
- Grounds maintenance and gardening
- Composting
- Sign painting
Hours of volunteering, schedule of the day
07:30 - Breakfast
08:30 - 11:30pm: Volunteer
12:30 - Lunch
13:30 - 16:00: Volunteer
18:30 - Dinner
During the weekends, there are a lot of opportunities to expore the area and try out different activities such as white water rafting, horse riding, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, whale watching, a jungle canopy tour etc. There is always something to do and if it all sounds too active, you can just enjoy the beach or pool.
Please note: Travel on the weekends, or any of the extra activities is at your own expense and risk. We cannot be responsible but, if anything happens, we will of course be there to assist. Please ensure that you have adequate medical insurance before you carry out any activity.
COVID Volunteer Requirements for Sun Rescue
The volunteer must present a negative Antigen or PCR test or proof that they have had COVID.
(If you are vaccinated, you must still bring proof of a negative test or previous infection and recovery). Must be performed 72 hrs before arrival in Sun Rescue, either by a doctor or in a lab/pharmacy which provides written or digital results. Jakera can help you arrange it in Santa Teresa for USD 80. At home tests or do-it-yourself kits are too inconsistent and will not be accepted.
If you have had a positive viral test in the past 3 months, and you have met the criteria to end isolation, you may arrive instead with documentation of your positive viral test results and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official that states you have been cleared for travel.
Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.
Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.
