Program Directed by
Emma Smith
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Costa Rica
Marine Conservation from River to Reef
Travel to Costa Rica and dive into the world of marine conservation on this high school career program. Begin your journey at a sustainable ecolodge to learn about permaculture practices, then head to the Osa Peninsula to volunteer with a sea turtle conservation group—situated on a beach where hundreds of turtles nest each season. Get an inside view into the work of a tropical scientist, learn about and participate in research and data collection, and get up close with flora and fauna on hikes with naturalist guides. Next, head out to an outpost on Drake Bay, where you will snorkel the reefs of Caño Island and take hikes to look for creatures like frogs, kinkajous, and tapirs. Cap off your program in Uvita, and watch for whales in the distance off Costa Rica’s west coast.
- Highlights
• Assist researchers and volunteers at a sea turtle conservation organization
• Take a night hike through the jungle with expert guides
• Snorkel reefs at Caño Island and hike in Corcovado National Park
• Cruise the open ocean looking for signs of humpback whales and dolphins
• Take a night hike through the jungle with expert guides
• Snorkel reefs at Caño Island and hike in Corcovado National Park
• Cruise the open ocean looking for signs of humpback whales and dolphins
“I personally gained so much from the program. I made many friends, matured a bit, and even had a couple important messages to take away from the various experts I had the pleasure of working with.”
—Maya F., Blue Valley North High School, Leawood, KS
Featured
Expert
An Expert joins each Career program for a portion of the itinerary, lending their insights and perspectives to the experience.
Dennis’s passion for wildlife was born in Costa Rica’s rainforests, where birdcalls and mangrove whispers sparked a lifelong love of biology as storytelling. His early fascination with avian vocalizations led to a creative fusion of music and ecology,...
Dennis’s passion for wildlife was born in Costa Rica’s rainforests, where birdcalls and mangrove whispers...
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Note that the July 2 departure spends three nights on Drake Bay and two nights in Uvita, while the July 16 departure spends two nights on Drake Bay and three in Uvita.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your student travel group and one of your trip leaders in Miami, Florida, and fly together to San Jose, Costa Rica. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Mastatal — 3 days
Spend your first three nights at a sustainable ecolodge nestled in the mountainous forest in Mastatal, located halfway between the capital of San José and the Pacific coast, where Putney students have been introduced to Costa Rica’s biodiversity for decades. Get to know your group and leaders, participate in an in-depth orientation, and spend the first few days learning sustainable practices and permaculture design principles, exploring barely touched nature while you prepare for your travels to the Osa Peninsula.
Osa Peninsula — 4 days
Travel down the western coast to Puerto Jimenez, then continue by bus to a rustic outpost for conservationists. Your Putney Student Travel Expert will join you for this portion of the program, enhancing your experience with their insights and knowledge. Live like a conservationist in a sustainable camp and sleep in a dormitory surrounded by dense forests. Participate in nightly sea turtle patrols to assist conservationists and volunteers and look for tracks, monitor nesting sites, and check for nesting females. Interview local experts and learn about projects aimed at protecting turtles from human impact, light pollution, and changes in the marine environment. Work alongside your Putney Student Travel Expert as you make progress on your independent project.
Drake Bay — 3 days
Travel by boat along the Sierpe River to a research outpost near Drake Bay. Take a day trip out to the Caño Island Marine Reserve to snorkel and observe Costa Rica’s marine habitat, and learn about the country’s ocean conservation initiatives. Hike trails with conservationists and document bird sightings, then participate in a beach clean-up. Explore tide pools to look for miniscule marine species, and at night, fall asleep to the sound of the waves.
Uvita — 2 days
Travel back to the mainland and head down to Uvita, where you will stay in a cozy bunk room on the western coast with a gorgeous view of sunsets. Spend your final days in Costa Rica in search of whales from Marina Ballena National Park and soak in the sun at the beach in Uvita. Look for toucans and groups of spider monkeys as you trek through your hotel’s network of trails. Enjoy a final dinner with your group, reflect on your experiences together, and present your independent project.
Return — Travel Day
Fly from San Jose, Costa Rica, to Miami with your group and a trip leader, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Featured
Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
Featured
Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
What are the main focuses of this program?
Our Career Costa Rica program is focused on tropical wildlife and habitat conservation. During the program, students interact with conservationists, biologists, and volunteers with a passion for the environment, and contribute to projects centered around sustainability and the protection of local species. While on the Osa Peninsula, students participate in researching and documenting sea turtle nesting sites. Throughout the program, you will observe and interact with the tremendous biodiversity of Costa Rica as you learn about different plant and animal species, their behaviors, and human efforts to protect their habitats.
Will students have the opportunity to practice the local language?
Proficiency in Spanish is not required for this program. However, if you study Spanish in school you will have opportunities to practice while communicating with local people. If you don’t speak Spanish you will have the opportunity to learn some basic language skills.
What is an Independent Project?
All students on Putney programs pursue an independent project as a way to more deeply engage with the program’s themes or aspects of local culture that are of particular interest to them—in Costa Rica, you might interview locals about their relationship to sloths, write an in-depth report on the Olive Ridley sea turtle with help from your Expert and conservationists on Osa, or create an audio diary of the bird sounds from different regions.
What is the technology and cell phone policy?
To encourage full engagement and immersion in the Putney Student Travel experience, we limit the use of cell phones and other devices on our High School programs. Students are allowed to use their phones in transit to and from the program. During in-country orientation, leaders facilitate a call home, then collect and securely store all phones for the first half of the program. At the end of this tech-free period, leaders return student phones for the second half of the program. During the tech-free portion of the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our FAQ.
How physically active is this program?
This is a relatively active summer travel program. Students can expect to hike, snorkel, and swim during their time in Costa Rica. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities.
What are the accommodations for this program?
The group stays in simple bunkrooms at ecolodges and research outposts for the majority of the program and shares rooms in a comfortable beach hotel to conclude the experience. Leaders reside with students for the duration of the program.
What are meals like in Costa Rica?
The group takes all meals at our accommodations. Most meals consist of typical Costa Rican cuisine with dishes including rice, beans, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables, chicken, and pork.
What type of student is most successful on this program?
Putney’s Career Costa Rica program is designed for high school students (grades 9–12) who are interested in exploring the fields of conservation and environmental science and want to see what it is like to live like a researcher. The program is a good fit for students who are curious and passionate about the natural world, science and research, and hands-on, experiential learning.
What makes Costa Rica a good location for a Putney Student Travel program?
Costa Rica’s conservation efforts, ecosystems, and biodiversity make it an ideal location for a conservation-focused Putney program, and we have been offering programs in Costa Rica for decades. Approximately 30% of Costa Rica’s total territory is protected in national parks, and over 50% of the country has forest cover because of national conservation efforts. Costa Rica’s commitment to sustainability means that it is not only one of the most biologically rich places on Earth, but also a hub for researchers and conservationists to study and work. Putney students join in on existing projects to study and protect marine and tropical ecosystems.
How does the Career Costa Rica program compare to Putney’s other Career programs?
Our Career Costa Rica program enables high school students to study a number of different biomes in a short period of time, including tropical rainforest, mangrove forest and estuaries, and coastal marine areas. The biodiversity and opportunity to contribute to research efforts on the Osa peninsula is unparalleled!
Do students need prior experience or specific skills to join this program?
Students don’t need any prior experience or specific skills to join our Costa Rica program. The program is intentionally designed to be accessible to beginners seeking an introduction to conservation and biology. Students should also come with an open mind, a willingness to try new things, and the ability to participate positively in a supportive, small-group environment.
Leaders and local experts teach all the necessary skills along the way, so students build confidence as they go. In other words, you don’t need a background in conservation, biology, or environmental science—you just need to be open, engaged, and excited to learn about all things environmental in Costa Rica!
What outcomes, skills, or growth can students expect to gain from this experience?
Students can expect to walk away from this experience with practical experience in field research and conservation, a deeper knowledge of a variety of plant and animal species, insights into the history of conservation in Costa Rica, and a lived understanding of what it means to work as a researcher.
Putney students also gain soft skills: a greater degree of confidence, independence, adaptability, and stronger communication. Living and learning in a small group also builds close friendships and a broader global perspective. Overall, students come away more self-assured, curious, and with a clearer sense of what they might want to pursue in the future.
A Day in the Life: Osa Peninsula
Due to the traveling nature of this student program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day on the Osa Peninsula.
- Morning
6:00am
Optional visit to the wildlife tower to look for bird and reptile species
7:00am
Start the day with a typical Tico breakfast of fresh pineapple and rice and beans
8:00am
Listen to a lecture from a local biologist on turtle conservation efforts
10:00am
Head to Piro Beach to participate in a beach clean-up
- Afternoon
1:00pm
Break for lunch at the research outpost with volunteers and visiting scientists
2:00pm
Play cards, write in your journal, or enjoy a siesta
4:00pm
Listen to a talk from your Putney Student Travel expert on local flora and fauna
- Evening
6:00pm
Enjoy a typical dinner with your group
7:00pm
Head out for a night patrol to collect data on turtle nesting sites
11:00pm
Re-group to prepare for the coming day and head to bed
“I gained a sense of individuality and independence from the program, it was a great experience for me before heading off to college. It helped me realize that I am capable of so much more than I realized.”
—Julia S., The Hill School, Bally, PA
