Slow down. Breathe in the jungle. Share stories by the fire.
This isn’t a packed itinerary — it’s a rhythm. A feeling. A week to reconnect with what matters.
Spend your days learning from local guides, exploring one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, and connecting — truly connecting — with a small, welcoming community.
Our 7-day experience blends nature, culture, and human connection. You’ll walk forest trails, cook with locals, learn ancient traditions, and have time to simply be.
No rushing. No posing. Just real moments, lived fully.
It’s not about doing more — it’s about feeling more.
This isn’t a typical tour. It’s a slow immersion — into a place, a rhythm, and a way of life.
Each day in Drake Bay Volunteers is designed not just to do, but to feel. To connect. To learn from the land, the people, and the small moments that stay with you long after you’ve left.
Forget rushing. This is about walking at nature’s pace — and letting each day open something new in you.
You’ll land in a quiet village hugged by forest and ocean. Tonight, we eat together and share why we’re here.
The rainforest transforms after dark. You’ll walk with local guides who help you spot frogs, snakes, owls, and nocturnal wonders — eyes open, heart present.
Learn how locals have used the jungle as a pharmacy for generations. This walk opens your senses — and your mind.
You’ll break open coconuts, grate them, and turn them into golden oil using ancestral techniques. Sticky, satisfying, and unforgettable.
Food is language. You’ll learn how to prepare local dishes — and share stories over what you’ve created with your own hands.
Scarlet macaws. Toucans. Hummingbirds. Walk early through the jungle while the forest sings and glows with life.
You’ll leave lighter — but fuller. With muddy boots and a full heart.
If your visit overlaps with turtle nesting season, you’ll join our conservation efforts in place of one regular activity:
No cameras. Just flashlights, quiet steps, and deep respect. It’s not a photo-op — it’s a privilege.
“The jungle teaches presence. The village teaches connection.
And together, they remind us what it means to be human.”
Every morning, something beautiful happens.
We open a few spots in our daily activities for people from the village — young and old — to join us. No performance. No staged interaction. Just real people sharing real moments.
You might walk next to a local teenager who’s curious about wildlife. Or laugh with a grandmother who’s never done a night tour but decided today’s the day. Maybe someone just wants to practice their English. Or maybe they just want to be part of something that feels good.
This is what we call shared ground — a space where language, age, and background don’t matter as much as presence, curiosity, and kindness.
Volunteers learn about the real Costa Rica — its people, rhythms, and values. Locals get to see their own land through fresh eyes.
It Flows Naturally. No presentations. No awkward “activities.” Just real-time sharing: stories, laughter, questions, curiosity.
It Feels Like Play. Many locals use these encounters to practice English — while you sharpen your Spanish the way it was meant to be learned: living it.
Conservation isn’t a one-way street. Walking the forest together helps locals reconnect with nature too — often with renewed purpose.
The shared memory of a walk, a laugh, a meal — these are the things people write to us about years later.
“It felt like being welcomed, not as a volunteer, but as a neighbor.”
This is not just about helping. It’s about belonging — both ways.
I had an amazing experience staying with Allan in Drake Bay. During my stay I was welcomed like family – not only by Allan, but also by his friends, family, and everyone in the neighborhood. I appreciated how genuinely interested everyone was in connecting and learning.
Allan is generous, laid-back and provided information on how to get to Drake Bay and then after my stay to my next destination.
We shared delicious meals, made coconut oil, which I was able to take along on my further travels.
Furthermore, I had a comfortable room to rest in.
Vanessa.
We believe that true environmental and cultural preservation starts with empathy — and empathy grows through connection.
This part of the program isn’t on a schedule. It doesn’t have a price tag. And that’s why it matters.
When you come to Drake Bay Volunteers, you’re not just booking a bed.
You’re joining a small, welcoming household where things are simple, clean, and real.
This isn’t a fancy resort — but it’s safe, peaceful, and made with heart.
You’ll sleep to the sound of frogs and wake up to birdsong. You’ll share meals, stories, and quiet moments with others on the same path as you.
We host a maximum of six volunteers at a time, so it never feels crowded — only connected.
Clean, comfortable, with fans and mosquito nets.
Basic but always clean, with good water pressure and privacy.
Garden views, fruit trees, and the occasional monkey passing by.
Hammocks, books, and space to rest after your adventures.
Hammocks, books, and space to rest after your adventures.
We serve three homemade meals a day — local, fresh, and cooked with care.
You’ll taste Costa Rican flavors, seasonal produce, and the love that goes into each plate.
Gallo pinto, eggs, fresh fruit, coffee or tea.
A hearty meal to recharge: rice, beans, veggies, protein.
Shared around the table — sometimes with music, sometimes just soft conversation.
We can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets with advance notice.
All meals are included — because food is part of the experience.
There’s no air conditioning, but the ocean breeze does its job.
There’s no room service, but there’s always someone to share a laugh with.
There’s no minibar, but there are fresh coconuts and good company.
Here, you’ll feel held — by the jungle, by the rhythm, and by the people around you.
“The jungle teaches presence. The village teaches connection.
And together, they remind us what it means to be human.”
These aren’t just tours.
They’re invitations to remember who we are — together.
This is not a resort — and that’s the point.
Everything you need is included, so you can focus on what matters.
This is not a resort — and that’s the point.
Everything you need is included, so you can focus on what matters.
No hidden fees. Just honest connection, learning, and purpose.
While we cover all essentials, the following are not included:
🌿 Everything you need. Nothing that distracts. Just presence, learning, and connection.
You won’t leave Drake Bay with souvenirs.
You’ll leave with new rhythms in your body, new perspectives in your mind,
and a quiet fire in your heart.
You’ll remember the laughter around the table.
The silence under the stars.
The walk you shared with a stranger who felt like family.
You’ll go home with less noise — and more meaning.
Because this isn’t about changing the world.
It’s about changing how you move through it.
“This is not a typical volunteer program. There’s no contract, no hours to log. Just presence, walks, culture, language, and the forest.
