Campanario Biological Station is a privately owned nature reserve, field station, and ecolodge  on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. The property includes dormitories, kitchen/dining area, cabins, and facilities on a private cove backed up on 170 acres (69 hectares) of Tropical Coastal Rainforest. It is located near Corcovado National Park, one of the most biodiverse conserved areas on Earth.

 

Visitors come by boat to stay in the jungle, hike the trails to Corcovado, or take day trips to snorkel near Caño Island. University and school groups often come for weeklong stays and hold field study courses. Campanario has also hosted scientists for many years, conducting research on wildlife, plants, and ecosystem dynamics.

 

Volunteers are hosted to assist with conservation and upkeep efforts, including:

  • biological monitoring

  • trail and station maintenance

  • Environmental education

  • Designing conservation plans

  • Leading guided hikes of the reserve

 

Minimum stay: 1 month

Cost: $20/month to cover food/housing

 

Requirements:

  • Willingness to stay in a remote area with limited electricity, no warm water, and no internet/cell service

  • High tolerance for heat, humidity, mosquitoes, and the risk of animals in the living space

  • Ability to adapt to a foreign culture and navigate language barriers

  • Good physical condition, can hike several miles uphill with no problems.

  • Valid passport

  • Valid insurance

  • Some Spanish is preferred


 

Volunteers are expected to contribute the equivalent of 6 hours of work per day, six days a week. They may work less as they focus more on their own projects. While not working, everyone has full access to the grounds, including the beaches and forest trails. Three meals a day are provided, and everyone is responsible for their own laundry and cleaning personal space. Housing for volunteers includes a bunkhouse room that may be shared during high occupancy.

 

Volunteers pay a fee to cover their living expenses while they are onsite. They are also responsible for their own travel to and from the site, although Campanario staff will help facilitate this. 

 

Volunteers are accepted on an ongoing basis, although the facility gets more crowded in the high season December-February. 

 

More information on Campanario can be found on our website: https://campanario.org/what/internships-and-volunteering

 

If you would like to apply, please submit a brief letter of interest with an attached CV to:

 

Mckenzie Wing (US), projects coordinator at volunteers@campanario.org

+1 360 724-8095