Costa Rica Rainforest Conservation Internship
Overview
Join a hands-on rainforest conservation team on Costa Rica's wild Caribbean coast, working in and around the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve. You help monitor and protect one of the most biodiverse corners of Central America — tropical forest alive with birds, reptiles and monkeys — alongside the indigenous communities who steward this land.
It is real, useful work, and a chance to learn conservation from people who know the forest intimately.
Programme structure
Four weeks in three phases: an introduction to tropical ecology and survey methods, a core block of daily fieldwork, and a final phase analysing and sharing what you have found — working closely with our team and local guides throughout.
Learning outcomes
You leave with practical field-research skills — survey methods, species identification and data collection — and real, demonstrable conservation experience for your next step.
Certification
On completion you receive the Impact-Trails Wildlife Conservation Field Certificate, recognising your field skills and project hours.
Itinerary / typical week
Expect 35–40 hours of fieldwork a week — bird and raptor monitoring, reptile and amphibian surveys, reforestation and trail work, and community projects. Weekends leave room to explore the beaches, reefs and rainforest of the Caribbean coast.
The location
The Kekoldi reserve sits where rainforest meets the Caribbean — a mosaic of jungle, hills and coastline that is one of the great raptor-migration flyways on Earth. Howler monkeys call at dawn, hummingbirds blur between flowers, and the forest stretches unbroken to the sea.
Career impact & alumni
Hands-on conservation experience opens doors. Graduates join our alumni network and we are happy to provide references for university or work.
Dates & prices
It's free to apply. The full programme fee is paid securely in your member portal for successful applicants — and can be spread over instalments. Grants and scholarships are also available.
What's included
Accommodation, all meals, in-country transport, every project cost, full training and mentoring, conservation equipment and 24/7 in-country support.
International flights, visa, travel insurance, vaccinations and personal spending money.
Accommodation
You stay in comfortable shared accommodation close to the reserve and the coast, with home-cooked meals and communal space to relax with your team.
Eligibility & requirements
Open to anyone aged 18 and over with enthusiasm and a willingness to work outdoors. No prior experience required.