Gandoca Sea Turtle Project

The Gandoca Sea Turtle Project is built around a single, concrete purpose: students travel to one of Costa Rica's most biologically significant coastlines to assist with active sea turtle conservation research. Four nights are spent in dormitory-style housing at Gandoca, not a hotel, which signals immediately that this is a working trip. Students join researchers in the field, patrolling beaches after dark to monitor nesting leatherback and green sea turtles, recording data, and supporting the protection of nests from poaching and predation. The service component is not a half-day add-on — it is the spine of the itinerary, and the days in Gandoca reflect that.