GIVE Costa Rica: Wildlife Conservation & Responsible Travel

I had such an amazing experience with Give volunteers. I had my first Give trip this past spring break from March 14th through the 21st in Costa Rica. The trip was amazing and I had such a beautiful experience with everything my group and I got to do and everyone worked so well together. My guides were amazing! I loved working in the garden and helping kids with their English, going to a local restaurant and cabins called Kaniki to speak Spanish with this wonderful lady named Rita (I got to pet the cat and big, sweet dog too), and the food was delicious not to mention really fresh and healthy. By the end of the trip, our group had cried together a number of times, and we are like family now. We will totally be seeing one another in the near future, just a matter of when. I cried tears of joy on the plane home as the memories from the trip played through my mind. I felt like I made a difference, and that feeling has carried over into my motivations to make a difference back home :)

GIVE 🌳 I don’t think I could ever fully express how grateful I am. My recent volunteer trip to Costa Rica opened my eyes to an incredible amount of compassion, resilience, and gratitude for everything I am blessed with in my everyday life. This experience pushed me beyond my comfort zone and challenged me in ways I never expected. Throughout this journey, I learned that I am capable of stepping outside my comfort zone and enduring difficult moments—whether it was not being able to contact home every day or rewearing cold, wet socks. While these challenges seemed small at first, they taught me patience, adaptability, and appreciation for the present moment. One of the most impactful lessons I learned was about permaculture and sustainability, particularly how much of Costa Rica’s soil has been severely depleted. Years of harsh chemical use—especially fertilizers and pesticides used in large-scale banana and plantain farming—have stripped the soil of its natural nutrients. Seeing this firsthand helped me understand how deeply these practices affect not only the land, but also the people, wildlife, and communities that depend on it. Learning sustainable farming methods showed me how healing the land is possible through intentional care and respect for nature. Most importantly, this experience reshaped my understanding of what it means to be rich. Wealth is not measured by money or material possessions, but by happiness, connection, and community. I learned that children do not need social media, name-brand items, or material things to feel fulfilled. True happiness comes from being surrounded by a loving family, a supportive community, and a strong connection to the earth. Planting a fruit tree, allowing it to grow naturally, and nurturing it over time is its own form of wealth. This experience has left a lasting impact on my heart, and I will carry these lessons with me for the rest of my life.

Traveling with Give will allow you to volunteer, try new foods, see beautiful places, meet wonderful people, and learn a great deal in a short time. No matter who the person is, anyone who comes on a Give trip for the first time will leave the trip with memories to last a lifetime and a new, more profound insight into life. I highly recommend this program to new travelers who are apprehensive about planning their first trip to a foreign country. Every detail is handled for you with Give, allowing you to focus your mental energy on all the great new experiences instead of the frustrating parts of travel. I am so grateful for my time with Give, and I encourage anyone thinking about going on a Give trip themselves to do it!

This was my second trip with GIVE and it did not disappoint in the slightest! Each day of the trip I was challenged to seek discomfort and map my own journey, all while having the support from EVERYONE around me. The balance between volunteering and adventure was perfect. Zip lining through the jungle and white water rafting down the Pacuare River were absolutely exhilarating. Volunteering at Finca las Hormigas and in the local town of Gandoca expanded my perspective and fueled a deep desire to make a meaningful impact.

I went on my first trip with Give Volunteers over the summer and went to Costa Rica and it was the best experience I have ever had. I chose to go for 2 weeks but wish I had added on the Nicaragua option. This organization provides you to learn all about the world and experience different places. It is extremely organized and is so simple to figure out. This organization answered every time I called and answered all of my questions with no problem! When I tell you this experience changed my life I am being 100% honest. I had such an amazing time I’m going to Tanzania over the summer for my 2nd give trip and can’t wait!! I highly recommend going for it if you are thinking about it!!!

Being my first trip with GIVE, I was extremely nervous about what the experience would be like. When I had arrived in Costa Rica with the rest of my group, I immediately felt welcomed by all of the GIVE staff and fellow trip goers. When our group arrived at our first volunteer location, it was hard work but also very fulfiling. I left that trip with over twenty new friends and some incredible memories. I highly recomend using GIVE to see the world and give back as well.

This was an incredible experience. I felt so taken care of and did not have to worry about a single thing. From white-water rafting to zip-lining to night safaris, we were never bored. The tour guides were amazing and so welcoming, they made the trip as special as it was. Learning about permaculture and sustainability was so eye-opening and being able to stay on a farm where it was actually being done made it seem so possible. I felt so immersed in the culture from only eating at mom and pop restaurants and choosing where to spend my dollar. I will definitely be going on another trip!

Wow! I can't put into words how thankful I am I got to experience one of the most beautiful places in the world, eat the most incredibly delicious food I have ever eaten, have the time of my life doing some action packed activities and make an impact on a local community with such an amazing group of people who became a second family to me! All thanks to GIVE and their amazing local guides and partners in Costa Rica for making this unforgettable trip possible! I can't wait to go on another with them! #PuraVida

I had the most incredible experience traveling with GIVE. Everything about it was so special and intentional, in every aspect I felt like I was meant to be there. I have met such kind and genuine souls, all traveling with purpose and intention, to learn, grow, push our comfort zones and make a change in the world. I couldn’t have asked to be surrounded by a better group of individuals. The gratitude, perspective and values on life I have gained from this trip is absolutely life changing! I have learned so much about permaculture and the way of life that comes with it. There was so much meaning behind every action taken on this trip, I can only encourage one to experience something like this one day.

The Costa Rica GIVE trip genuinely changed my life for the better. I am still brought to tears every time I look back on my trip memories with the most amazing people and wish I could do it again and again. I learned so much about sustainable living, composting, and the lifestyle of permaculture farming. I also genuinely had so much fun and met the most amazing people who all share similar mindsets. Our GIVE guides were incredible and so were all the people we met throughout our volunteering. Getting to see such beautiful places and do such incredibly fun things all while leaving a genuine positive impact is something I wish everyone could experience. Seriously 10/10 recommend this trip. I will never forget white water rafting, ziplining, exploring the jungle, eating plants from the farm, morning yoga, dance parties, delicious food, the gorgeous beaches and waterfalls, the friendships made, and so so much more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to GIVE Volunteers for this wonderful experience. If you're on the fence about going-- trust me DO IT!!!

This trip was such an awesome experience. I got to meet so many amazing people and do so many amazing things. I hope everyone gets to experience this at least once in their life because it taught me so much.

GIVE Volunteers is the perfect way to travel solo and Costa Rica is the perfect destination if you are looking for an adventure. On my trip we stayed in 6 different locations, all very unique. Each destination came with its own culture whether it was city life, a farm in the jungle, waterfalls, small town beaches, or glamping on the Pacuare River shoreline. All of the locals help you emerge into the culture smoothly. They are amazing people to learn from as they are very knowledgable with their first hand experience. They keep you safe while providing a fun, eyeopening opportunity.