Real life volunteer experiences

Life in a Costa Rican Lodge

Written by Alex Rowson

The day normally begins at 6:30 when you are awakened by the sounds of Oropendola birds, Toucans and occasionally Howler monkeys. Breakfast is served at 7:00 and if the lodge is busy you must help the local staff to organise the food and serve morning drinks to the guests. After breakfast the mornings are usually free to spend as you please, either walking in the jungle, canoeing around one of the lagoons, or just relaxing in a hammock. Sometimes you will be required to take the boat trip down the nearby San Carlos River. This usually lasts three hours or more. You travel down to the dock usually in one of the tourists cars and board the boat at 8:30 with captain Hose Luis at the controls. It is your job to point out the wildlife on the river. Crocodiles, basilisk lizards, freshwater turtles and a variety of water birds are regularly seen. The boat travels along the river to the Nicaraguan border and you get off to explore the last village in Costa Rica, Boca San Carlos. After a short walk and a few refreshments in the village it’s time to head back down the river.
Lunch is served at 12:30 usually straight after the boat tour. It is your job to set the tables and serve the guests their lunch. After you have had some food and helped clear up you can take a short siesta until 2:00 when the jungle walk begins. This will be one of your main duties while at the lodge and it is important to learn as much as you can about the rainforest and the wildlife if want to be able to answer the tourists’ inquisitive questions. You can take a range of trails but usually the walk should not last more than two hours. Sometimes if you are asked to take walks in the morning you can take a longer trail.
At first it is difficult to spot the wildlife but after a while it becomes easier searching for movement in the leaf litter and treetops. You are always likely to see lots of red poison dart frogs and insects which usually keep the tourists happy. It is also worthwhile learning a bit about the plant and trees as these never move and are always interesting. There are plenty of books at the lodge to swat up on and the local guides will also teach you everything you need to know.
After the walk you can relax for a while but if the tourists want some drinks you have to hang around the restaurant for a while. It gets dark around 5:00 and it’s your job to turn on all the lights and to prepare the tables for dinner which is usually a buffet served at 6:30. You have to attend the bar before and after dinner but people usually get an early night. After cleaning the tables and dishes you have the rest of the evening free. If you like you can make a trip to one of the local bars in nearby Boca Tapada for a few beers and maybe some karaoke or you can just relax at the lodge and get ready for another day in the rainforest.

About the placement

For more information, visit the placement page for Costa Rican Jungle Hideaway.