Cartago, Costa Rica

Volunteer in Cartago

Kick-start your international development career in the jungles of central Costa Rica.

Our Costa Rican community hub can be found in the mid-sized city of Cartago, located about 45 minutes from the capital, San Jose. Your time will be spent working on meaningful engagement with the local communities and their development goals, where you can contribute to education, childhood development and women’s empowerment initiatives.

Positive<br/>impact

Positive
impact

Build a better world by contributing to vital, locally-led project work that strives for a more just and equitable future.
Ethical<br/>work

Ethical
work

In line with the UN’s SDGs, we are committed to ethical and sustainable engagement with our local partners and communities.
Beautiful<br/>community

Beautiful
community

Learn from the world’s most unique and significant cultures, in breathtaking remote locations.

Cartago volunteer programs

Overview

Cartago is within travelling distance to many gardens, monuments and national parks such as the Irazu Volcano National Park, known for the volcano whose summit stands at an altitude of 3,432 metres above sea level. The landscape is made up of sprawling farmlands and peaks of volcanoes that offer a 360-degree panoramic view. This makes it an exceptional place to volunteer, intern, teach, learn a new language, relax and enjoy the pura vida way of life that Costa Rica is known for.

GVI works in collaboration with various partners in Cartago and the surrounding environs –  including UNED, Parque la Libertad, Proyecto Abraham and Proyecto Bethany. Our programs are run in partnership with local non-profits and governmental organisations with the aim of improving the level of education in this region by providing English classes as a means to improve the skills of local community members and contribute towards  community development initiatives.

More locations, more options, more impact.

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Included in your program, at no extra cost

Make the most of our unique programs with these exclusively curated local adventure and wellness experiences.

Offered once a month, expand your adventure with GVI Experiences. These are just some of the activities offered on your program!
Learn to cook Costa Rican food
Visit a botanical garden
Summit Irazu Volcano
Enjoy a Costa Rican breakfast
Experience Costa Rican culture
Practise a yoga class
Hike through a rainforest to a waterfall
White-water raft down the Pacuare River