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Sri Lanka – Family-Friendly Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation

Travel to beautiful Sri Lanka to volunteer for sea turtle conservation with your family!

 

Program Highlights:

  • Contribute directly to the conservation of endangered sea turtles along the coast of Sri Lanka
  • Ethical wildlife volunteering and interactions
  • Live in proximity to world-class beaches
  • Enjoy weekly rooftop yoga sessions, night fishing trips, weekly movie nights, monthly bike tours and barbecues
  • Families with kids will get suitable volunteer tasks
  • Private apartment or private rooms in a volunteer house
  • The local staff will be happy to help you arrange day excursions for an additional fee, such as elephant safaris and whale watching experiences

 

Family Price Details:

  • The Program Fee stated below is for one family member aged 13 and above
  • Children aged 6-12 can get a discounted rate.
  • Children aged 0-5 can join for free.
  • Families need to upgrade to private double/triple rooms.
  • Scroll down to the Dates and Fees tab to see the prices.
  • During your application interview, we will assist build your family volunteer trip.

 

Your schedule at a glance (Minimum one-week commitment):

Arrival Day, Saturday: Airport pickup according to scheduled flight and shared transfer to volunteer villa. Meet and greet with fellow volunteers.

Day 1, Sunday: Volunteers will receive a tour of the area, and an orientation. Enjoy the rest of the day by exploring local beaches with fellow volunteers or joining an adventure! (See “Travel Highlights” below for recommendations!)

Days 2-6, Monday-Friday: Rewarding volunteer work. Three days each week, volunteers work in the hatchery, which is about an hour away from the volunteer villa. Tasks include feeding and cleaning the turtles, moving turtle eggs into the hatching area, caring for disabled turtles, cleaning tanks and more. One day a week is Environment Day, where volunteers will take part in beach cleaning activities in Galle. The remaining weekday is Community Day where volunteers either educate local school children or rural women about sea turtle conservation or work on a special, related project. During nesting season (November-May) there are two night patrol camps each month where participants camp out on the beach and protect the nests. Please note that this schedule may change.

Day 7, Saturday: Departure day for volunteers staying just one week. Free time for volunteers who are extending.

Remaining Weeks: The following weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday and having weekends free. Departures are on Saturdays.

 

Location icon Location of the Project: Galle, Sri Lanka

Project length Project length: Minimum 1 week – Maximum 2 weeks

Arrival Airport Arrival Airport: Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

Volunteer Work Volunteer Work: Marine and wildlife conservation

Age Age: Families with children aged six and up are welcome.

Number of Volunteers Number of Volunteers: Up to 57 international volunteers

 

What’s Included

Accommodations Accommodations: Private en-suite double/triple room (there is an extra fee for this upgrade)

Food Food: 3 freshly cooked meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) every day

Airport Transfers Airport Transfers: Shared airport transfers are provided on both arrival and departure days at specific hours. Upgrades to private transfers are available for an additional fee.

Orientation Orientation: Upon arrival, volunteers will receive a walking tour and introductory training presentations.

Support Support: Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

 

What’s not Included

Flights, private double/triple room upgrade fee (around $200 per room per week), online ETA visa (around $35), travel health insurance, personal expenses

Galle is a beautiful area in southern Sri Lanka that is surrounded by lush greenery and is in proximity to world-class beaches! Many of the nearby beaches are prime surfing spots and others are more relaxing. There is even a turtle lagoon nearby. Galle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, complete with Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient religious buildings, museums and more. Galle is also quite trendy, and is home to cafes, specialty shops and boutique hotels.

 

Sea turtles in Sri Lanka are an endangered species. The species is threatened by human poachers and predators. The Sri Lankan government has approved the creation of hatcheries in order to conserve this species.

Volunteers on this program spend 60% of their time working in the hatchery, and the other 40% on activities such as beach cleans and creating awareness within the local community. During nesting season (November-May) there are two night patrol camps each month where participants camp out on the beach and protect the nests. Please note that this schedule may change.

Typical hatchery tasks may include:

  • Cleaning the turtles
  • Preserving turtle eggs by burying in the hatchery area
  • Cleaning the tanks
  • Applying medicine to turtles in need

 

Please note: Depending on the age and abilities of the kids, the local project coordinator and hatchery staff will assign tasks accordingly. Due to the cultural norms of Sri Lanka, participants are required to remove anybody piercings and cover all visible tattoos while at the project site.

Internet icon Internet: Each volunteer may use up to 10 GB of Wi-Fi in the volunteer house during their stay.

Laundry icon Laundry: Laundry services are available for an additional fee.

Accommodations icon  Accommodations:

  • Main Volunteer House: The main volunteer house is the hub for all volunteer programs and activities. This main house offers single-gender rooms in a volunteer villa overlooking the beach and Indian Ocean. The villa has 11 bedrooms with fans, 11 bathrooms and showers with hot water. Rooms are shared with a maximum of 4 volunteers per room. There is also a private pool on site for all volunteers to make use. The house has eco-friendly features including solar heating panels. There may be up to 52 volunteers in the house at a time. Private rooms (single or double) and AC rooms are available for an extra fee.
  • During the busy months: The main Volunteer House may be fully booked. In these cases, volunteers will be accommodated at one of our partner Guesthouses within walking distance: Summer Garden Beachfront Guesthouse & Blue Eyes Inn. Both guest houses are close to the Main House (less than 100 metres away), and all volunteers will have the same access to the main volunteer house as normal for meals, free time, common areas, pool, roof top etc. Your accommodation assignment will be confirmed at the time your volunteer placement is approved.

 

Food icon Food: Three meals per day will be prepared by the house chefs, using local, fresh ingredients. Tropical fruit is available during every meal and there is a salad bar set up during most lunches and dinners. Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, and lactose-free diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Tea, coffee and filtered water are available 24/7.

  • Online ETA entry visa. We will send you full instructions following the application.
  • Police clearance form for adults
  • Proficiency in English
  • Minimum age of 6 is recommended.
  • Good physical fitness
  • Immunizations (please consult your doctor)
  • Ability to work in a team
  • Willingness to work hard and get your hands dirty

Volunteers can enjoy weekly evening yoga session on the rooftop, night fishing trips, weekly movie nights, monthly bike tours and barbecues! Additional travel adventures are available for an extra fee.

 

Adventure Tour (Highly Recommended):
Extend your stay in Sri Lanka by participating in a seven-day Adventure Tour! This tour includes a game drive, visits to waterfalls, a long train ride, an overnight stay at a riverside eco lodge, visit to temples, a village walk, visit to a spice grove, a visit to Lion Rock, time in the local market and a trip to Negombo Beach!

 

Additional Recommendations:

  • Elephant safari
  • Rainforest hike
  • Surfing lessons on nearby beaches
  • Whale watching (during the season)
  • Cooking class
  • Fort Galle visit

Volunteer Experiences

Want to join this program?

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