GoEco > Europe > Greece > Family-Friendly Mediterranean Sea Turtle Conservation

Greece – Family-Friendly Mediterranean Sea Turtle Conservation

Fast Facts

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Together with your family, enjoy a volunteer vacation on the Mediterranean! Spend your days in the glistening sand, protecting the vulnerable, loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings for a rewarding getaway.

Family Pricing Details:

This program welcome families with children 14 and older!
Children aged 14 – 17 receive 25% off the Total Project Cost
One adult can supervise a maximum of three children under the age of 18.

Program Highlights:

Experience the stunning, Mediterranean mainland of Greece
Work hands-on for sea turtle conservation
Ethical wildlife volunteer tasks and interactions
Join one of the longest-running conservation projects in the Mediterranean
Visit Greece’s ancient sites during free time
Suitable for families with children aged 14 and over

Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):

Arrival Day, Saturday: Arrive at Athens International Airport (ATH). You will be picked up by the local team and taken to settle in to the accommodations in Giannitsochori. Settle in and meet your fellow volunteers before your welcome presentation.

Day 1, Sunday: Volunteers have this day free to relax or explore the area.

Days 2-6, Monday-Friday: Volunteer work is organized on a rotating schedule of 3-4 hour shifts, with evenings and weekends off to spend how you wish. Specific tasks vary by season. In May and June the work focuses on identifying new nests, and protecting them from any environmental hazards. July through August is hatching season. Tasks involve monitoring and recording the hatchlings from each nest. The focus in September is on nest excavations to study the success rate of each nest.

Days 7-8, Saturday-Sunday: Weekends are free for relaxation or exploration.

Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow a similar schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday and having Saturday-Sunday mostly free. Departure is on Saturday.

Please note: It is important to remember that nature is unpredictable, and no matter what month you go, there are no guaranteed turtle sightings. Regardless, your work during any of the months will still be contributing to the safety of the turtles when they do hatch and the success of hatching season.

Location of the Project: Giannitsochori, Greece

Project length: Min 2 weeks – Max 4 weeks

Arrival Airport: Athens International Airport (ATH)

Volunteer Work: Marine and wildlife conservation

Age: The minimum age for children is 14 years old.

Number of Volunteers: Up to 18 international volunteers

Important Note: This project accepts families with children as young as 14 years old.

What’s Included

Accommodations: Private tents (option to upgrade to private cabins)

Food: Ingredients are provided for all meals

Airport Transfers: Airport transfers are provided on both arrival and departure days.

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

What’s not Included

Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses, transportation to the project.

Location

Come experience the beautiful Mediterranean country of Greece. Explore the deep history of the land which founded democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, political science, the Olympic Games, and major mathematical and scientific principles. Greece’s ancient history has earned it 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, all waiting to be explored.

Volunteer Work

Your specific duties as a volunteer will vary from month to month throughout the season.

May/June: The work focuses on identifying new nests, and protecting them from any environmental hazards.
Specifically, your work may include:

Early morning beach walks to identify any overnight nesting
Marking new nests
Moving nests if they lie below the high tide line
Building a protective barrier around the nests
Building a runway for turtles to follow to the water so they don’t get lost when they hatch

July/August: This is hatching season so the work involves monitoring and recording the hatchlings from each nest.
Your work may include:

Early morning beach surveys to monitor which nests hatched
Counting number of hatchlings (by counting tracks in the sand leading from the nest down to the water)
Nest excavations to determine the success rate of the nest

September: You may see the end of hatching season, but the focus will be on nest excavations to study the success rate of each nest.
Your duties will include:

Nest excavations continue through the end of hatching season
Taking down protective bamboo barriers

The volunteer work that is carried out throughout the span of the project is related to environmental education – working the information kiosk for visitors and giving presentations at local campsites or hotels, as well as beach patrols, bamboo harvesting (used to mark and protect the nests), and general maintenance of the site.

Volunteer work is organized on a rotating schedule of 3-4 hour shifts, with evenings and weekends off to spend how you wish.

Please note: it is important to remember that nature is unpredictable, and no matter what month you go, there are no guaranteed turtle sightings. Regardless, your work during any of the months will still be contributing to the safety of the turtles when they do hatch and the success of hatching season.

Living Arrangements

Internet icon Internet: WiFi is available intermittently at the campsite. We recommend purchasing a local SIM card.

Laundry icon Laundry: Washing machine and dryer available for small fee. A hand-washing station is available.

Accommodations icon Accommodations: Families will have a private tent or two at the campsite, with very basic mats. Families may have the option to have an upgrade to a caravan/cabin at additional cost in the campsite, so availability is limited.

Food icon Food: Ingredients for breakfast, lunch & dinner are provided, and volunteers will take turns to cook for the group. The local team can accommodate for vegetarians and peanut allergies. Please inform upon booking on the severity of allergies.