Boaters Without Borders

This next adventure is less vacation and more expedition - and epic in its scope. Boaters Without Borders runs out of the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bolivia. Created by the NOC and the medical relief charity MedicForce, the Boaters Without Borders expedition will take you down Class IV or V rapids with a flotilla of kayaks, medical personnel and first aid gear to remote villages on the Rio Tuichi.

The Rio Tuichi is in northern Bolivia, and the upper most regions of the Amazonian watersheds, and where you will spend most of the 22-day expedition, in practically unexplored rapids. More like a NOLS course than a luxury Amazon safari, this trip requires excellent physical and mental fitness and a high level of team work. Once all participants fly into La Paz, the journey begins!

They start with a 14 hour off-road truck ride, followed by a two day jungle trek to the start of the river. The rest of the expeditions will take place in kayaks and rafts through challenging rapids. As such, all participants must have Class IV+ raft skills and be expert kayakers - in addition to having medical experience as an EMT, doctor or nurse or be certified with WFR/WEMT.


Once you reach a village, medical aid and education become the focus of the expedition. Participants give medical care to the villagers, while educating the subsistence farmers on how to treat wounds and recognize symptoms of diseases like malaria and yellow fever. Once your work is done, you will journey on to the next village.


The cost of this trip is actually tax-deductible and runs at $3,850 for 22 days. It includes all meals and accommodations for the voyage, as well as medical and travel insurance and assistance transporting all personal gear. People are requested to bring their own kayaks and paddles, although NOS will provide the rafts. Airfare is not included (when is it ever?).


Although this trip sounds physically grueling (definitely not vacation!), this is one of the most unique opportunities I have ever seen to truly make a difference on a foreign service trip. Any one who fits the NOC qualifications and is looking for an absolutely incredible service experience should apply! As it is a new expedition, you will have the opportunity to be part of a new initiative in the Bolivian Amazon that guarantees beautiful scenery, instant positive effects and one hell of an adventure.



Voted one of Outside's Best Trips of 2010! Read about it here.

Save those Sea Turtles!

Beaches..Sunshine..Surfing...Wild animals...Spanish.

Nope, I'm not talking about a Sandals commercial. I am talking about a volunteer vacation with Pretoma. Pretoma is a Costa Rican based non-profit that works to protect sea wildlife, such as sharks and sea turtles, through research and beach monitoring projects. Within Costa Rica, they are a strong, passionate voice for the oceans and any one who wants to can become a part of it by volunteering with them.
Volunteer options vary: you can choose to volunteer your time in Punta Banco or San Miguel, Costa Rica. Both towns are beautiful, although different. Punta Banco is a small, beautiful village a bus ride away from Panama. There are probably the least amount of turtles on this beach of the 5 places where Pretoma does research, but there are still plenty! The village is more isolated, with Internet and phones 4-5 miles away. San Miguel is more of a town than a village, with more than one supermercado, and a bit more touristy. I spent time in Punta Banco and fell in love with the small community - definitely a great place if you are looking to get to know the locals!

Your day breaks down as such: Wake up. Eat. Go to the Beach. Eat some more. Basically, your time is spent at night, patrolling the beach for nesting sea turtles. Once you find them, you (with your research assistant guide) will dig up the eggs and put them in the clean sand hatchery in town. There is a lot of free time!

Prices include all meals and lodging if you choose to stay in the research station. One week starts at $350. The longer you stay, the cheaper it ends up being. Because it is a tad tricky to get to both places, I would definitely recommend a minimum stay of two weeks (as they do) in order to fully relax, interact with the community and see the turtles.

Helpful tips:

1. The season runs from Jul - Nov, with more turtles appearing as time goes on. However, the rainy season starts mid September. I would try to plan for the end of August/beginning of September to avoid a trip full of rain.

2. Also, turtles hate the moon! If you have the luxury of planning around the lunar cycle, it would totally be worth your while.

Happy rescuing!

*Additional: I volunteered here for a month in 2009. To read about my sponsored trip from Sosauce.com, click here.