Become a wildlife volunteer at a Costa Rican sloth sanctuary

Many people travel abroad to experience a new country as a wildlife volunteer, but it can be difficult to find a project that is affordable. If you don't book directly with an organisation, then you end up paying a lot more than you need to.

At the Aviarios sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica, you can book with them directly, which keeps the costs down. For just $30 a day, you'll be provided with accommodation, three meals a day, a weekly linen change and the opportunity to work with some of the world's most fascinating mammals.

Working as a wildlife volunteer at the sloth sanctuary is a hands on experience - you will be able to take them for walks and feed them on a daily basis. The sloth sanctuary is home to over 100 sloths, many of them orphans, and volunteers work alongside full time staff to oversee their care.

Working with the sloths can be hard work, but extremely rewarding. You will be up when they get up (at 6am) and your working day will finish at 3pm, giving you plenty of time to enjoy your surroundings. Whilst volunteering at the sloth sanctuary, you can take a tour of the surrounding rainforest, giving you the opportunity to see sloths and howler monkeys in the wild.

A maximum of eight wildlife volunteers will be at the sanctuary at any given time, and volunteers share twin rooms. They also get one day off per week to relax or explore.

Signing up as a wildlife volunteer at Aviarios sloth sanctuary is a great stop over for backpackers. Getting to Aviarios can be a little tricky as it's off the beaten track. The sanctuary is in the Limon province of Costa Rica about 11 kilometres north of Cahuita.

Volunteers must commit between two and four weeks to the sanctuary and make their own way there. You don't need any particular skills or experience to apply, but you do need to reasonably fit and willing to work in humid conditions. And of course you should have a passion for animals.

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