Program Reviews

The most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, magnificent mama sea turtles every day, jaw-dropping sunrises, the calming sound of ocean waves, an incredibly vibrant and kind group of people, the best summer of my life. This experience was absolutely life changing, and has inspired me to pursue similar conservation jobs working with sea turtles around the world. Not only that, but this experience provided me with some of the best people, many of whom I still talk to on a weekly basis. While this experience is tough at some times, I entirely believe that it is 10000% worth it. I know that I will look back at this experience as one of the best for years to come.

Whether young or older this is a fabulous programme. If you want to mix with a lovely community, work alongside amazing people and experience the wonder of helping beautiful creatures then this is for you. Tough, rewarding and a forever memory. Just be prepared to get stuck in, work as a team and soak up every moment. I had the pleasure of working alongside fellow volunteers who I remain in contact with. We all share the desire to return to the island to meet again. Be prepared to meet people who will make you a better person :)

Perfect place and opportunity to get hands on experience with turtles and turtle hatchlings. This programme does not give you a secondary or an assistant role when it comes to collecting data, you come face to face with hundreds of turtles and gather countless data.

Living together with everyone was an amazing experience because you really got to know people really well and be there for their best and worst moments, which created really solid friendships. And you get to work, swim and watch the sunrises together!

Being in Capo Verde with project biodiversity was a very very great experience. I learned a lot about turtles and share with others volunteers. Can release baby turtles at night and at sunshine was really unbelievable. The association take care of their volunteer, help us to plan our trip, to discover the city, to talk a better english :)
It's a really human and engaged association, if you like turtles, if you want to do something usefull AND really enjoy it, Project Biodiversity is the one to choose !!

I went to Cape Verde for the first time during 4 weeks and I loved it.
The project is very interesting. I met very nice and warm people from all over the world. I had the chance to discover the island and even if seems arid it is really beautiful. Between the birds, the tropical fish and the turtles coming to lay their eggs the island abounds in magnificent species.

I discovered volunteering there and I am not disappointed. I really enjoyed this experience and I recommend it. If you want to travel and discover a new experience go for it !

I planned on doing the volunteer program for 3 weeks, but I loved it so much I eneded up changing my flight twice and stayed for a month and a half!
The work you need to do is not to heavy or dificult, it doesnt take up too much of your day and you get to hold baby turtles evey day!
Sometimes some night-shifts can be tiering, since you sleep at the beach, but when you see, at the end of the shift, how many turtles you helped save, it's extremely gratifying. And with so many exciting things to do in your free time, you'll regain energy in an instant!
In Sal it's always sunny and warm almost all year round and you have a beach 5 min away from you at all times. It truely feels like paradise...
Eating out is quite cheap (around 5€ per meal) and the food tastes amazing. For vegetarians and vegans eating out might be more challenging but you can already see some (but few) options arising around town.

Even though the baby turtles were the cutest creatures ever, for me, as a psychology undergraduate, the highlight were the people. I met such amazing people. Not only the volunteeres I lived and worked with but also the people that work in the Project with us everyday, especially Débora, the volunteer coordinator. Everyone is always nice and ready to help you and support you with anything you might need. So trust that if anything goes south, you'll have people there along side you.

Project Biodiversity truely felt like a second family, and Sal like a second home.
I might just go back next year (or every year, who knows?). Will I see you there? ;)

From October to November 2021 I passed three weeks on Sal Island as a volunteer, and to be honest, it was an incredible experience. As a geoscientists I always dreamed of working outside in nature and here I found the best opportunity. On Sal you find the perfect mixture of natural conservation, contact to tourists, spending time at the beach and having a nice and friendly team always around you. Sometimes it can become hard to stay awake the whole night to rescue the turtles, but the next morning you return to your appartment with a smile - always! The island is very safe and the program provides you more than enough time to discover it.

I have done the hatchling season for turtles for 3 weeks (november-december). It was an amazing experience. If you like turtles, sleeping under the stars, discovering people from all over the world, beeing in an island with beautiful beaches : this volunteering is for you and you don't have to wait for doing it !
In addition, Project Biodiversity is a super organization which is taking really care about its island and the environment impact. They have lot of differents programs : birds protection, cleaning beaches, learnings for profesionals...
Also, the team is super kind, open-minded and really fun !
Sal Island is super nice and there is a really good atmospher there. Local people are really kind. So, if you are worry about the safety, you can put this idea out of your head :) And if you have any problems, the project team is always here for helping you.
Thank you for everything, Project Biodiversity... I'm sure this experience was a big step in my life and this is thanks to you :) It could be a pleasure to come back for another volunteering with you !

La experiencia trabajando para este voluntariado ha sido de las mejores decisiones que he tomado en el último tiempo. Si eres un amante de la naturaleza, que busca experiencias en pro de la conservación o simplemente disfrutas de estar en ambientes outdoor, totalmente recomiendo participar en cualquiera de las temporadas que ofrece el proyecto.
Para mi ha sido muy hermoso poder involucrarme de manera directa en la protección de especies marinas, poder entender cómo es el ciclo natural de ellas, también, entender cómo es que se pueden llegar a hacer proyectos amigables con el medio ambiente y cómo se está trabajando esto en el resto del mundo, creo fielmente que es el camino que se debe tomar para el futuro en nuestro planeta.
La experiencia de compartir hogar con más voluntarios de todo el mundo ha sido increible, compartir costumbres, risas, comidas ha hecho de esta experiencia aún mejor, he pasado muchos buenos momentos gracias a esto.
Isla de Sal ofrece muchas experiencias increibles, el poder bucear en aguas claras y con tanta diversidad de especies ha hecho aún más gratificante mi estadía en Cabo Verde, hay mucho para disfrutar y hacerlo de manera consiente y responsable con el planeta me ha encantado.
Muchas gracias!

I volunteered with the Seabird program for 4 weeks. The thing that I liked the most, was that every week we did something different. I had the chance to explore the rest of the island with them because we had to vistit different bird colonies. But normally we would meet with the bicycle and drive during the sunrise hour to Kite beach, where I saw some of the most beautiful sunrises. From there we would walk up to Sierra Negra, which was though but the view up there is breathtaking. All in all thanks to the Seabird program I not only had the chance to work with amazing people and do intresting work, I also visited places that with no tour guid I would have ever seen.
So if you are an adventurous person I definitely recommend it to you!