Dolphin & Whale Research Volunteer Project, Portugal

Project Costs

The cost to join this project is £920 for 1 week, £1645 for 2 weeks, £2370 for 3 weeks, £3765 for 4 weeks.  Discounts apply for durations beyond 4 weeks.  For every additional week from 4 to 7 weeks, the cost is £675 extra in addition per week, and for 8 to 11 weeks, the cost is £600 extra per additional week and for 12 weeks, the cost is £525 for this additional week.

The project costs include the following;

• Accommodation in our shared volunteer houses
• Project support from our trained research staff
• Transportation to/from the marina
• Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Fieldwork activities on board the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching vessel and fuel costs

The following are not included in the project costs;

•  Flights and Transport to and from the project base in Albufeira
•  Meals in restaurants and snack-bars outside the volunteer villa (including the restaurants at the marina);
•  Extra tourist activities you may wish to do during your free time
•  Personal insurance (all participants must have health/travel insurance)
•  Personal expenses
•  PADI qualification (although this is available as an optional extra during your stay)

Payment Terms

To secure a placement on this project, you will need to complete the online application form including your application payment of £195 (included in the total costs listed above). If for some reason, your application is not accepted, we would reimburse this payment fully. For those who are accepted, 25% of the balance payment is due within 7 days of being accepted onto the project, and the remainder is due 2 months before arrival. Once your place is confirmed, you will receive a pre-departure package with detailed information on your project, travel info, suggested items to bring and so on.

Project Dates

The volunteer field season starts on the 1st of May and ends beginning of November every year. We usually recommend that volunteers stay for a minimum of two weeks to get the fullest experience. Volunteers should arrive preferably on the Sunday before their first day and depart on the the Sunday when the volunteering finishes.  Arrivals are the first and middle Sunday of each month for 1 week upwards.

The activities are planned on a weekly basis with start dates twice a month.  If you cannot make the 1st or 3rd Sunday of the month, pls let us know as we can sometimes make exceptions.