Conserve Turtles in Turkey

Help increase the Caretta Caretta turtle population in the Mediterranean as part of your family’s  luxury voluntourism adventure. All done a beautiful beach, so you can relax at the end of the day.

About this project

Created by experts in biodiversity and nature conservation. you can play a vital part in increasing and expanding this charity’s activities by participating in their research studies.

Your location, Belek, is one of the largest known sea turtle nesting areas in the Mediterranean.

The research goals such as monitoring sea turtle populations, determining and minimizing the negative impacts on nests and hatchlings, educating both the local people and the tourists about sea turtles, and raising awareness about the conservation efforts. 

Volunteers are vital to assist in achieving all these goals.

Main volunteering activities:
  • Patrolling the beaches for turtles in morning and night shifts
  • Finding and geo-mapping the turtle nests
  • Tagging and weighing female adult turtles
  • Protecting nests from humans and predators
Key information:
  • The volunteering project typically lasts for 3-5 days
  • Approx. 4-5 hour shifts each day (10pm – 3am or 5:30am – 11am)
  • Available from June to September
  • Blends well with nearby sightseeing and relaxation activities near Antalya
  • Family-friendly (min age 7)
Nearby activities

  • A private gulet cruise along the Mediterranean.

  • Perge (an archeological site)

  • Aspendos (a very well preserved Roman theatre)

  • Manavgat Waterfall

  • Antalya Archeological Museum

Turtle conservation Turkey
Successes to date:

This charity has been operating since 1999 and was the first in Turkey to use GPS tracking on turtle movements. Nests have increased from 350 to 3,200, and over 1m turtle hatchlings have reached the sea with volunteer help.

This project is for you if:
  • You want to play a part in conserving endangered sea turtles 
  • You would like to learn more about turtles and their nesting, and hatchling behavior 
  • You are happy to help on early morning or late night shifts

View the Suggested Trip Itinerary below for ideas on what a trip including this project could look like.

Suggested Trip Itinerary

Turtles and Turkish baths – 10 Days

Example Price: US$12,890 per adult

This adventure enables you and your family to not only explore the wonders of Istanbul and ancient Cappadocia,  you also get to bond as a family whilst conserving endangered sea turtles. All in luxury.

Trip Highlights

  • Learning an enormous amount about turtles and actively increasing their chances of living to maturity
  • A traditional Turkish bath  
  • Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque 
  • A street food walking tour of Istanbul 
  • Exploring the Grand Bazaar with your expert guide 
  • The wonders of Cappadocia 
  • Beautiful beaches 

Price Includes

  • Luxury accommodation throughout
  • Private transfers
  • Domestic flights
  • Expert local guides
  • Meals as specified
  • Volunteering costs
Note: International flights are not included but we are delighted to arrange these for you

Sample Day by Day

Note: This is a sample itinerary only
  • Day 1: Arrive Istanbul, you are met at the airport and transfered to your hotel, the Four Seasons Sultanhamet. Enjoy a Turkish bath experience (D)
  • Day 2: Turkish dessert making lesson; private guided tour of Istanbul; Turkish dance show (B, L, D)
  • Day 3: Street food tour of Istanbul. Private tour continues (B, L)
  • Day 4: Fly to Cappadocia, begin private curated tour. Whirling dervish performance (B, L, D)
  • Day 5: Hot air balloon ride. Resume private guided tour (B, L, D)
  • Day 6: Fly to Antalya and transfer to Belek. Enjoy the resort. (B, D)
  • Day 7-9: Turtle conservation volunteering: monitor and protect sea turtles (B, L, D)
  • Day 10: Transfer to airport and fly home (B)
Note: This is a sample itinerary - we delight in crafting your dream trip especially for you

Note – this is purely a sample itinerary, designed to give you a flavor of the country, a local volunteering project, and nearby sightseeing activities. We delight in crafting trips to your exact preferences. 

Any aspect of this itinerary can be altered, from excursions to accommodation, to get it perfect for you.

Some suggestions to customize this itinerary:

  • Head to the cultural triangle for a feel of the ancient history of Sri Lanka
  • Visit Minneriya and witness the elephant migration – the largest gathering of elephants in Asia
  • Explore the less-developed east coast and have beaches to yourselves
  • Do some hiking in the stunning Tea Country 

Discover more about Sri Lanka >>

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