Dive in Greece, Mediterranean Sea, Europe​​​

Sea Turtle Protection Field Program​

Last updated: October 24, 2026​

Problem they are trying to solve: Greece's loggerhead turtles nest across 9 beaches, Zakynthos: Crete, the Peloponnese, the Amvrakikos Gulf... some of the last significant sites in the Mediterranean. Every summer, tourists arrive on the same beaches. Without nightly patrols, nests get trampled, hatchlings follow hotel lights the wrong way, and eggs get poached.​

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Gallery

Two women wearing gloves guide a tagged sea turtle on a board beside a large water tank at a conservation facility.
Volunteer in a blue shirt administering an injection to a sea turtle at a rescue center.
Baby sea turtle emerging from sandy beach, flippers and face covered in sand, beginning its journey to the sea
Volunteer tagging a loggerhead sea turtle’s flipper on a sandy beach with rocky hills in the background
Volunteer in blue shirt administering medical care to a sea turtle with a syringe at a rescue center

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Quick Facts

Minimum stay:
4

Price per week:
100

Minimum age
18

Maximum age:
60

Max capacity: 30 volunteers​

Staff to volunteer ratio: 1:6​

No airport pickup ✘

Accommodation type: Tents​​

No WiFi ✘

Diving

No diving​

No cert needed​​

Volunteer duties

  • Conduct pre-dawn beach surveys to record turtle nesting activity, tracks, nest locations, and emergence data
  • Protect, mark, and relocate vulnerable nests, and install protective cages when needed
  • Monitor nests during incubation and excavate hatched nests to assess hatching and emergence success
  • Engage visitors and local residents in sea turtle conservation awareness activities
  • Record field data on standardised datasheets and submit it daily to the project database

Highlights

  • One of the most affordable marine conservation volunteer programmes in Europe
  • Direct hands-on involvement with one of the Mediterranean's most iconic endangered species
  • Strong international volunteer community and lasting friendships across cohorts
  • Recognised scientific programme with 40+ years of uninterrupted nesting data
  • Located at Zakynthos — the first National Marine Park for sea turtles in the Mediterranean
  • Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds welcomed including 50+

Things to consider

  • Early pre-dawn starts every day — the schedule is physically demanding and sleep is often limited
  • Basic camping accommodation with no electricity or running water at most field sites
  • No diving or water activities involved — entirely land and beach-based fieldwork
  • Food and personal expenses are not included in the participation fee
  • Remote field locations with limited access to towns and amenities
  • Seasonal programme only — available May to October, no year-round intake

What People Are Saying

Archelon volunteers consistently describe the programme as one of the most authentic and affordable conservation experiences available in Europe. Reviewers highlight the sense of real scientific purpose — walking dark beaches at sunrise, finding fresh turtle tracks, and protecting nests — as the defining experience. The communal camping lifestyle is universally noted as basic but deeply rewarding, fostering a strong team spirit among volunteers from dozens of countries. The main reservation raised across reviews is the physically demanding schedule: early starts before dawn every day, limited sleep, and modest facilities that some find challenging but most find character-building.​

Sources

Archelon official volunteer page [source], Archelon project areas [source], Sustainable Vision programme profile [source], The Conservation Network listing [source]

Organisation

Archelon - The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece​

NGO / Non-profit​

info@archelon.gr​

Visit Program Website​

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