Autumn Eco-navigation

• Overview
• Project Details
• Useful Information
• Accommodation
• Trip Info

Duration & Fees

The Summer Eco – Navigation programme is available both to solo/ couple travel and group/ family travel.  Every expedition lasts 6 days, starting on Sunday and finishing on Saturday, and hosts from 5 (minimum) to 8 participants (maximum). 

Group/ family travel package (up to 8 persons)

• €4,200

Solo/ couple travel (Per Person based on twin shared cabin)

• €850 (5 is the minimum number of participants required)

Prices incl. VAT

• 03 Oct - 10 Oct 2020

• Pre-departure support
• Return transfers to and from Airport/ bus station
• Arrival orientation
• Constant mentoring, supervision, guidance and training from experienced scientists
• Necessary project equipment and materials
• Transfer to research area locations and/ or National Parks’ offices 
• Marine biodiversity monitoring techniques and public awareness courses
• Sailing training (keeping watches, setting sails, steering, navigation etc.)
• Mooring and port expenses
• Fuel for the boat and the inflatable
• Accommodation on board in twin shared cabins
• Three meals daily (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and beverages (except for alcoholic and soft drinks).
• Certification of training and experience received
• Confidential professional reference

• International and domestic flights or bus tickets
• Airport taxes
• Medical and Travel insurance
• Work/study Visa
• Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, spirits)
• Laundry services (inexpensive laundry can be found at the harbours)
• Internet access (free service available at internet cafes) 

Living on-board the sailing boat as part of the crew, will sail out every day to conduct a cetacean survey. This includes recording geographic position, assessing group size, composition and formation, observing the surface activity patterns and surfacing intervals. No previous experience is required as at the beginning of the survey volunteers will be trained to undertake specific tasks including dolphin watching, behavioural data collection and photographic identification. You will also learn to identify and record sea turtles, birds and other fauna during navigation.

When we arrive in sea turtle foraging and nesting grounds you will have the chance to get hands-on information on monitoring and patrolling nesting beaches techniques, conducting behavioural observation and collecting and analysing data. You will also learn to carry out socio-economic surveys in order to collect data about the distribution of the sea turtles and monk seals in the area, their interaction with the fishermen and the factors that threatened their populations. 

In-depth information about the different aspects of marine mammal and sea turtle research will be given during the time spent on board through interactive lectures and open discussions.

Participants are expected to participate in all aspects of fieldwork, being part of a scientific project, as well as of a sailing crew. No particular skill or scientific and nautical experience is necessary as volunteers will undergo careful training in order to be able to carry out all their sailing and research tasks. However, participants must be prepared for an adventure with a positive attitude, and the ability to adapt and be flexible to basic and challenging conditions.

Every day, weather permitting, you will sail after breakfast spending the day navigating and conducting research. Volunteers will be assigned sighting shifts in order to ensure constant sighting effort and sailing tasks. During the trip, there will be also time to relax and stop for a swim break. When day’s survey is concluded, the boat will spend the night in a harbour or in a sheltered bay giving the chance to the participants for a night out or a relaxing evening under the stars.

Cooking and boat-keeping is an integral part of volunteer’s duties. All participants will be asked to contribute to the preparation of 3 meals each day. Dishwashing and cleaning shifts will be assigned to ensure the communal spaces will always be clean and tidy. The boat will always be stocked with food, coffee/ tea, drinking water for the whole cruise duration. Two volunteers will cook breakfast, lunch and dinner and wash up every day.

The Summer Eco-Navigation programme is for college/ university students, who want to advance their academic education, develop their professional skills and get hands-on information and experience both on sailing and marine wildlife surveys. However, this expedition programme can attract people of all ages and from all walks of life whether they are students on gap year, professionals taking career breaks, couples, families or group of people wanting to spend their holiday with a difference. No previous experience is necessary.

During sailing there will be time for interesting discussions with the rest of the crew, prepare and enjoy good food, as well as time to yourself to read and relax.

When in the harbour (Preveza, Lefkas, Ithaki, Kafalonia, Zakynthos), there will be plenty of time in the evenings to go out in places, which provide laundry facilities, internet access and excellent opportunities for nightlife and shopping.

In case of bad weather the boat stays in the harbour or in a sheltered bay. This is an excellent occasion for participants to visit the surrounding area and places of interest.

Participants should fly in either Athens or Thessaloniki International Airport and then take either the bus to Preveza town. Upon arrival in Preveza bus station you will be picked up for your transfer to the boat.

Another way to reach Preveza harbour is to take a FERRY from Italy to Igoumenitsa, from where you can get a bus to Preveza.

During the summer period, May – September, charter flights are available from across Europe to Preveza-Aktio airport.

For further information and advice please contact us and we can arrange your flights and bus tickets for you.

GreenTraveller’s specialist staff provides personalised attention and on-going support to volunteers, extensive pre-departure training and in-country orientation and supervision.

Upon booking, you will have a comprehensive pre-departure briefing with the programme coordinator that provides all the details you will need to prepare for your trip to Greece. This briefing will cover topics and information on accommodation, staff, visas, optional activities, medical advice, subjects of your internship, activities and life in the project and more.

Upon arrival, your project coordinator will guide you through your volunteer tasks, act as a link between you and your host National Park Management Body, and help to broaden your understanding of the country where you are volunteering. All our Project Leaders are qualified biologists/ environmentalists and experienced professionals bringing a wealth of education and experience to enrich your programme.

Our staff will offer logistical and emergency support to volunteers and assistance such as illness, missed flights, lost luggage etc. A 24 hours a day, 7 days a week emergency contact number is provided for everyone who join us. We never compromise on safety!

Adequate and valid travel insurance is compulsory for all participants prior to their departure and while on one of our expedition/ tours/ programmes. You are responsible for ensuring that you are in possession of a valid travel insurance for the entire duration of your trip in respect of medical expenses, personal accident, legal expenses, medical emergency repatriation and death, as well as make sure that there are no exclusion clauses which limit cover for the type of sport or other activities included in your programme, such as, but not limited, to trekking, diving, rafting, cycling, canoeing, skiing etc.

The marine surveys are conducted with a sailing boat. There are four cabins with double beds hosting up to 8 participants and the skipper (in a separate cabin at the bow). Each cabin has its own private bathroom, equipped with hot water. Below deck is the kitchen which is equipped with the fridges and the dining room, which has leather seating, a music player and bar. Participants live and sleep on board throughout the duration of the cruise, sharing the same cabins and bathrooms. Internet access and washing facilities are not available on-board but laundry and internet cafes are available in most harbours we spent our nights.

The Ionian Islands are scattered along the western coastline of Central Greece comprising seven major islands  (Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Lefkada, Ithaca, Paxi and Kythira)  and many smaller ones. The islands are well known for their beautiful sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, charming villages and stunning scenic countryside which is verdant and flourishing with greenery and nature.

The fauna and flora of the Ionian Islands is rich and diverse. In the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, in Laganas bay, exists the most important nesting ground of the Mediterranean for the Loggerhead turtle. In Kefalonia, mountain Aenos has been declared as National Park due to the presence of the native species of the Greek Fir (Abies cephalonica) along with some rare species of flora and fauna.

Some of the world’s rarest marine mammals can be found in Ionian Islands  waters from the Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the  Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates) and the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), to the Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus).

One of the well-known Ionian Islands is Lefkada, easily reachable by car or public transportation. The island has long beaches, among the cleanest in the Mediterranean, with crystal-clear water, whiles the town of Lefkada, is a popular destination for visitors and provides excellent opportunities for nightlife and shopping. From Lefkada is worth visiting the islands of Meganisi and Ithaki where beautiful, unspoiled, impressive caves and sandy beaches can be found.

Kefalonia,  is an island as attractive to walkers and environmentalists  as it is to sunbathers, as there are magnificent sights, forest covered mountains, amazing beaches, rich cultural heritage, great monuments, mountains, castles, remote monasteries and cheerful, hospitable people.

Zakythos island is famous for its long sandy beaches as Kalamaki, Keri, Laganas, Tsilivi, Vassilikos and Argassi and for Laganas bay where the important nesting beach for the loggerhead sea turtle is located. Zakynthos offers to the visitor a big variety of activities such as scuba diving, horse riding, sailing, sports, bars and night clubs. Other activities include the visit of the “shipwreck” on the north part of the island and the very beautiful “Marathonisi” on the west part of the island.

Corfu, with its many beach resorts and its lively bar and clubs, remains the major attraction for visitors. Yet, beyond the conspicuous tourism of the island's coastal strips in the island’s mountains and woodlands a network of paths and trails will accommodate those seeking peace and quiet.

• Three National Parks (Amvrakikos, Zakynthos and Aenos) of Epirus and Ionian Island Regions, which host rare wildlife (sea turtles, marine mammals, birds, vegetation endemic species etc.).
• Popular tourist destinations