What ecoteach does

EcoTeach is a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1994 by educators to deliver customized student group travel focused on conservation, ecology education, and hands-on wildlife research. The company operates as a program of SEE Turtles, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit sea turtle conservation organization, following a 2026 acquisition that ensures 100% of profits support conservation. EcoTeach maintains nine core trip itineraries across three destinations — Costa Rica, Belize, and the Galapagos Islands — with per-person pricing ranging from $1,995 to $4,395 depending on destination, duration, and program content. Trips incorporate hands-on research participation (sea turtle monitoring, coral reef surveys, dolphin and manatee observation), cultural immersion with indigenous communities, and curriculum-aligned educational components delivered through pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip lesson plans and virtual presentations.

The underlying technology is a web-based booking and registration platform that supports quote requests, participant registration, payment management, and an impact estimator tool that quantifies per-trip outcomes (hatchlings saved, trash cleaned). The company does not expose public APIs, mobile applications, or AI-driven features. Operational delivery depends on a deep partner ecosystem: Herencia Verde manages Costa Rica logistics; EcoMar coordinates Belize marine conservation programs; Galakiwi operates Galapagos land-based tours; and conservation partners including LAST (Latin American Sea Turtles), ASTOP, and Estación Las Tortugas provide scientific programming and local community access.

EcoTeach's business model is direct-to-consumer unit pricing on educational travel, sold through website quote requests, phone/email contact with a dedicated Conservation Travel Manager, and conference-based outreach to teachers and educational administrators. Trip leaders travel free with minimum group sizes (7 paying participants for 1 free leader, 14 for 2 free leaders), and pricing scales with itinerary length and destination cost. Revenue is generated per trip on a pay-as-you-go basis, and marketing relies on organic social media, email newsletters, educational conference presence, and cross-promotion through parent SEE Turtles. The primary customer segment is school groups (students and teachers), with secondary segments including individual educators seeking CEU credit and family/adult conservation travelers. The company has served 25,000+ travelers since founding and reports generating over $1 million for conservation and coastal communities through its Impact Pricing model.

Name

ecoteach

Legal name

EcoTeach

Website

https://ecoteach.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

EcoTeach is a Portland-based nonprofit (program of SEE Turtles) that organizes customized conservation-focused educational travel for student groups, teachers, and families across Costa Rica, Belize, and the Galapagos Islands, with 100% of profits supporting sea turtle conservation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Conservation Travel

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Eco-Tours & Sustainable Nature Travel (THAJAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences (THAJAIAJ), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Educational travel programs
• Conservation education trips
• Student group travel
• Wildlife research tourism
• Sea turtle conservation tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Student Group Conservation Trips: EcoTeach generates revenue through program fees charged for educational conservation trips. 100% of profits are directed to sea turtle conservation and coastal community support through the SEE Turtles nonprofit structure. Trip prices range from $1,995 to $4,395 per person depending on destination and duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EcoTeach organizes customized student group travel programs focused on conservation education and hands-on wildlife research across Costa Rica, Belize, and the Galapagos Islands. The company offers nine structured trip itineraries alongside fully customizable journeys, all integrating sea turtle research, habitat restoration, cultural immersion, and curriculum-aligned educational content. As a program of SEE Turtles nonprofit, 100% of profits support sea turtle conservation.

Product overview

EcoTeach is a student educational travel company offering a portfolio of structured and customizable conservation-focused trip programs for school groups. The product portfolio consists of nine core trip itineraries spanning three destination regions: Costa Rica (offering Educator Expeditions, Classic Costa Rica, Conservation Meets Cultural Immersion, and Leatherbacks trips), Belize (Ocean Wildlife and Barrier Reef Research trips), and Galapagos Islands (7-Day Adventure, Wild Adventure, and Turtles & Tortoises tours). All trips incorporate hands-on conservation activities, cultural immersion experiences, and educational curriculum alignment. The company operates on a custom itinerary model, allowing groups to tailor existing itineraries or build entirely new expeditions. EcoTeach is a program of SEE Turtles nonprofit, with 100% of profits supporting sea turtle conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Costa Rica Educator Expedition A 9-day/8-night educator-focused trip with hands-on sea turtle research, mangrove reforestation, cacao farm tours, and indigenous community visits in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, Cloud Forest, and Central Valley regions. Priced at $1,995 per person.
• Classic Costa Rica Trip An 11-day/10-night comprehensive Costa Rica tour covering Caribbean coast turtle research, whitewater rafting on the Reventazon River, Arenal Volcano visits, Afro-Caribbean cultural experiences in Cahuita, and butterfly farm tours. Priced from $2,595 per person.
• Conservation Meets Cultural Immersion A 7-day Costa Rica trip combining sea turtle research with Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST), mangrove reforestation, organic cacao farm visits, and Boruca indigenous community mask-painting workshops across Central Valley and Osa Peninsula. Priced from $2,295 per person.
• Costa Rica Leatherbacks A 7-day/6-night leatherback sea turtle conservation trip in Parismina on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, involving nightly beach patrols, hatchery work, community activities, and butterfly farm visits. Priced from $1,995 per person.
• 6 Day Belize Ocean Wildlife Field Trip A 6-day/5-night marine wildlife education trip to St. George's Caye featuring sea turtle observation, manatee and dolphin surveys, Hol Chan Marine Reserve visits, and coral reef exploration. Priced from $2,195 land only.
• 8 Day Belize Barrier Reef Research Trip An 8-day/7-night research-focused trip at St. George's Caye offering sea turtle, dolphin, manatee, and Queen conch surveys, plus visits to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and educational presentations. Priced from $2,795 land only.
• Galapagos Student Adventure - 7 Days A 7-day/6-night Galapagos Islands trip visiting San Cristobal and Santa Cruz islands with activities including snorkeling with sea turtles, tortoise conservation, Kicker Rock exploration, Charles Darwin Research Station visits, and kayaking at Tortuga Bay. Priced from $2,995 per person.
• Wild Galapagos Student Adventure A 10-day/9-night Galapagos expedition covering three islands (San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Isabela) with snorkeling, ocean kayaking, Sierra Negra Volcano hikes, giant tortoise observation, local scout beach cleanups, and conservation station visits. Priced from $3,895 per person.
• Galapagos Turtles & Tortoises For Students A 10-day/9-night Galapagos conservation tour visiting San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela islands with giant tortoise programs, sea lion and marine iguana snorkeling, Sierra Negra Volcano hiking, Charles Darwin Station visits, and volunteer beach cleanups. Priced from $4,395 per person.
• Custom Student Conservation Trips Fully customized educational travel programs for student groups, allowing radical customization of itineraries to align with specific curriculum goals, educational focus areas, and conservation impact objectives across Costa Rica, Belize, and Galapagos destinations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300 turtle hatchlings saved per student (15-student group average)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SEE TurtlescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026EcoTeach was acquired by SEE Turtles in 2026. SEE Turtles is a nonprofit sea turtle conservation organization and longtime partner. This acquisition strengthens EcoTeach's commitment to conservation and ensures all profits go to support the mission.
• Herencia VerdecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ground operations managed entirely by Herencia Verde, led by Carlos 'Pika' Viquez. They handle logistics, program development, and maintain relationships with community contacts, hotels, restaurants, and activities in Costa Rica.
• EcoMar (Belize)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcoMar coordinates marine conservation projects in Belize, focusing on the Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage Site. Programs include coral monitoring, turtle watch, lionfish management, engaging local guides, fishermen, and volunteers.
• Galakiwi (Galapagos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGalakiwi is the leading land-based tour operator in the Galapagos Islands, offering active adventures by kayak, SUP, and snorkel across San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela. Owned by Tim and Crystal Cooney.
• Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAST is a Costa Rica-based conservation association with nearly 30 years of experience protecting sea turtles. Volunteers join research programs on Pacific and Caribbean coasts to help preserve endangered sea turtle populations.
• Save The Turtles of Parismina Association (ASTOP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASTOP is a turtle conservation organization in Parismina, Costa Rica. Volunteers join nightly beach surveys to monitor nesting turtles, assist with the hatchery to guide hatchlings to the ocean, and support community projects.
• Estacion Las TortugascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstación Las Tortugas is a sea turtle nesting project on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast that protects critically endangered leatherback sea turtles. Volunteers work with biologists on tagging, egg transplanting, and hatchling release.
• Jardin PierellaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPierella Garden is an ecological butterfly farm in Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, exporting chrysalises to zoos and museums in over 20 countries for 30 years. Offers rainforest exploration and chocolate tours.
• Finca Siempre VerdeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinca Siempre Verde is an ecotourism destination in Mastatal, near La Cangreja National Park in Costa Rica. Family-owned and operated by a Costa Rican family that has lived in the region for 35 years.
• Finca KobominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinca Kobo is an organic farm on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula that grows cacao and other fruits. Visitors learn about chocolate production from harvest to tasting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rustic Pathways: Rustic Pathways runs student service-learning and community service trips for high schoolers across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It is the closest direct peer to EcoTeach in the student-educational-travel space with similar group itineraries and impact-driven positioning.
• Global Leadership Adventures: Global Leadership Adventures organizes teen volunteer-abroad programs in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with a curriculum-based, impact-focused model. Comparable to EcoTeach in targeting student groups seeking hands-on, mission-driven travel.
• Projects Abroad: Projects Abroad organizes volunteer and conservation travel experiences for students and adults globally. Overlaps with EcoTeach in serving student-age participants seeking structured conservation immersion.
• GoEco: GoEco is a volunteer-abroad platform offering conservation, wildlife, and marine programs across the developing world. Comparable to EcoTeach in its conservation-focused, impact-positioned travel offerings.
• Earthwatch Institute: Earthwatch runs citizen-science expeditions where participants join researchers in fieldwork on wildlife and ecosystems. Strong overlap with EcoTeach's hands-on conservation research model for student groups.
• Ecoventura: Ecoventura is a Galapagos-based small-ship expedition operator focused on conservation and naturalist-led experiences. A direct peer for EcoTeach's Galapagos student offerings.
• Natural Habitat Adventures: Natural Habitat Adventures offers small-group, conservation-focused wildlife trips worldwide in partnership with World Wildlife Fund. Comparable to EcoTeach in its nature-immersion, naturalist-led model, though serving older/affluent travelers.

Broad incumbents

• Lindblad Expeditions: Lindblad Expeditions, in partnership with National Geographic, runs premium expedition cruises including Galapagos. Directly competes with EcoTeach's Galapagos itineraries at a much higher price point and broader portfolio.
• WorldStrides: WorldStrides is a major K-12 student travel provider offering educational trips, performance tours, and STEM-focused itineraries. Competes with EcoTeach for school-group bookings but with broader generalist positioning.
• EF Educational Tours: EF Educational Tours is the largest student travel operator globally, offering school trips across dozens of countries. A broader incumbent that competes with EcoTeach in school-group travel but lacks EcoTeach's narrow conservation specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EcoTeachTrips
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecoteach
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecoteach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ecoteach