The Rain Forest Village Experience: Costa Rica

This program is provided by

Location

Costa Rica: San Jose

Description

Rain Forest Village Experience: Costa Rica!

Costa Rica is a cultural and natural paradise, but most travelers see only the large, tourist resorts. This Road Less Traveled program, however, offers a unique opportunity in the middle of a secluded natural rainforest to help an untouched community create a sustainable future. While helping the community to help themselves, volunteers will be treated to enormous cultural learning and spectacular contact with the lush rainforest.

Work Project:

A decade ago, the government set aside a national forest reserve for the spectacular Carara Rainforest, which borders the village. The villagers love their nature paradise and appreciated the action. However, since then, the tiny village has struggled for sources of income, as their crops are being eaten by protected wildlife. As a first step toward creating sustainable eco-tourism, the community needs help clearing paths, marking trails, learning English, etc. No special skills are required.

Food and Lodging:

Do not expect squalor. Prior volunteers have constructed 2 darling "cabinas" in traditional Costa Rican style, furnished with fans & comfortable beds. These include Western-style bathrooms and showers, though the water is unheated (unlikely to be missed in the tropical climate). Volunteers are fed plenty of fresh, healthy, abundant, Costa Rican dishes. Electricity is available, though on a relatively limited basis.

Leisure Activities:

Nature hikes (to waterfalls, etc), horse-back riding, canopy tours, cooking lessons, fishing, bird-watching, surfing (in Jaco), bat- watching, see crocodiles, incredible star gazing, and many other activities.

Arranging Your Airfare:

You will need to arrange to be in San Jose by 12:30 on the Saturday your program begins. The program ends at 10am the following Saturday and it takes approximately 4 hours to get you back to San Jose. The airport is one of the return drops off stops our driver will make. You would not want to arrange a flight any earlier than 4:30pm on the return.

Highlights

Costa Rica is noted more for its natural beauty and friendly people than for its culture. The overwhelming European influence erased almost all indigenous culture, and because Costa Rica was a country of subsistence agriculturalists until the middle of the 19th century, cultural activity has only begun to blossom in the last 100 years.