Description

Our second trip to Costa Rica is just as full of adventure activities, wildlife observation and community service as our first Costa Rica trip, and the two trips can be combined for over three weeks of adventure travel and community service! Well swim next to a 210 foot waterfall, horseback ride, see more tropical wildlife in its natural habitat than you can anywhere else in the world, zipline over jungle canopy, go on a crocodile safari, stay in a beautiful resort on the Pacific, work with locals on fun, meaningful community service projects, and much more& Pura Vida!

DAYS 1 -4: SAN JOSE, TURRIALBA
We begin our journey with a short ride from San Jose to the Turrialba National Park where well spend two days and nights in this beautiful region. W'ell horseback ride through rolling sugar cane and coffee plantations spotting sloths, iguanas and tropical birds along the way, volunteer at a local school with whatever project they need help with at the time, and visit Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica's most important archaeological site where there are mysterious ancient stone carvings of alligator and jaguar gods and ingeniously engineered Pre-Columbian aqueducts where water still flows.

DAYS 4 -5: SARAPIQUI
We then head to La Quinta de Sarapiqui, a family-run rain forest resort where we'll take a night bat tour and even touch, feed and safely release them. The following morning we'll participate in a tree planting activity to help the restoration process of the native flora, specifically the Almendro de Montaña, to improve the habitat for the Green Macaw.

DAYS 5 -6: ARENAL
Our next stop is Arenal, where we'll stay in a hotel at the foot of the Arenal Volcano - the 10th most active volcano in the world! The hotel is extremely comfortable and has a series of 6 naturally heated mineral hot pools connected by an uphill foot path and covered in tropical vegetation. In the afternoon we'll head to La Fortuna waterfall, a 210 foot ribbon of water gushing into a pool where we'll relax and swim. The following morning we head into the town and meet up with a local scout troop to help out with whatever may be needed at the time: you may paint a wall or do some light handiwork.

DAYS 6 -8: MONTEVERDE
We'll say goodbye to the scouts and take a bus to Arenal lake for a boat ride to the other side where our bus will pick us up and take us to our hotel in Monteverde. That evening we'll head into the lush cloud forest after watching the beautiful sunset and watch as the forest seems to awaken during the transition to night. The following day we'll again have the opportunity to help out at a local school with whatever is needed before we begin our canopy adventure! Zipline over the rainforest for a thrilling view of the jungle from above and don't worry, it's perfectly safe!

DAYS 8 -10: PUNTA LEONA, FLIGHT HOME FROM SAN JOSE
Our final stop takes us to a 750 acre beach resort on the Pacific coast were we'll soak up the sun on world class triple flag white sand beaches, enjoy the resort's many amenities (pools surrounded by tropical nature, snorkeling, water sports, even an 18 hole mini golf course!). We'll also go on a crocodile safari for an up-close look at these incredible animals in their natural habitat. The charm and splendor of Costa Rica is so ubiquitous it leaves an indelible mark on anyone who travels there; from arrival to sad wave goodbye in San Jose, the warmth of the people and the marvel of the natural beauty are truly unforgettable.

Highlights

- Volunteer at 2 local schools, participate in a tree planting project, and help clean a beach (20 hrs community service credit)
- Horseback ride through spectacular tropical scenery
- See a plethora of wildlife in its natural habitat including sea turtles, whitefaced monkeys, giant iguanas, and sloths
- Go on a crocodile safari and zipline over jungle canopy
- Stay in a 750 acre beach resort with pools surrounded by tropical nature, snorkeling, water sports, and an 18 hole mini golf course
- Simmer in natural hot springs and see the 10th most active volcano in the world
- Swim in the pool created by a 210 foot waterfall
- Chaperoned group airfare for under USD 500!

Travel Types

• Snorkeling
• Hiking
• RainForest Tours
• Student Tours
• Tours
• Volunteering

Type of Programs

• Adventure Travel
• Community Service / Volunteerism
• High School Study Abroad
• Cultural Exploration

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

USD 2,685 plus airfare

Program Fees Include:

All expenses minus airfare. Please see our site for details.

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European and Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 week

Travel For Teens's Mission Statement

Travel for Teens believes that teen travel should be both fun and enriching. Our programs feature choice in what you do, see, and experience, a dynamic that sets us apart from superficial tours that herd large groups from one site to another. We visit the best of the mainstream attractions while offering the opportunity to explore the culture from a less touristy perspective. We interact with our host cultures, taking cooking and dance lessons, performing valuable service work to help local communities, and conversing with the people who have spent their lives living in the places we journey to. We have crafted our unique programs to engender love for travel, hunger for learning, curiosity about differences, appreciation of similarities across cultures, and an understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.

Year Founded

2003