Adventure Tours in Arenal, Costa Rica

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

Going on this trip to Costa Rica was truly one of the best experiences of my life! I had SOOOO much fun with all the activities, from ziplining and whitewater rafting to exploring the beaches and experiencing everything Costa Rica had to offer. Every day was filled with something exciting, and I made so many amazing memories that I will never forget. One of the best parts of the entire trip was meeting one of my best friends, who I still talk to every single day! I never expected to come home with a friendship that would mean so much to me, and that alone made the trip so special. The counselors also made the experience so much better. They were so fun, supportive, and welcoming, and they made everyone feel comfortable while making every activity even more enjoyable. Beyond all the adventures, the service work was such a meaningful part of the trip. It was incredibly special to see firsthand how our work made a direct impact on the communities we visited and to know that we were helping make a difference in people's lives. This trip was the perfect mix of adventure, service, personal growth, and friendship. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience abroad. I came home with amazing memories, a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and friendships that I will cherish forever. Pura Vida! ❤️

When I was 13, I went to Costa Rica for the first time with a group of teenagers. When I got there, I was amazed by the beautiful landscape and wildlife. The beaches were very captivating because of the white sand and lush forests surrounding the area. The waves were perfect for surfing which is one of the activities I got to experience while I was there. The other beach that we explored had calm and clear waters that were good for snorkeling and seeing all of the amazing sea creatures. Costa Rica also had many mountains which we got to hike and go ziplining. It was really cool to be able to zipline through the rainforest and waterfalls. We got to go tubing through the rushing waters of a river in the mountains. Although the water was on the colder side, it was really fun and a wonderful memory. Everyone that I went on my trip with was super nice and it was great to be able to meet new people and make new friends. The food was delicious and there were many options to choose from. We stayed in 3 different hotels throughout the 10-day adventure and all of the hotels were in great locations. Overall, I would highly recommend going on this adrenaline-filled experience in Costa Rica since it was completely safe, unforgettable, and full of exciting activities.

I was lucky enough to spend a second summer in a row on a Travel for Teen Trip. It was hard to imagine that summer of 2022 could be as great as the first trip that I took in the summer f 2022. But it ended up being even better! I spent three weeks in Costa Rica, a beautiful country where I traveled; took part in many adventures, and had the great opportunity to engage in several community service projects. All the while, I made a great group of new friends with whom I remain in touch with. There are so many amazing things i could highlight from both the tours that i have completed with Travel for Teens. Some of the best parts include the extraordinary places that I visited; the wonderful communities and people that I learned from; a great group of new friends from all over the world that I gained; and community service that was totally enriching.

Outward Bound Costa will without a doubt be one of the most challenging things you will ever do but you will meet the most amazing people and achieve things that felt unachievable. My favourite thing about OBCR was the people I met, not only did I make some great friends in my group but also the local people we met along the way who made it so special. It could be laughing with Kenneth an instructor, listening to Santiago tell you about the man who fought off a Puma, Swimming with Jefferey the Kayaker, Holding Goat Man Ricks new baby goat, talking to the hosts at the home-stays or making burritos with Samuel the chef, there are always people with something to teach you or tell you. I went on the trek course and there is no denying that it is challenging, I would advise being in reasonable shape because it will make it easier but whatever your fitness level you will complete it. It's one of those things you wish you had a choice about in the moment but afterwards your glad you didn't because you know you would have backed out. As hard as the mornings of hiking were the afternoons in the tarp are some of my funniest memories. When I refer to the tarp I mean the two massive pieces of tarpaulin that form a group tent during the trek. Sleeping packed in like sardines is a great ice-breaker and I learnt more new card games than I thought existed. I think you should go on outward bound just to experience the feeling of joy you get when a comfort that you haven't had in a long time comes back. I have never had a shower as good as the one I took at the first homestay, the water was freezing and I had limited toiletries but it felt amazing. Even walking without the weight of a backpack is a joy on trek. I cannot explain to you the excitement and anticipation about getting our suitcases back when we got back to base which had our clean clothes in. The weirdest experience from trek was definitely the third day. It started off great, the views were spectacular, there was a lot less uphill than yesterday, it was all looking good. Then the rain came. I cannot put into words how wet we all were, jogging down paths that had turned to rivers, wading through mud, giving up on rain jackets (they made no difference by that point), hoping desperately to reach the promised campsite. When we'd eventually set up camp (the rain was still going) we call crawled into the tarp, stripped off our wet clothes and just sat there for about half an hour. No one new what to do, everything was soaked, but I remember just laughing hysterically with some others from the group just trying to process the absurdity of the situation. After that we could all confidently say, it doesn't get any worse. While this may sound like a negative thing outward bound will push you to breaking point, but after that you will feel like you can literally do anything and that is the best feeling in the world. (Don't worry we also had relaxing beach days and fun activities like zip-lining it's not all pain.) Highly recommend!

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewSeptember 19, 2022

Keira, thank you so much for sharing your story here! You've truly embraced the spirit of Outward Bound & we're so proud of what you accomplished. Come back and see us soon!

I did a summer course at OBCR (tropical trek) and it was a culturally enriching experience. I was able to practice my Spanish speaking skills with my instructors and have a blast with my coursemates. The hikes were physically grueling and I would advise being physically able to handle uphills and downhills with a heavy pack. The course itinerary was great and had a healthy mix of cool activities with educational ones. I recommend!!

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 11, 2022

So glad you had a culturally enriching experience here with us! We appreciate your recommendation – come back to Costa Rica soon.

Traveling to Costa Rica was the first time I had been abroad since the pandemic began. The combination of physically challenging days punctuated by the thrills of activities, the joy of acquiring new knowledge and the entertainment of building a close knit community of people along the way was the perfect set of experiences to get me into interacting with the wider world and new people.

Great personal growth experience. Loved the staff and the group of kids. created lasting bonds. would love to come back again or even lead a trip in the future. came out more self aware and ready to take on school

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 26, 2021

Thank you so much for this review, we're so glad that it was such a valuable personal growth experience!

A mother writing here....our daughter called and asked to stay for the one-week surf extension, following the two-week scuba course. This is her second time returning, and would be third if we didn't experience the pandemic. I can't say enough for the amazing communication offered by the enrollment manager, Brynna. I felt at-ease knowing our daughter was in great care, and I couldn't wait for the email and photo updates each week! Outstanding. I hope she goes back again next year.

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 20, 2021

We're so glad that she had such a great experience the second time around and would love to welcome her back again to Costa Rica!

It was a wonderful experience! I enjoyed the people and activities -especially scuba diving. I am happy that I received my Advanced scuba certification. Seeing the sloths and manatees was amazing; I wish we could have seen the sea turtles.

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 14, 2021

Thank you for your review, Lauren! We're so glad you managed to see some sloths and manatees!

Learning new things about the culture of Costa Rica, myself, the importance of nature, and wildlife. I learned about the typical breakfast in Costa Rica, for example, Pico de gallo, plantains, etc. were just a few examples of the great foods to experience. I learned a lot of new things about myself, and ways that I can improve to better impact the people around me. I’m so glad I got to experience this. Karina and Henry are amazing!

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 14, 2021

Thank you Jessie! We'll be sure to pass this on to Karina and Henry. We're so glad you had a valuable experience and learned a lot along the way!

I absolutely loved this course! I have never bonded with people as fast or closely as I did with other people the way I did with the amazing people I got to meet on this trip! I had challenges and experiences I never could have imagined and I am so grateful for every single part of this trip. The amount of reflection we did as a group made us really trust each other and find out a lot of people struggled with the same things in life so we were able to bond over that and grow together. I realized the person I truly want to be for myself and for others, I came home 10X more confident than I have ever been and knowing what true happiness is. It's feeling like your legs are going to fall off as you're walking up your tenth hill and it is pouring rain on you and all your things but you are so grateful to be there with the people you have, you are grateful for the strength you feel after pushing up those hills and you are even grateful for the rain as you all dance and laugh together while you're soaking wet! It's meeting host families and sharing laughs even through a language barrier, it's realizing we are all people living on earth, and there is so much beauty in the people and the environment around us that even the worst times make you smile because you feel so blessed to be where you are with the people you have.

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 14, 2021

Wow, what an amazing review Aria! Thank you for sharing this. We are so happy that you came away with so many positive experiences and gained so much from the reflection time on the course.

I had the best experience of my life so far ! Everything was Amazing ! I have made friends that I continue to stay in touch with ! My scuba experience started off rocky but I’m glad I stuck with it. This experience helped me realize how important it is to explore new things because there’s so much to learn. I now appreciate the simple things like a hot shower !

Outward Bound Costa Rica responded to this reviewAugust 12, 2021

Wow! Thank you for this review Shaina! It is so great to hear that your experience had such a positive impact on you. Pura vida!