The Costa Rica: Cloud Forest Community Initiative program offers the perfect mix of adventure and service. Whitewater raft through the lush rainforest of the Pacuare River, spotting wildlife like monkeys, sloths, and toucans along the way.
Live in a remote cloud forest village, contributing to important infrastructure projects. Learn to surf the calm waves of Costa Rica’s Pacific Ocean, while enjoying the country’s stunning palm-fringed beaches. Discover the process of coffee production in the lush green mountains where it’s grown, and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of rainforests, pristine coastlines, and hidden waterfalls, all while connecting with and supporting local communities.
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Updated Oct 16, 2025
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Locations
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Education Levels & Language
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Application Procedures
Age Requirement
14-17
Duration
Starts At
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Review this ProgramShowing 1-7 of 7 reviews
My 15 year old daughter looked at a number of programs before narrowing in on this program. ARCC was very professional prior to departure, during the trip, and afterwards. My daughter got so many experiences within the two weeks she was there-- all so valuable and educational. I loved that the teenagers were without phones for all but an hour of the trip. ARCC has the whole thing dialed. It's clear they know what they are doing.
This was my first time with ARCC and my experience was amazing, I loved getting to know everyone and experiencing the culture. All the accommodations we're wonderful I really loved doing the homestays and getting to experience their life for a little bit. The service was amazing and it was so fun getting to help others for a change. We all really bonded and I would definitely do a program like this again!
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This was our first experience with ARCC and our son loved it. The program is well organized from the initial contact to the end when we received a letter verifying our son's community service hours. The trip leaders were outstanding. They were fun, outgoing, and fostered a strong group community from the very beginning of the trip. We would highly recommend this teen tour program and our son is excited to do another one next summer.
This was our daughter's first experience with ARCC. She is a shy girl, and not very adventurous. Needless to say she was very much looking forward to the service part of the trip, but kind of worried about the more adventurous parts. Well she came back as happy as can be. She made lots of friends and loved every minute of it. She is looking forward to going on another ARCC program next year.
The trip was awesome, our trip leaders were great and I loved hanging out with every single person in my group. The homestay was probably my favorite parts, all of the families in Mollejones were so welcoming and getting to meet the kids was an experience i will never forget. Overall, this trip was amazing and i plan to go on another one next summer.
Our son thoroughly enjoyed traveling to Costa Rica with ARCC. The program leaders were excellent, as was the program itself. He enjoyed the service and surfing. He grew as a person and became more confident in his ability to speak Spanish. Our daughter previously went on this program and enjoyed it just as much.
Good mix of service, fun and bonding. Great opportunity to teach English Costa Rican school as well as exchange dances and food at night. There are quite a few bugs and mosquitoes so put Mosquito spray on twice a day.
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FAQs
Get answers to all the most common questions about ARCC Programs.
The specific service projects that each group will work on depend on the current needs of the communities. Possibilities include repairing roads, constructing bridges, improving community buildings or schools, planting trees, or environmental education and village clean-up.
During this program, we sleep in a variety of accommodations: small hotel, community homes, or jungle eco-lodge.
Typically, we will take a private 20-person shuttle from place to place. When traveling to more remote areas, we occasionally split into two groups and use smaller 4-wheel drive vehicles.
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