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Experience Costa Rica – 9 days
Santa Catalina School | Melissa Sheets
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN YOUR TRIP
Rainforest hikes and brisk high-altitude trails. Costa Rica offers a dizzying suite of outdoor adventures in every shape and size – from the squeal-inducing rush of a canopy zipline to a sun-dazed afternoon at the beach. National parks allow visitors to glimpse life in both rainforest and cloud forest, simmering volcanoes offer otherworldly vistas, and reliable easy to learn on surf breaks are suited to beginners and experts alike. We look forward to exploring Costa Rica with you and your students
Activities & Attractions
Outdoor Adventure:
- Hike to see Mountain views, primary and secondary forests, river, waterfalls, swimming holes, wildlife, and two stream crossings
- Visit coffee plantations
- Take some time to relax at the Baldi Hot Springs Resort
- Participate in Surf lessons with professional instructors
- Take in breathtaking views of the Costa Rican wilderness, including a volcano
- Participate in a Zip Line Activity
- Participate in Tree Climbing and Waterfall Rappelling
- Guided Rafting Activity
- See local wildlife, such as sloths and monkeys!
- Take a cruise on a catamaran and enjoy time to snorkel in Costa Rican waters
- Beach time
Community Service and Cultural Interaction:
- Tree planting in the rainforest
- Spend time with a local family
- Learn the traditional ‘trapiche’ method of processing sugar cane
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Learn the art of making tortillas and the history of chocolate
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Learn about traditional medicinal plants from the Rainforest
- Make fresh food for a community dinner
- Learn how to salsa dance
- Learn basic Spanish
Trip Details
Accommodations
Hotels:
- Triple accommodation for students
- Double occupancy for staff
Eco Lodge: Mix of dorm and Cabin style accommodation,
Accommodations as follows, Subject to change
- Night 1&8: Alajuela
Night 2,3,4: Eco Lodge - Night 5: Quepos
Night 6,7: Fortuna
Meals
- Breakfast and Dinner included Daily
- 3 Lunches are included
- Other meals not included but can be coordinated
Transportation
- Return Coach Airfare from SFO to San Jose, Costa Rica
- Private Coach Transportation for duration of stay in Costa Rica
Additional Personnel
- 1 Evolve Tours Director + Additional Local Costa Rican staff
Exclusives
- Creative Trip programming and leadership activities
- Videography and Photography
- Forever Green by Evolve Tours- Carbon Offset this whole trip (ask for details)
Insurance
- MANDATORY: Insurance Medical, Cancellation, Baggage and Interruption. Travelers can opt for CFAR, cancellation for any reason insurance which covers students up to 75% of their costs no matter the reason. The costs would be $250.50 for CFAR.
Package Price is based on
- Prices subject to availability and change until contract signed
- Total Package price may vary if number of paying customers changes
- Tips for drivers and guides are appreciated
- This quote expires September 30 2023
- Happy with what you see? Sign a 2-year contract with Evolve and pay the same rate for two years. Ask us for more information. *Based on same group size
Itinerary
Day 1: March 30, 2024
TRAVEL TO COSTA RICA!
| Fly to San Jose, Costa Rica on an overnight flight |
Pick up your luggage and meet your Evolve Tours guide. Our private bus will transfer us from the airport to San Isidro
Check in at Hotel, Dinner as a group
Program Orientation including Discuss Expectations & Expedition Behavior, Costa Rican Culture, Itinerary
Day 2: March 31, 2024
Rainforest Eco-Lodge Activities
Pick up your luggage and meet your Evolve Tours guide. Our private bus will transfer us from the airport to San Isidro
Program Orientation including Discuss Expectations & Expedition Behavior, Costa Rican Culture, Itinerary
Transfer to Brujo by 4×4 (2 Hrs) to trailhead. Use of 4×4 Suv type vehicles on trail which is a gravel/dirt road along river (15 mins). Hand-powered Gondola across river to the Adventure Center (20 sec)
Meet the Fonseca’s & Adventure Center Staff
Afternoon Lunch
Adventure Center Orientation, Bunk Assignments, & Settle In
Learn the history of chocolate by peeling, grinding, and eating it
Participate in a High Element Orientation & Safety Talk
Dinner on site at the Eco Lodge
Free Time
Day 3: April 1, 2024
Rainforest Eco-Lodge Activities
Morning Breakfast on site
Giant Tree Climbing – In the garden of the Adventure Center is a three hundred year old immense tree which is enclosed by a strangler fig. After being safely fitted with a harness and helmet, You will ascend on the fig vines to a 70 foot high platform.
Afternoon Lunch on site
Here we will participate in a rotation of activities. The first group will will dive deep into the world of medicinal plants. Our workshop will be held by Alvino Fonseca who is a trained Shaman of the Cabecar tribe. Alvino has grown up and used these plants in his healing work for over 2 decades. The other group will Learn the Art of Making Tortillas and other traditional foods from scratch.
After settling in, there may be time for a quick swim in the most beautiful rainforest river.
Evening Dinner on Site
Jungle Nightlife Program – see the forest come alive at night through its nocturnal wonders
Free Time
Day 4: April 2, 2024
Rainforest Eco-Lodge Activities
Morning Breakfast on site
One of the unique activities at the Adventure Center is waterfall rappelling. A ten minute hike away from the lodge is a 100 ft. waterfall with a permanent anchor system in place for the lower 60 ft. Using traditional rappelling methods, but with the back up system of a secondary rope, safety is insured but adrenaline is not compromised
Afternoon Lunch on site
The rest of the day we will participate in a variety of fun hands on educational activities right in the rainforest, including an ecology hike, where we will identify and forage edible plants, roots and trees and prepare a traditional meal.
Evening Optional Sweat Lodge Ceremony- Over the past few days that the group has been at the lodge, there has been an abundance of knowledge shared with them; cultural info, personal growth, self development, exposure to general diversity of the RainForest, and much more.Through silent observance, the sweat lodge activity melts the various experiences into one place deep within the self, in the most respectful way.
Traditional cooking classes with Doña Rosa
Dinner on site
Discussion with the family to ask any questions the group may have
Free Time
Day 5: April 3, 2024
RAFTING, WHALE WATCHING TOUR, & SNORKELING
| Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. |
| Head towards the Savegre River |
| Participate in a Guided White Water Rafting Activity down the Savegre River. |
| In the afternoon, we will get on board a boat tour of Whale Tail National Park; snorkel, swim, and perhaps see dolphins at play– with licensed tour boat operator for Costa Rica |
| Upon returning from our afternoon adventure, we will head to dinner at a hillside restaurant. On a clear day we will see one of the most unbelievable sunsets. |
Day 6: April 4, 2024
SURFING, & HERMOSA BEACH
| Breakfast as a group at the hotel. |
| In the morning we will head straight to the beach for our private surfing lessons. We will spend some time learning the techniques of surfing (with certified/experienced instructors) on the beach before we head into the water for lessons. Afterwards we will make our way to town where we will eat lunch as a group and relax. |
| Break for lunch. |
| There are various attractions or small excursions which we can stop at on our way to Hermosa Beach such as coffee plantations, the crocodile bridge lookout point, incredible waterfalls, or other points of interest. |
| Dinner at a Soda on route to our night’s accommodation. |
| Check in to our accommodation for the night and rest after another action-packed day. |
Day 7: April 5, 2024
ZIP-LINING & BALDI HOT SPRINGS
| Eat breakfast as a group. |
| In the morning we will head to a Zip Line activity, which has over 20 sections. As we zip through the rainforest, take in gorgeous views of the Volcano that can be seen from over-top of the trees. Desafio Adventure: behind the Catholic church, La Fortuna, San Carlos. |
| Break for lunch. |
| After lunch we will travel to the Baldi Hot Springs Resort and have an opportunity to relax and soak up the day. |
| Return to the hotel for dinner as a group. |
Day 8: April 6, 2024
ARENAL VOLCANO, HIKING, & WILDLIFE
| Breakfast as a group at the hotel. |
| On this day we will participate in a hike near the Arenal Volcano. Within the national park, short trails will take us through both secondary forest and lava fields from previous eruptions. See plenty of wildlife along the way, including: deer, tapir, howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys and snakes, or birds like parrots, orioles and brown magpies. |
| In the evening, transfer back to San Jose and check into accommodations. |
Day 9: April 7, 2024
HOMEWARD BOUND
| Wake up nice and early, enjoy breakfast and say our goodbyes. |
| Board your flight home, eager to see family and friends after an amazing trip to Costa Rica together! |
