Costa Rica Active

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Costa Rica Active

Flights and Packing
Destination

Costa Rica

Current Grades

9th-11th

length

14 Days

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Airports

Arrive: San Jose (SJO)
Depart: San Jose (SJO)

Pura vida! Costa Rica is packed with adventure, like whitewater rafting down tropical rivers, surfing on world-class beaches, and hiking in lush rainforests. Wildlife abounds in this diverse landscape; don’t be startled the first time you hear a howler monkey—they’ll keep their distance! We’ll see bubbling mud pits and mini-geysers around volcanoes, visit cascading waterfalls, and walk in the country’s famous cloud forests. We’ll make sure to give back to local communities by participating in meaningful service projects.

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Itinerary

Day 1-3: Hike around Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

After landing in San Jose and exploring the nearby, culturally-rich Heredia, we’ll set off on our Costa Rica adventure with three days in the extraordinarily biodiverse Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Monteverde (meaning “green mountain”) is home to more than 100 species of mammals (including all six species of the cat family and endangered species), 400 species of birds, and 120 species of reptiles and amphibians. We’ll explore the reserve’s splendor from walkways built into the forest canopy, and we’ll do a night hike to see nocturnal animals in action! Want to see things from a different perspective? You’ll get to fly through the canopy on the world’s first two-mile-long zipline!

Accommodation: Hostel

Day 4-6: Community service and cultural immersion in Monteverde

During our three days of Monteverde adventure, students will get to know local Tico families in the community through a variety of community projects. They’ll also get to practice their Spanish! Two days will be spent giving back to these beautiful mountainous communities by volunteering with Siempre Amigos, an organization dedicated to providing aid to underserved families. An integral part of the Tico culture is inclusivity; by the time our students leave this community it will feel like a home away from home. We coordinate with locals in the community to participate in need-based projects, which include cooking, farming, and helping repair homes.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Day 7-8: Rincon de la Vieja

We’ll then travel to Rincón de la Vieja National Park, where we’ll hike around to see mini-geysers (from a safe distance) and unwind in bubbling volcanic mud pits. We may see armadillos, iguanas, and howler and spider monkeys. Our visit wouldn’t be complete without swimming in the turquoise waters at the base of the 80-foot-tall Oropéndola Waterfall and floating in a tube down the river. Another afternoon will be spent touring sugar cane, coffee, banana, and plantain plantations!

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Day 9-11: Learn to surf in Tamarindo

While in Costa Rica, you have to learn how to surf! Three days with professional surf instructors will teach us correct technique, water safety and awareness, and surf etiquette. Playa Tamarindo is acclaimed for its reliable, beginner-friendly waves; in fact, this entire area attracts surfers of all abilities from across the globe. When we’ve had our fill of the breaks, we’ll relax on the beach and explore the artsy town of Tamarindo. One afternoon will be spent on a private cruise around Flamingo Bay, where we’ll splash around in numerous snorkeling spots.

Accommodation: Hostel

Day 12-14: Whitewater raft the Río Pacuare

We’ll continue our Costa Rica adventure with a two-day jaunt down the warm, jade-green waters of the Río Pacuare! Surrounded by dense, lush rainforest and cascading waterfalls, we’ll switch between calm waters and exciting class II–IV rapids; keep your ears pricked and eyes peeled for toucans, parrots, sloths, monkeys, and more. National Geographic has named this river as one of the top 10 rivers to raft in the world.

Accommodation: Eco-lodge

 

*Listed above is Bold Earth’s intended itinerary for this trip. All itineraries are subject to change in order to provide the best possible program quality.

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Dates and Prices

Departure 1
  • Departure Day
    06/29/23
  • Return Day
    07/12/23
  • Grade
    9-11
  • Price
    $4,888
  • Availability
    Limited
Departure 1
  • Departure Day
    07/15/23
  • Return Day
    07/28/23
  • Grade
    9–11
  • Price
    $4,888
  • Availability
    Limited
Departure 1
  • Departure Day
    07/31/23
  • Return Day
    08/13/23
  • Grade
    9–11
  • Price
    $4,888
  • Availability
    Full
Departure Day Return Day Grade Price Availability
06/29/23
07/12/23
9-11
$4,888
limited
07/15/23
07/28/23
9–11
$4,888
limited
07/31/23
08/13/23
9–11
$4,888
full

Accommodations & Service

Community Service: Approximately 15 Hours
  • Siempre Amigos: Humanitarian projects vary from year to year based on community needs. Projects are usually a combination of housing projects and school visits.
Accommodations:
  • The students will stay in bed and breakfast style accommodations. We stay in small, comfortable, and authentic eco-lodges and hotels.

Activities

Community service: 15 hours

Hiking

Cultural Immersion

River tubing

Surfing

Whitewater rafting

Ziplining

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Reviews

Laura B, parent from Oakland, CA

Our daughter came to Bold Earth a teen and emerged after two weeks as a young adult full of confidence, enthusiasm, and compassion. She will definitely be going back next year. Bold Earth offers a great set of activities and fantastic service opportunities, fosters community, and gave our daughter the trip of a lifetime. She gained so much confidence along her journey to independence and made lifelong friends. 

Bo L, parent from Boca Raton, FL

Meeting new friends. Sharing talk time. Learning about different cultures and doing community service to understand the socio and economic standards of that culture… Exploring Costa Rica gave my daughter a in-depth perspective of different parts of the country and gave her worldly experience of a lifetime. And the trip leaders made each activity structured, memorable, and fun.

Caelyn, student from Waxhaw, NC

Bold Earth has given me the best two summers. The culture they have created is unlike any other camp I have been to. I have made some lifelong friendships and memories. I would recommend Bold Earth to anyone.

Jodi G, parent from Rockville, MD

Best spent money ever. Jordyn went into the trip with high anxiety and low confidence. She came out of the trip with the knowledge that it is OK to go outside of your comfort zone and believe in yourself. She grew tremendously and has not stopped talking about her experience, the other kids, and her fabulous leaders. Thank you Bold Earth!

Farrior S, parent from Bozeman, MT

My daughter had a WONDERFUL time! She thrived at Bold Earth. It was just what she needed to come out of her shell! This is our second experience with Bold Earth. It is a GREAT travel program for teens. I wish they had a program for the parents! 

Josh, student from Montreal, Canada

My favorite part of the trip was bonding with the other people in my group. We did everything together. It was the best two weeks of my life. The lessons I learned on this trip were life-changing. It has the ability to change anyone’s life for the better.

Kate, student from Charlottesville, VA

I loved all of the service projects and activities, but my favorite part was my group and group time—we all became really good friends and had tons of fun and laughs together.
It was a phenomenal experience from the people I was with to the activities and service we did.

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