What it includes:

• Airport shuttle on arrival and departure dates
• Daily transports for all activities associated with itinerary
• All shared lodging for duration of tour
• Most meals (No meals included at Samara beach, breakfast only in La Fortuna)
• Entrance fee to hot springs

What it doesn’t include:

• Airfare to and from Costa Rica
• Travel Medical insurance (required)
• Airport exit fee (~$30)
• Passports
• Vaccinations (check http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/costa-rica.htm)
• Free day activities in La Fortuna (except hot springs) and Samara beach
• OPTIONAL Spanish/English children’s books (for used book sale in San Ramon to generate funds for community projects.

Itinerary (all activities subject to change due to availability)

Day 1 (Sunday)

• Travel to warm, sunny Costa Rica.  Arrive in Alajuela where a shuttle will be waiting to transport you to beautiful San Ramón.  Settle in for the evening at the hostel as you get your first taste of Costa Rican (Tico) culture.  Note: San José is the capital but the airport is actually in the neighboring town of Alajuela.

• Lodging: Hostel Sabana
• Location: San Ramón

Day 2 (Monday)

Morning

• Time to dive into the immersion experience!  Start your morning off with an authentic Tico (Costa Rican) breakfast.   After that we’ll have orientation, learn/refresh some Spanish and then go out and explore San Ramón.

Afternoon

• Eat lunch with local family in La Tigra.  Have an authentic “campo” meal and see what Costa Rican rural life is like.
• Venture to the Eternal Children’s Rainforest and settle in with a nice cup of Costa Rican coffee while taking in the wildlife.

• Lodging: Biological station (shared bunks)
• Location: Pocosol

Day 3 (Tuesday)

• As the sun rises and the mist clears you’ll have your first opportunity to enter the rainforest and take in the sights and smells.  You’ll hike with the park rangers as they lead you on the trails and show you the sights such as a waterfall and fumaroles.

  

• In the afternoon you´ll begin your volunteer work.  Projects are diverse and are dependent on the current needs of the reserve.  Trails are alway in need of repair as the rains and undergrowth are a constant menace.  Raking, replacing/repairing signage and trail landscaping are the most common activities.

• Lodging: Biological station (shared bunks)
• Location: Pocosol

Day 4-5 (Wednesday-Thursday)

• Volunteer work at Pocosol.  Take time in the afternoons to reflect and observe the natural beauty of the forest.

• Lodging: Biological station (shared bunks)
• Location: Pocosol

Day 6 (Friday)

Morning

• Finish up your stay with one last hike or dip in the lagoon and make preparations to descend back down to civilization.

Afternoon

• This afternoon we’ll have the unique opportunity to tour a wild animal rescue center.

  

  From parrots to monkeys to raccoons to caimans, this center takes in a lot of injured wildlife with the hopes of one day releasing them again.

• After the rescue center you will be taken to the tourist town of La Fortuna.  Explore the town, do some souvenir shopping and then get over to the hot springs to wind down the evening.

• Lodging: Eco Lodge hotel or equivalent
• Location: La Fortuna

Day 7 (Saturday)

• Free activity day.  La Fortuna is one of the hubs for Costa Rican tourism.  Take your pick whether you are an adventure zip liner or a whitewater rafter there are tours for

  

  all!

• Sample tours: Zip line canopy tour, whitewater rafting, rappelling, hanging bridges, horseback riding, waterfall and volcano hikes

• Lodging: Eco Lodge hotel or equivalent
• Location: La Fortuna

 Day 8 (Sunday)

Morning

• Today you’ll begin the exciting journey from La Fortuna to Monteverde.  Using the popular taxi-boat-taxi transfer we’ll cross lake Arenal and then ascend up the mountain.  Here you will have the potential to experience three different micro-climates in the span of only a few hours.

Afternoon

• Meet Giovanni at the entrance to the Eternal Children’s Rainforest at the Santa Elena

  

  Reserve.  He will gladly strap your luggage onto his ATV and take it down to the biological station, however you will be left to hike down the mountain all the while taking in the sights and sounds of the rainforest.  Note: The hike in is all down hill and takes one to one and a half hours.  It will most likely rain and there will be lots of mud.  Please be prepared for these conditions.  Note that you will also be hiking out, all up hill, in similar conditions.

• Lodging: Biological station
• Location: San Gerardo

Day 9-10 (Monday-Tuesday)

• With your previous week experience at Pocosol you will be ready to jump in and help the park rangers perform their tasks.  Take the afternoons off to explore the trails and

  

  immerse yourself in the naturaleza (nature)…

• Lodging: Biological station
• Location: San Gerardo

Day 11 (Wednesday)

Morning

• Last opportunity to make an impact at the reserve.  Complete your final tasks then hike out to the top of the reserve.

Afternoon

• Meet the shuttle at the reserve entrance and they will take you to your beach destination: Playa Samara! Arrive just in time to catch the evening sunset.

• Lodging: Hostel El Cactus or equivalent
• Location: San Ramón

Day 12 (Thursday)

Morning

• Free day to activities at the beach or just relax!  Possible activities include: surfing, snorkeling, whale/dolphin watching.  Note: Meals and activities not included in program fee.

• Lodging: Hostel El Cactus or equivalent
• Location: Samara

Day 13 (Friday)

Morning

• Take one last swim in the ocean and then pack your bags as we get ready to head back to San Ramón.

Evening

• Final going away dinner in San Ramón.  What better way to close out Costa Rica than with a nice meal at a local friend’s house.

• Lodging: Hostel Sabana
• Location: San Ramón

Day 14 (Saturday)

• Shuttle to airport.  Just like that your adventure has come to an end.  We wish you a very Pura Vida return home and we hope to see you again soon!

Contact us for more information!