School Trips to Costa Rica: Turrialba, the Pacuare River & Uvita
School trips to Costa Rica are educational programs that take students into rainforests, rivers and coastal communities for conservation, community service, surfing, hiking and whitewater rafting.
Choose from 8 starting itineraries across Arenal, Sarapiquí, Turrialba, Monteverde and Uvita. Programs run 6 to 9 days and range from $2,540 to $3,810 per student, excluding airfare to and from Costa Rica.
No commitment. No sales call unless you ask.
Choose a Costa Rica school trip
Compare 8 Costa Rica school trips built around service, adventure, conservation, language and cultural learning. Programs run 6 to 9 days, with starting prices from $2,540 to $3,810 per student. Select a program below to explore the route and day-by-day itinerary.
Natural Wonders & Adventure
Surf, raft and serve on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, Uvita to Turrialba.
San José · Bahía Ballena · Uvita · Diamante Cave · Turrialba · Pacuare River
Your 9-day starting itinerary
Down the Pacific coast, then inland to Turrialba.
Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!
Arrive in San José · Program orientation
Off to Bahia Ballena
Travel to Bahia Ballena · Beach town exploration · Surf lesson
Whale Watching & Community Service
Whale watching in Marino Ballena National Park · Walk the whale tail sandbar · Community service with Uvita Community Development Association
Surfing & Community Service in Uvita
Service projects in the Uvita community · Sunrise surf sessions · Beach time
Hiking, Rappelling & Caving
Rainforest hike to waterfall · Waterfall rappelling adventure · Explore and stay in Diamante Cave
Morning Hike and Journey to Turrialba
Wildlife hike in the rainforest · Travel to Turrialba
Raft the Pacuare
Whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River · Rainforest river scenery · Final group dinner and reflection
¡Adiós, Costa Rica!
Depart Costa Rica
Nicoya Turtle Conservation
Sea turtle night patrols, hatchery work and beach cleanups on the Nicoya Peninsula.
San José or Liberia · Camaronal Wildlife Refuge · Carrillo Beach
Your 8-day starting itinerary
On the Nicoya Peninsula, the conservation work through the middle of the week.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
Arrive at Juan Santamaría (SJO) or Liberia (LIR) · Orientation and an introduction to local culture
Venture to the Coast
Over the mountains to Camaronal Wildlife Refuge · The week's turtle project · First night patrol
Turtle Conservation and Beachside Exploration!
Live as a park ranger: nightly walks for nesting turtles, hatchery work, beach cleanups · Surf lesson on day four
Ziplining
Zipline above the trees · Beach · Post-service debrief on the work in the community
Art Class & Back to San Jose
Art class with a women's cooperative: woodworking and traditional skills · To San Jose · Rustic Ties ceremony
¡Adiós, Costa Rica!
To the airport with your Program Leaders
Sarapiquí Ecological Research
Tropical biology from the La Selva Biological Station, in the Sarapiquí rainforest.
San José · Sarapiquí · La Selva Biological Station · Arenal
Your 8-day starting itinerary
In the Sarapiquí rainforest, split between field research and service.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
Arrive in San José · Program orientation
Sarapiqui and Rainforest Introduction
Travel to Sarapiquí · Introduction to research at La Selva Biological Station · Learn rainforest plant adaptations · Night insect research
Tropical Ecosystem Immersion with Local Experts
Bird census and rainforest field research · Identify bird species by sight and sound · Nocturnal wildlife exploration
Community Service in Sarapiqui
Study tropical biology · Community infrastructure service projects · Work with local leaders on development initiatives · Chocolate tour or river swim
Zipline & Farm Tour
Rainforest zipline near Arenal · Visit Finca Don Juan agricultural farm
Goodbye Rainforest
Coffee tour · Travel to San José · Closing reflection and Rustic Ties ceremony
¡Adiós, Costa Rica!
Depart Costa Rica
Spanish Language Immersion
Spanish classes in Turrialba, with ziplining and whitewater rafting on the Pacuare.
San José · Turrialba · Pacuare River
Your 7-day starting itinerary
Classes in the morning, the town and the river after.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
Arrive in San José · Program orientation and cultural introduction
Head to Turrialba
Travel to Turrialba · Spanish placement test · First Spanish class
Spanish Classes and Turrialba Adventures
Daily Spanish classes · Mountain biking around Turrialba · Waterfall hike · Sustainable coffee farm tour
Raft the Pacuare
Whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River · Rainforest wildlife spotting · Travel to San José · Final reflection and Rustic Ties ceremony
¡Adiós, Costa Rica!
Depart Costa Rica
Turrialba Community Service
Service with the community in the mountain town of Turrialba, ending on the Pacuare.
San José · Turrialba · Pacuare River
Your 7-day starting itinerary
Three of the seven days on the service project.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
Arrive at San Jose Airport (SJO) · Orientation and an introduction to local culture
Travel to Turrialba
To Turrialba, a mountain town of true Tico culture · The base house in the hillsides · Walking tour of the community
Service in Turrialba
Mornings with community partners on projects designed with community leaders · Soccer with the local children between sessions
Raft the Pacuare River
Raft the Pacuare's class III and IV rapids, among the top rafting rivers in the world · Rustic Ties ceremony
¡Adiós, Costa Rica!
To the airport with your Program Leaders
Arenal Service & Adventure
6 to 9 days out of the La Fortuna base house: a wildlife sanctuary, trail and reforestation work inside Arenal Volcano National Park, two days with one host village.
San José · La Fortuna · Arenal Volcano National Park · Río Celeste · Sarapiquí River
Your 9-day starting itinerary
Out of the La Fortuna base house, four days on service.
Welcome to Costa Rica
Arrive at San José Airport (SJO) · Transfer to the La Fortuna base house, in the shadow of Arenal volcano
Wildlife Sanctuary Service
Orientation tour at Asis Wildlife Project, a wildlife sanctuary · Begin hands-on conservation and rescue-support service work
National Park Conservation Service
Service day inside Arenal Volcano National Park: trail maintenance, reforestation, park upkeep
Community Infrastructure Service
A full day of community infrastructure service · Cultural exchange games with village students · La Fortuna's geothermal hot springs
Community Infrastructure Service, Continued
A second day with the host village · La Fortuna, its ice cream shops and Costa Rican coffee
Organic Farm and Cultural Presentation
Finca Don Juan, a local organic farm: sustainable growing and organic coffee · Cultural presentation of music, dance and storytelling
Rio Celeste and Maleku Community
Hike Tenorio Volcano National Park to Rio Celeste waterfall · The Maleku indigenous community: traditional lunch, medicinal plants
Rafting Adventure
Rise early for white water rafting on the Sarapiquí River, spotting birds and iguanas · Closing Rustic Ties reflection ceremony
Departure
Leave the La Fortuna base house before dawn · Transfer to San José airport · Return flight home
Cloud Forest & Pacific Coast
A service day in La Fortuna, then the hanging bridges at Arenal, the Monteverde cloud forest and Manuel Antonio National Park.
San José · La Fortuna · Arenal · Monteverde · Manuel Antonio · Jacó
Your 8-day starting itinerary
Across the country: La Fortuna, Monteverde, the Pacific.
Welcome to Costa Rica
Arrive at San José Airport (SJO) · Traditional Tico dinner and icebreakers at the hotel
Tico Village Life & Service
The La Fortuna base house · Cultural presentation of music, dance and storytelling · First service project with local leaders
Arenal Adventure
The hanging bridges above the rainforest canopy · Arenal Volcano National Park · Natural hot springs
Travel to Monteverde
Cross the countryside to Monteverde · Farm tour on sustainable produce and coffee
Cloud Forest & Coast
Misty trails in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve · The Butterfly Garden · On to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast
National Park Exploration
Hike Manuel Antonio National Park, watching for monkeys, sloths and iguanas
Biodiversity & Closing
Aerial tram above the rainforest at Jacó · Butterfly and orchid garden · Rustic Ties ceremony in San Jose
Departure
Last morning on the Pacific coast · Transfer to San José airport · Return flight home
Turrialba Adventure & Culture
Service with a local school through the afternoons; canyoning, a canopy tour, a waterfall hike and class II and III rafting in the mornings.
San José · Turrialba · Pacuare River
Your 6-day starting itinerary
Adventure in the mornings, service with a local school after.
Welcome to Costa Rica
Arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport · Transfer to San José · Program orientation
Travel to Turrialba, Service Begins
Travel to Turrialba · Settle into the base house · Begin community service with a local school
Canyoning, Canopy Tour and Service
Canyoning and a canopy zipline tour with rappelling and hanging bridges · Afternoon community service
Waterfall Hike and Service
Hike to a waterfall through tropical forest · Afternoon community service · Talent show and group reflection
Rafting and Closing Ceremony
Morning rafting on class II and III rapids · Transfer to San José · Rustic Ties closing ceremony
Departure
Transfer to the airport · Return flight home
What every Costa Rica school trip includes
Included
- Accommodation for all program nights, in shared, gender-separated rooms. Every student gets their own bed
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, from airport pickup through airport drop-off, and drinking water throughout
- Airport transfers and all scheduled ground transportation
- All scheduled activities, excursions, and entrance fees in the itinerary
- Gratuities and donations: guides, drivers, and community contributions. Students never need to bring money to give away
- Bilingual Program Leaders, on site overnight, and a 24/7 emergency number for enrolled families
- Community donations required by a service project, paid by Rustic Pathways and never collected from students
Not included
- Flights to and from Costa Rica. Your school books them, or Rustic Pathways can as an add-on
- Medical insurance with coverage in Costa Rica. Families arrange it themselves
- Travel insurance, strongly recommended and not required
- Passport fees
- Vaccinations and health preparation costs
- Personal spending money: souvenirs, snacks, laundry, phone and data
Beyond the 8 starting points
Rustic Pathways has also run groups in the Bribri territory and down the South Pacific coast, and builds custom routes where it can deliver safely.
Bring a department brief, a service-hour requirement or another operator’s itinerary. Rustic Pathways builds to it.
Name a region and we will say plainly whether we can run it well on your dates.
How much does a school trip to Costa Rica cost?
A school trip to Costa Rica costs $2,540 to $3,810 per student for program tuition, or approximately $407 to $484 per day. Tuition covers lodging, meals, airport transfers, in-country transport, scheduled activities, guides, and entrance fees.
Schools receive one complimentary program tuition place for every eight paying students. Airfare is not included.
Prices include accommodation, meals, in-country transportation, and scheduled activities but exclude international airfare and insurance. Final costs vary by dates, group size, itinerary, and lodging.
These USD prices are based on 40 trips schools paid for between 2022 and 2027.
Payment and cancellation
Installment plans are available. Schools pay as a group, or families pay monthly under the terms and conditions.
What moves the cost of a Costa Rica school trip?
- 01SeasonWarm year-round, with defined rainy and dry seasons. Peak and holiday weeks cost more than shoulder dates.
- 02Trip lengthShorter trips can cost more per day: fixed costs spread across fewer days. Beyond that, season and what the itinerary includes matter more than length.
- 03Group sizeLarger groups lower the per-student price. Programs start at 10 students with no upper cap, and the school sets the size.
- 04ChaperonesOne chaperone place is complimentary for every 8 paying students: 21 students earns 2 free places, 30 earns 3. Additional places are shared across the group, which moves the per-student price.
- 05AccommodationsLodging tier moves the price directly. Hacienda AltaGracia costs more than the standard three-star option, and Rustic Pathways can arrange either.
What do students learn on a Costa Rica school trip?
Students on Costa Rica school trips learn about environmental science, biology and Spanish through field-based experiences in rainforests, wildlife habitats and local communities. Programs connect these subjects to ecological research, conservation and everyday life in Costa Rica.
Environmental Science
Students study rainforest ecology and field research at La Selva Biological Station in Sarapiquí, including wildlife surveys alongside working researchers.
What does a working research station measure, and what can those measurements tell us about a rainforest?
Costa Rica: Sarapiquí Ecological Research
Biology and Conservation
Students study sea turtle conservation at Camaronal Wildlife Refuge through beach patrols, nest protection and habitat stewardship.
What does a sea turtle need from a beach to nest successfully?
Costa Rica: Nicoya Turtle Conservation
Spanish Language and Culture
Students practice Spanish in Turrialba through language classes and everyday interactions in town, on farms and during activities.
How does using Spanish in daily life change what students can communicate?
Costa Rica: Spanish Language Immersion
What makes a Rustic Pathways educational travel program different?
- 01No mixed groups. Just your school
- 02One student, one bed
- 03Your school picks the dates
- 04Monthly payment plans available
- 05No tipping; Rustic Pathways Program Tuition includes community donations
- 06Aligned to your curriculum
Who supervises and manages the trip to Costa Rica?
School chaperones and Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise and manage the school trip to Costa Rica together.
Rustic Pathways manages the itinerary, accommodation, ground transport, activities and emergency procedures; your school manages its own student conduct and communication policies.
Your school can book international flights directly or ask Rustic Pathways to arrange them. Families receive trip logistics and itinerary information through the MyRustic web app.
Safety on a Costa Rica school trip
The itineraries are not the same trip. Night beach patrols on the Nicoya Peninsula, rafting the Pacuare, ziplining, waterfall rappelling and surfing at Uvita each get their own plan.
Two carry a published fitness rating: Nicoya Turtle Conservation Moderate, Turrialba Community Service Moderate to Challenging. The rest are rated during the proposal.
Two-Deep Leadership is the standard: a minimum of two trained Program Leaders, one male and one female, in addition to any teachers or chaperones your school sends.
Every program has a written Program Risk Management Plan. Leaders brief the group daily, licensed and insured providers handle transport and specialist activities, and medical and evacuation resources are identified before travel.
Rustic Pathways has had a dedicated Medical Director since 2015.
Dr. William R. Smith is a board-certified emergency physician and a U.S. Army colonel, also documented on Wikipedia. Rustic Pathways staff members completed Viristar’s month-long Risk Management for Outdoor Programs certification course.
These figures measure incident reports relative to traveler records. They do not necessarily represent the percentage of unique travelers affected, because that would require the records to be deduplicated by traveler.
Read Rustic Pathways safety protocols →
Is Rustic Pathways the right Costa Rica partner for your school?
The right fit for a school of ten or more traveling as its own group, on its own dates. Not for an individual student, or a school joining an existing departure.
A strong fit if
- Your school wants one group, on your own dates, with your own teachers.
- You can travel for 7 to 9 days.
- You want to see the day-by-day before you commit rather than a brochure summary.
Worth a conversation first if
- A student has significant mobility, medical or mental-health support needs, or a specialized dietary or religious accommodation
- You have fewer than 10 students
None of these is automatically a no. Each is assessed before a proposal.
Probably not the right fit if
- You are an individual student or parent looking for open-enrollment teen travel programs to Costa Rica.
- You want your group combined with another school.
- You need a confirmed departure date before the proposal and planning process.
Have a question before you ask for a proposal?
Patrick Ziemnik answers Costa Rica school-trip questions directly, and was Country Director here.
Send your group size, dates, trip length and learning goals.
Options within 48 hours. No sales call unless you ask.
Questions about school trips to Costa Rica
How much does a school trip to Costa Rica cost?
Costa Rica school trips cost $2,540 to $3,810 per student for 6 to 9 days, with a median price of $3,385.
International airfare, travel insurance, medical insurance and personal spending are separate.
When is the best time for a school trip to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is warm year-round. December to April is the dry season; May to November is the green season, with more afternoon rain.
Your school chooses its travel dates, and the itinerary is built around your calendar. Peak and holiday weeks cost more.
Start with your travel window
Start a Costa Rica trip proposal with your travel dates, group size, and student learning goals. Receive a reply within 1 business day and trip options within 48 hours.
321 schools have partnered with Rustic Pathways since 2012, each counted once.
Or reach a person directly: +1 440-975-9691 or groups@rusticpathways.com
Have a quote from another operator?
Send it over. Rustic Pathways will show you what’s possible for the same budget.
Need approval or funding first?
Certificate of insurance naming the school as additional insured, a W-9 and peer-school references, on request.
Need help fundraising?
Rustic Pathways provides parent-letter and sponsor-letter templates, plus a fundraising ideas sheet, to help families cover the cost.
- Rustic Pathways has operated student travel since 1983. Recent industry recognition:
- 2026 GoAbroad Innovation AwardsInnovation in Adventure-Based Programming · Global Adventure Learning Model
- 2025 International Travel AwardsBest Group Tour Operator
- 2024 Skift IDEA AwardsIndustry Innovators – Tour Operators
- 4x WYSETC Best Youth Tour Operator2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
- 2025 World Travel AwardsUnited States’ Leading Tour Operator