Costa Rica: Volcano and Rainforest Service

Arrive at San Jose Airport (SJO) and meet your program leaders who’ll be with you for the duration of the program. Have a traditional Tico lunch and head to your new home for the week. Settle in, eat dinner, and play games or enjoy the pool. Get a warm welcome to La Fortuna!

Start the day with a cultural presentation, enjoying local music, dance, and stories about the community. Participate in sharing and learning activities as you get inspired for your next few days in town. Afterwards, join in a pre-service debriefing, discussing what you are about to experience during your hands-on work in La Fortuna.

Following lunch, head to your first community service location. Contribute to service initiatives in cooperation with local community leaders. Projects will focus on community infrastructure development, educational facility improvement, and environmental initiatives and will vary by day. Our team will provide you with more details about your projects closer to the date of travel; typically you’ll contribute to a few projects over the course of a few days to see varied aspects of local community initiatives.

Launch into your second day of service projects. Gain a greater understanding of what these projects mean to the community. Learn how it can take years for communities to fundraise for infrastructure improvements. Take a break for lunch and work for a few more hours in the afternoon. At the end of the day, travel back to the base house to enjoy the pool, hang out and relax.

Wake up early to head out for a high speed adventure. Zipline above the rainforest, looking out for wildlife and taking in the views. Afterwards, travel to Finca Don Juan for lunch. Learn how fresh produce is cultivated and enjoy some samples. Wrap up the day playing games, and hanging out at the base house.

Return to the community you met on your first day of service. Spend the day putting finishing touches on your projects. If time allows, explore the town of La Fortuna, stopping in their coffee and ice cream shops and souvenir places.

Spend one last morning on your community service projects. Say goodbye to local friends you’ve made and have lunch at a spot with a stunning view. Spend the afternoon at one of the nearby hot springs in town. Soak in the naturally heated volcanic water. Arenal Volcano is known for these hot springs! Afterwards, join your group for a delectable dinner. Buen provecho!

Wake up early for breakfast. Get suited up and grab your paddles, as you hit the rapids of the Sarapiqui River! Enjoy the rich greenery surrounding one of the most beautiful rafting locations in Costa Rica. At the trip’s end, change your clothes and eat at a local lunch spot. Then hop in the van and watch the views go by during a two-hour drive to San Jose.

Back in the city, enjoy dinner and join in a closing discussion and the traditional Rustic Ties ceremony. This unique and powerful activity allows students to reflect on their program experience and discuss how to share what they’ve learned with their communities back home.

Say goodbye to Costa Rica as your program leaders take you to the airport for flight. We hope the people you’ve met, perspectives you’ve gained, and lessons you’ve learned will serve you well as you head home.