Costa Rica: Pura Vida Service (Middle School)

Rustic Pathways maintains a median of one staff member per 4.37 students (4.37:1), with no program exceeding 7 students per staff member (7:1).

New Program Leaders go through a four-month selection process, and every Program Leader holds current CPR and First Aid certification.

Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise students from the moment staff meet them at San José airport until they depart for their flight home. The group is made up only of students ages 12 to 14.

• A median student-to-staff ratio of 1 staff member for every 4.37 students, never exceeding 7:1.
• Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.
• Two-Deep Leadership: No staff member is ever alone one-on-one with a student.
• Each student has a personal check-in with a Program Leader within 24 hours of arrival.
• Families receive a Safe Arrival email within 12 hours of arrival in Costa Rica.
• Every student has the same “In For the Night” curfew.

Costa Rica is 2 hours behind New York in summer.

• After the final scheduled activity of the day, students have their phones.
• Routine help: call +1 440-975-9691, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
• Emergencies: use the 24/7 number in your pre-departure materials.

If a student has an urgent, medical, or significant personal need during activities, a Program Leader helps them contact home.

Most students join on their own, and some join with friends or siblings. Roommate requests are accepted during enrollment for students coming together. Program Leaders run icebreakers on day one, and friendships form quickly.

Cancellations within 24 hours of enrollment receive a refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways.

Cancellations before midnight ET on March 31, 2027, receive a full refund of the program tuition. The enrollment fee and any airfare already booked become non-refundable.

For cancellations after March 31, 2027, see the enrollment terms.

If your family experiences a serious, documented emergency, contact us. We review these situations on a case-by-case basis.

U.S. students can join a chaperoned group flight to San José (SJO) from Los Angeles (LAX), plus Newark (EWR) or Miami (MIA) depending on the date, with a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. Families can also book their own flights into and out of San José.

Program Leaders meet students who fly on their own at the airport. Flights, including the group flight, are not included in tuition.

Flying independently? See the arrival and departure dates below.

Whichever option you choose, Rustic Pathways staff meet every student at San José airport on the arrival date and see them off on the departure date.

Option 1: the chaperoned group flight

Cost: Chaperoned group flight fee, plus airfare.

• A Rustic Pathways chaperone meets students at Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR) or Miami (MIA) and flies with the group to San José (SJO), depending on the date, and home from San José (SJO) to the same U.S. gateway on the departure date.
• Getting to and from Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR) or Miami (MIA): Rustic Pathways can book the connecting flights between your home airport and Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR) or Miami (MIA), or your family can. Students fly that leg on their own, with an airline unaccompanied-minor service if the airline requires one.
• Every student on the group flight pays the chaperoned group flight fee, even if your family books the connecting flights.

Option 2: independent flights with support

Cost: Flight Support Fee, plus airfare.

• You choose the flights and Rustic Pathways books them, into and out of San José (SJO).
• Students fly on their own, and you get 24/7 travel support if plans change.

Option 3: book your own flights

Cost: No Rustic Pathways fee, just airfare (for students not on the group flight).

• Your family books and manages the flights, into and out of San José (SJO).
• Students fly on their own. Changes and rebooking are between your family and the airline.

Arrival and departure windows

Students who are not on the group flight land within the arrival window and leave within the departure window, about four hours each. Your Personal Travel Advisor shares the exact times before you book. Flights outside the windows carry an additional fee.

Dates on this page run from the day the group flight leaves the U.S. to the day the group leaves Costa Rica. The group lands in San José the same day it leaves the U.S.

When your student flies independently, book flights that arrive and leave on these dates. Flight times can change, so contact your Personal Travel Advisor before you book.

At San José International Airport (SJO). The first and last nights are at a hotel near the airport, and nights 2 to 6 are at the base house in La Fortuna.

U.S. citizens do not need a visa for Costa Rica. Other passports may need one: check yours on the IATA Travel Centre, the airline industry’s entry-rules checker.

The enrollment fee is a one-time fee, separate from tuition, covering enrollment, pre-departure advising, and trip planning. It begins at $100 and increases closer to the departure date.

The enrollment fee is refundable for cancellations within 24 hours.

Yes. Rustic Pathways offers a 4-Pay payment plan that splits program tuition into four payments over six weeks. This plan is only available for enrollments more than 90 days before departure and only for U.S. bank accounts.

Need-based financial aid and merit scholarships are also available. Explore scholarships and financial aid.

Medical insurance with coverage in Costa Rica is required. Travel insurance is strongly recommended, not required.

Neither is included in program tuition. Rustic Pathways recommends Arch RoamRight: get a quote.

$150 to $200 per week is recommended for shopping, snacks, or souvenirs. Meals, scheduled activities, and gratuities are included in program tuition. U.S. dollars are widely accepted, and the Costa Rican colón is used locally.

Yes. Students room with same-gender peers at the base house and the hotel, each in their own bed.

Personal Travel Advisors review all medical forms and plan with families to manage medication, allergies, and dietary requirements on the program.

Program Leaders are first-aid and CPR certified, and teams keep lists of medical facilities for every major program location.

Students do not have unsupervised time in public areas. Free time is structured, with Program Leaders always nearby.

At night, students stay in their rooms with their roommates. Program Leaders are housed on site and conduct nightly room checks.

Rustic Pathways follows Trip Before Scroll: staff store phones and connected devices securely during daytime programming and hand them back after the final scheduled activity.

Students keep them overnight, subject to quiet-hours and lights-out rules. Travel-day, medical, and accessibility exceptions apply. The base house has Wi-Fi, but speeds vary.

Rustic Pathways welcomes all students and works with families to provide appropriate support. Learn about Rustic Pathways’ inclusion policy.

The group is limited to 20 students, all ages 12 to 14. Students 14 to 18 travel on the high school sessions of Costa Rica: Pura Vida Service.

Yes. Non-U.S. students can join this program. International students fly to San José to arrive within the designated arrival window for their session.

Rustic Pathways staff meet them at the airport and ensure safe departure within the designated window at the end of the program.

Visa requirements depend on the passport, so ask an advisor.

Students complete about 16 hours of service, including improvements at Escuela Linda Vista, a local elementary school, and trail maintenance in Arenal Volcano National Park.

Moderate. There is no fitness requirement, but service days include shoveling gravel, moving wheelbarrows, and trail work in warm, humid weather.

Breakfast at the base house, then service at the school or in the national park. Afternoons alternate between more service and adventure, such as zip lining, the farm tour, or rafting. Evenings are group dinners and reflection with the Program Leaders.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other diets, plus common food allergies can be accommodated. Dietary needs and allergy information are collected after enrollment and shared with meal providers and project partners in advance.

Expect Costa Rican staples such as gallo pinto, plantains, and fresh fruit.

No. Program Leaders and local partners speak English and help with everything in Spanish.

Yes. The itinerary may change due to weather, safety concerns, transportation issues, or site availability. Program Leaders may adjust activities and schedules to keep students safe and ensure a positive program experience.