2022 Teton Science Schools Costa Rica Expedition
| Travel Dates: | May 18, 2022 - May 28, 2022 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$2,490 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,297 |
Tuition Calculator
There are two options for payment, including an interest-free installment plan. Follow whichever works best for your family. If we are within 90 days of travel, only the pay in full option is possible.
Program Tuition: $2,490
Pay in Full
$2,490.00
due today
Payment Plan
Pay a $500 deposit at the time of enrollment and establish an interest-free monthly payment plan. If you enroll today, your estimated* monthly payments would be:
$94.77
per month
All prices in United States Dollars.
Costa Rica Service Adventure
From white sand beaches to misty cloud forests, towering volcanoes to beautiful rivers that carve through tropical canyons, and hospitable, friendly communities, Costa Rica has it all! Our service adventures give travelers the opportunity to delve deep into small, rural communities set in stunningly beautiful corners of the country. In addition to white water rafting, relaxing on white sand beaches and swimming at the base of a towering waterfall, students will gain confidence in their Spanish, contribute to a meaningful service project and grow into more confident travelers. Adventure awaits!
Service Adventures
Service Adventures can combine rural homestays, adventure travel, and meaningful service projects which are guided by our community partners. Living in these small communities provides the opportunity to engage the language and culture from a uniquely advantageous position.
Program Highlights
Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!
Have the adventure of a lifetime with your friends
Improve your Spanish and immerse yourself in a homestay community
Trek to a beautiful waterfall deep in the jungle
Visit one of Costa Rica's most beautiful volcanoes
Raft down one of Costa Rica's best rivers
Assist with research and conservation efforts at the Reserva Playa Tortuga
The Itinerary
We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers and given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 19 | USA - San Jose, Costa Rica | Today the group will travel from the Jackson, WY to San Jose, Costa Rica, likely arriving in the evening. After arrival, the group will settle into our charming hotel, have dinner and hold a short orientation meeting to better prepare for the adventure ahead. | Casa Cielo Grande |
| May 20 | San Jose - Pueblo Nuevo, Zarcero | After breakfast we'll jump on the bus and head to our host community a few hours north of the city. Upon arrival we'll meet our host families, tour the community, and learn about the service project/s we'll be working on. Throughout the program, we'll have the opportunity to interact with community members in Spanish, participate in cultural exchanges, and explore Costa Rican culture. | Host Families |
| May 21 | Pueblo Nuevo, Zarcero | Our days in the community will be anchored by our community service project. In the afternoons and evenings, activities vary, but may include time with host families, excursions around the village, or events with the local community. | Host Families |
| May 22 | Pueblo Nuevo, Zarcero | Today we will finish work on our service project. In the evening, we will have a final celebratory group dinner! | Host Families |
| May 23 | Pueblo Nuevo, Zarcero - La Fortuna | After saying goodbye to our host families, we will make the trip to La Fortuna, a small city at the base of Volcán Arenal, an impressive volcano that stands out in the middle of the flatlands. We'll start our day soaring through the forest canopy while ziplining. In the afternoon we will have time to explore town and do some souvenir shopping. We will finish our day relaxing in thermal hot springs at the base of the volcano. We'll take some timeto reflect on the time spent in the host community and prepare for the conservation part of the program. | Arenal Poshpacker Hotel |
| May 24 | La Fortuna - Widecast Field Station | Today the group will travel to the Caribbean coast. After a beautiful and scenic boat ride, we will arrive at the WIDECAST Field Station. After an introduction and tour of the station, we will begin our nightly beach patrols in search of female leatherback and green turtles. | WIDECAST Field Station |
| May 25 | Widecast Field Station | Days at the WIDECAST Field Station will be dedicated to helping research assistants with their personal research projects or camp maintenance tasks, such as beach cleanups or equipment inventories. In the nighttime, we will continue the important task of patrolling the beach. | WIDECAST Field Station |
| May 26 | Widecast Field Station - Playa Chiquita | In the morning, we will take a boat ride out from WIDECAST and travel to the southern Caribbean coast. After all of our hard work at the station, we will enjoy some much deserved time at the beach to relax, swim, and do last minute souvenir shopping. | La Costa de Papito |
| May 27 | Playa Chiquita - San Jose | Today we will enjoy a full day of white water rafting along the Pacuare River, famous for its' spectacular setting and exciting rapids. After navigating 13 miles of river, we will head back to San Jose for our final dinner together before heading to the airport this night for our flight home. | Casa Cielo Grande |
| May 28 | San Jose - USA | Arrive home | You own bed! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe. We vet and inspect the accommodations to ensure they uphold the ethos of our programs, are great values for our travelers and nice places to rest after enriching days of travel.
Villas Aracari
Villas Aracari is a beautiful property ideally located just twenty minutes from the airport. Close to the city center yet perched high in the mountains, the views of the Central Valley are breathtaking and the new pool is a delightful respite after a hot day. Spotless rooms and friendly staff will make you feel at home the moment you drop your bags.
Homestay
This will be the best part of your trip! Staying with a host family immerses you in the language and culture of the destination, and can lead to deep and lasting relationships with your hosts. Initially intimidating but ultimately unforgettable, there’s no better way to begin to truly understand the place you’re visiting.
WIDECAST Field Station
WIDECAST Field Station is situated on a beautiful isolated beach right behind what people refer to as “The Amazon” of Costa Rica, a network of mangrove rainforest, rivers, canals and lagoons. This program is run by volunteers for volunteers, and students will share dorm-style rustic lodging with separate dorms for boys and girls, shared bathrooms, and no electricity or hot water. The basic accommodations at WIDECAST align with their commitment to environmental conservation.
La Costa de Papito
La Costa de Papito is nestled in verdant lowland jungle and just steps away from the white sand beach of Playa Cocles. Chosen for its great location, laid-back vide and effusive hospitality, students will have a truly Caribbean experience in this cozy hotel. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the facilities keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Arenal Poshpacker
Located right in downtown La Fortuna, Arenal Poshpacker offers a great location, a pool, restaurant and cozy bedrooms. This is the ideal location from which students can the nearby waterfalls, caves, thermal hot springs, and of course the amazing Arenal Volcano. All rooms are equipped with A/C with free Wi-Fi to keep everyone feeling comfortable and connected.
Safety and Support
EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
This was our daughter’s 2nd trip with Walking Tree. In 2016, she took her school’s first trip with Walking Tree to Ecuador, and absolutely loved it. Once again, the Walking Tree representative was excellent. My daughter said Ben really made the trip, and worked hard to keep the group happy. Other positives: communication before the trip, website outline, daily blogs and trip photos. Very professional organization. We feel very secure sending our student out into the world with Walking Tree.
Andrea
Parent of Olivia, traveler on California Cultural Journey
Your Adventure Includes
Estimated Airfare
In order to give our travelers the best possible price, we break out airfare from the Program Tuition. We will still handle all booking and ticketing via our flight partner who has access to special fares not available to the general public. Once confirmed, you will be invoiced for the flight roughly 75 days prior to travel.
Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on itinerary.
Need to Raise Money? We Have You Covered.
Walking Tree Travel is proud to team up with Equal Exchange, a worker-owned cooperative that distributes organic coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, avocados, cocoa, chocolate bars, and more. There is no limit to the amount you can earn, so the sooner you can start, the better!
Learn more here.
Resource Center
Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.