2023 Grant Costa Rica Service Adventure
| Travel Dates: | June 17, 2023 - July 1, 2023 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$2,990 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,290 |
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: $2,990
Pay in Full
$2,990.00
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:
$311.25
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!
Brew coffee and make empanadas with a local farmer's family
Improve your Spanish and immerse yourself in a homestay community
Trek to a beautiful waterfall deep in the jungle
Learn to surf with some of Costa Rica's best instructors
Collaborate on a service project in your homestay community
Discover the gorgeous beaches and world-class national parks on the Pacific coast
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 | ACTIVITY | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 17 | USA & Costa Rica | Today the group will travel from the USA to Costa Rica, and flights usually arrive in the evening. After arrival, the group will settle into their hotel for the evening, enjoy the pool and rest. | Casa Cielo Grande |
| June 18 | Pura Suerte | After breakfast we'll head for Pura Suerte, an ecological farm in the heart of the rain forest, about four hours south of the capital city. Upon arrival we'll settle in our rooms and discuss the upcoming trip in detail. | Pura Suerte |
| June 19 | Pura Suerte | After breakfast we will hike down to Nauyaca waterfall, one of the most beautiful in the entire country. We will spend the morning swimming, relaxing, and enjoying lunch at the waterfall. After lunch we will visit a nearby coffee plantation, learn how to make tortillas and empanadas and enjoy some locally produced coffee or hot chocolate. At night the group will enjoy a delicious dinner made from ingredients sourced directly from the forest. | Pura Suerte |
| June 20 | Pura Suerte & Host Community | We will have a relaxing morning at Finca Pura Suerte to explore the beautiful grounds, hike to neighboring waterfalls and eat breakfast and lunch made from ingredients grown on the farm. In the early afternoon, we will make the short transfer to our nearby host community of San Salvador, where a group from Grant HS visited in 2016. We'll get introduced to our families, take a tour of the community and talk more about our service project which will begin the following day, which will mostly consist of the restoration and refurbishment of the community's common areas such as the community hall or the church. Tasks could include sanding, painting, transport of construction materials, working on trench shores for the town's septic system, gardening, and so on. | Homestays- San Salvador |
| June 21 | Host Community | First full day of service work, usually around six hours a day broken up by a break at lunch and free time in the afternoon/evening. We'll also make time for structured group reflection. Today in the afternoon we will take a break from our service project for some dance lessons! | Homestays- San Salvador |
| June 22 | Host Community | Continue service projects, community activities... | Homestays- San Salvador |
| June 23 | Host Community | Continue service projects, community activities... | Homestays- San Salvador |
| June 24 | Host Community | Continue service projects, community activities... | Homestays- San Salvador |
| June 25 | Host Community | Last Day of service! Today will put the finishing touches on our service project and enjoy a communal fiesta de despedida to celebrate our wonderful time in host community. | Homestays- San Salvador |
| June 26 | Host Community & Uvita | After breakfast, we'll head south to Uvita where we'll check into our hotel, drop our bags, and get ready for professional surf lessons at the Parque Nacional Ballena, a beautiful beach set on protected coastline along the Pacific Ocean and renowned for it's gradual and consistent break, great for beginning and intermediate surfers. We will discover the rock whale tail like formation that gives the name to the Marino Ballena National Park. After an active morning we'll have time to relax at the hotel, take showers, enjoy the pool and have a couple hours rest before dinner later this night. | Hotel El Tecal |
| June 27 | Uvita | After breakfast, we will depart for Uvita's beatiful waterfall. We will then have lunch on the way and head to Dominical, where we will have to chance to put our bargaining skill at the town's street artisan market. In the afternoon we will have some beach time in Playa Hermosa to watch the sunset and then head to our hotel, where we will be able to relax at the pool. | Hotel El Tecal |
| June 28 | Uvita - Manuel Antonio | Today we will leave Uvita to spend the morning exploring Manuel Antonio National park's the smallest of Costa Rica's national parks, it's also one of the most beautiful and absolutely bursts with wildlife. Inside we will find idyllic beaches and winding trails that lead through dense jungle. Students can relax, swim and ward off the occasional mischievous monkey. | Hotel Manuel Antonio |
| June 29 | Manuel Antonio | In the morning we'll do white water rafting in Savergre river. We'll spend our day navigating the rapids of one of the most amazing rivers in Costa Rica. We'll stop for lunch along the banks of the river where we'll eat lunch and then relax in the afternoon. | Hotel Manuel Antonio |
| June 30 | Manuel Antonio & Alajuela | Today we will leave Manuel Antonio and we'll head back to San Jose for our final dinner together ahead of our international departure the following morning. | Casa Cielo Grande |
| July 1 | USA | Fly home | Your 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.
Finca Pura Suerte
A grouping of bamboo cabins and impressive communal spaces, this farm is nestled deep in low-land rain forest with views of the Pacific coastline. The accommodations are comfortable, the food fantastic, and the surreal setting provides an ideal introduction to the country’s impressive flora and fauna.
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.
Cabinas El Tecal
Cabinas El Tecal is a locally owned and operated three star hotel close to playa Uvita in the Marino Ballena National Park. Off the beaten path, the hotel comes with modern amenities, a private pool, and great service. It’s the perfect place to relax away from the crowds. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the building keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Pacuare River Lodge
Along a hillside overlooking the Pacuare River, this one-of-a-kind lodge sits amid exotic primary rainforest, indigenous reserves and isolated valleys, and is only accessible by raft, 4X4, or horseback. A collection of rustic yet cozy cabins, each allowing to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding pristine jungles and experience the wilderness. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability. Most river lodges have no electricity, wifi and cellphone reception is very limited as it is the case for Pacuare River Lodge. The rafting companies communicate by radio in case of needing any land departure from the lodge or any emergency.
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.
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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.