2024 Steward School Costa Rica Program
| Travel Dates: | March 2, 2024 - March 9, 2024 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$2,790 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,298 |
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: $2,790
Pay in Full
$2,790.00
due today
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
Learn to surf with some of Costa Rica's best instructors
Practice your Spanish language skills with locals
Hike through the tropical rainforest and learn about local ecosystems
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 | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2 | USA - San Jose | Today the group will travel from the USA to San Jose, Costa Rica! Upon arrival, we’ll settle into our hotel for the evening for dinner and an orientation meeting where we'll discuss the upcoming trip in detail. | Villas Aracari |
| March 3 | San Jose - San Gerardo de Rivas | After breakfast we we'll head to our host community. After arrival we'll tour the town, we will get settled into our accommodation, tour the town and learn more about our service project/s. The coming days will revolve around our service efforts; in the afternoons and evenings, activities are flexible and will vary, but may include time with community members, excursions to explore the surrounding area or group reflection sessions. | Group Homestay |
| March 4 | San Gerardo de Rivas | Our days in our host community will consist mainly of working on our community service project. Lunch will be on-site provided by local families. In the afternoons and evenings, activities are flexible and will vary, but may include excursions around the village, or activities with the local community, like soccer matches. | Group Homestay |
| March 5 | San Gerardo de Rivas | Our three days in our host community will consist mainly of working on our community service project. Lunch will be on-site provided by local families. In the afternoons and evenings, activities are flexible and will vary, but may include excursions around the village, or activities with the local community, like soccer matches. | Group Homestay |
| March 6 | San Gerardo de Rivas-Uvita | Today we will finish our service project and celebrate in the afternoon with our new friends during a fiesta de despedida! This evening we travel to the surf-side town of Uvita the central Pacific coast. | Hotel El Tecal |
| March 7 | Uvita - Manuel Antonio | Surfing lessons this morning with some of Costa Rica's best instructors! Uvita is a great place to learn. Afterwards, we jump on the bus and travel north along the coast. We'll stop for lunch in the quite seaside town of Dominical where students will be able to do some souvenir shopping. Then it's onward to Manuel Antonio! | Villas Mymosa |
| March 8 | Manuel Antonio - San Jose | This morning we explore Manuel Antonio National Park where students will wander jungle trails and lounge on pristine, white sand beaches. After showers and lunch, we jump on the bus and begin the trip back to San Jose where we'll enjoy a celebratory dinner to commemorate our time together! | Villas Aracari |
| March 9 | San Jose - USA | After an early breakfast we head to the airport for our flight home. Hasta luego!! | 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.
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.
Villas Mymosa
Hotel Villas Mymosa is a modern 10 room condo hotel located in the peaceful setting of beautiful Manuel Antonio. These spacious rooms are fully equipped to provide you with all the amenities of your own home. Each Villas Mymosa villa has a private terrace or balcony or both. You have the option of peace and quiet at your villa or interacting with other guests around our beautiful large centrally located pool.
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.
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
I was very concerned about my daughter who has a peanut allergy travelling to a foreign country for the first time without us. Walking Tree was very sensitive to my concerns and reassured me that this is something they could handle and they did! I would send her again in a heartbeat. Thank you Walking Tree.
Kerry
Parent of Emilie, traveler on 2018 Service Program to Costa Rica
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.