2025 SMA Costa Rica Service Learning Program
| Travel Dates: |
March 22, 2025 -
March 29, 2025
Dates are tentative until flights are confirmed
|
| Group Organizer(s): |
|
| WTT Contact: |
|
| Program Tuition: |
$2,690 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
|
| Estimated Airfare: | $750 |
Enrollment will open in the fall. Thanks!
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
Trek to a beautiful waterfall deep in the jungle
Practice your Spanish language skills with locals
Raft down one of Costa Rica's best rivers
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 abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teachers that we must flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 22 | USA - Alajuela | 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. | Rosa de las Américas |
| March 23 | Alajuela - Hotel Bella Vida | Our journey begins at Bella Vida, which is 4 hours away from Alajuela, and is a beautiful ecological farm deep in the southern rain forest of the country. | Hotel Bella Vida |
| March 24 | Bella Vida | After breakfast we will hike down to Nauyaca waterfall, one of the most beautiful in a country full of beautiful waterfalls! We will spend a few leisurely hours swimming, relaxing, and enjoying lunch at a large swimming hole and the river below. In the afternoon we'll return to the farm for a service project orientation meeting. 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. | Bella Vida |
| March 25 | Bella Vida | Our few days in the La Florída, the village where Bella Vida is located, we will tour the farm on a hand on experience that involves tropical fruits and farm animals as well as a nearby coffee plantation that produces some of the best beans in the area. We will learn about the importance of organic farming and how rural farmers are taking advantage of sustainable farming practices. We will settle in our hotel and enjoy dinner after some group activities. | Bella Vida |
| March 26 | Bella Vida | Today we will continue working on our service project and spending time with locals. Evening activities will vary. | Bella Vida |
| March 27 | Bella Vida - Uvita | Today we will finish our service project and celebrate with our new friends during a fiesta de despedida! Afterwards, we make the short drive to the central pacific coast where we'll check into our hotel and have dinner nearby. | El Tecal |
| March 28 | Uvita - Dominical - Alajuela | This morning we'll enjoy surfing lessons with some of Costa Rica's best instructors! Then we travel up the coast to the quiet seaside town of Dominical where students will be able to do some souvenir shopping and devour a tasty lunch. Then it's just a few hours back to the big city, where we'll have a final celebratory dinner together to commemorate our time together! | Villas Aracari |
| March 29 | Alajuela - USA | Fly home, hasta luego!! | Your own bed! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing group accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, locally operated, clean and safe. We inspect each partner hotel to ensure they meet these standards.
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.
Bella Vida Hotel
Bella Vida Hotel is situated in the tiny village of La Florida, with mountainside jungle overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and infinity pool . The accommodations are comfortable, the food fantastic, and the surreal setting provides an ideal introduction to the country’s impressive flora and fauna.
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.
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
Communication was excellent! We had absolutely all the info we needed from the moment we signed up. LOVED the blog with photos. The prep and follow up activities on culture shock, re-entry, etc. were fantastic!!! Thank you!!!
Erika
Parent of John, traveler on Peru Service Adventure
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.