2025 SME Costa Rica Service Adventure
| Travel Dates: | March 8, 2025 - March 16, 2025 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$2,690 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Estimated Airfare: | $500 |
Tuition Calculator
There are two options for payment, including an interest-free monthly installment plan. Follow whichever option works best for your family. If we are within 90 days of travel, only the pay in full option is possible.
Program Tuition: $2,690
Pay in Full
$2,690.00
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:
$438.00
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
Zip-line though the rainforest
Trek to a beautiful waterfall deep in the jungle
Raft down one of Costa Rica's best rivers
Collaborate on a service project in your homestay community
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA - Alajuela | Today the group will travel from the USA to San Jose, Costa Rica! Upon arrival, we’ll settle into a lovely hotel on the outskirts of the city for dinner and an orientation meeting to discuss the upcoming trip in detail. | Casa Cielo Grande |
| 2 | Alajuela - Sarapiqui | After breakfast, the group will engage in a learning session about the history of one of mankind’s favorite foods: chocolate. Originally from Central America, this plant has an extraordinary history; it was one of the most important products for the Mayan and Aztec cultures. After our workshop, we will check out and then head for Sarapiquí, an area characterized by its lush tropical rainforest and swift rivers. The bus ride is two hours north of the capital city. In the evening, we will embark on an Ethnobotany tour, where students will engage all five of their senses in getting to know different plants and learn about the scientific importance of the tropical rainforest in the medical and cosmetic fields. After dinner, we will have some reflection time to discuss our goals for the upcoming days | Tirimbina Hotel |
| 3 | Sarapiqui - Host Community | We will begin our with whitewater rafting down the Sarapiquí River, renowned worldwide for its scenic beauty and thrilling class 3 rapids. After lunch we'll have dancing classes and then we will head to our host community. After arrival we'll tour the town, learn more about our service project/s and then head home with our new families for the evening. Unless otherwise specified, students will be placed two to a home. Breakfasts and dinners will be with families while lunch will be served at the service site. In the afternoons and evenings, activities are flexible and will vary, but may include time with host families, excursions to explore the surrounding area or group reflection sessions. | Host Families |
| 4 | Host Community | Today we will begin working on our service project and spending time with host families. Afternoon & evening activities will vary and details regarding service work will become available as departure nears. | Host Families |
| 5 | Host Community | Today we will continue working on our service project and spending time with host families. Evening activities will vary. | Host Families |
| 6 | Host Community | Today, we will continue working on our service project and spending time with host families. In the evening, we will have a soccer game with local kids, and afterward, we will return to our host families | Host Families |
| 7 | Host Community | Today we will finish working on our service project and we will have our fiesta de despedida . Evening activities will vary. | Host Families |
| 8 | Host Community - Fortuna | After breakfast we will say good bye to our families and we will see the forest from a different perspective after we go zipline . Then we will head to La Fortuna, a small city right next to the Volcán Arenal, an impressive volcano that stands out in the middle of the flatlands Students will have some free time to explore the towns center and do some souvenir shopping. At night we will relax at the Baldi hot springs, where we will be having a buffet dinner as well. | Hotel Fortuna |
| 9 | Fortuna - Alajuela | Today we will hike down to La Fortuna waterfall, where students can relax, swim, and explore in the morning. After lunch, we will make the drive back to San Jose for a farewell dinner and our final reflection before our international departure the following morning. | Casa Cielo Grande |
| 10 | 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.
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.
La Tirimbina
This lodge is set in the Tirimbina Nature Reserve and 2 km from De la Virgen Park. It features free Wi-Fi, an extensive garden and a furnished terrace. The rooms have basic décor and include air conditioning, a fan, safety box and garden views. The bathrooms are private and come with shower.
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 comfortable that the trip my daughter was on was safe, educational, interesting and fun. She made life long friends with her host sister. An exceptional life learning experience.
Carolyn
Parent of Alicia, Traveler on 2018 Program to Chile
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.