After landing in San Jose and exploring the nearby, culturally-rich Heredia, we’ll set off on our Costa Rica adventure with three days in the extraordinarily biodiverse Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Monteverde (meaning “green mountain”) is home to more than 100 species of mammals (including all six species of the cat family and endangered species), 400 species of birds, and 120 species of reptiles and amphibians. We’ll explore the reserve’s splendor from walkways built into the forest canopy, and we’ll do a night hike to see nocturnal animals in action! Want to see things from a different perspective? You’ll get to fly through the canopy on the world’s first two-mile-long zipline! We’ll then travel to Rincón de la Vieja National Park, where we’ll hike around to see mini-geysers (from a safe distance!) and unwind in bubbling volcanic mud pits. We may see armadillos, iguanas, and howler and spider monkeys. Our visit wouldn’t be complete without swimming in the turquoise waters at the base of the 80-foot-tall Oropéndola Waterfall and floating in a tube down the river. Another afternoon will be spent touring sugar cane, coffee, banana, and plantain plantations!

During our three days of Monteverde adventure, students will stay with Tico families, where they’ll help cook, clean, and learn the Costa Rican lifestyle. They’ll also get to practice their Spanish! Two days will be spent giving back to these beautiful mountainous communities by volunteering with Siempre Amigos, an organization dedicated to providing aid to underserved families. An integral part of the Tico culture is inclusivity; by the time our students leave their homestays, they’ll feel like a home away from home. We coordinate with locals in the community to provide the most-needed help possible, which includes cooking, farming, and helping repair homes.