Summer Highschool Adventure
Itinerary for June 14-21, 2011
Open to all students and teachers in Highschools
Teacher Travels Free for every 5 students
To Book Contact Us: www.crrtravel.com info@crrtravel.com
US: 352 694 3462 CR: +506 2266 1559
Day 1 ---------------------- Arrive and Drive to hotel(La Condesa)Today we will meet you at the airport and make our way to La Condesa Hotel where we will enjoy the introduction to the week and get a chance to meet the Costa Rican Resource staff and do a few ice-breakers. (Meals: Dinner)
Day 2 ------------------------ Visit Orphanage & Drive to Pacific Coast (Beach Hotel)
Today we will visit the orphanage in the morning(7:00am) and then head to the Pacific Coast. The visit to the orphanage is amazing and so rewarding for both kids. The kids at the orphanage enjoy showing off the skills they use at their home such as cooking and tending their organic garden. I have also seen groups in the past do fund-raisers and make a donation to the home which makes for an emotional moment. Next to the beach where, yes, you will get a chance to get your feet wet and also watch a sunset. This will position us just 20 minutes from the cave entrance for the following morning. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
Day 3 –------------------------ Leave hotel at 7:00 am, hike, and Sleep Behind a Waterfall (Cavern Behind Waterfall)
This is perhaps one of the best experiences of our trips. We will start the day by doing an amazing hike that will take almost two hours. We will go at a pace and work as a team in order to arrive all together. This is a great team-building opportunity, not to mention walking through the rainforest which gives our guides a chance to explain the many different facts about the rainforest. During our stay in the Cave each student will be doing a rappel off a waterfall. This is a neat adventure and the kids love it. Just to give you an idea this is more like a cavern and not an actual cave. The food is delicious, the sleeping is serene and the hands-on geology lesson is better than anything you can read about in a textbook. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
The area of Turrialba is our destination today. The homestay experience at Sitio de Mata is quite different from the night in the Cave but equally interesting and enjoyable. We plan on having each student in contact with their homestay family before arrival giving them the chance to write letters and develop a relationship with each family. The visit to Sitio Mata is the highlight of the trip for us as a company. It allows the families there to be a part of the business and make an income and also the visiting students get a feel for the real Costa Rica and how amazing the people are in this rural village. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)Day 5 –------------------------ Community Service and Soccer Game (Homestays)
We will wake up to the smoking Turrialba volcano which just looking at it can be very educational. Today is a day to give back to the community. We will put all the kids to work as we visit a local school and get a chance to hang with the local kids. We will also have a project planned where we will build recycle bins for the local school and then teach the kids the importance of recycling. After the morning of work we will all head to the soccer field where almost everyone in town shows up for the soccer game showdown. This is a terrific social event and a good opportunity for the kids to interact with each other. In the evening the community has a farewell dinner and show which they are justifiably very proud of. We call it their Cirque du Solie. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
Today we will raft the Pacuare River. National Geographic has this listed as one of the top five rivers in the world. Without a doubt a must-do in the area, with waterfalls and canyons from start to finish. This is a day that all will remember. There’s a culture lesson given right on the river as the guides describe the life of Cabecar Indians that live on the bank of the river. After the Pacuare we will dry off, have lunch and make the drive to the famous Arenal Volcano which is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Understanding volcanoes is a lot easier when you are looking right at lava pouring down its side at night. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)Day 6 ------------------ Visit La Fortuna Falls & Organic Farm (Arenal Hotel)
Today the adventure level will be down a notch but we will be doing some of the most scenic hiking you can imagine. Along with visiting the most educational organice farm we know of in the tropics. La Fortuna Falls will be our first stop and it is a beautiful hike through the rainforest down to one of Costa Rica's most beautiful waterfalls. It has a great swimhole at the bottom where the kids can play around and relax after their guided tour by their naturalist guide assuming all were listening. Once we visit th falls we will head to the Organic farm where we will be guided by the Famous Don Juan himself. He is amazing when it comes to Organic farming and always has a smile on his face keeping everyone laughing from start to finishin during the hands on and taste on experience through the farm. We will enjoy lunch at the farm where everything we eat for lunch was produced at the farm (Best lunch you will have all week). After the farm we will head into the town of La Fortuna where you can do your souvenir shopping. This area has plenty of little shops and then back to the hotel for dinner pool time and dinner in the evening. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
Day 7 –------------------------ (8:30), Zipline (12md), & Hotsprings(4pm) (Arenal Hotel)
Today we will fit in some more adventure and relax and fun.. We will also be doing the famous zipline which happens to be one of the favorites of most kids. This zipline has cables that are 700ft above the rainforest floor making it one of the highest in Costa Rica and without a doubt the best view. It has the best view because you can see the boulders pouring down the side of the active volcano Arenal as you zip along. In the evening we will have a farewell dinner at the hotsprings and feel one of the pluses of living near a volcano. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
Day 8 ------------------------ Travel back to Central Valley & fly home
Day 8 ------------------------ Travel back to Central Valley & fly home
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included everyday
Cost: $1385/student
Students will benefit from this Costa Rican Adventure in the following ways:
Education
The education during this trip is endless. Our guides are always looking for a chance to teach whether it’s on the bus, hiking through the rainforest or while partaking of some Costa Rican cuisine. Costa Rica is a country that is filled with different forms of teachable moments. During this tour we include History, not only Costa Rica but Central America and how larger countries have affected the development of Central American countries. In the area of Science, Costa Rica happens to be one of the most bio-diverse countries on the planet and is the perfect place to learn about the rainforest, volcanoes, flora and fauna, and much more. With our personable, bilingual guides who are trained naturalists, you will be amazed at how much learning take place in a really fun way. Last but not least, we will also be surrounded by Spanish. With the homestays the kids will have the opportunity to practice Spanish they already know or they will learn a few words and see how the beauty of communication can be used with a smile and a laugh.
Service
To us service is always the most important aspect of our trips. The difference that can be made in visiting the orphanage is amazing. The orphans we visit happen to be high school kids, the same age as the students. It is inspiring to hear their stories and have our visiting students spend time with them. More often than not there are some tears leaving the home. We also encourage any form of raising money months before the trip which can be presented as a donation when we arrive. We will also visit a school where we will be building and painting. This is a great combo where the kids have the chance to socialize with the locals and also give back.
Adventure
The trip will have its share of adventure also. The adventure will be used as a chance to show kids the importance of working together. The adventure is a moment in which each student learns a bit about themselves, challenging themselves to do things that they might be timid to do. Just as life will bring them challenges, we try to relate the challenges of this trip to life’s challenges and if you are not afraid and have Faith you can overcome anything life throws your way.Extra Insurance:
Below are some sites for trip insurance. Costa Rican Resource does NOT require it but think it's an excellent idea. Most companies have an "adventure" rider that you can add.
And most airlines offer trip insurance once a ticket is purchased.
Day 4 ------------------------ Leave Cavern at 8 am and Drive to Turrialba (Homestay)
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