Today you will meet your drive and guide outside the San Jose airport (SJO) where you will make the short drive to the Grano de Oro Hotel. This is one of San Jose's finest hotels and you will get a short history lesson on what makes San Jose a great city which not too many people understand. (Meals: None)
Today we will leave after breakfast and make our way south to the tallest volcano in all of Costa Rica. You will get a view of the beautiful landscape of Costa Rica as we drive and hike to the top of the Irazu Volcano. Here you get a chance to look into the crater of the volcano. We'll then head down to the Turrialba area where you will be staying at Casa Turire Hotel with excellent views of nearby Turrialba Volcano. Casa Turire is one of our favorite hotels in all of Costa Rica. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
After breakfast at Casa Turire we'll drive to the Pejibaye River where your adventure will be running the river in a small raft for just two people. The second person in the duckie will be your guide, making it a perfect adventure for younger children as everyone gets a guide. The thrill of rafting down the Pejibaye keeps everyone wet and excited for all two hours on the river. After our river run we will stop at a local village where you'll enjoy an excellent Tico meal and a local dance performance in a rural mountain setting. In the evening you will have time to relax back at Casa Turire. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
Day 4 ------ Enter Pacuare River (Pacuare Lodge)
Life is good in Pacuare
National Geographic has the Pacuare River listed as one of the top five scenic rivers on the planet and everyone we take down seems to agree. With our Costa Rican Resource River Operations you will enjoy a day on the upper part of the Pacuare River with your own private tour. Here we will get the chance to hike to different waterfalls and have a unique river lunch prepared for you right on the river. Our final destination will be the Pacuare Lodge which is one of the most picturesque settings you can imagine, here luxury meets the jungle. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
The second day of rafting on Pacuare is the best. Not only is the scenery breath-taking from start to finish but you also get to experience the larger rapids. Most months out of the year we can still run this section with little kids and can assure you safety is first and our guides are some of the finest you will find on Earth. Well, they did place 6th last year in the world rafting championship. Costa Rican Resource was a proud sponsor of the Costa Rican Team. After we make our way through this beautiful canyon, we will then drive to the Caribbean where you'll be staying in another luxurious setting surrounded by nature at Almonds & Corals Ecolodge. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
The clear blue water and white sand of the Caribbean is something you will not find on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. It is also the best area for snorkeling with 35 different species of coral and 500 different species of fish. We'll be walking right off the shore and snorkeling in some of Costa Rica's most biodiverse jungles but these just happen to be underwater. After we snorkel we can go to the nearby towns where you and the kids can do some trinket shopping for local crafts. A second option for this afternoon would be to rappel one of the nearby waterfalls. Your CRR guide can set you up for an amazing adventure of rappeling a 70 ft waterfall. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)
Costa Rican Resource Sponsor of National Team of Rafting
If you are a fan of chocolate you will be a fan of today as we learn the secrets of the Cacao fruit and where it has come from and the process of making it to the sweet tasting candy we all know and love. This tour is done by the local indigenous tribe and very educational for everyone. After the chocolate tour we'll hit the beach where it will be time to take on some waves and enjoy a surf class with the locals. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)
Day 8 ------ Fly Home!
Today we drive back to the San Jose Airport and an afternoon flight would work best as it is a three hour drive from the Caribbean to San Jose (SJO)
Eating Termites on Nature Hike
Costa Rican Resource Call Today 1-855-CRR-TOUR info@crrtravel.com www.crrtours.com
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 Resourcestaff 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 communityhas 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)
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
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 afraidand have Faith you can overcome anything life throws your way.
Extra Insurance:
Below are somesites 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.
Day 1 ------------------------ Arrive & drive to Arenal (Nayara Hotel)
We will be at the airport to meet you and take you to the hotel which is around two hours from the airport. When it comes to places to stay this is one of the nicest hotels around. It has been open for two years and I absolutely love sending people here. It is small and has amazing views. When sending people to this place I just tell them to look at tripadvisor it has like 900 million reviews and they are all excellent so there is probably a pretty good chance you will like it.
(Meals: None)
Day 2 –----------------- Balsa River Rafting & Ecocenter Danaus (Nayara Hotel)
Lets take the kids rafting. The kids are young and its about that time we splashed some white water on them. This is a perfect river nearby for their level of rafting and I know they will love it. We will have some time in the afternoon to stop by a locally run private reserve which we can make very educational for the kids giving them a close look at some animals. We wont bore them but a lot of kids to get excited and it’s a great way to get involved a little with the local community and off the tourist path.
(Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
Day 3-------------------- Travel to MonteVerde (MonteVerde Hotel)
Today we have the option to do the canyoneering tour. Although this is quite the adventure if your kids are up for it even the little one can enjoy it. It is an adventure where you are on all fours making your way hiking through the jungle at the bottom of the canyon. I love it and you get soaked. There are some parts where the skill of rappel comes into play and the little one will be helped by a guide that gets him down the waterfall. After the adventure we will head back to the hotel for a quick shower and then make our way to the MonteVerde area where we will spend the next two nights in the cloudforest. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
(Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)
Day 4------------------ Monteverde Reserve (Monteverde Hotel)
Today we will visit one of the most majestic areas on the planet. This is the Monteverde cloudforest and your naturalist guide will make it an amazing hike and very interesting. This is one of the places that has made Costa Rica famous and they have done an amazing job protecting it. Just being in the area of Monteverde is an amazing experience and you truly are surrounded by nature and a feeling of tranquil from the moment you arrive. The area has many little things for the kids like frog and spider exihibits if the kids wanted to spend the afternoon after the Reserve visiting these places. (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 5 --------------- Drive to Manuel Antonio (Arenas del Mar)
Today you will head south and make your way to Manuel Antonio which in my opinion is Costa Rica’s finest beach. I will say it was suggested by you Lisa which I have to give you credit for. The hotel I have you staying in is one of my favorites because it has the best view and you don’t feel like you are in the touristy area of Manuel Antonio. It also has lots of monkeys which is a huge plus for the kids. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
Day 6- -------------- Tour National Park (Arenas del Mar)
Today you will visit the National Park of Manuel Antonio. This is a beautiful park and home to the rainforest meeting the beach. Your naturalist guide will be able to describe to you the difference between the reserve you saw in the Arenal area, the Monteverde Cloudforest, and the rainforest at Manuel Antonio keeping it interesting and most importantly fun for the kids with all the animals in and around the park. (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 7---------------------------- Beach Day (Arenas del Mar)
Well this is the official R&R day. If the kids want to rent some surf boards or boogie boards the waves in the area are often pretty soft. This is your day to relax and enjoy the sun.
(Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
Day 8-------------------- Drive to Central Valley and Fly Home!!!
Make the drive to the airport, say your good-byes, and start planning the trip for the class IV rapids of the Pacuare River for when the kids are a little bigger and our rappeling down the waterfall and sleeping behind a cave adventure (Well your kids sound pretty adventurous for their age they might be ready if you just want to delay the flight a few days?).
(Meals: Breakfast)
Includes: All transportation with private guide, all lodging, in-country flight, tour and adventures and meals listed.
Private Transportation: if and when you want to go out to eat you just let us know and we pick you up at the hotel and drop you off, wait for you, and return you to the hotel when you finish your meal.
$1800/person based on family of 4 one room until June 2011
