Arenal, Rafting, & Dominical Adventure

Facing History Costa Rica 2011

April 16th - April 23rd

Day 1 --------------- Arrive and Drive to Sanchiri (Sanchiri Hotel)

Today we will meet you at the airport and drive to Sanchiri Hotel. This hotel is half way to the river and is a beautiful area where you will get an excellent dinner with one of the best views the country has. We enjoy getting to this hotel on the first day as it will be less traveling on the day of rafting and then to the Arenal Volcano. The hotel is in a nice nature setting; the kids can walk around and enjoy the trails. We will have a group dinner where we will go over the activities for the week and give everyone an understanding of what to expect. (Meals: Dinner)

Day 2 ---------------- Raft Pacuare River and Drive to Arenal Volcano (Arenal Hotel)

Today we will make our way to what National Geographic has listed as one of the top five scenic rivers on the planet. This often turns into being one of the favorite adventures for the kids during the week. We will not need to get up super early and will leave the hotel around 8am and make our way to the Pacuare River. This is a class III & IV river and the kids will stay plenty wet as we make our way down through the rainforest during our three hour river rafting adventure. After rafting we will drive to the Arenal Volcano and check-in to the next hotel. It has beautiful views of the Arenal Volcano and a chance to see it erupt at night. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 3 ---------------- Visit School, Organic Farm, & HotSprings (Arenal Hotel)

Today we will give the kids a taste of the culture and a chance to give back to the community. We will be spending our morning doing community service activities working for the local school community. This is a great chance to start giving back and also what we have seen is the best gift, is having the chance to spend time with the local school kids and socialize and just make friends. After the community service project we will make our way to the Organic Farm where the learning begins. We will pick and pull all the ingredients we need for lunch and then watch as it is all prepared. This is an amazing learning experience and the kids always enjoy the visit to Don Juan's. After the Organic Farm we will visit The Springs which as you can see is the students treat for working so hard in the community service project earlier in the day. We will treat the kids to a very nice dinner and an evening relaxing in the thermal waters of the Arenal Volcano. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4 ----------------- Zipline & Canyoneering Adventures (Arenal Hotel)

Today if the kids did not get enough adventure on the river we promise to get their adrenaline pumping today. We will be taking part in two different activities that if you are afraid of heights we might suggest--DON'T LOOK DOWN! Having all the students work as a team, which Facing History Students have done very well in the past, makes it possible to get through these adventures together. These are two amaizng events and we have literally seen kids after completing today, wake up with better posture! The zipline is only 700ft high above the rainforest canopy with views of the erupting Arenal Volcano. The cayoneering is making your way down a canyon where you will need to rappel five different waterfalls. Basically all you have to do is walk over the edge of a 200ft waterfall in the middle of the jungle!!!! Not exactly something you can find in NYC. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 5 ----------------- Drive to Pacific Coast Dominical (Beach Hotel)

Today drive down the coastal highway and the kids will get to see the Pacific Ocean. We will get a start on traveling after breakfast and arrive to the town of Dominical just after lunch. These beaches, where the mountains meet tne sea,  are some of Costa Rica's finest.  (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 6 ------------------ Community Serivice Project in Banana Plantation (Beach Hotel)

Today we will wake up and have breakfast and then head south. We will get to see the peninsula of Osa from a distance which happens to be the most bio-diverse place on the planet. We will spend our day with the locals, at a banana plantation that was formerly owned by the United Fruit Company. This is an area of Costa Rica that unfortunately has not benefited from the tourist boom or the real estate boom and is an area that is still in poverty. The idea behind our visit will be to offer another community service project as we visit with the locals. I can assure you we will be the only visitors they get throughout the year. This is a great village and they are very excited that we will be visiting. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 7 ------------------ Beach Day (Beach Hotel)

Today is your day to relax on the beach. If you want there are different areas in Dominical where you can sign up for surf classes or rent boogie boards. Also we can get a touch football game going on the beach which the guys enjoyed last year. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 8 ---------------- Drive to airport and Fly Home!!!