NCC- Nassau Community College – Costa Rica2024

DAY 1 – DEPARTURE – Wednesday, January 3

Depart Home for San Jose, Costa Rica 

Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica  

Orientation Walking Tour – The group will become oriented with their neighborhood, the public transportation systems, nearby pharmacies, markets, ATMs, etc. Additionally, an in-depth safety briefing will be provided for what to do in case of an emergency. 

Welcome Dinner – The group will be taken for an authentic Costa Rican dinner with a wide variety of menu options to cater all diets. 

DAY 2 – PACUARE RESERVE – Thursday, January 4

Breakfast & Day Briefing
Transfer to Field Station (approx. 3 hours) – Imagine a place hidden in a dense jungle forest along the Caribbean Sea, a quasi-island surrounded by ocean and canals. You can only get there by boat. A place without electricity, where howler monkeys, egrets, herons and kingfishers announce your arrival. No crowds, no traffic and no luxury. All left behind for the unique chance to experience the wilderness, to be part of something great, to observe, learn and perhaps teach someone

Lunch and Dinner (included)

DAY 3 – PACUARE RESERVE – Friday, January 5 

Breakfast & Day Briefing
Boat Tour – Spotting of different types of biodiversity at the station, from crocodiles, iguanas, herons, kingfishers and more. 

Lunch (included)

Data Collection of Local Flora and Fauna

Dinner (included)

DAY 4 – PACUARE RESERVE – Saturday, January 6 

Breakfast & Day Briefing

Mammal Identification Workshop with a Focus on Wild Cats – of which we will delve into some of the behaviors, diets and sampling. We will collect camera traps and then, with the expert from the Panthera organization, we can start identifying individuals. We hope to observe on camera jaguars or other animals.

Lunch (included) 

Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion

Dinner (included)

DAY 5 – LA TIRIMBINA – Sunday, January 7

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Travel to Tirimbina Biological Station Tropical Wet Forest (approx.2h30) 

Lunch (included)

Walk with the guide to explore the Tropical Forest to spot Wildlife – Some of the knowledge learned in the field class will be applied. We will learn about leaf-cutter ants, monkeys and anything else we find along the way. 

Discussion on the Impact of Human Involvement on the Structure and Function of Tropical Ecosystems

Dinner (included)

DAY 6 – LA TIRIMBINA – Monday, January 8  

Breakfast & Day Briefing
Lecture about Bats in Costa Rica – We will learn, explore and research about this amazing nocturnal mammals.

Lunch (included)

Lecture – Elaboration of a Short Research Project on Bats in Costa Rica (60 minutes).

There are two options: 1- Students create their own research project, 2- Students assist me with my own research project.

Workshop – Capture & Handling (our expert only), data gathering and analysis. 

Two options: 1-Students create their own research project and I assist them to gather their own data, I guide data analysis and a short presentation of their results, 2-Students assist me with my own research project) (4 hours with field work) 

Dinner (included)

DAY 7 – LA FORTUNA – Tuesday, January 9

Breakfast & Day Briefing

Travel to La Fortuna (approx.2h)

Arenal Volcano Wildlife Tour – The location of Costa Rica’s most active Volcano. Arenal contains a bizarre landscape of solidified lava flows, lush natural forest and tropical flora and fauna which includes howler monkeys, toucans and over 350 species of birds.

Lunch (included)

La Fortuna Waterfall – A short hike through the lush rainforest will take you right to the plummeting falls, where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

Dinner (included)

DAY 8 – LA FORTUNA – Wednesday, January 10

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Naturalist Tour Tenorio Volcano National Park Located in the Guanacaste volcanic mountain range, this park is home to a rainforest that protects regionally important wildlife species. We will visit a turquoise waterfall, which is formed by the joining of two rivers that have different PH, making the particles larger and forming the aluminosilicates that reflect the turquoise color. 

Lunch (included)

Swim in Turquoise Water 

Free Time 

Dinner (included)

DAY 9 – MONTEVERDE – Thursday, January 11

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Travel to Monteverde (approx. 3h) 

Lunch (included)

Orientation Walk & Free Time to Explore the Town 

Dinner (included)

DAY 10 – MONTEVERDE  – Friday, January 12 

Breakfast & Day Briefing

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Wildlife Tour – The ‘Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve of the Tropical Science Center’ is the first private area for the conservation of wildlife founded in Costa Rica in October of 1972.

Lunch (included)

Ziplining – Enjoy a unique perspective of the forest as you fly over Costa Rica’s beautiful landscape.

It doesn’t get much better than these views! While the nine standard zipper lines are sure to amaze, the real thrill comes from the two superman zipper lines,

including the longest zipper line in Costa Rica! 

Dinner (included)

DAY 11 – MANUEL ANTONIO – Saturday, January 13 

Breakfast & Day Briefing

Travel to Carara National Park (approx. 2 hours)

Lunch (included)

Carara National Park Wildlife Tour – The park is known as a bird paradise, but you can spot here many other species of animals. The park is rich with fauna and flora, like insects, spiders, monkeys, huge trees, and this destination Is the favorite of  wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers. 

Dinner (included)

Continue to Manuel Antonio (approx. 1h30)

DAY 12 – SAN JOSE – Sunday, January 14 

Breakfast & Day Briefing

Manuel Antonio National Park Wildlife Tour – It contains three beautiful beaches, casual forest trails, and a dense rainforest teaming with animal life. In 2011, it was named by Forbes as one of the world’s most beautiful parks.

Lunch (included)

Transfer to San Jose (approx. 4h)

Souvenir Market 

Dinner (included)

Farewell Dinner & Program Closing

DAY 13 – RETURN – Monday, January 15 

Breakfast & Day Briefing

Airport Transfer

Depart San Jose, Costa Rica for Home