USAO – Costa Rica, 2023

Depart Home for San Jose, Costa Rica

Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica 

Airport Transfer 

On-ground Briefing
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 incase of an emergency. Historical & Cultural Walking Tour of San Jose

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

Transfer to Turrialba (approx. 2.5 hrs)

Transfer by truck to the Pacuare River – This river is amongst the top 10 rivers with the best scenery in the world for rafting.

Rafting Pacuare River – This is about 6 hrs rafting adventure with some stops on the way, lunch on the riverside including delicious local fruits. Get ready for some action rapids class 3 & 4 

Rafting end point – Here there will be showers and changing rooms. When the group is ready, we get on the road to the beach! 
Transfer to Cahuita (approx. 2.5 hrs)

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Visit the Cahuita National Park – Here we will see monkeys, sloths, raccoons and more.

Visit the Bribri Indigenous Community – You will learn all about their day-to-day, their culture and also about medicinal plants.

Visit to a Waterfall – Approximately 45 meters high,  we can bathe in this  refreshing water from the Talamanca Mountain range.

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Surf Lesson – Show your surfing skills in this 1.5 hrs fun time at the beach!

Transfer to La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano (approx. 4.5 hrs) – The Arenal area contains a bizarre landscape of solidified lava flows, lush natural forest and tropical flora and fauna which includes howler monkeys, toucans and over 350 bird species. 

Structured Free Time & Cultural Immersion

Breakfast & Day Briefing
Educational Don Juan Farm – Learn about how to be a self-sustained farm, medicinal plants and Chocolate.

Juan Eco Farm is an educational farming experience. Students have the opportunity to discover the different crops and organic farming methods. The end of the tour is at the troja (cane sugar press), a place where sugar cane can be processed in a manual press. In addition to enjoying fresh sugar cane juice, sugar cane products are sampled in the form of a sweet called sobado and cane liquor. 

La Fortuna Waterfall – This 70 mt high waterfall with very fresh water coming from the base of Cerro Chato and Arenal volcano is where we end our exploration day.

Breakfast & Day Briefing
Full Day Canopy, Rappelling & Hot Springs – Enjoy travelling the forest comfortably in our revitalizing paths full of nature and wildlife. In front of the majestic Arenal Volcano you can admire its beauty and the wonderful forest that surrounds it, as well as a reserve populated with wildlife in their natural habitat that will allow you an encounter with the roots of the human species. 

Breakfast & Day Briefing
Transfer to National Park Tenorio (approx 2 hrs)

Hike Through the Jungle – Learn from an expert guide about the plant and animal life of the rainforest, and see the Rio Celeste waterfall. Located in the Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain Range, this park has a rainforest that protects species of wildlife of regional importance. 

You’ll find more magic at Los Teñideros, where two rivers merge, and watch the water turn turquoise right before your very eyes. Discover the secret behind this transformation and after the walk, enjoy a delicious lunch in a restaurant in the area and also be able to swim in the majestic turquoise water.

Transfer to Guanacaste (approx 2 hrs)

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Free Day – Enjoy the sun on the beach and have a full day off to decompress from this big journey. This is the Caribbean coast toward in land, sleeping at the base of volcano where you’ll swim on turquoise water from Tenorio National Park. You will really understand the reason of locals to keep saying Pura vida ! 

Farewell Dinner & Program Closing

Breakfast & Day Briefing 

Airport Transfer

Depart Liberia, Costa Rica for Home