Costa Rica: Learn, Serve & Immerse

Welcome to Costa Rica! Your journey begins with a flight into San Jose, the Capital City. There you will be met and assisted upon arrival and transferred to your hotel for a relaxing night.  

The city of San José is the national capital and economic center of Costa Rica. It is currently undergoing a renaissance with pedestrian streets and modern high rise buildings, yet it still retains much of its past multicultural heritage in restored elegant old buildings, historic statues, and parks.

Dinner(*) on your own, and overnight at Villas San Ignacio or similar in San Jose.

If your flight arrives early enough, you can also have a welcoming cultural encounter at the house of a local artisan of Cimarron and Mascarada which is a local Costa Rican tradition with a home made dinner prepared in a wood-fire kitchen. (Note, we will adjust the price of the trip if you can not make this, or we can organize it on the last night before you depart!)

You'll start the day with breakfast at your hotel and take private transportation to Sarapiqui where you will have the option to participate in one of the following activities:

• tree planting activity (to compensate for the carbon dioxide produced on the flight)
• soccer game
• school visit 
• crafts class
• paper making class
• cooking lesson

After your morning activity, you'll enjoy an on-site lunch followed by a guided visit of the La Selva Research Station where you get a glimpse of cutting edge research conducted in Costa Rica’s Rainforests. You will learn about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica and by visiting this natural preserve you are supporting the conservation and protection of species in the country. 

Dinner on your own.

Overnight at La Quinta Sarapiqui Lodge, or similar (B, L)

After breakfast, we will head to the Tirimbina Rainforest Center, morning volunteering, lunch and Chocolate tour. 

After lunch, you will enjoy a Chocolate tour and learn about chocolate from its initial indigenous cultivation of the tangy-sweet cacao fruits and visit a plantation in the rainforest. The guided tour begins by walking on a suspension bridge above the Sarapiqui River into the forest where you may see a variety of wildlife en route to the plantation.  There you will see the artisanal process of making chocolate and even taste different types of locally-made chocolate.

In the late afternoon, enjoy the bat program at Tirimbina after which you will return back to your hotel.

Overnight at La Quinta Sarapiqui Lodge, or similar (B, L)

Once we’ve all finished our breakfast, we will depart for the Arenal Volcano (approx.1.5 hour drive) which steams continuously above a verdant landscape of gently rolling farmlands, small town centers and vast forests in the park and adjacent mountains. This picturesque region offers natural beauty, amazing wildlife and plenty of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy such as hiking the trails near its base and over lava flows, or taking in the wildlife that is now reclaiming their former territory.

Along the way, we will stop at Juanilama agro ecological community, which integrates the rural life style of Juanilama with several cultural, agricultural and nature related aspects.

On this sustainable farm, you will learn everything about agriculture, farm to table, cooking lesson and lunch. You will milk the cow and learn the art of cheese making, then after an afternoon coffee we will head to Arenal area.

Upon arrival at Arenal, enjoy an evening at the healing hot springs with dinner.

Overnight accomodation at Arenal Observatory Lodge or similar   (B,L,D)

After your morning breakfast, enjoy a day around Arenal Volcano with our friends at Rainforest Explorers, starting with a safari float, a waterfall visit and then a Costa Rican cooking and dance lesson.

On the Safari Float, your guide will take you down the river spotting flora and fauna, a great chance to see monkeys, lizards, birds, sloths, and a beautiful calm scenery while navigating on flat water.

Later, you will hike down to La Fortuna Waterfall. Located in a small canyon surrounded by lush forest, the 200 foot-tall waterfall is accessible via a short, steep trail where we will take in the majestic sight of its pristine waters pouring down. In doing so, not only are guests treated to a beautiful sight, but their admission fees will benefit the local community who uses the money for important public projects.

Complete the day with lunch, and a Salsa class back in Fortuna and then some much-deserved downtime.

Overnight accomodation at Arenal Observatory Lodge or similar  (B,L)

Private guided transfer from Arenal to Guanacaste. On the way we will stop at Las Pumas Rescue Center. The rescue consists of the rehabilitation and release of wildlife species that are received as a result of seizures by personnel of various Conservation Areas-SINAC in the country, mainly from the province of Guanacaste, or deliveries by individuals who find them injured, orphans, or had as pets. The animals are evaluated by qualified personnel (veterinarians and biologists) to determine if they can be rehabilitated and released or if they should remain at the center. Those who can not be returned to their natural habitat receive the necessary care during their lifetime under humanitarian conditions in the sanctuary area. The whole program is financed by tourists visiting the sanctuary.

Lunch at Tarcoles and then continue to the beach.

Overnight accomodation at Tamarindo Diria or similar.  (B, L)

Today you will get to spend the day your way, play soccer, take a surf lessons or simply relax along this vast beach and enjoy the extraordinary sunsets of Playa Hermosa or explore the surrounding villages and meet the people that live there.

Overnight accomodation at Bosque del Mar in Playa Hermosa, or similar.  (B)

Say farwell to Costa Rica for now and take a morning transfer to the Liberia International Airport to board your homeward flight. (B)

With the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the health and safety of Global Family Travels’ travelers, community partners, colleagues and guides are of paramount importance to us. Our COVID-19 Safety Protocols, which can be found under Tasks section, outlines our commitment to mitigate and manage the risks associated with COVID-19 when you travel with us.  You can find more detailed information on our website COVID-19 and Travel, and please also refer to the tasks which has specific details for your activity and destination. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about these protocols or your tour.   Thank you for helping to keep yourself and fellow travelers and guides safe!  

Much more than a traditional tour operator, Global Family Travels’ mission is to “Learn, Serve and Immerse” through community-based travel programs.  In partnership with non-profit organizations and schools, we offer family-friendly and sustainable travel experiences in support of education, gender equality, access to clean water, preservation of local cultures, conservation and economic growth, all of which foster cross-cultural understanding and global citizens.  

Our trips include a unique mix of cultural and educational activities, homestays and participation in local service projects aimed at improving the lives of people in the communities we visit.    
 
Expect to expand your family circle when you embark on a Global Family Travels trip!  Visit our website for more information: Global Family Travels

At Global Family Travels we believe that the most powerful way to learn is through firsthand experience. We let the country and its people be your teachers and supplement your experiences with reading lists, informal discussions, and a pre-trip orientation which includes information on the culture and history of your host country, helpful words and phrases, and cultural “do’s and don’ts”. 
 
Learning themes unique to this tour include:

• Costa Rican culture and history
• Ecotourism and conversation in Costa Rica’s National Parks
• Flora and fauna of the rainforest       
• Sustainable tourism and its impact on the local economy

Various service projects will take place in communities on this trip. Some of the community service partners, which we will work alongside the locals to make a positive impact, include:  
 
Community Service Opportunities include working with the following: 

Tirimbina Reserve 
 
Tirimbna is a non-profit, biological reserve operated as an education, research, and ecotourism center working to protect the area’s exceptional biodiversity. Currently the reserve protects 345 hectares of tropical forest, only a third of which is used for ecotourism and environmental education, keeping most of the reserve intact. However, the 9 km trails enable visitors to journey through the diverse surroundings and experience the forest up close.

Juanilama agro ecological community integrates the rural life style of Juanilama with several cultural, agricultural and nature related aspects. The community offers guests the opportunity to experience the routine of an authentic rural community through different tours and activities that have been designed to show the legacy of our culture, traditions, respect for nature and the hard labor of the country. 

This tour emphasizes authentic cultural experience to give you a true taste of Costa Rica. Guests will engage with conservationists and families in various communities.

Together you will learn how to cook a proper Costa Rican meal and interact directly with the members of the family, learning names, games and sharing traditions from your world and theirs.

Located in Sarapiqui, Tirimbina Reserve is a non-profit, biological reserve operated as an education, research, and eco-tourism center working to protect the area’s exceptional biodiversity. Currently the reserve protects 345 hectares of tropical forest, only a third of which is used for ecotourism and environmental education, keeping most of the reserve intact. However, the 9 km trails enable visitors to journey through the diverse surroundings and experience the forest up close.