Susy: Option 1 Costa Rica Sample Adventure 2014

Day 1: Arrive and Drive to Sitio de Mata, Costa Rica (Homestay) 

Today we will meet you outside of the airport. Your driver and guide will take you through the capital city and then out into the rural mountains of Turrialba. Here you will be introduced to your family for the next four days in a village called Sitio de Mata. This village is home to some of the most spectacular views anad unbelievalbe people. (Meals: Dinner)

Evening Activity: Journal & Reflection Time

Day 2: Homestay Activities & Scavenger Hunt (Homestay) 

You'll have to put your Spanish skills to the test today. We will be living the life of rural Costa Rica. We'll leave the village as a group in the public bus accompanied by many folks from our homestay families. This is a very intense and competitive scavenger hunt in the city of Turrialba. Everyone will meet in the Central Park with a list of things they need to buy for their homestays. The first team back to the Central Park after a few hours of using their Spanish in full immersion will win ICE CREAM sandwiches! In the evening it is back to the village to enjoy some more homestay activities. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Evening Activities: Journal & Relfection along with dance classes

Day 3: Enter Pacuare (CRR Ecolodge) 

After breakfast in the homestays, we'll head to the Pacuare River. This is one of our favorite adventures surrounded by virgin tropical rainforest from start to finish. We will be spending the night on the river staying at a tent-camp with a chance to enjoy the sounds of the jungle all night. The first day of rafting is made up of mostly class II  rapids and the next day we'll raft the most scenic and adventurous part of the river. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Evening Activities: Journal & Bonfire

Day 4: Leave Pacuare & Return to Sitio (Homestay) 

Today is two hours of rafting you'll never forget. The best part about today is without a doubt, the scenery. From start to finish, it'll be large canyons and waterfalls surrounded by more virgin tropical rainforest. In the afternoon we will go back to Sitio de Mata. We'll have the Annual Cedaredge/Sitio Soccer Game with the local kids and then after getting cleaned-up, have the final Farewell Fiesta with our homestay families. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Evening Activity: Journal, shop at souvenir village shop, and FIESTA!

Day 5: Cloud Forest (Trogon Lodge & Quetzals) 

Today we will leave the homestay after breakfast and make our way to a very different ecosystem. Here you will have the chance to enjoy the highlands of Costa Rica and be amongst the cloud-forest. Once we're in the mountains, the climate can be pretty chilly, especially at night. One of the highlights about being in this area is the chance to see the most beautiful bird in all of the America's--the Quetzal. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Evening Activity: Journal & Reflection

Day 6: Drive to Cavern & Hike in during afternoon (Sleep Behind Waterfall) 

Today we will spend the morning in and around the cloud-forest doing different hikes that will give us a chance to see beautiful forests and the Quetzal. After lunch we'll  drive to the entrance of where we will begin our hike to the cavern where we'll sleep behind the waterfall. This is a fun day but involves some hiking. Reaching one of the most scenic places in all of Costa Rica makes it well worth it! (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Evening Activity: Bonfire

Day 7: Rappel Waterfall, Visit Pools, & Travel to Beach Ecolodge (La Cusinga) 

Today you will wake up behind a waterfall and have a full day activities of fun and adventure in the land of the waterfalls. We will first hike to the upper pools where the kids can have the chance to swim in pristine pools and jump off a 15 ft waterfall. We'll then go back down to have lunch behind the waterfalls.

Then it will be time for a little adrenaline rush as we get ready to rappel a 120ft waterfall. After the rappel we will get some snacks and make a hike to the top of the Diamante Waterfall, the highest waterfall in all of Costa Rica.

After a day in the jungle we will visit what might arguably be the best view in all of Costa Rica. Sitting on the edge of the Pacific coast where the mountain meets the sea is the La Cusinga Ecolodge. Here you will enjoy excellent local grown meals with breath-taking views of the pacific. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Evening Activity: Journal & Reflection

Pacific Costa Rica

Day 8: Travel 30 minutes to Beach (La Cusinga) 

Today we will hike out of the cavern and make the 30 minute drive to the Pacific Coast. We'll arrive to the ocean around lunch time and the kids will have a chance to enjoy the waves in the warm tropical waters of the Pacific. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)

Evening Activity: Journal & Reflection

Day 9: Beach Day! (La Cusinga) 

Saying Until next time to the Pacific!

This is a full day of fun and reflection on the trip. We will make it a beach day and the kids will have the chance to rent some surf boards if they would like and then in the evening we will have a recap of the amazing adventure as we get ready for the farewell dinner and your travels back home! (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)

Evening Activity: Journal & Reflection

Day 10: Fly Home! 

Today, with lots of great memories of Costa Rica and its people packed in our minds,  we'll drive to the airport and get ready for next years trip!!! (Meals: Breakfast)

Pura Vida!!!