Costa Rica for Middle School: Ultimate Adventure and Service

¡Bienvenidos a Costa Rica! We’ll kick off this adventure-packed trip by settling into our cozy hacienda, our home for the next few nights. This ecotourism lodge is surrounded by lush gardens, complete with exotic flowers and colorful birds. There is a large refreshing swimming pool filled with natural mineral spring water that comes from the nearby volcano. A lookout point on the property reveals to us the natural beauty of the surrounding area and provides an incredible 360-degree view of the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, the Guanacaste plains and the Pacific coastline. Sunsets here are spectacular!

On day one we will take a hike to Las Pailas in Rincón de la Vieja National Park, where you can see volcanic steam and sulfur pour out of the ground at natural fumaroles. Then, we’ll head out from the hacienda by horseback to the foot of the Victoria Waterfall, where our tubing adventure begins. We will float down the Río Negro on inner tubes, enjoying the refreshing water and fun rapids, spotting plenty of exotic wildlife in the surrounding jungle along the way.

The next morning get back to the action with an exhilarating canyon canopy tour! On this exciting adventure, nature becomes our playground. We will venture through the lush jungle to a steep canyon with a river cutting through it. While here we will spend time amongst the jungle canopy while ziplining, riding “Tarzan swings” and crossing hanging bridges. After exploring everything from high above the trees we will head down into the canyon while rappelling and rock climbing.

After a morning filled with adventure, we will spend our afternoon riding horses through a scenic forest trail to an enormous rock with a beautiful view of a rushing waterfall. There will be time for a swim at the foot of the falls before we return by horseback.

On the last day at the hacienda we will go on a waterfalls canyoning tour. Canyoning through the jungle waterfalls is an experience you’ll never forget! We will climb, slip and slide our way along natural rock formations and rappel down Victoria Falls. Once we reach the pool at the bottom we will do a guided climb back up the wall of the cascade. Canyoning is a must for any true adrenaline junkie!

In the afternoon we will visit the Río Negro hot springs with six pools heated naturally by the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano. This is the perfect opportunity to soothe our sore muscles after so many days filled with fun activities! We will even treat ourselves to a volcanic mud bath and wash it off with a cool river water shower.

We will then explore Tamarindo Beach, one of the most beautiful places along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. On the first day we will explore the town and enjoy its many shops and friendly atmosphere before heading to the stunning Conchal Beach. The sand at Conchal is famous for being made of millions of tiny crushed shells and it is one of the only Pacific Coast beaches with crystal clear water. It’s the perfect scenic spot to spend an afternoon!

Tamarindo is also famous for being one of the best surf spots in Costa Rica, with waves for all levels, from beginners to pro surfers. We will take advantage of this and spend a day taking surf lessons. After a day of lessons with our expert instructors, you’ll be catching waves in no time!

The next day, we’ll visit the famous Bahía de los Piratas–the Pirate Bay! This beautiful, off-the-beaten-path beach is perfect for a day of relaxing, or you can try stand-up paddle, sea kayaking, or snorkeling.

On our final day, we will spend the morning at the beach. We’ll swim, snorkel, play beach games and enjoy one last day in the sun with our new friends. In the afternoon we will finish the day off right with a fantastic sailboat ride. During our sailing trip, we will cruise along the coast, stopping to snorkel among vibrant coral reefs and discover colorful marine life. You’ll also have the opportunity to go sea kayaking. The sailing trip goes until sunset, and we will relax with our friends as we coast back to shore watching the sunset on the horizon.

We are off to Turrialba, home to many of Costa Rica’s adrenaline-pumping activities and one of its most famous volcanos! Spend your first night at a mountain lodge overlooking the volcano. The next day we will jump straight into a thrilling overnight whitewater rafting adventure on the Pacuare River! This rafting trip is suitable for all skill levels and completely safe. We will spend the night in a lodge tucked in the rainforest on the banks of the river. Everyone always has a blast at our comfortable jungle accommodation! We will take fun hikes to waterfalls and natural pools when we are not rafting. The second day of our rafting journey will not disappoint, with the Pacuare River being rated one of the top rivers in the world for whitewater rafting! Throughout our rafting adventure we will have great bonding opportunities with everyone in our group and together we will experience spectacular views of the rainforest and even spot exotic wildlife like monkeys, colorful birds, and sloths.

After our rafting journey it’s on to La Fortuna, where we stay in a comfortable hotel near the breathtaking Arenal Volcano – the tenth most active volcano in the world (don’t worry, it’s safe and very closely monitored!).

During our time in La Fortuna, we will zipline over the rainforest and have a thrilling view of the jungle from above. This activity is fun, safe, and just the right amount of adventure! In the evening we will relax our muscles at the natural hot springs formed by the volcano.

The next day we will enjoy an easy hike down to La Fortuna Waterfall, a 210-foot ribbon of water that gushes into a cool pool in the jungle. We’ll swim in the refreshing pool formed by the waterfall, relax on the rocks, eat lunch, and head back to our bus for the next leg of our journey.

After breakfast, we will board a private coach to Sámara Beach, a small surf town with breathtaking mountain views. Sámara is famous for its gentle waves (perfect for surfing) and wild horses that roam the beach.

Here, we will continue our community service. We will work with a local association that provides supplemental educational, recreational, and career opportunities for youth with limited resources. We will work directly with the children on various projects. In the past we have done group art projects, helped teach English, worked on environmental tasks and more! It’s a great opportunity for us to connect more closely with the community and interact with the friendly locals.

During our stay in Sámara we will enjoy the beach, soak up the sun, swim and of course, take a surfing lesson! We will also spend an afternoon taking kayaks out to Chora Island to snorkel and observe parrotfish and other colorful sea life.