Day 1: Arrival and Travel to Host Community
You will depart as a group and fly to San José, Costa Rica where your Sustainable Horizon Program Leader will welcome you. Then, you will enjoy scenic views as you head to your host community in a mountainous area south of the capital. On the way, your Program Leader will discuss the wonders of Costa Rica with you and how resource management affects the people of this beautiful nation.

You'll have lunch at a typical Costa Rican restaurant with options such as a "casado" plate with beans, rice, other side dishes, and your choice of meat.

In the evening, you will be welcomed into your host community and spend your first night getting to know your host families.

Days 2 – 6: Host Community and Service Project
The homestay experience and service project, the heart of your program, are an excellent way to bond with your host community and peers through service. The multi-day service project will help the host community address local needs. On the first day, you will meet in the morning at the work site to be briefed on the service project and to meet the local leaders who will be working with your group.

Each morning you will spend time working on your much-needed service project before returning to your host families to help prepare and enjoy lunch. After lunch, you will meet again to continue your service work.

In the afternoons you will have some downtime to participate in activities and excursions such as playing fútbol (soccer) with the local youth, touring the local fruit farms that help to sustain the community, hiking through the secondary forest, or visiting a nearby coffee farm. You will also have the opportunity to learn some Costa Rican cooking and Latin dancing from your host siblings and other community members. Finally, you will spend your evenings living and learning with your host family and gathering as a group to reflect upon your experiences.

On the final day in the community, you will wrap up your community service project, basking in the satisfaction of a job well done. For your final evening, you will gather with the host families and community members to celebrate the completed project.

Day 7: Host Community – Pacific Coast
After breakfast you will say goodbye to your new families and friends before heading to the Pacific Coast. When you arrive, you will settle into your hotel before setting off to explore the gorgeous local beach. In the evening you’ll head to town for a delicious dinner at a typical restaurant. This will be a great time to sample the local seafood!

Day 8: Pacific Coast
In the morning you will come face to face with lush tropical plants and some of the area's prolific wildlife as you hike through a tropical wet forest at a national park. You will have lunch in a local restaurant and in the afternoon, you will have some time to enjoy the sand and surf at the beach in the national park or relax by the pool at your hotel.

Day 9: Pacific Coast – Central Valley
In the morning, you will experience an adrenaline filled flight through the forest canopy on zip lines. This is a great way to see and learn about the forest and have lots of fun at the same time.

An alternative to the zip line tour is a trip on a covered pontoon boat through the incredible Tárcoles River and its mangroves where you will learn about this important ecosystem and have the opportunity to see dozens of species of animals up close and personal, including up to 15 foot long crocodiles.

After the excursion, you will make your way back to the Central Valley of San José. During your final evening in Costa Rica, you will celebrate with a farewell dinner and reminiscence about your program. This will be a delicious feast of Costa Rican delicacies and some special entertainment, unique to Costa Rica.

Day 10: Depart
Today your Costa Rica program comes to a close as you depart early for your flight out of San José. You'll have a breakfast box to take to the airport.

What do I do next?
If you like the proposal, we can set up a tour agreement and confirm your group. If there is something you want to change, let us know and we can send you a revised quote. Everything is completely customized and we would happy to make any changes that you wish. Once you decide on a final trip itinerary we will issue a contract that will outline the payment terms for your group.