Costa Rica Volcanoes & Rainforests Trip
10 Days from £2720pp
Based on a group size of 30 students and 3 teachers (free places)
Featuring baron volcanic peaks, mysterious cloud forests, tropical rainforests, and golden sandy beaches, students will be amazed at the variety of landscapes and climatic zones that Costa Rica has to offer.
With sustainability and ecotourism at the heart of its goals, Costa Rica is a nature lovers dream destination. Playing host to 5% of the world’s biodiversity, this small lush green country offers its visitors new surprises around every corner.
Students will discover new flora and fauna at every location, and our expert guides will talk you through every environment.
Whether you want to focus on geography, biology, adventure, or culture, you’ll experience it all with this 10-day example itinerary. With former geography teachers and travel specialists on our team, we will work with you from start to finish; from thoughtful curation and planning to promoting your trip, and post-trip support.
They’ll share their personal experiences and provide focused assistance, curriculum expertise and local knowledge, saving you valuable time and ensuring your students get the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.
Even in 10 days we haven’t been able to include all of the incredible things to see and do in Costa Rica.
Get in touch with our team to receive our guidance on activities available and create an itinerary bespoke for your group, designed for your interests and budget.
What's included
- Return flights from London to San Jose
- Hold luggage for all passengers
- Professional Guide providing outstanding knowledge of Costa Rica’s culture & geography
- Students in multi-bedded rooms with bed linen and possible shared facilities
- Staff rooming based on same sex teachers sharing multi-bedded rooms
- All excursions, activities and entrance fees as specified in the itinerary
- Full board basis – from dinner on first day to breakfast on last day
- Peace of mind with our unique Travel Disruption Support
- Unique no surcharge guarantee
- Loyalty Scheme with a range of benefits and discounts
- All transportation in Costa Rica, including airport transfers, in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle
Day
1
Day 1– Arrive in San José
- Fly to San José International Airport
- Meet your guide on arrival
- Transfer to San José hotel
- Overnight San José
After the 11-hour flight from London, touch down in Costa Rica’s vibrant capital of San José. Here, meet your expert guide who will join you for the duration of your trip. Once you arrive at your hotel, students will be welcomed with a delicious meal before getting a good nights’ sleep ahead of their first full day in Costa Rica.
Day
2
Day 2- Journey to Tortuguero
- Journey to Tortuguero, driving through Braulio Carrillo National Park and banana plantations
- Boat transfer on jungle canals
- Tortuguero beach walk
- Overnight Tortuguero
Your first day begins with a trip to Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast.
Driving out of the Central Valley, the landscape will drastically change to a lush green rainforest as you drive through the Braulio Carrillo National Park.
Descending down the other side, this volcanic mountain range soon gives way to large swathes of agricultural land and banana plantations. As the third largest producer of bananas, Costa Rica’s plantations have provided a key staple to Costa Rica’s economy for over a century.
As you enter the Tortuguero National Park, leave the coach behind and make the rest of your journey on boat through the jungle.
This environment was once an island archipelago, but with time, the rivers transported vast quantities of sediment from the mountains and deposited it here forming an interconnected network of mangrove swamps and marshy islands. The lagoons, beaches, canals, and wetlands mark a transition zone from freshwater to saltwater, and play host to a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Where the rivers meet the sea, sandy beaches crucial for nesting sea turtles have formed. With around 22,500 female turtles nesting here between July and October every year, this 19,000 hectare national park has been a protected habitat since 1963.
As your group walk along the beach, learn about the Green Sea, Hawksbill, and Leatherback turtles that nest here every year, as well as the other animals in this swampy, rainforest environment, and how they manage the different environments of this transitional zone.
Your group will then spend the night at your accommodation in Tortuguero. Be sure to get to sleep early as it’ll be an early start tomorrow morning!
Day
3
Day 3- Tortuguero National Park
- Dawn wildlife boat tour of Tortuguero National Park
- AM: Choice of Tortuguero optional activities
- PM: Tortuguero village tour and talk on Caribbean heritage and culture
- Sea Turtle Conservancy Centre
- Overnight Tortuguero
At the first sign of light, the rainforest comes alive with the sound of birds and howler monkeys.
To make the most of this and experience the beauty of this maze of rivers, canals, and rainforests, explore the national park on a dawn wildlife boat tour. With the trained eye of your guide, you’ll be spotting the region’s wide array of flora and fauna as you learn about this fascinating ecosystem.
Arriving back at the village, you’ll have a variety of morning options to choose from. Some notable options include a cacao and chocolate tour, voluntary work at the San Francisco school, a lecture on sea turtles or the rainforest, or a hill hike up a 110m extinct volcano.
In the afternoon, spend some time on a guided tour of Tortuguero village, learning about how its location has shaped its unique Caribbean culture and its dependence on ecotourism.
Delving deeper into this topic, students will also receive a talk on the Caribbean culture here. Influenced by the history, landscapes, and religions of the area, the unique culture amongst the people here almost makes you feel like you’ve stepping into a different country.
With Spanish and Creole English (called Patois) spoken everywhere, a distinct Afro-Caribbean music and dance scene, and a wide diversity of religious beliefs amongst its people, the village’s culture is distinct from the rest of Costa Rica.
For your final activity of the day, you can’t miss a visit to the Sea Turtle Conservancy Centre.
Aiding the conservation efforts of the thousands of sea turtles that nest here, this centre also serves as a museum to educate people about the different species, their habitats, their reproduction cycle, and the importance of protecting them. Finally, return to your accommodation in Tortuguero to rest up for your day tomorrow.
Day
4
Day 4- Sarapiquí
Day 4
- Boat transfer from Tortuguero and onward journey to Sarapiquí
- Choice of Sarapiquí optional activities or Tirimbina rainforest walk
- Overnight Sarapiquí
This morning depart Tortuguero by boat to collect your coach. From here, head west to the Sarapiquí region.
Thanks to its location on the northern flanks of the Cordillera Central Range and the confluence of the Sarapiquí and Puerto Viejo rivers, the premontane rainforest environments here are becoming increasingly popular for ecotourism.
While in this region, you have a range of optional activities to choose from including:
- An arts & crafts class
- A chocolate tour
- A cooking class
- A dance class
- The Melipona bee tour
- Guided wildlife night walk
Alternatively, you may choose to visit La Tirimbina Biological Reserve.
With access to 345 hectares of vibrant green rainforest via an 860ft hanging bride, the longest in Costa Rica, this eco-lodge and research station serves as a base for scientists and ecotourists from around the world to conduct research and assist with ongoing ecological studies.
Your expert guide will take you on a tour around the rainforest’s trails, helping you to spot and identify a wide variety of flora and fauna, and explaining the intricate network of connections between them.
La Tirimbina Biological Reserve also offers other activity options, including:
- Biodiversity field studies
- Night wildlife tours
- Twilight tours
- Science & butterfly field studies
- Bats & seeds field studies
- Water quality field studies
- Acacao and chocolate tour
Once you’ve finished your activities for the day, it’s a short drive to your overnight stay in Sarapiquí.
Day
5
Day 5- La Fortuna
- La Fortuna waterfall
- Arenal Volcano National Park including lava flows
- Baldi Hot Springs
- Overnight La Fortuna
After a short drive West this morning you’ll reach the town of La Fortuna.
Popular among nature lovers and adventure seekers, this region offers a wide range of activities for everyone and is overshadowed by the awe-inspiring Arenal Volcano.
Your first activity will be venturing down 530 steps to reach the iconic La Fortuna waterfall.
Descending from the dormant Chato volcano and cascading 70m down from the rainforest above, this beautiful waterfall is a popular spot for visitors looking to marvel at nature and enjoy a swim.
The humid microclimate created by the waterfall supports diverse array of tropical plants such as orchids, ferns, and bromeliads, all of which can be found alongside the well-maintained stepped trail.
It also creates a unique setting that feels almost prehistoric, so much so that this area and the surrounding landscape was inspiring for the original Jurassic Park films.
In the afternoon, spend some time exploring the Arenal Volcano National Park.
With the 5,358ft (1,633m) tall stratovolcano at its centre, the forests of this national park cover the volcano’s flanks and descend around the lake’s edge, creating a beautifully rich environment.
At just 7,500 years old, Arenal is the youngest volcano in Costa Rica and is an important source of sustainable energy production including wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric.
Your guide will help your students to determine the age of the lava flows that scar the volcano’s slopes, explain how the lava flowed across the land, and discuss how the forest canopy is slowly reclaiming this new land.
After your adventurous day, it’ll be time to relax and the unique and tranquil setting of the Baldi Hot Springs.
Heated by the geothermal heat of Arenal’s underground magma chamber, these 25 thermal pools offer the perfect setting to unwind against the sounds of the surrounding rainforest.
From here, it’ll be a short drive back to La Fortuna for your overnight stay.
Day
6
Day 6- Tenorio National Park
- Choice of La Fortuna activities
- Tenorio National Park and hike to Rio Celeste
- Overnight Miravalles
As a popular tourist spot for nature lovers and adventure seekers, La Fortuna offers a wide variety of activities for you to choose from for your morning activity including:
- The limestone Venado Caves
- Hiking along the sloth trail
- Visiting the village of the indigenous Maleku people
As you leave La Fortuna behind, drive around the scenic Lake Arenal, formed from the construction of the Presa Sangregado dam. This will be the perfect opportunity to discuss hydroelectric power and the pros and cons of damming rivers.
From here, head west to the Tenorio National Park.
With scenic hiking trails and hanging bridges that meander through the rainforest, the most noticeable feature of the landscape is the Rio Celeste and its iconic waterfall. Thanks to the scattering of light from particles suspended in the water, the river appears a beautifully bright and vivid turquoise colour that astounds everyone who sees it.
Centred around the Tenorio Volcano and its four cones, the lush rainforest that covers the volcano’s slopes is not only teeming with wildlife, but it also holds one of Costa Rica’s most magnificent scenes.
As your group hikes along the trails and across the hanging bridges, the striking turquoise colour of the river will provide the perfect backdrop to your adventure, all culminating at the beautiful Rio Celeste waterfall.
After you leave Tenorio National Park, continue northwest to your overnight stay in Miravalles.
Day
7
Day 7- Volcanoes & mud baths
- Miravalles Volcano and viewpoint
- Las Hornillas geothermal mud baths and thermal pools
- Puma Rescue Centre
- Transfer to Monteverde
- Overnight Monteverde
Today begins exploring the dormant stratovolcano of Miravalles.
At 6,637ft (2,023m) tall, this volcano hasn’t had any major eruption in human history, yet it still produces a high geothermal heat flow. So much so that this region is Costa Rica’s largest developed geothermal field producing sustainable energy for the Guanacaste region.
As your group explores the Las Hornillas Volcanic Activity Centre, this geothermal heat will become very apparent.
Walking through the otherworldly landscape of the country’s only active crater, experience the power of this underground heat as you witness fumaroles, steaming hot springs, sulphur-stained rocks, and boiling mud pools. You’ll even be able to enjoy bathing in a mud bath back at the activity centre.
Travelling south, your students will get to learn about how wild animals are rehabilitated and released back into their natural habitats at the Puma Rescue Centre.
Despite its name, this centre is home to a myriad of Costa Rica’s animals, including monkeys, otters, deer, toucans, scarlet macaws, parrots, and five of the country’s six wild cat species. Many of the animals taken in at this non-profit are either injured, orphaned, or rescued from the illegal pet trade.
To end the day, head up to the beautiful area of Monteverde for your overnight stay, ready for your exciting activities tomorrow.
Day
8
Day 8- Monteverde
- Rainforest canopy hanging bridges in Monteverde
- Choice of Monteverde, Sarchi or San José optional activities
- Overnight San José
For your final full day, start by exploring the beautiful cloud forests of Monteverde.
With a biodiversity that holds a 50% of Costa Rica’s species and an astonishing 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity, it’s no wonder that it was described as “the jewel in the crown of cloud forests” by the National Geographic.
From the treetop hanging bridges of the rainforest canopy, you’ll have a perfect vantage point to discover the parks 3,200 tropical plant species, and the wildlife hidden within.
As you explore at your own pace, be sure to stop and remain still, take in the sounds of the forest, and see if you can spot any movement amongst the trees and foliage. It takes a keen eye to spot some of the region’s birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
In the afternoon, your group has a few options available to you. You can stay in Monteverde and explore more of the region’s forests, trails, and activities. Some notable options include the cloud forest walk, a cooking class, a coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour, or free time exploring the mountain town of Santa Elena.
Alternatively, you may decide to explore the artisan town of Sarchi in the Central Valley.
Famous across the country for its vibrant and colourful oxcarts, find numerous shops and market stalls selling beautifully handcrafted jewellery and souvenirs decorated in this characteristic style. You even have the additional option of taking part in a traditional painting class to learn this craft.
Given that your overnight stay will be in the capital of San José, you may choose to explore the options within the city and surrounding area including
- A city tour
- A visit to the Gold Museum
- A piñata making class
- An evening cinema visit
- A farewell dinner and dance show at the scenic Mirador Tiquicia
Day
9
Day 9- Airport transfer
- Transfer to San José International Airport for your flight home
- ¡Adios Costa Rica!
Once you’ve reached the airport and said goodbye to your guide, it’ll be time to say “¡Adios Costa Rica!”
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