Days 1 - 2

Group members choosing to depart on the designated group flight will be meeting in the Miami airport and traveling together to the capital city of San Jose. Our flight is a great opportunity to start learning people's names and their hometowns. After landing at the international airport, our leaders will help each student clear customs and collect his or her baggage. Since it has been a long travel day for most of us, our group will stay the first two nights in Costa Rica at a local hostel. After a good night sleep, everyone will be anxious to get up and start our orientation in this foreign country. Immediately following breakfast, our introduction to Costa Rica will begin with a fun day of Spanish language and cultural instruction. "Pura Vida" or "Pure Life" is the national saying amongst the local Costa Ricans. After spending just a few days in this Central American Country, it is easy to see why people take such a simple approach to life. The following day we will embark on our journey to the Pacific Coast where we will begin our first surfing portion of the trip. Part of our travels will include a ferry ride across the Gulf of the Nicoya. Upon arriving in the Nicoya Peninsula we will pitch our tents on our own private beach campsite. We will learn how to set up our tents and cook our food over an open flame before we fall asleep under a starlit sky dreaming of clean waves and endless surfing.

Days 3 - 6

Today, Costa Rica's west coast with its consistent waves have become a popular destination for surfers from around the world. In addition, surf schools have emerged throughout the country to cater to people eager to learn the fundamentals of riding a wave. We will spend the next three days with surfing instruction combined with a sea turtle conservation project. Here, on the remote, private beaches of the Pacific shore, our professional surfing instructors will introduce us to this exciting sport in the warm waters of the azure ocean. With wide, stable boards, you will be amazed how quickly you can pick up this thrilling sport. The beginner beach breaks provide rolling waves that one can ride for several hundred yards. We will have access to short boards and more challenging breaks for experienced surfers. Before you know it, you will be "hanging ten" in Costa Rica. During our evenings, we'll combine fun surfing with meaningful ecological service work. Giving back to these beautiful beaches and the Sea Turtles that live there, we'll learn about Sea Turtle ecology and habitat, conduct nightly beach patrols and participate in beach preservation projects. Collecting data that will be used in worldwide studies on Sea Turtle migration and habitat is an excellent way to immerse even further in this new environment. This is an especially amazing opportunity to work with one of Costa Rica's greatest natural treasures.

Days 7 - 8

Departing from the Nicoya Peninsula we will journey to La Fortuna, the home of Arenal National Park. There we’ll experience one of the world's most active volcanoes and have a chance to soak in a naturally-fed hot spring. This is really a wonderful introduction to Costa Rica’s diverse landscape. From our rooms in the Arenal Observatory we will be able to witness the lava flows and red-hot boulders firing out from the volcano glowing in the nighttime sky! Located on the northern edge of the Tilarán range at the east-end of Lake Arenal, Volcán Arenal National Park’s elevation ranges from 3,200 to 5,440 feet. The Volcán Arenal had its largest eruption in modern times in 1968, blasting lava and molten boulders from three separate craters to form a new one knocking nearly 165 feet (50 meters) off its previous elevation! While in the area we’ll also have the distinct opportunity to observe local wildlife as well. Hopefully we’ll get the chance to see the white-nosed coati, howler monkeys, deer, parrot snakes, and boa constrictors. Completing our few days in Arenal, a world class zip line and canopy tour is the perfect way for us to see this environment from a different perspective.

Days 9 - 10

Next we will have an opportunity to visit yet another amazing part of Costa Rica as we travel in rafts down the mighty Pacuare River. Led by expert local guides, we will navigate through exciting class III and IV whitewater rapids, through virgin forests and steep gorges towering above the riverbanks. The Pacuare offers some of the finest rapids in Latin America, as well as an exciting ride down a breathtaking tropical river that winds deep inside one of Costa Rica's most impressive primordial rain forests! After everyone is briefed on safety measures, our remarkable rafting voyage down this renowned river begins. Untouched wilderness stretches out in every direction as your raft squeezes between huge boulders and runs long stretches of powerful rapids. The thick undergrowth provides shelter for jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, sloths and a myriad of species of colorful tropical birds.

Days 11 - 12

Following our time on the Pacuare River we will make the short jaunt to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica where we will begin our second half of this surfing adventure. We will set up camp at our private beach campground before heading out to practice our new skills. Our surfing instructors will still provide outstanding and personalized instruction, but we'll be able focus on catching an abundance of Costa Rican waves. There are challenging waves here to test your skills on and more moderate breaks if you are still practicing the basics. By the time we depart Costa Rica we will have gained tremendous fundamental surfing skills or honed existing practices. We will be "hanging ten" on the wonderful waves of Costa Rica. In addition to the wonderful surfing, the coast offers excellent snorkeling opportunities on these famous coral reefs. The Caribbean side of Costa Rica allows us to experience yet one more unique side of the country. A laid back atmosphere and rich, colorful history encompass this tropical area. 

Days 13 - 14

Our last day will be spent returning to San Jose where we'll have an opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of San Jose. Time permitting, we will have an chance to visit Costa Rica's famous Gold Museum in downtown San Jose before gathering for our farewell banquet. This evening we will say our goodbyes, remember great times and talk about reunions from our groups in the upcoming months. After we finish our tropical farewell feast we'll return to our hostel in order to get a good night's sleep. In the morning we will depart from the San Jose International Airport. It has been a wonderful trip and we have gained a new skill or honed our surfing ability. What an incredible two weeks!