Costa Rica

Cloud Forest Community Initiative

$4,895

Tuition

*Airfare for group flight from Miami additional

14 days

Trip duration

9th – 12th

Grades

14 days

Jun 27 - Jul 10, 2025

Jul 16 - Jul 29, 2025

Miami, FL

Arrival & Departure

$4,895

Tuition

14 days

Trip duration

Jun 27 - Jul 10, 2025

Jul 16 - Jul 29, 2025

9th – 12th

Grades

*Airfare for group flight from Miami additional

Overview

Embark on an exhilarating two-week experience that combines outdoor adventure, rich cultural immersion, and impactful service learning in Costa Rica. Live among a welcoming, close-knit ranching community high in the cloud forest and leave a positive mark by building essential infrastructure alongside locals. Engage in spirited soccer matches with local students, putting your Spanish to the test and building bonds with the community. Take on the rapids of the Rio Pacuare and ride the gentle waves of the Pacific, challenging your body and mind. Fully embrace the “Pura Vida” lifestyle as you learn to make traditional tortillas and empanadas, indulge in locally crafted chocolate and coffee, and soak in the warm, joyful spirit of Costa Rican life.

Highlights

Support Essential Building Initiatives in a Rural Village
Master the Art of Surfing on the Serene Pacific Coast
Whitewater Raft Through the Legendary Canyons of the Pacuare River
Dive into Costa Rica’s “Pura Vida” (Pure Life) Lifestyle and Culture
Host a Community Soccer Game and Cultural Exchange with Local Youth
Zipline Through the Towering Rainforest Canopy
Discover Hidden Waterfalls and Natural Waterslides in the Jungle
Complete 10 Hours of Service Learning

Get the itinerary

Want to learn more about traveling with ARCC or have more questions about this program?

Schedule a Call with Brent Anderson

Service Learning with the Savegre Community

Work side by side with community members in Costa Rica’s lush Savegre highlands to support sustainable living initiatives. Each day, you contribute to local projects that strengthen the community’s infrastructure, from enhancing communal spaces to helping with farm tasks like planting and harvesting. Gain hands-on experience with sustainable farming practices and learn how the community integrates environmental stewardship into daily life. You may also be asked to assist with greenhouse projects focused on cultivating native plants, playing an important role in local conservation efforts. As you work with the community, you develop a deeper understanding of their values and traditions, creating a lasting connection to this beautiful region.

Service

Mollejones Cultural Exchange & Homestays

Live in a small, highland village where you immerse yourself in the rhythm of daily life with a local family. Begin the day by helping prepare traditional meals, using fresh, local ingredients straight from the farm. In the afternoon, you care for farm animals, gather produce, or learn to tend to the land alongside your hosts. As you work together, you practice Spanish in an authentic setting, deepening your language skills while engaging in meaningful conversations. Whether you’re participating in community activities or simply sharing stories around the table, every moment offers a chance to connect with the culture, traditions, and values that make this village so unique.

Culture

Exciting Rio Pacuare Rafting & Jungle Thrills

Feel the rush as you raft the breathtaking Rio Pacuare, surrounded by thick jungle and cascading waterfalls. After the excitement, unwind at an ecolodge overlooking the river, falling asleep to the sounds of wildlife. Glide through the rainforest canopy on ziplines, then refresh in crystal-clear waterfall pools. Finish your adventure surfing on the Pacific’s white sandy shores, guided by expert instructors.

Adventure

Jungle

Common Questions

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Is the cost of airfare separate from program tuition?

All food, lodging, transportation, and activities are paid for with your trip tuition. Group airfare is additional and the cost depends on the program.

In order to be sure there are enough seats available on international group flights, ARCC books the international tickets in advance and families are invoiced for the cost of the international airfare.

Families are also responsible for booking flights or arranging transportation for students to meet their leaders and other group members at the program’s arrival airport. The leaders and students then fly internationally together as a group.

What should I pack?

Each program has a specific packing list that has been designed to fit the program’s activities, length, climate, and cultural differences. You will receive this packing list in the comprehensive Welcome Packet that is sent to all students after they enroll in a program.

What is the weather like in Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, the weather is a lot like Florida in the summer time. During the day it can be hot, sunny, and humid in the 80’s-90’s (26.6°-32.2°C). Late afternoons often bring showers, which will cool us off. Some days you will go to bed with only a simple cover as it is often warm enough to sleep without your sleeping bag. When we ascend into the high-elevation rainforest and cloud forest, the temperature cools to the 50’s (10°C) at night.

What are the service projects like?

The specific service projects that each group will work on depend on the needs of the communities at the time that the groups are there. Possibilities include: Repairing roads, constructing bridges, making improvements to community buildings or schools, planting trees, or environmental education and village clean-up.

What kind of health precautions should I take before traveling on this program?

Costa Rica is a relatively clean and safe place to travel. However, ARCC does recommend that you take some health precautions before your program. When you enroll in the program, you will receive more detailed information on pertinent travel vaccinations and immunizations. Please also refer to the Traveler’s Health section of the CDC website. Our leaders carry a full first-aid kit and are all certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR).

Where will we sleep?

During this program, we sleep in a variety of accommodations: small hotel, community homes, or jungle eco-lodge.

What is the transportation like once we are in Costa Rica?

Typically we will take a private 20-person shuttle from place to place. When traveling to more remote areas we will occasionally split into two groups and use smaller 4-wheel drive vehicles.

What is the food like?

On this program, you will experience typical Costa Rican fare – rice and beans. This staple is supplemented with a delicious assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. The group will also be creating the menu and preparing the meals during some sections of the program. Vegetarians and medical dietary requirements (i.e. allergies) are catered for. It does help if we are informed of this prior to the departure date. Students should inform ARCC of any dietary needs before the start of the program.

How much money should I bring?

We suggest you bring about $75 per week on your program. This is for souvenirs, laundry, and other incidentals. ARCC pays for all meals, lodging, transportation, and activities. There is some time to shop for souvenirs in San Jose and elsewhere during the program. We recommend you bring some of your money in cash and the rest on an ATM card. In Costa Rica, the official currency is the Colón, but US dollars are widely accepted. We suggest that you carry about $25 of your money in small denominations (1’s and 5’s). Visa and MasterCard are also widely accepted. We do not recommend Traveler’s checks. ATM’s are found in San Jose but are limited outside the city. As with any international program, we strongly recommend talking to your bank about its international withdrawal policies to avoid any surprise fees or card cancellations.

Do I need a passport?

Yes, all students traveling to Costa Rica need to have a valid passport. Please make sure the passport expiration date is at least six months after your program start date. Be sure to make a photocopy of your passport and keep it in a separate place. If you lose your passport and you have a photocopy, it is much easier to replace.

Do I need a visa?

No. US and Canadian Citizens do not need a visa for this program.

What is the time difference between Costa Rica and the USA?

During the summer, Costa Rica is on Central Standard Time (Mountain Time during DST). Therefore, on your program the time will be 2 hours earlier than the US East Coast, 1 hour earlier than Central, and 1 hour later than the US West Coast.

How often can we take showers and do laundry?

Students are taught how to hand wash their clothes by their leaders and will have the opportunity to do so throughout the program. Due to the remote locations we travel to, students do as the locals do, and use the warm Costa Rican sun to line-dry their clothes. For ease of travel, quick dry clothes are recommended on the packing list.

Do I really need a backpack, or can I bring a rolling suitcase on this program?

You will want to bring two pieces of luggage: your main bag and a daypack. Your main bag should be a backpack, travel backpack or large duffel bag. This larger piece of luggage should be approximately 4,500-5,000 cubic inches or 70-75 liters, and should be able to hold everything on your Clothing & Equipment List. The daypack should be large enough to hold an extra layer of clothing, a water bottle, sunscreen, some snacks, etc. Some travel backpacks come with an attached daypack that you can zip off and use. Otherwise, your school backpack is a good option. When you travel, you should plan to check your large piece of luggage and bring the daypack on the plane as your carry-on.

Please keep in mind that while you will not be doing traditional backpacking on this program, the group will be navigating through airports, on and off buses, up and down stairways, and taking short hikes on unpaved paths. The group will be able to move much more efficiently if everyone is carrying their belongings on their back.

You will also need to pack an EMPTY small duffel bag inside your main piece of luggage. When you get to Costa Rica, you will use this duffel bag to store certain items that you will not use during specific sections of your program.

Do I need to speak Spanish to join this program?

No. English is widely spoken in Costa Rica and your leaders and local guides will speak both English and Spanish.

Have questions? Speak to one of our Program Directors, give them a call at (415) 332.5075 , they love talking about their trips!