Bienvenidos a Costa Rica! Upon arrival at the San José International Airport a tour representative will welcome you. We will be transferred to our accommodations in San José and once everyone has checked in we will have a trip and safety orientation. We then head out for our first local dinner. Overnight hotel San José.

Meals:  D

This morning after a local Costa Rican breakfast, we leave the capital behind and drive east towards the town of Turrialba. We will stop in Aquiares, one of Costa Rica’s most important regions for coffee. On arrival, we will have an in-depth tour and lecture to learn about the community, the coffee plantation, the processing, and have a coffee tasting. We will also discuss the importance of sustainability and what it is like to run a coffee business in Costa Rica. After a waterfall visit and lunch, we are transported to our accommodation. When we all are checked in, we gather for dinner and get ready for the next day's activities. Overnight guest house Turrialba

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, we are transported to the starting point of today's hike. We will hike in the valley next to the Pacuare River and explore its flora and fauna. The rainforests that surround the river are home to exotic animal species such as monkeys, jaguars, ocelots, and a large number of birds. We make a stop for lunch and, when we are coming to an impassable river crossing, we leave the valley behind and head uphill into the mountains. We will hike through dense vegetation and hilly ridges until we reach the town of Mollejones, where we will spend the coming nights. We set camp and prepare the dinner together. Overnight camping Mollejones

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, it's time for our community service project! We will be divided into small groups and are assigned a family in need of a helping hand. It can be a single-parent family or a household of elderly people. The work could include structural work like cement or wood walls, replacing doors and windows, plumbing or drainage work, building furniture, tile work, general painting, landscaping, or planting a garden. This is an incredible opportunity to develop cross-cultural relationships with the localsand the exchange knowledge and language skills. We take a break for lunch and continue working for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Then we head back to the campsite to freshen up before it's time for dinner. Overnight camping Mollejones

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we have breakfast early. We have more work to do and we will continue where we left off yesterday. We take breaks for lunch and snacks. In the late afternoon, we arrive back to camp to freshen up and have a well-deserved rest before it's time for dinner. In the evening, we gather and discuss what we have accomplished. We share what we have learned during the project work and our reflections. Overnight camping Mollejones

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we have breakfast early. We begin the day with a hike back to the Pacuare River. We will enjoy a packed sack lunch and then it's time for white water rafting! We are equipped with helmets and life jackets and have a safety orientation before jumping into the boats and begin paddling through the pristine rainforest. After a couple of hours, we will reach our destination, the riverside camp of El Nido del Tigre. The campsite has spacious tents on fixed platforms with water and sanitary facilities. The name of the camp, El Nido del Tigre, comes from the giant plant leaves looking like the shape of a tiger paw. We prepare dinner together and gather around the campfire before it's time for bed. Overnight El Nido del Tigre Campsite

Meals:  B,L,D

After a good night's sleep in the tents, we get ready for rafting again. There is so much nature and wildlife to explore along the river! The Pacuare takes us through virgin rainforests, cascading waterfalls, and river-carved canyons. We will safely maneuver through the exhilarating class III and IV rapids but most of the time just float through calmer stretches and enjoy the near-vertical green walls on the shoreline. En route, we make stops for lunch and short hikes to some waterfalls. In the afternoon, minivans will pick us up and transport us back to San José. Tonight we have a farewell dinner and recap all we have learned and experience during the trip. Overnight hotel San José

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, we are transported to the airport.

Meals:  B