SOCCER & SERVICE TRAVEL TEAM - High School Summer Programs (800) 321-4353

Travel across breathtaking Northern Costa Rica, playing soccer with local clubs, hiking through lush cloudforests, visiting

active volcanoes, and surfing tremendous waves along the journey! This one-of-a-kind program combines competitive and pick-up soccer with exciting cultural adventures, fun community service projects, immersion into Tico life and lots of time in the outdoors.

Craters and Waterfalls
Start your trip by peering into the steamy, active crater of the Poás Volcano, one of Costa Rica’s most popular natural wonders. At over 8,000 feet above sea level, the mile-wide crater is a spectacular site. Hike through the gnarled, moss covered trees of the dwarf cloudforest on the outer edge of the volcano before descending in search of a pick-up soccer game with friendly locals. Here you can also lend a hand with a small scale service project for the benefit of the local community and take an afternoon hike through the nearby La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a stunning series of waterfalls tumbling through lush mountain greenery.

Soccer in the Shadow of the Arenal Volcano (Not Your Average Soccer Camp!)
Journey on to the world-famous Arenal Volcano to play pick up soccer and “fútbol cinco” with local teams on small turf fields. For those seeking more adventure, choose to zipline above the rainforest canopy with Arenal Volcano looming in the background. Spend a night soaking your tired muscles in the relaxing waters of private hot springs. With luck, you can watch an eruption of glowing lava cascade down the side of the darkened volcano.

Cultural Immersion and Rafting in Turrialba
From Fortuna, change gears by heading to the Cartago province and partaking in a true immersion experience. Practice Spanish, eat delicious home cooked meals, and get a taste of rural Costa Rican life by staying with a host family in the peaceful town of Pacayas. The next day, after saying goodbye to your adopted family, embark on a full-day whitewater rafting trip on the world-famous Pacuare river. The Pacuare’s class III and IV rapids are the perfect end to your tour of the Pacayas countryside.

Soccer in the Sand
Leaving behind the rural side of Costa Rica, get ready for fun in the sun on the Nicoya Peninsula. Travel to the palmfringed coast of the Nicoya peninsula and prepare to play soccer, do service work, and chill out on some of the best beaches in Costa Rica. This portion of the trip encompasses the “Pura Vida” spirit that pervades Costa Rica. Enjoy big games of barefoot beach soccer or volleyball, try your hand at surfing, and savour the eclectic international cuisine offered at the peninsula’s tasty restaurants – the perfect end to a memorable journey.

Who Should Come?
The Travelling Soccer & Service Team is perfect for students who love soccer, adventure, travel, and community service. In order to participate in this program, you must be in good physical shape, and have a love for soccer, hiking, and adventure in the great outdoors. Full participation in the community service aspects of this program will earn students up to 32 community service hours.

Day 1 (Tuesday) Depart United States for San Jose, Costa Rica
Upon arrival at the San Jose airport you will be greeted by your Rustic Pathways Staff. From here you will head over to the hostel rented out by Rustic Pathways where you will meet the other students on your trip and spend your first night. Good luck and enjoy your stay in beautiful Costa Rica!

Day 2-3 (Wednesday-Thursday) Poas Volcano & La Paz Waterfall Gardens Area
Depart from the base bright and early on a short bus to the communities surrounding Poas Volcano. The next days will be a mix between community service, playing soccer with local teams, and visiting attractions in the area such as Poas Volcano and the La Paz Water Fall Gardens. Enjoy delicious dinners at local restaurants and relax at the hotel with your new friends at night.

Day 4-5 (Friday-Saturday) Arenal Volcano and National Park
Wake up early and say goodbye to your friends in the community before departing for the town of La Fortuna at the base of the Arenal Volcano. You will spend the next two days playing soccer, hiking in the rainforest, checking out the souvenir shops in La Fortuna and enjoying the natural hot springs in the evening. For the adventurous at heart, sign up for an optional zip line tour that will take you high above the rainforest canopy.

Day 6 (Sunday) Homestay in the Central Valley
This morning you will head over the mountains from Fortuna to the quiet town of Pacayas in the hillside surrounding the valley of Turrialba. Here you will have the chance to integrate into traditional Tico culture and lifestyle by spending the night with a warm, friendly family from Pacayas. This carefully organized and supervised arrangement, gives Travel Team students a very personal and welcoming perspective on Costa Rican family life, enhancing both their Spanish skills and the cultural aspects of their trip.

Day 7 (Monday) Rafting on the Pacuare
After saying goodbye to your home-stay family, get ready to experience the beauty and exhilaration of whitewater rafting the Pacuare river. The Pacuare is considered one of the most beautiful rivers to raft in the world, due to the lush greenery, the narrow canyons and above all, the exciting class III and IV rapids. After a full day on the river, its time to head to the port town of Puntarenas, where you will spend the evening hanging out with your friends and reflecting on the day’s adventure.

Day 8 (Tuesday) Sailing Tour to Tortuga Island
Wake up bright and early to board a 71-foot Catamaran that will take you on a tropical cruise through the calm waters of the Gulf of Nicoya, where you can see dolphins, sea turtles and aquatic birds. Your destination is Costa Rica’s famous palm-studded, white sand beach at Isla Tortuga, where you can sunbath, play volleyball or relax in a hammock. Chill out on your own private paradise before returning to spend the night in Puntarenas.

Day 9 (Wednesday) Transfer to Samara
Enjoy early breakfast and play a full game of soccer on the Puntarenas turf before boarding the bus to the Nicoya Peninsula. Upon arriving in the town of Samara, hang out in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean and catch one of the spectacular sunsets that the Nicoya Peninsula is known for. Eat dinner near the beach and fall asleep to the soothing sound of the waves softly crashing against the shore.

Day 10-14 (Thursday-Monday) Surf the Pacific
During the following days chill at a cool beach near playa Samara. Play beach soccer with the group, soak in the sun and take breaks to jump into the surf. There will be regular soccer practice and drills, and a couple of service projects with nearby communities. There will also be time to take surf lessons, get in shape by running on the beach, or simply read a book and chill out in a hammock.

Day 15 (Tuesday) Back to San Jose
After breakfast and a final jump in the ocean you’ll board the bus and return to San Jose. En route you may have the opportunity to do an optional bungee jump! Make sure your parents have signed the permission form if you want to do this thrilling activity (cost: $65). Now its time to get a good night’s sleep since tomorrow you’ll be heading home or off to new adventures.

Day 16 (Wednesday) Homeward bound or off to new adventures
If you are heading home, you must say your last goodbyes to your new friends and head off to the airport bright and early in the morning. If you are heading off on another Rustic Pathways adventure in Costa Rica, get ready!

*** PLEASE NOTE: The itinerary above is not set in stone and may be changed by the staff running this program as they see fit. It is designed to give you a good idea of the day to day schedule and activities that the students will be participating in.***

Food and Accommodations
During the Traveling Soccer & Service Travel Team program students will stay in hostels and hotels throughout northern Costa Rica. They will eat light breakfasts, picnic & restaurant lunches, and dinner at small Tico restaurants. During their time in Pacayas, they will stay with host families and eat home-cooked meals prepared by their family.

Community Service
Students participating in this program will be asked to perform service work for the benefit of the communities they visit. While this program’s emphasis is on soccer, not service, there will still be times when the students will be asked to perform physically challenging work. Students may get muddy or wet performing the tasks asked of them but will be rewarded with the knowledge that their hard work was for a great cause. They can earn up to 32 service hours for the successful completion of the service work on their trip.

Spanish
Motivated students wishing to practice their Spanish will have opportunities to speak both with the Rustic Pathways guides and the villagers they meet along the journey. The amount of Spanish practice a student receives is directly related to the amount of effort they put in.

Soccer
Soccer experience and skill level of the players on this trip will vary greatly since it is a coed trip with students 14 to 18 years of age. Students are expected to be respectful of all participants on this program regardless of their playing ability and should expect to play with students, staff and Ticos of the opposite sex, all ages and all skill levels. Staff will split up the group at times according to skill level or sex in order to better improve the students’ soccer skills. Soccer is a large component of this trip and students should come prepared to play.

Injuries
Rustic Pathways will not be responsible for any injuries sustained on this program. The staff will do their best to ensure the safety of all participants, however playing soccer can be a dangerous activity and at times injuries occur. Students are asked to take reasonable safety precautions such as wearing shin guards and proper footwear. There will be times when playing on the beach that students will be playing without shin guards or shoes and they are expected to play with extreme caution in these instances. In all cases, if injuries do occur, the students will have access to good quality medical care at hospitals or clinics nearby the various locations this program will visit.

1 - How long is the flight to this country?
1A – Direct flight from Newark to San Jose takes approximately 5.5 hours.
Direct flight from Houston to San Jose takes approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

2 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
2A – Yes. All flights between Costa Rica and the USA will have a flight leader starting in both Newark and Houston. Return flights to the USA will also have a flight leader as far as Newark and Houston. Flights between Costa Rica and Peru will not be escorted.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
3A – Students from the United States and Canada will be issued a 90 day tourist visa on entry into Costa Rica. Students from other countries should check with their consulate.

4 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
4A – See CDC or WHO websites.

5 – What Costa Rican province(s) does this program pass through?
They will visiting the provinces of Cartago, Alajuela, Puntarenas, Guanacaste and Limon

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
After their whitewater rafting trip on the Pacuare River, students will have a final dinner in San Jose and then sleep in the hostel rented out for Rustic Pathways. Wednesday morning students will take off with their new group for their new program.

7 – How long is the drive from San Jose to this program?
During this program students will drive to different areas of Costa Rica on drives of one to for 4 hours long.

8 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
The student will have some opportunities to practice Spanish with locals and with their guides but in general this program is not focused on learning Spanish.

9 - What costs are not included on this trip?
Snacks, souvenirs, and perhaps and optional activity as determined by the guides.

10 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
They will be eating in local restaurants and with a home stay families where they can find typical Tico food such as rice, beans, beef, chicken, fish, vegetables, cheese, eggs, and lots of fruit.

11 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
The Rustic Pathways students will be able to drink water from the tap during this program, but they will have the option to buy bottle water along the way. They are encouraged to bring a couple of extra refillable water bottles in order to stay hydrated during soccer matches.

12 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
Students will be staying in small hotels and hostels along their trip and will spend one evening with local homestay families.

13 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
13A – There are typically more girls than boys however the exact numbers vary from week to week.

14 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
In several of the hotels that the kids will stay in they will be able to do laundry. The price will be between $5 to $10 per load. Many students avoid over-packing by designating work/play clothes and rest clothes.