YOUNG EXPLORERS - High School Summer Programs (800) 321-4353

Why Should High School
Students Have All the Fun?
Combining community service, language immersion, and action-packed adventure, the Young Explorers program is the perfect introduction to international travel for 12-14 year olds. Students will enjoy learning Spanish, zip-lining through the rainforest canopy, rafting down an exhilarating tropical river, viewing an active volcano, playing sports with local Costa Rican children, working on worthwhile community service initiatives, hiking, playing beach volleyball & soccer, learning to surf, and much more. Along their journey, the Young Explorers will grow, learn, and bond together in ways that only the experience of travel can create.

Volcanoes, Toucans,
Monkeys, and Tropical Waterfalls
The adventure begins with a day of exploring the Poas Volcano and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens just north of San Jose. Students are treated to a spectacular view of the inside of the volcano’s crater, then have the opportunity to see a butterfly garden and scores of hummingbirds as they walk through the stunning grounds of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. After a full first day, students head to the greater Fortuna region where they will be based for the rest of the week. Here, amidst friendly communities and tropical landscapes, students become accustomed to life in a foreign culture and have fun while doing it! Situated at the foot of Arenal Volcano, the town of La Fortuna is a hub for high adventure. It offers diverse rainforest hikes, kayaking on Lake Arenal, exhilarating zip-lining, soothing hot springs, and an abundance of wildlife. Students will also take daytrips including a visit to the Maleku indigenous village, where they will learn about the medicinal uses of rainforest plants, participate in a traditional ceremony and play soccer with local children. Students will partake in all of these activities and more, with each adventure being run at an appropriate pace for the age of the group.

Learning and Giving to the Community
During this time in the Arenal Volcano region, students have a good balance of adventure and cultural activities with time spent learning Spanish and working on community service projects in local villages and parks. The Spanish lessons consist of short intensive classroom sessions complimented by conversation-based activities in local communities. Service work consists of maintaining hiking trails in the national park and helping teach English in the local schools to broaden job opportunities for future generations.

Whitewater Rafting
and Guanacaste Beaches
After a week of enjoying the relaxed, Costa Rican pace of life near Arenal Volcano, the Young Explorers will take off whitewater rafting on the Sarapiqui River, a scenic river full of safe yet exciting rapids surrounded by lush tropical forest. They then head west to the Guanacaste province, a diverse region of sun, beaches and a unique “sabanero” (cowboy) culture. Before heading out to the beach, students travel into the heart of the Nicoya Peninsula and take a boat tour through the Palo Verde National Park, scouting for crocodiles and white faced monkeys along the Tempisque River. They have lunch in a typical restaurant, enjoying the delicious hand-made corn tortillas and other specialities of the region. The last leg of the trip will be spent souvenir shopping, learning how to surf, snorkelling and playing soccer on the beaches of Guanacaste.

Homeward Bound
Spending the last couple of days on the beach will be fun and provide the perfect setting for reflecting on the highlights of the trip ensuring the Young Explorer’s first overseas travel experience a memorable one. Students will earn 12 community service hours for their full participation in the service aspect of this program.

DAY 01 (Tuesday)
Depart United States for San Jose, Costa Rica. All scheduled flights to Costa Rica are non-stop and escorted by a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. Upon arrival at the San Jose airport you will be greeted by your Rustic Pathways Staff. From here you will head over to the Rustic Pathways Base where you will spend the first night. Good luck and enjoy your stay in beautiful Costa Rica!

DAY 02 (Wednesday)
Wake up at 6:30 am for breakfast. Depart San Jose by 8:00 am and head northwest towards Poas Volcano. The group will drive to the top of the volcano and then peer over the crater’s edge into the steaming pool below. After learning about the history of the volcano and taking in some of its spectacular scenery it’s off to the amazing La Paz waterfall gardens. At this picturesque park, explore stunning waterfalls, butterfly gardens and serpentarios (snake museums). After getting your fill of lizards, snakes, hummingbirds, poisonous dart frogs, and blue Morpho butterflies, continue your voyage to your new home at Las Cabinas in the village of El Castillo, near the Arenal Volcano.

DAY 03 -05 (Thursday -Saturday)
Every morning the group will wake up early for a healthy breakfast of fresh fruits and cereals and traditional Gallo Pinto. Morning activities will combine Spanish classes, small scale community service projects at a local elementary school and environmental service and learning at nearby Arenal Volcano National Park. Mixed in with classes and work there are always mejengas (pick up soccer games), trips to the Pulperia (local general store) for Spanish Vocabulary building (and a mango or ice cream), hikes to the stream for a swim and much more. Most lunches will be back at the Las Cabinas or in the town of La Fortuna depending on the afternoon activity. Due to the plethora great outdoor activities possible in the Arenal Volcano region, the afternoons will be filled with excitement! Zip-lining high above the rainforest canopy, kayaking in Lake Arenal, hiking through the national park and spending the night at an eco-friendly organic farm are all on the list of adventures you will enjoy. Evenings will include delicious group dinners, Spanish language activities, Latin dance lessons, group team building games and relaxation time.

DAY 06 (Sunday)
As usual there will be an early breakfast of fresh fruits, cereals and traditional Gallo Pinto. This morning you will be taking a day trip to the Caño Negro Wildlife Reserve to enjoy a morning horseback riding tour through the beautiful natural surroundings. In the afternoon take a walk through town where you will play games and practice Spanish with the local children. In the evening, return to Las Cabinas for a delicious Tico style dinner and a good night´s rest for the day ahead.

DAY 07 (Monday)
Today head off to the mighty Sarapiqui River for a fun, wet day of whitewater rafting. The Sarapiqui cuts through the rainforest and is known for its beautiful scenery and consistent rapids. Along the way there will be time to learn about iguanas, make crickets out of long grass, have water fights with nearby kayakers and other rafts, and of course there will be plenty of thrills from the whitewater. After returning from your day of rafting, relax in the comfort of Las Cabinas.

DAY 08 (Tuesday)
Wake up early for a hearty breakfast. Visit the Maleku indigenous reserve and participate in a traditional ceremony before returning back to El Castillo for afternoon activities and an evening of packing to prepare for the next day’s departure.

DAY 09 (Wednesday)
After saying goodbye to your friends at Las Cabinas in El Castillo, enjoy the scenic bus ride to the Guanacaste province: a land of sunshine, “sabanero” cowboy culture and beautiful beaches.

DAY 10 (Thursday)
Another early morning wake up and hearty breakfast before heading to Palo Verde National Park for a boat tour along the Tempisque river. Look out for crocodiles in the water and be delighted with the curious white-faced monkeys that jump aboard. Enjoy lunch at a traditional Guanacasteco restaurant before heading to the town of Guayaquil for a Chorotega pottery making demonstration. Then, its time to head to the coast towards the small friendly beach town of Samara. Check into the hotel, before taking off for a sunset on the beach. Enjoy a group dinner in town and begin to get a feel for this new community.

DAY 11-14 (Friday-Monday)
For the next several days, wake up to the sound of waves crashing on the beach. One day you will take optional surfing lessons from a local instructor. You will get to practice paddling, attempt standing up on the whitewater and take in the sun. You will also enjoy walks down the beach to explore this wonderful community and join in any pick up soccer games that are happening along the way. There will also be time for plenty of swimming and relaxing on the beach.

DAY 15 (Tuesday)
Wake early and have another tasty Costa Rican breakfast. Then it is time to pack up your things and squeeze in one last visit to the beach before it is off to San Jose for your farewell dinner. In the evening, there will be some time to come together as a group and talk about the amazing things you have seen together and the friendships that have developed during this fantastic trip.

DAY 16 (Wednesday)
An early wake up and a short bus ride to the airport before your departure home to the USA. On the plane you can reflect on your unforgettable experience as a Young Explorer in Costa Rica - Pura Vida!

*** PLEASE NOTE: The itinerary described above is typical but not set in stone as work and activities vary depending upon the weather and the needs of the communities you are visiting. This itinerary is designed to give you a good, general idea of the day to day schedule and activities on this program but may be changed during the summer as staff see fit. Students will play and work hard on this program, and will probably get wet, muddy, and bug-bitten in the process. This is all part of the Costa Rican experience and is a small sacrifice when compared with the positive impact this program has on its participants and the town of El Castillo, where the service work is performed. ***

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?
5A – Students will visit San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste and Puntarenas provinces.

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
6A – On Tuesday afternoon students will depart from Samara for San Jose. They will have a final dinner en route then sleep in a hostel rented out for Rustic Pathways students in San Jose. 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?
7A – Students will be on the road several times during this program. The bus rides will vary anywhere between a 1 hour drive to a 5 hour drive.

8 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
8A – Students will have the chance to practice Spanish during community service time and during Spanish classes with the guides. Students will be traveling in Spanish speaking communities but overall the focus will be on the introduction to a new culture and environment and getting used to spending some time away from their own families.

9 - What costs are not included on this trip?
9A – The majority of the activities are included in the program fee for students. Extra trips to the hot springs will be at an additional price of $25 and additional surf classes will be available at a cost of $25.

10 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
10A – Students will be eating at local restaurants as they travel around the country. Each region they visit will offer something different on their menus which can also be a very enriching experience for a young soul (and stomach).

11 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
11A – No. Tap water in the areas the students will be visiting will be fine to drink. Students will have the option of buying bottled water if they wish.

12 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
12A – Students will be staying in hotels and hostels during their travels. The hotels are carefully chosen according to the needs of a restless travel-group equipped with all commodities.

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?
14A – Students will be offered laundry service one time during their program at an approximate cost of $5-$10 (depending on the amount of clothes).