RICARDO’S SPRING BREAK SERVICE ADVENTURE: ITINERARY

Day 01 (Saturday)
Depart the USA en route to San Jose, Costa Rica. Upon arrival your Rustic Pathways Staff will greet you at the airport. From here you will travel to the town of Turrialba where you will spend the night meeting new friends and hanging out with your guide, Ricardo Romero, the Director of Rustic Pathways Costa Rica.  He will give you a full Tico welcome to his beautiful country.

Day 02 (Sunday)
After a fairly early wake up and a traditional Costa Rican breakfast, the group will head out to the local school to work on a special project with the students of Ricardo’s old school.  After a delicious lunch it time to get ready for your first physical adventure: a rappelling and zip lining trip through the Turrialba canyons and waterfalls.  After an afternoon of exhilaration, head back to town and enjoy an evening BBQ with Ricardo’s friends and family.  

Day 03 (Monday )
Today we will continue our morning service work at Ricardo’s school and continue forming friendships and bonds with the local children by facilitating educational activities and games.  After lunch at Ricardo’s favorite restaurant in Turrialba, take a short trip outside the city to the agricultural fields surrounding Turrialba.   Here you will have the chance to go on a tour of a coffee plantation and sample the different varieties of coffee that make Costa Rica famous.  In the evening, head back to town and enjoy time to hang out with your new friends. 

Day 04 (Tuesday)
This morning, you will spend your last day with the children at the elementary school and wrap up all your projects.  Participate in a school-wide soccer game, before saying goodbye to the kids.  In the afternoon, the group will travel outside of Turrialba for a beautiful and scenic horseback ride through the rolling pastures and countryside surrounding the city.  

Day 05 (Wednesday)
Enjoy your final breakfast in Turrialba and pack up your gear for an exciting rafting trip on the Pacuare River.  You will receive an important safety training from Ricardo, an expert river guide, before embarking on your journey through the class III and IV rapids of the river.  After all the hard paddling and adrenaline pumping action, you will be happy to rest at the river camp on the side of the river, where you will be able to relax and enjoy the beautiful stars and soothing sounds of the river at night.

Day 06 (Thursday)
Wake up to the grunts of howler monkeys and chatter of tropical toucans and enjoy breakfast by the river.  Then head back to the river, and get ready for your second day of rafting.  Once you find your pace, be sure to check out the amazing canyons and beautiful lush rainforest that border the Pacuare.   This river is not only famous for its world class rapids, but also for the incredible scenery and landscapes that surround its waters.  After a full morning running the river, you leave the fresh water behind, and board a bus for the short ride to the Caribbean. 

Day 07 (Friday)
Welcome to the Caribbean!  After breakfast, stroll along the white sand beach of Cocles and take a surf lesson to try out the waves of Puerto Viejo.  Enjoy a delicious, Caribbean lunch and then check out the funky souvenir shops in Puerto Viejo. Then it’s time to head back to San Jose and enjoy a final dinner with the group.   

Day 08 (Saturday)
Time to say goodbye and head back to the USA.

** PLEASE NOTE: The itinerary above is not set in stone and may be changed by Ricardo and the rest of the staff as he sees fit.  There are sometimes festivals and activities that take place in Turrialba which may change the day to day plans on this program and enhance the cultural aspects of the trip.  This itinerary is designed to give you a good idea of th  schedule and activities that the students will be participating in.***

Packing List
In addition to the general Costa Rica packing list available at http://www.rusticpathways.com/2009/packing_lists/Costa_Rica.html  all students should review the following information specific to the Nicoya Turtle Expedition program:

• Extra Sunblock since you will be in the sun a lot!
• Please bring a flashlight with filtered light bulbs (red or green filtered).  Traditional flashlights will disturb the turtles when they are nesting at night.
• Pack light since you will be moving around a fair amount between Camaronal, Samara, and Ostional.
• Sheets and sleeping sacks will be provided when you camp in Camaronal, but you may want to bring an extra, light weight sleeping pad for additional comfort
• You may enjoy having a frisbee for use while on the beach.

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 – NO, You will have to make your own flight arrangements to arrive and depart San Jose, Costa Rica within a specific time frame.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
3A – Students from the United States and Canada will be automatically issued a 90 day tourist visa upon entry into Costa Rica.

4 – What Costa Rican province(s) does this program pass through?
4A- 5A – During the Spring Break Program, students will pass through several of Costa Rica’s provinces including San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago and Limon.

5 - What immunizations do we need to get for trip?
5A – Rustic Pathways does not make recommendations regarding immunizations.  We strongly suggest that you consult with a travel doctor or your family physician for medical recommendations based on the area where the student will be traveling (as listed above).  You can also check the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov for more information.  Yellow fever vaccinations may be required to enter Costa Rica if you have traveled to some international destinations including Peru prior to your trip to Costa Rica.  Please check the Center for Disease control website for more information.    

6 – How long is the drive from San Jose to this program?
6A—Students will be traveling through a variety of different locations.  Bus rides will vary between a one hour drive to a 5 hour drive.

7 – What is the climate in the region where this program takes place?
7A— Students will visit a variety of different locations but most of the time, students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80’s and 90’s during the day with some chances of rains in the afternoons. 

8 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
8A— Students can practice Spanish with Ricardo and his friends and family, but the focus of the trip is on adventure.

9- What service projects will I work on and how are the projects identified?
9A-. Ricardo has lived in Turrialba all his life and has spoken to his old school to see what needs and priorities they have.  Students will be working with the elementary school, teaching English and painting classrooms.
 
10 – How physically strenuous is this program?
10A- The Spring Break program is appropriate for students of most physical activity levels. Students should be prepared for hikes and adventure activities that may require moderate physical activity.   

11- What costs are not included on this trip?
11A- The majority of costs associated with the program are included on this trip. Students should have extra allowance money if they wish to buy souvenirs or additional snacks or sodas from the local grocery stores. Students should bring extra money if they choose to participate in optional activities that are not included in the trip costs.

12 – What are the optional activities available at an additional cost on this program?
12A-There are currently no optional activities identified for this trip.  Please note that optional activities are subject to change.  Occasionally Rustic Pathways staff identify new opportunities throughout the summer that we feel will enhance the students overall experience.  Optional activities may also be canceled. 

13 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
13A— Students will be eating at local restaurants as they travel throughout Costa Rica and homemade foods.  The food will vary between traditional Costa Rican food, Caribbean regional fare and occasional American and international selections. 

14 - Can we cater to specific diets?
14A-Rustic Pathways can cater to most dietary needs on this program. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated.   Please know that while we are happy to accommodate alternative diets, many of the special diets common in the United States are not common in other parts of the world and travelers must be patient and understanding in having these needs be met.  Please contact costarica@rusticpathways.com with any questions regarding special diets or allergies.

15 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
15A—Costa Rica water is generally potable, so students should feel comfortable drinking tap water unless otherwise advised.  They can also purchase bottles of water in the local grocery stores.  

16 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
16A— Students will be staying in a house, tent camps and hotels during their travels. All accommodations are clean, comfortable and safe.  Students will also stay two nights at base camps along the river during their rafting trip. 

17.  What are the bathroom facilities?
17A- All accommodations have bathroom facilities with running water, American style toilets and showers. 

18 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
18A – We expect a good mix of boys and girls  however the exact numbers vary from week to week

19- What is the ratio of guides to students?
19A- Rustic Pathways generally strives to maintain a ratio of approximately 1 guide for every 5 students. Our guides go through a rigorous selection process including interviews with our program managers and a full background check.

20-Is your staff qualified in First Aid?
20A-   Because safety is our number one priority, all of our programs have staff that is certified with First Aid and CPR training. Many of our guides are also qualified Wilderness First Responders, EMTs, Wilderness EMTs, or Life Guards.  

21 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
21A—Laundry will not be available so students should pack enough clothes for the duration of the program.          

22 - How often will they have access to phone and internet?
22A-Students will have limited access to internet during their program when they visit towns with internet cafes. They will be able to purchase international phone cards in Costa Rica from the guides or at local convenience stores which can be used to call home from the public phones.