COSTA RICA: JOURNEY
THROUGH THE JUNGLE

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVENTURE PROGRAM

This trip is a perfect introductory international travel program for middle school students. It combines adventure activities, cultural immersion, and community service work while exploring one of the most diverse countries in Central America. No two days are the same as we explore busy towns, remote rural villages, towering mountains, lush rainforests and sun-kissed coastlines. As we travel through Costa Rica, we explore different parts of the country, meeting local communities along the way.

Activities

• Kayak: Through the Jungle

• Hike: Cahuita National Park

• Zip Line: Pacuare Jungle Preserve

• Explore: Puerto Viejo, Cahuita National Park

• Wildlife Watching: La Marta Wildlife Refuge

• Taste Authentic Chocolate: Indigenous Bribri Chocolate Farm

• Surf: The waves along the Caribbean Coast

• Cultural Experiences: Bribri Indigenous community, Turrialba Valley

SWIMMING ABILITY

Due to the nature of this program, it is required that participants are comfortable being in the water and swimming in various depths.

Service

A Certificate of Community Service indicating the total number of hours worked, and a group Presidential Volunteer Service Award will be issued upon successful completion of the program. Service work could include some of the following:

• Environmental projects around permaculture, composting, agriculture, and rainwater harvesting in Turrialba.

• Support ongoing community projects that may include renovating houses, restoring community spaces (e.g. schools or community centers), and building furniture like bunk beds, tables, or shelving.

• Building a chicken coop, or a mini greenhouse that can be used by the community

• Participate in communal activities and projects that make up life in rural Costa Rica.

WHAT IS INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED IN TRIP TUITION

The trip tuition listed above includes accommodations, activities, meals, and group gear. The tuition does not include personal gear and clothing, travel insurance, spending money, and travel expenses such as airfare to and from the start and end of the program, unaccompanied minor fees, and baggage fees.

Accommodations and showering

While in San Jose and along the Caribbean coast, we stay in a rustic hotel. Rooms in the hotel will be divided by gender and shared beds where necessary. Showers are available in the hotels; however, we shower every 1 - 2 days to conserve resources and support sustainability. In Turrialba, we stay in a community center and sleep in tents, where showers will be available every 2 - 3 days. For tent camping, we aim for it to be 2 participants in a 3-person tent or 3 participants in a 4-person tent with luggage. During our time in the jungle, we sleep in platform tents with mattresses where showers are available. Bathrooms are mostly flush toilets with the occasional latrine in some of the more rural parts.

food

All meals on this trip are planned and prepared by our in-country community partners. There may be opportunities to assist in food preparation depending on the preference of the partner.

Expect to eat meals that are consistent with the culture we are visiting. While other food options may be available, we will be sharing meals with our community partners, and eating what they eat as part of our cultural exchange. Meals are often filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Rice and beans are a staple of Costa Rican cuisine and are featured as the base of many meals.

We are able to accommodate all dietary requirements and preferences.

TRAVEL

Families are individually responsible for booking their own airfare or making their own travel arrangements to get their students from home to San Jose (SJO) on the first day of the trip, and from San Jose (SJO) to home on the last day of the trip. RLT will provide exact windows of time that we require all students to arrive and depart within. It is imperative that no one make any travel arrangements until RLT directs them to do so.

A leader-escorted round-trip flight will be available from Miami International Airport (MIA) (but is not required) for those travelers who wish to fly with a leader. Booking information for the escorted flight will be available after enrollment.

PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

For all international travel, we require participants to have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 MONTHS past the end date of your participant's RLT trip. If your participant's passport is due to expire within those 6 months, please work on updating your participant's passport as soon as possible upon enrollment. According to the State Department, routine passport renewal will take 10-13 weeks and expedited processing, which costs an additional $60, will take 7-9 weeks. It is your responsibility to ensure your participant's passport is up to date and meets these requirements. We encourage families to familiarize themselves with the U.S. Department of State website for all up-to-date and accurate passport recommendations. 

TRAVEL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Road Less Traveled does not provide its own insurance. However, we require participants to purchase travel insurance through a third party for all international programs. For additional details, please visit our FAQ page or you may contact a member of our team at info@theroadlesstraveled.com or 773-342-5200.

VACCINE & MEDICATION INFORMATION

Please note that travel to Costa Rica sometimes includes a recommendation for additional vaccinations and medications. We encourage you to review the CDC website for the most up-to-date information and consult with your physician or a travel nurse before trip departure. More information will be provided to enrolled families from our Admissions Team in the Spring.

TECHNOLOGY

As part of the RLT experience, our trips are electronic-free. While it is encouraged to travel with cell phones, leaders will collect phones and any other personal devices after all participants arrive on the first day. It can feel tough initially to not have access to your phone, but it really helps everyone in the group to connect and have a really great trip experience. This includes phones, iPods, tablets, gaming devices, music devices, smartwatches, etc. All electronics will be held by RLT leaders, kept safe and dry for the duration of the trip, and returned at the end of the program. All cameras, go pros, etc. are acceptable and can be kept with you! If you do not have a camera, please note that leaders will also be taking photos throughout the program, and these photos will be shared through an online gallery.