Sample Itinerary 

DISCOVER COSTA RICA’S PURA VIDA: RAINFORESTS AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES 

ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY HOTSPOTS: Support local farmers, reforestation, biodiversity, and local economic development.  

In addition to being one of the world’s Blue Zones (longevity hot spots), Costa Rica is also 

one of the world’s leading nations for ecological sustainability. While it faces environmental issues, the small Central American nation continues to offer an example for others to follow.

On this adventure, we will learn all about agricultural sustainability, the ecological process, and witness the plethora of flora and fauna of this beautiful country.  Through service work, nature hikes, and our local hosts, you will experience Costa Rica’s Pura Vida lifestyle.  

Your trip leader will meet you at the San Jose airport and we will travel to our hotel  in the city via private bus.  If we have time, we will do a short walk around the city (depending on flight arrival time).

After breakfast we will head to the San Luis Community of Monteverde.  San Luis is a farming community rooted in values such as family and community solidarity. 

We will enjoy a typical lunch with local women in Guacimal, and then learn about rural community tourism initiatives, micro-financing, and sustainable agriculture.  Activities will include learning how to maintain farm animals, agriculture of cashews and learning how to make vegan hamburgers patties out of dehydrated fruit.  There will be an opportunity to hear the story of big agriculture vs small community.   We will then continue on to Monteverde and stay at a family owned jungle cabin in the San Luis Valley.

Early in the morning, we will wake up to go bird watching.  After sighting some amazing tropical birds, we will enjoy breakfast and go on a morning coffee tour at a local farm.    We will eat a delicious and healthy lunch on the farm.  We will then contribute by volunteering on the farm.    

Night: After dinner night walk and listening activity.  

The next morning, we will hike and learn about the ecology of this incredible cloud forest reserve.   After lunch, we will give back by working on reforestation with the Monteverde Institute.  In the evening we will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant where we can catch our own Tilapia.  While we wait for our food to cook, we can have a local soccer game or “mejenga.”

We will have an amazing opportunity to visit Noe Vargas’ natural cosmetics in the morning after a delicious fruit filled breakfast.  We will then head to a local’s farm and make our own pizzas.  We will work on crafts and sugar cane processing in the afternoon.

Today we will contribute to Costa Rica’s environmental efforts by volunteering with San Luis development Association/ Monteverde Institute.  Examples of work could include trail maintenance, reforestation and exotic species control.  We will also hike the Sender Pacifico to get a taste of why our efforts are important. 

To end this amazing adventure, there are many options to choose from depending on the preferences of the group.  Options include:

• Zip Lining 
• Orchid garden
• Volcano lookout /viewpoint spot hike
• Local experts talks on their research in the cloud forest
• Crafts activity with local women

Chocolate processing tour (focused on chemistry of chocolate)