Costa Rica Adventure with Ottawa Hills High School

Upon arrival in San José meet your guide and transfer to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve, located in the tropical lowlands of Costa Rica. Check in at the lodge and receive an orientation to the area. During your stay, expert guides will introduce you to the fascinating world of tropical ecology as they share their passion for this endangered habitat through interactive discussions and workshops.

Early this morning you will take a hike introducing you to the amazing tropical birds of Selva Verde. The avifauna of Selva Verde is abundant, and feeding stations have been set up around the lodge to facilitate observation and identification of the many species that frequent the area. After breakfast, set out on a second nature hike through secondary and primary forest of the reserve in search of new species. As you study the forest your guide will discuss the complex details of the ecosystem and how life in the rainforest thrives. This afternoon set out on an exciting whitewater rafting trip on the Río Sarapiquí. A professional river guide escorts all trips and you will be provided all of the necessary safety equipment (helmet, life jackets, etc.). Following a thorough safety orientation and basic rafting lesson, experience the Class II and III rapids of the Río Sarapiquí. This evening take a nocturnal hike around the grounds of the lodge.

After breakfast, travel to Arenal. Stop en route at Iguana Bridge to view the large number of iguanas lounging in the nearby trees, and then continue to La Fortuna for lunch. Upon arrival, take a guided hike near the base of Arenal Volcano. Your hike along the base takes you through forest, over lava flows, and finally to the destroyed areas now in the process of regeneration. After your hike, enjoy the hot springs at your hotel.

Following breakfast, depart for Monteverde via boat over Lake Arenal where on a clear day you can see the immense strato volcano and then continue by way of a jeep to Monteverde. Cloud forests occur near mountain peaks where rain turns into a life-sustaining mist, hydrating and nourishing epiphytic plants, providing a consistent cool and wet environment; this one in particular receives over three meters of rain annually and is home to an astounding variety of flora and fauna. Have lunch then visit Life Monteverde Farm to learn about coffee, sustainability, organic gardens, compost, and the role of the farm animals. At the farm they will discuss the agriculture research they are conducting and its implications. As part of the Monteverde Community Fund, they donate a portion of all their sales to fund local community projects. Afterwards visit Santa Elena village. In the evening, have dinner and attend presentations.

Early this morning enjoy a guided hike in the cloud forests of Curi-Cancha Reserve. Cloud forests occur near mountain peaks, where rain turns into a life-sustaining mist that hydrates and nourishes epiphytic plants. After lunch enjoy an adventure-filled afternoon in forest canopies negotiating the many suspension bridges and zip lines of the Monteverde Sky Walk/Sky Trek park. The Sky Walk offers a spectacular chance to view flora and fauna from an “up-in-the-branches” perspective. Complete your cloud forest exploration with Sky Trek’s exhilarating zip line adventure. Following the Sky Walk, the Sky Trek is a system of platforms suspended above the ground in the midst of tree boughs. Zip lines attached from one platform to the other allow you to slide through the canopy utilizing specialized gear. Each platform commands exceptional 360-degree views of Guanacaste, San Carlos, and Puntarenas. Have dinner at Morpho Restaurant.

After breakfast, depart for Punta Leona. En route, experience the Crocodile River safari and then have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, continue the drive to Punta Leona Resort for check-in and orientation to the property. Punta Leona Hotel is a private reserve that is considered to be one of the most important in Costa Rica’s Pacific Zone due to its geographic location and conservation plan. Founded in the late 1970s, the reserve now consists of 300 hectares (750 acres) of primary and secondary forest. The reserve is of great biological interest because it is one of the few remaining forests in the transitional life zone between the dry forest of the northwest and the rainforest of the southwest. Later, have dinner and watch presentations.

This morning visit Jacó beach for optional surf lessons and beach time. This afternoon you will have free time to enjoy the beach at Punta Leona.

This morning after breakfast, transfer to Agujas Beach and embark on a sea outrigger canoe excursion. Paddle along the Pacific coast. Enjoy paddling, tropical fruits and fun in the ocean. Have lunch back at the hotel, and then check-out and depart to San José, stopping en route for supermarket and souvenir shopping. Late afternoon arrival to the hotel. This evening dinner at own expense at the Hard Rock Café.

Transfer to the international airport in San José for your departure flight home.