DAY 1: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Ready, set, go! Join your Niagara College peers at Toronto Pearson International Airport to board your Air Canada flight to San Jose and prepare yourself for the trip of a lifetime! This week, you will learn all about the Pura Vida way of life and the steps that we can all take to live a greener life and protect the Earth’s environmental future.
Upon arrival in San Jose, board your private transportation to be taken to your hotel and rest up for the exciting week ahead!
Meals Included: Dinner
DAY 2: Sunday, October 22, 2023
Wake up feeling rested and ready to seize the day! We get an early start as we travel to the area of Sarapiqui, located in the northwestern region of Costa Rica. We arrive to Tirimbina, a local community that works with a conservation model that consists of three hubs that compliment each other well: scientific research, environmental education, and ecotourism. Their research contributes to conservation strategies, coupled with educating and raising awareness that involves the community in forest protection, with ecotourism generating the funds needed to support the projects.
This afternoon, we learn the ins and outs of one of mankind’s favourite foods, chocolate. Our exploration of chocolate includes a hike explaining the natural and cultural history of the cacao tree, and demonstrations of the artisanal process involved with turning the cacao fruit into chocolate. Fun fact, the cultivation of the cacao plant is one of the friendliest to the environment. A fascinating and delicious afternoon!
- Visit Tirimbina
- Learn about the artisanal process of chocolate
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3: Monday, October 23, 2023
This morning we get a glimpse of the leading-edge research conducted at the La Selva Research Station. La Selva’s influence on tropical ecology is immeasurable and of great cultural significance, having served as a key training and research site for numerous professional scientists. Enjoy a half day tour of the forest lead by incredible naturalists..
After a delicious lunch at Tirimbina, we tour a 33 hectare organic pineapple plantation to discover (and taste!), a way of life that has been built around an authentic, organic philosophy and life-long commitment to protecting the sanctity of the land.
- Visit Tirimbina
- Learn about the artisanal process of chocolate
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4: Tuesday, October 24, 2023
A delicious cup of local coffee helps to get us feeling awake for an early departure towards the Arenal Volcano area to visit Rancho Margot. We will spend the day here enjoying all of the incredible amenities that Rancho Margot has to offer! From natural pools built with river rocks that are filled with pure untreated crystalline water from natural springs, beautiful gardens and authentic home grown food, it is surely to be a delightful day. Rancho Margot also features incredible sustainability with two hydroelectric generators and a complex composting system that collects all food, vegetative and solid animal waste that is then used as organic fertilizer. There is also three onsite bio digesters that treat the liquid animal waste through anaerobic bacterial action, producing methane gas used for cooking and heating in the kitchen!
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 5: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
We check out of our accommodations this morning travel to our next destination, Monteverde, by boat cruise! Travel to the Arenal Lake Dam dock and board a covered 22 passenger boat and cruise across Lake Arenal to reach Rio Chiquito dock. Enjoy the magnificent views of Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde mountain range from the water. What a cool way to travel!
This afternoon, we check in at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve’s Tropical Science Centre where we will stay for two nights. Our daily adventure doesn’t end here – we’re going ziplining! Fly like a bird as we take to the skies and explore the best zip lines and adventures that Costa Rica has to offer.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6: Thursday, October 26, 2023
This morning, we get a little closer to nature as we partake in a guided nature walk of Monteverde with knowledgeable guides who will educate us on our surroundings.
Costa Rica is one of the most renown destinations in the world when it comes to coffee. This afternoon, we have the incredible opportunity to learn more about coffee and Costa Rican folklore on a tour with Don Juan Coffee. We will learn about the history, cultivation, and operation of a functioning coffee mill. Participants will also have the chance to pick coffee and take part in the different steps involved with coffee production.
This afternoon, we check in at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve’s Tropical Science Centre where we will stay for two nights. Our daily adventure doesn’t end here – we’re going ziplining! Fly like a bird as we take to the skies and explore the best zip lines and adventures that Costa Rica has to offer.
- Travel by boat to Monteverde
- Experience ziplining!
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7: Friday, October 27, 2023
Set your sights towards the Central Pacific! This morning we drive to one of the most exclusive resorts in all of Costa Rica to enjoy its beautiful white sand beaches and learn about the Ara Macaw Project! This incredible project is responsible for repopulating hundreds of Ara Macaws and getting these beautiful birds back in the Costa Rican skies.
- Learn about the Ara Macaw project
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 8: Saturday, October 28, 2023
Exciting planning is still underway for this day! Please stay tuned for additional details.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 9: Sunday, October 29, 2023
What an incredible week it has been, but it is time to say our farewells to Costa Rica and all the wonderful people we have met. Take a Little free time to make one last visit to the beautiful white Sands before heading back to San Jose to fly to Toronto. Hasta la próxima, Costa Rica.
Disclaimers: Be World Ready does their best to execute the itinerary as outlined above, however all elements are subject to change based on availability or requirement to adapt due to circumstances outside of our control. Students are reminded that it is their responsibility to research the entry requirements to the destination countries visited per their nationality and vaccination status.
* Price per student is in Canadian Dollars and reflects the Be World Ready (BWR) grant which has been applied to the total trip cost to heavily subsidize the rate per person for our Fall 2023 International Field Studies (IFS). Our future IFS BWR grants will not remain this high. To qualify for the full value of the BWR grant applied to this IFS, mandatory training and tasks are required to be completed, training and task expectations will be clearly communicated by BWR staff upon registration. Failure to complete the requirements as outlined by BWR staff will result in the value of the grant being billed back to the applicable student account, up to a maximum of $2500. Securing your seat on this trip will occur on a first come, first serve basis based on registration date, and meeting payment timelines.
