Bienvenidos, welcome!

Families arrive throughout the day on flights into San Jose’s international airport. A driver will greet you on arrival and bring you from the airport to first-night accommodations at a comfortable hotel outside San Jose. Program activities begin the next morning. Meanwhile, settle in, rest up, and enjoy the beautiful, extensive gardens.

Meet your fellow participants, and get acquainted during the morning’s drive through multiple climate zones and the corresponding diversity of scenery. Costa Rica is home to several spectacular volcanoes, and Poas is one of the most accessible. On the way to your camp at La Quinta, you will stop to learn about the tectonic landscape. If you are lucky, when you stand at the volcano’s lip, you’ll have a cloud-free view across the mile-wide crater.

Then, continue on to La Quinta, your base camp for the week’s adventures. A group orientation will introduce the lay of the land and the activities that will be available throughout the week. See the frog walk, butterfly house, caiman pond, herb and vegetable gardens, swimming pool, game room, and cozy areas to read, write, or watch tropical birds.

After a traditional Costa Rican dinner cooked with ingredients grown in La Quinta’s garden, you can choose how to spend your evening. Late-night options throughout the trip include a “critters of the night” hike, starlit swim, and singing, dancing, and language activities.

After breakfast, venture to La Selva Biological Station, a world-class preserve run by the Organization for Tropical Studies. Part of central Costa Rica’s continuous greenbelt of connected parks, this is the best spot in the region to spot a wealth of bird, mammal, insect, and reptile species. Learn about the scientific endeavors of student groups who travel here to conduct research.

In the afternoon, set out on a scouting walk around the La Quinta grounds, then prepare for tomorrow’s visit to a local school by planning activities and learning a few Spanish words before bed.

This morning early risers will have the opportunity to take a pre-breakfast bird walk with one of the region’s bird experts.

After breakfast, visit a local school where cross-cultural activities will help you connect with Costa Rican kids, irrespective of the extent of your Spanish repertoire. The morning may culminate in a game of fútbol (soccer, for us Americans).

Throughout the week, young trip participants can check off their nature finds and activities to become camper-naturalists. In the afternoon, a riverboat safari will help young spotters with their checklists. Many birds and monkeys live on the edges of the forest that are exposed to the water, and if you’re lucky (and quiet), you can find large reptiles.

Enjoy a pizza dinner in the town of Puerto Viejo and free time for wandering the shops. Then, head back to camp.

This morning set out to visit the property of a local conservation activist whose efforts have rehabilitated the green macaw population. Afterward, select from optional activities: take a sustainable crafts class, making artistic creations out of recycled local materials like pineapple husks and used containers; play games on the La Quinta grounds; or, choose an off-camp activity like a horseback trail ride through the forest. (Extra fees may apply for off-camp options.)

Then, in the late afternoon, head to Tirimbina Nature Preserve for an interactive demonstration of chocolate-making using rainforest-grown cacao. Before heading back to camp for the night, an interactive bat program will introduce you to some of the dozens of species of bats that live in Costa Rica’s rainforest.

Some campers may choose to partake of adventure activities, such as whitewater rafting, rainforest canopy ziplines, or horseback riding (additional fees will apply). For those who prefer a morning around camp, you can enjoy a massage, try to spot additional creatures from your naturalist checklist, or laze by the poolside.

End your week of Adventure Camp with a fiesta! Begin by making an authentic Costa Rican ice cream treat.  Enjoy a local-style BBQ party, a special closing circle, Latin dancing, and party activities into the night!

The time has come to say goodbye to La Quinta. Swap e-mail addresses with your new camp friends to share photos once you’re home. Hasta luego … Until next time … !

Not ready to go home? Consider extending your trip through the weekend with an extension to Tortuguero National Park, a remote wildlife haven and home to nesting sea turtles. Tourists can often witness egg-laying during summer months.