

COSTA RICA
CLOUD FOREST COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
A 14-Day Service Learning Program







Costa Rica

Program Details
Dates: | June 20 – July 3 July 7 – July 20 |
Duration: | 14 days |
Tuition: | $4,195 |
Arrive: | San Jose, CR* |
Depart: | San Jose, CR* |
Grade | 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th (Students Grouped According to Age) |
*Optional Leader Escorted Flight from Miami
Learn More About Us
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Spotlight Community Service Project
- Work Alongside Local Residents on Critical Infrastructure Projects in Remote Communities
- Build Your Spanish Skills While Living in a Rural Cloud Forest Village
- Catch a Wave While Learning to Surf the Peaceful Waves of the Pacific Ocean
- Feel the Adrenaline Rush of a Thrilling Zipline Over the Rainforest Canopy
- Whitewater Raft Class II-IV Rapids on the Breathtaking Pacuare River
- Trek to Secluded Rainforest Waterfalls and Relax in Refreshing Natural Swimming Pools
- Immerse Yourself in the “Pura Vida” Culture of This Beautiful Central American Country
- Community Service Hours
Spotlight Project
Mollejones Cultural Exchange & Homestays
Visit a remote Costa Rican village high in the misty cloud forests, founded by local residents who settled in this stunning mountain landscape over a generation ago. Here we meet friendly families who graciously open their homes to us for a one-of-a-kind cultural immersion experience unlike any other. We learn traditional cooking techniques and the rich history of this place from the village elders. We return their generosity by assisting with infrastructure improvements and teaching at the local school. During our time in the community we experience the warmth and simplicity of Costa Rican culture while helping to support the needs of this amazing place.
Program Overview
The Costa Rica: Cloud Forest Community Initiative program is the perfect blend of service and adventure. Live alongside locals in a remote ranching village high in the cloud forest, helping to work on valuable infrastructure projects. Organize a community soccer match and English lessons with students from a rural elementary school and build your own Spanish speaking skills while living in a traditional Costa Rican community.. Experience the natural beauty of this majestic nation while rafting through thrilling rapids on the world-famous Pacuare River, and stay at a beautiful river lodge surrounded by monkeys, sloths, and tropical butterflies. Learn to surf on the gentle waves of the Pacific Ocean off Costa Rica’s beautiful palm-fringed beaches. Sample locally-grown chocolate and coffee, and learn the art of hand-making delicious tortillas and empanadas. Explore lush rainforests, unspoiled coastlines, and refreshing waterfalls, while experiencing the “Pura Vida” lifestyle that makes Costa Rica one of the happiest places on earth!
Photo Gallery
Program Details
Arrival into San Jose
Arriving into San Jose, we gather together for the first time and start with an exciting orientation to this new country and culture. Here we get to know the group and start to adjust to “Tico time”, sample our first local cuisine, and practice some basic Spanish phrases to use over the course of the trip.
Cartago Cloud Forest Village
Our community service project brings us directly into the lives of Costa Rican youth and adults. We bring much-needed supplies to a local school and for three days we engage with the village students through soccer games and English lessons. Our days are filled with cultural exchange as we organize and lead activities, songs, and games, and participate in unique cultural exchanges with our homestay families. Our efforts are rewarded by the smiles and laughter of our new Costa Rican friends, and a better understanding of the day-to-day lives of this amazing community.
Surfing & Sun on the Pacific Coast
Our travels next take us to the unspoiled beaches of the Pacific Coast, home to superb wave breaks and quirky surf culture. Here our professional surf guides share the secrets to catching the perfect wave, helping us learn the skills needed to shred waves like an expert! By the end of two days we are practically guaranteed to be standing on our boards and surfing with confidence. We spend the evenings on the warm sand, watching some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world over the Pacific ocean.
Rafting the Rio Pacuare
The volcanoes and mountains of the Andean-Sierra Madre chain form the spine of Costa Rica, from which pour gorgeous rivers perfect for whitewater rafting. Of these rivers, the Rio Pacuare is arguably the best. As we paddle the Class II-IV rapids of this world-famous river, we pass under towering waterfalls, a wilderness of dense jungle, and hear the calls of tropical birds and monkeys. Spend two nights at a beautiful eco-lodge overlooking the river, which acts as our home base for a number of exciting adventures, including a zipline through the rainforest canopy and swimming at natural waterslides.
Savegre Farming Community
ARCC groups have visited communities in the coffee-growing high country of Savegre every summer since 1994. The families in these regions live quietly and humbly, yet annually welcome us with open arms. We get a unique glimpse into another world where life is blissfully simple and pure. Side by side with our village hosts, we lend a hand in any way we can to make improvements to their modest communities. We may repair communal buildings or roads in the village, assist with farm animal care, or work on a greenhouse project to grow saplings of native plants. The joy and gratitude of the village for our efforts is something we will not soon forget.
Returning to San Jose, we spend the last night together as a group enjoying a traditional ARCC “Final Feast”, celebrating with our new friends and reliving the adventures from the past two weeks, eager to return home and share the stories with our family and friends!
Program Reviews
“Christian has gained a better understanding of the global needs that people have. He has gained a new desire to want to travel the world and help people in the process. He is more willing to serve people and is a lot happier now as a result of his ARCC experience.”
— Parent of Christian S., New York, NY“We were all friends immediately. I feel like a better person now that I have finished this trip.”
— Zach B., Mill Valley, CA, ARCC Student“One of the best things about this trip was disconnecting our son to technology. He commented on the ride back from the airport as to how easy it was to connect to people because there were no phones, iPads or computers.”
— Parent of Jack L., Ross, CA“Eliza came back from the trip empowered, confident and energized. Over those two weeks, she became a citizen of the world; building on her natural compassion, she developed new understanding of the human spirit across geographic boundaries.”
— Parent of Eliza G., Hinsdale, IL“This was my second ARCC trip in a row and ARCC is now 2 for 2. All I can think about already is where I’d want to go next. I can’t wail till I’m old enough to be a trip leader.”
— Tyler O., Pleasantville, NY, ARCC Student“Nate came home much more confident in himself, and I could tell he was proud to have achieved this goal of traveling without his parents. He knows now that he can make new friends, be a leader, and take charge of situations.”
— Parent of Nathaniel W., Medford, OR“I have been to many places, but this is the most life changing experience I have ever had.”
— Robert P., Morganville, NJ, ARCC Student“The best decision I have ever made was to attend an ARCC Costa Rica trip. I gained tons of new experiences and friends that will last a lifetime.”
— Chris S., New York, NY, ARCC Student
Group Journal Excerpts
Below you will find several Group Journal excerpts, written by ARCC students during their classic Costa Rica Summer Program:
Helping out on the Farm
On Sunday the 27th, we all had a very early start in order to arrive in San Isidro on time. After about three and a half hours of driving we made a pit stop at a crocodile bridge where we all bought souvenirs and delicious milkshakes. We then proceeded across the bridge, periodically stopping to…Read more
Rafting and Ziplining
Hola from El Cairo!!! We just finished rafting! We headed to the river yesterday morning, had a safety talk from our awesome guides, suited up in life jackets and helmets, and then loaded into boats and floated away! The morning was filled with class 2 and 3 rapids, a quick stop to hike to an…Read more
Surf’s Up!
For the cook crew and leaders of the day, today began at 5:30. They labored in the kitchen making delicious pancakes for an hour. At 6:30, we were all up, eating and talking about surfing. When Luigi and Fredo came to our campsite at 7:30, we were ready to go, rash guards and all. We…Read more
Teaching English
Last night we were presented with a challenge. All 17 of us had to stand on a tarp and, without stepping off, had to flip it over. However, the people who had done it before were not allowed to speak. We were honestly kind of lost. We had some brainstorming discussions, tried a few techniques…Read more
The End of a Wonderful Adventure
Today we woke up in the beautiful lodge to a light rain and headed down for breakfast at 7:30. For breakfast we had delicious banana pancakes, eggs and fruit. After a great breakfast, we gathered on the deck to prepare for ziplining. The instructors helped us slip into our harnesses, we grabbed some helmets and…Read more
Common Questions
What should I pack?
Each program has a specific packing list that has been designed to fit the program’s activities, length, climate, and cultural differences. You will receive this packing list in the comprehensive Welcome Packet that is sent to all students after they enroll in a program.
What is the weather like in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, the weather is a lot like Florida in the summer time. During the day it can be hot, sunny and humid (80’s-90’s). Late afternoons often bring showers, which will cool us off. Some days you will go to bed with only a simple cover as it is often warm enough to sleep without your sleeping bag. When we ascend into the high elevation rainforest and cloud forest, the temperature becomes cooler (in the 50’s at night).
What are the service projects like?
The specific service projects that each group will work on depend on the needs of the communities at the time that the groups are there. Possibilities include: teaching English, constructing bridges in a small village, making improvements to community buildings or schools, planting trees, or environmental education and village clean-up.
What kind of health precautions should I take before traveling on this program?
Costa Rica is a relatively clean and safe place to travel. However, ARCC does recommend that you take some health precautions before your program. When you enroll in the program, you will receive more detailed information on pertinent travel vaccinations and immunizations. Please also refer to the Traveler’s Health section of the CDC website. Our leaders carry a full first-aid kit and are all certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR).
Where will we sleep?
During this program we sleep in a variety of accommodations: small hotel, community homes, or jungle ecolodge.
What is the transportation like once we are in Costa Rica?
Typically we will take a private 20-person shuttle from place to place. When traveling to more remote areas we will occasionally split into two groups and use smaller 4-wheel drive vehicles.
What is the food like?
On this program, you will experience typical Costa Rican fare – rice and beans. This staple is supplemented with a delicious assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. The group will also be creating the menu and preparing the meals during some sections of the program. Vegetarians and medical dietary requirements (i.e. allergies) are catered for. It does help if we are informed of this prior to departure date. Students should inform ARCC of any dietary needs before the start of the program.
How much money should I bring?
We suggest you bring about $75 per week on your program. This is for souvenirs, laundry, and other incidentals. ARCC pays for all meals, lodging, transportation and activities. There is some time to shop for souvenirs in San Jose and elsewhere during the program. We recommend you bring some of your money in cash and the rest on an ATM card. In Costa Rica the official currency is the Colon, but US dollars are widely accepted. We suggest that you carry about $25 of your money in small denominations (1’s and 5’s). Visa and MasterCard are also widely accepted. We do not recommend Traveler’s checks. ATM’s are found in San Jose, but are limited outside the city. As with any international program, we strongly recommend talking to your bank about its international withdrawal policies to avoid any surprise fees or card cancellations.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, all students traveling to Costa Rica need to have a valid passport. Please make sure the passport expiration date is at least six months after your program start date. Be sure to make a photocopy of your passport and keep it in a separate place. If you lose your passport and you have a photocopy, it is much easier to replace.
Do I need a visa?
No. US and Canadian Citizens do not need a visa for this program. Visa requirements for other countries vary by country; please consult the Belize Immigration website to see if your specific country requires a Belize entry visa.
What is the time difference between Costa Rica and the USA?
During the summer, Costa Rica is on Mountain Time. Therefore, on your program the time will be 2 hours earlier than in New York (Eastern Time) and 1 hour later than in San Francisco (Pacific Time).
How often can we take showers and do laundry?
Students are taught how to hand wash their clothes by their leaders, and will have the opportunity to do so throughout the program. Due to the remote locations we travel to, students do as the locals do, and use the warm Costa Rican sun to line dry their clothes. For ease of travel, quick dry clothes are recommended on the packing list.
Do I really need to bring a backpack, or can I bring a rolling suitcase on this program?
You will want to bring two pieces of luggage: your main bag and a daypack. Your main bag should be a backpack, travel backpack or large duffel bag. This larger piece of luggage should be approximately 4,500-5,000 cubic inches or 70-75 liters, and should be able to hold everything on your Clothing & Equipment List. The daypack should be large enough to hold an extra layer of clothing, a water bottle, sunscreen, some snacks, etc. Some travel backpacks come with an attached daypack that you can zip off and use. Otherwise, your school backpack is a good option. When you travel, you should plan to check your large piece of luggage and bring the daypack on the plane as your carry-on.
Please keep in mind that while you will not be doing traditional backpacking on this program, the group will be navigating through airports, on and off buses, up and down stairways, and taking short hikes on unpaved paths. The group will be able to move much more efficiently if everyone is carrying their belongings on their back.
You will also need to pack an EMPTY small duffel bag inside your main piece of luggage. When you get to Costa Rica, you will use this duffel bag to store certain items that you will not use during specific sections of your program.
Do I need to speak Spanish to join this program?
No. English is widely spoken in Costa Rica and your leaders and local guides will speak both English and Spanish.
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19800 Village Office Ct.
Suite 200
Bend, OR 97702
(415) 332-5075
Email ARCC
Contact Us
19800 Village Office Ct.
Suite 200
Bend, Oregon 97702
(415) 332-5075
Email ARCC