Custom Programs

Costa Rica

Conservation, Spanish & the Heart of the Rainforest

Cross-Cultural Immersion, Environmental Conservation, Global Competencies, Spanish Immersion

From 8 Days

Dive into the rainforest, get outdoors, practice your Spanish, and contribute meaningfully to a host community. Costa Rica has it all. On this unique Global Routes trip, groups have the opportunity to make deep connections with a host community. Participants learn to speak, cook, and participate in the traditions integral to reciprocal exchange.

Dates

Available Year-Round

Ages

14+

Availability

Spaces available

Group size

Up to 18 students

tuition

From $1,995+

Tuition costs can vary depending on your group size and itinerary.

Program overview

Live and work with members of your host community as you gain a new appreciation for rural life and learn about the critical link between development and environmental protection.

Improve your Spanish as you work alongside community members on a service project or enjoy a warm meal of gallo pinto with your host community. In the rainforest, you’ll climb giant trees, forage for medicinal plants, learn Costa Rican homestyle cooking, and zip-line across the canopy. Whitewater raft on the Savegre river, through deep canyons and lush tropical rainforest. Relax, swim and take surfing lessons in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Spend time near a small rural village outside of San Isidro de El General. Here, in the hilly farmland of southern Costa Rica, you rise in the mornings to the sight of clouds enveloping the valley below. During the day, join your group and community members as you pass cinderblocks from hand-to-hand towards the completion of a construction project.

highlights

Practice your Spanish while playing soccer, cooking, and connecting with a host community.

Set out on a whitewater rafting trip through a beautiful forested canyon, where waterfalls tumble from all directions.

Relax on tranquil tropical beaches, explore a local waterfall, and spend an afternoon learning to surf.

interested in this program?

know before you go:

Itineraries in Costa Rica frequently involve outdoor adventure, whether that be whitewater rafting, hiking, ziplining, and more.

We’ve run programs in Costa Rica for decades! We’re proud of and grateful for the deep connections we share in communities throughout the country, making for impactful cross-cultural experiences.

Itineraries are custom-designed and created to fit your needs, length of travel, and scope. Depending on your group’s goals and the time of year, your program designer can guide you as to which activities may be available.

design a program

Take the first step here

We’re excited to collaborate with you! From ideation to delivery, our team of experiential education experts can work with you to identify your goals and make your custom trip a reality.

Submit the interest form below & one of our program designers will reach out to answer questions or deliver a custom proposal.

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FAQ

What is a custom program?

Global Routes is an industry leader in the field of experiential education. We have led over 10,000 students on immersive and transformative experiences abroad since 1967. Our primary mission is to support educators in their curriculum goals by facilitating exceptional global learning experiences.

In addition to offering 4-5 week open-enrollment summer programs for high school students, we also love working with schools, camps, and groups to design and develop custom programs and courses.

What's the program model or pedagogy?

Each custom program we design is unique. We use the foundation of our global partner network to craft a trip itinerary that encapsulates the tenets of our Global Routes programs:

Immersive experiences
Deep reflection and debrief
Rooted in the experiential education learning cycle
Meaningful opportunities to dive deep and connect with host communities
Collaboration with local experts and innovators

Who can build a custom program with Global Routes?

We design and deliver experiences for educators, administrators, and group leaders – basically anyone who has a group interested in experiential education as a modality for learning!

How do I begin?

Start by completing our Custom Program Interest Form. From there, a staff member will reach out to you to learn more about your goals and offer more insights into the custom program process!