Costa Rica
Service & La Fortuna Exploration
About the Program
Experience the perfect blend of meaningful service and thrilling outdoor adventure in Costa Rica. Students will participate in hands-on community service projects that make a positive impact, while also enjoying exciting activities like zip-lining through the rainforest and exploring Costa Rica’s natural beauty. This program combines service with adventure, fostering teamwork, personal growth, and a deeper connection to the environment and local communities.
Itinerary
Discover the exciting adventures and impactful moments that await each day on this itinerary!
- Group flight arrival to San Jose (SJO). Go through customs, pick up luggage, and meet your stellar Global Works trip leaders
- Transfer via private bus to hotel
- Arrival at the hotel, safety briefing, and snacks
- Transfer to La Fortuna
- Travel to SKYTREK for a thrilling zip line canopy adventure
- Lunch and souvenir shopping in La Fortuna
- Head to a local organic dairy farm for a cheese-making workshop this afternoon – learn about permaculture, local ecology, and micro-business
- Settle into our locally-owned lodging for a service project orientation
- Dinner at the lodge
- Visit a local wildlife rehabilitation center. Learn about local ecology, animal trafficking, and species protection. Take part in a small volunteer project on site that may include preparing food, feeding animals, or enclosure upkeep
- Transfer to a local community for lunch!
- Afternoon introduction to our service projects in the community – typical projects include: pouring the foundation for a community center, planting organic school gardens, painting and tiling a community kitchen, constructing a plant nursery, teaching English lessons
- Return to the hotel, rest time, take a swim or a break in a hammock!
- Tasty dinner at the lodge
- Continue to work with friends in a nearby community on community development and environmental projects
- Lunch prepared by local families
- Break from projects for opportunities of exchange like soccer games, English and Spanish intercambios, and excursions
- Evening salsa and latin dance class
- Wrap up service projects this morning
- Lunch prepared by local families, along with a farewell ceremony to close out our time in the community
- Transfer to San Jose – stop for an exciting (and delicious) chocolate tour along the way! Learn about growing cacao, the importance of cacao to the Costa Rican economy, and try your hand at making your own treat!
- Continue along to San Jose for a final celebratory dinner
- Bus transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule
Educational Focus & Highlights
Build, Learn, Connect
Work directly on community-driven service projects, such as building community centers, planting organic gardens, or supporting local infrastructure initiatives. Students actively work alongside local community members.
Conservation and Wildlife Exploration
Discover sustainable farming practices at a family-run organic farm, followed by hands-on wildlife conservation efforts at a rehabilitation center. Learn about eco-friendly agriculture and the importance of preserving Costa Rica’s unique biodiversity.
Connect Through Culture
Get immersed in Costa Rican culture through local meals, language practice, and shared activities. Students teach English, learn Spanish, and participate in a final celebratory fiesta with the community.
Soar Through the Jungle
Experience the thrill of a zip-line tour through the rainforest canopy.
Gallery
Lodging
Participants
Participants stay in comfortable, dorm-style rooms that typically accommodate 4-6 students per room. These accommodations are carefully selected and often include locally run hotels or eco-lodges that reflect the culture of the area. Each location is selected to have private meeting spaces for group activities, ensuring both a supportive and appropriate environment for our programs.
Chaperones
Chaperones can expect to stay in private rooms, unless otherwise noted by the Global Works operations team. These rooms are located in the same facility as the student accommodations, allowing for a peaceful environment to relax and recharge without compromising proximity to the group. During homestays, chaperones typically have a choice to either stay with a homestay family or in a nearby hotel (location dependent).
Bring Your Classroom to the World
Collaborate with Global Works on an impactful service-learning travel program for your students.
