Costa Rica Experience- Jan to July

Day 1: Arrival.

A member of staff will collect you from the airport and take you to the hostel accommodation in Alajuela. If your flight arrives before 6pm, you will be able to join the welcome dinner that we have organized for you in a great local restaurant where you will sample your fist taste of life in Costa Rica. Depending on the arrival time of your flight there may also be some free time before the meal for you to settle in.

Day 2: Getting started

It’s an early start today as we begin with your orientation; between 8.00am and 8:30am a Real Gap team member will come to the hostel to collect you, and walk you through the town of Alajuela to the Real Gap offices. Once at the offices breakfast will be served. The orientation session generally runs from 8.30am until approx 10.30am with a 15-minute break. After the orientation we will take you straight to the Caribbean coast the location of your first volunteer placement at the Turtle Conservation Project. A packed lunch will be provided.

Day 3-6: Turtle conservation

Here will begin a memorable volunteer placement on the beautiful Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica . We will spend 5 nights at the project in very rustic accommodation giving you a real back to basics experience. You’ll have the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of the project during your stay, activities may vary depending on the needs of the project at the time, but could range from beach patrols to releasing baby turtles back into the ocean!

Once we have finished the volunteering we head south down the beautiful Caribbean coast for the next part of the adventure.
 

Day 7: White water!

It’s a very early start today as we are collected to go white water rafting! Our rafting guides will meet us, and take us to where our tour begins. After a safety briefing, we start this adrenaline packed tour down class 3- 4 rapids, stopping for a picnic lunch at an Indian reserve.

The tour takes approximately 4 hours on the river, and we will be met at the end by our transport which will take us down the Caribbean coast to the town of Puerto Viejo (approx 2 ½ hours). Here we will stay in a beach house and the evening can be spent chilling out in a hammock with a few beers..... or a couple of rum and cokes whichever takes your fancy!

Day 8: Puerto Viejo- Free time

Today is a free day to explore the town of Puerto Viejo, one of Costa Rica's best known backpacker hotspots. You can hire a bike and explore the fantastic beaches, take a local tour of the area, or simply sit and chill in that hammock with another rum and coke! 
 

Day 9: Panama here we come!

Today we leave Costa Rica, only for a few days though, so don’t worry you will be coming back!
We take the 2 hour journey down to the border with Panama by public transport. After completing all the necessary immigration requirements, we are in a new country!
Once in Panama we travel by minibus down to the docks where we hop on the water taxi over to the beautiful islands of Bocas del Toro. From the border crossing, the journey is approximately 1.5 hours.
Our accommodation will be in a quiet hostel with an amazing decking area over the ocean, which is located on the main island of Isla Colon.
 

Please note that Immigration costs not included, typically you should budget between $30 to $40 (US) for the crossing.

Day 10: Mangroves and waterways

Today we will jump onto our kayaks, and head out on an adventure through the mangroves. The trip will last approx 4 hours, and be split into two groups depending on the number of people on your experience.
 

Day 11: Snorkelling in the Caribbean

It’s a full day today as we head out on the boat again! First stop is dolphin bay, to hopefully see these friendly mammals as they swim up close and play in the wake of the boat. Next, we head off to Coral Cay, to snorkel around the beautiful reef – if you’re lucky you may see moray eels, lobsters, rays and possible a turtle or two!
 

After snorkeling the tour stops for a lunch break (lunch not included) before continuing onto Bastimentos island, and the private Red Frog Beach. ($3 entrance fee not included)
 

Our last stop is another snorkel experience on a high drop off with a possibility that you may see sea horses, barracudas, crabs, and maybe even a nurse shark!
 

The trip will last for approximately 6 hours.
 

Day 12: Starfish beach

We’ll be taking a boat trip today to Starfish beach, locally known as Playa Estrella, which gets its name from the thousands of starfish that inhabit the area. Once we arrive you’ll have free time for the rest of the day to relax on the beach. If the weather isn´t great we will visit the small town of Bocas del Drago – where Christopher Colombus first stepped onto these islands!
 

Day 13: Scuba or surf anyone?

Today we head off to the remote Zapatillas Islands, a pristine marine national park which is approximately a 2 hour boat ride from Bocas del Toro. Here you’ll have the chance to be Robinson Crusoe, as you spend the day on these twin uninhabited islands. ( $5 park fee not included)

Day 14: Goodbye Panama

We say goodbye to Panama, and head back into the capital city of San Jose. Our accommodation is in a lively Hostel located in Barrio Amon in the centre of the city.

Day 15: Ziplining!

It will be an early start as we head off to our second volunteer project in San Ramon where you will be helping to build new homes for local people. 

En route to San Ramon will be spending the day on a zip lining tour through the forests approximately 1 hour from San Ramon in the mountains. In total there are 9 platform cables, a tarzan swing and 3 extra long cables! Whizzing through the canopy on a zip line is an experience not to be missed.

Day 16 to 20: House building for the locals of San Ramon

Our work schedule and construction site will be discussed with you once you arrive in Costa Rica; transport to and from your building site is not included during your days of project work, please budget around $3-$4 (US) per day.
 

Day 21: Volcano!

After breakfast, we will continue our travels by public transport to the magnificent Volcano Arenal – a must see on any trip to Costa Rica! The Arenal volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Americas. We stay in a family run hotel, with an amazing view of the perfect conical volcano outside! You’ll have free time to explore the charming town of La Fortuna, with plenty of souvenir shops, cafès and internet - or you may like to treat yourself to a massage after a week of building!

Day 22: Trekking and hot springs

We venture a bit closer to the Arenal Volcano today; we drive to the other side of the Volcano where we enter Volcan Arenal National Park. After a short hike through the dry tropical forest we reach the old lava flows from the huge eruption in 1968 where we can watch the volcano; if we’re lucky we may feel the ground tremble and see the the eruptions of ash and lava.

After hiking back down, our transport is waiting to take us to Baldi Hot Springs – natural thermal pools at the bottom of the smoldering volcano! There are 23 different pools of varying temperatures along with water slides, saunas, wet bars and botanical gardens all for you to explore and enjoy! If you’re lucky you may be able to see the lava flowing from the continuously erupting crater in the distance.

 

Day 25: Saddle up!

An early start today, as we have breakfast at the lodge, then head back into the town of Bijagua to pick up our steeds! We’ll spend 2 hours on horseback riding through the lush jungle and through rivers until we reach Volcan Tenorio National Park. Here we dismount, and continue on foot up through the trails of the park, until we reach the majestic Rio Celeste or “blue lagoon”, with a visit to the waterfall and the viewpoint along the way.

The hike will take approximately 3 hours and at the end of it a traditional lunch awaits us in a local “soda” (small Costa Rican diner serving local specialities).
 

Day 26: Surfers paradise

After breakfast we leave Las Heliconias, and head over to the Pacific coast and the beach town of Samara, a popular town for surfers. Tonight we stay in beach cabins right on the beach!
 

Day 27: Surfs up!

You’ll have free time today to chill out and enjoy the beach at Samara. For those choosing the adventure option, you’ll have your surf lessons today. We’ll start off with the basics by learning to stand on the board from the safety of the beach, then it’ll be time to hit the waves with your English speaking professional surf instructor for a hour long lesson; after the lesson you’ll be able to keep the board for a while to practice what you have learnt!
No meals are included.

Day 28: Reminisce

We should arrive back in San Jose in the afternoon where we will hop on another bus back to the hostel in Alajuela, where we started this fantastic adventure all that time ago.
 

A farewell dinner will be arranged for the evening where you can share your stories with your fellow travelling companions.
 

Day 29: Farewell

After what we trust has been a thoroughly enjoyable adventure it is time to bid farewell to Costa Rica and Panama. No activities are arranged for today but a transfer back to San Jose International Airport will be arranged for you.