We're excited to have your traveler join us on this unique 3rd Annual Foundation Trip to Costa Rica! This isn't your typical school tour- it's a one-of-a-kind journey that promises to immerse them in the beauty and culture of this part of Costa Rica. However, it's important to be aware of the following: 

Our travelers are not just tourists; they are explorers. They are here learn, engage, and understand the places they visit. We expect all participants to be open to new and different experiences, embrace challenges, and make efforts to expand their own comfort zones. We also expect all travelers to behave like ambassadors from their school, family, community, and country.

This Expedition isn’t a typical vacation—it’s a journey! It's about immersing yourself in the local culture, living like the locals, eating like the locals, and understanding the locals. It’s a backstage tour, not a spectator's seat. 

We expect all participants to be willing and ready for the Expedition. It is essential for travelers to review, in advance of travel, all aspects of the Expedition as they become available to them. This includes accommodations, room arrangements, meals, schedules, and the level of fitness required for each activity. Participating in activities may not be subject to choice. All travelers should be aware and willing from the start to participate to the best of their ability.

The Itinerary we have included is Preliminary. It will be mostly completed by January, and all final aspects (rooming arrangements, etc.) will be finalized by April. We will send you updates as soon as we have them. Please be aware that there are many pieces in play when traveling, and sometimes plans must change. These changes may not be within our control. 

Our tour operator for this trip is E&E Expeditions, https://ee-expeditions.com/.

This trip includes nine nights of lodging based on double, triple, or dormitory accommodations. As we are traveling to some remote areas and accommodations may be rustic. Students are housed in rooms of up to eight and may, in some locations, share double beds. It's important to note that all student travelers will be housed by gender assigned at birth, ensuring the safety and comfort of the group as a whole.

All meals once landed in Costa Rica are included. 

Water (please bring refillable water bottles) and snacks are provided. 

Airfare from Houston will be included.  Alternative arrangements must include your traveler meeting up with the group in Houston and they MUST be cleared with us prior to booking.  

Your airfare includes one checked bag (up to approximately 50 lbs—this weight determination depends on the airline's definition of heavy baggage) for each traveler. Excess fees for overweight baggage are not included. 

Most ground transportation, from airport arrival to airport departure, is in air-conditioned coach-type buses. Smaller buses (some may not have A/C) may be necessary for certain roads in more rural areas. Once in the country, students may ride public transportation (with the tour group), including buses and car services, as determined necessary and part of the travel by our tour operator. 

Expedition Mentality (EM) is the purposeful creation of a particular “group culture” for the trip. E&E Experiences excels at this nuanced process, and this is why we LOVE to travel with them. 

This approach to “turn lemons into lemonade” recognizes that even on the most meticulously planned trip, unexpected things happen, like weather or other things beyond our control, just like in life. This metaphor for life is what we hope they all will leave the expedition with. 

To build the group culture and start the EM so our travelers can hit the ground running in Spain, we will have opportunities to "meet up" between now and travel time. Since we are a unique group with travelers across the nation, these will be virtual, but if you are in Houston or willing to travel there, you can participate in person.  

Our chaperones play a crucial role in our group. They're not just there to ensure everyone's safety but also to facilitate group meetings and activities. We'll have a group introduction meeting with parents, travelers, chaperones, and E&E owners and guides, as well as chaperone-led meetings in the fall and spring. If you're in Houston or can travel there, you may have the opportunity to meet your chaperone and fellow travelers before the trip. We'll also have a group 'chat' with get-to-know-you and team-building activities led by our Jr. Chaperone and experienced youth travelers, ensuring that everyone feels part of our close-knit community.   

Your deposit is NOT REFUNDABLE.  We must pay it to hold your traveler's space with the tour company and their flight. If we are able to fill the traveler‘s space, we will refund this amount, but it is not refundable to us from our providers. 

If you decide to cancel 150 days or more before departure, you will receive a full refund minus your deposit. (this date has passed)

If you cancel your trip 90-149 days before departure, you will receive a 50% refund minus your deposit.

No refunds are provided for cancellation within 90 days of departure.  

Pura Vida! Welcome to San José and to the experiential learning adventure of a lifetime! 

Your bilingual naturalist guide/s will meet you at the airport and you will board our bus and head up into the mountains and into the cloud forest!  Settle into our off-the-grid, family-run eco-lodge, and meet the Seelye Family.  The Seelyes are pioneers of living off the grid in harmony with nature.  They are a family of exceptional naturalists and environmental crusaders. Thanks to their activism from a very young age they have managed to protect the magnificent primary forest.

Share a delicious tropical dinner as your guides set the tone for students owning their experience with active and engaged learning.  

Important Themes:

• Your guides will introduce our philosophy and the teaching themes that will cohesively link together the incredible wealth of information you will learn on the trip. 
• Your group will be introduced to the Expedition Mentality, our nuanced strategy for creating the strongest possible group culture. 
• Our first nightly circle will reinforce the Expedition Mentality and set the tone for the best possible experiential learning trip. 

Overnight: Seelye Family Farm, Cerro de la muerte.

 Today we explore life in the cloud forest - from living on a sustainable farm to the adaptations plants and animals have made for living in this unique environment. 

This morning we learn about life on an off-the-grid farm, helping to milk cows, gather eggs from the chickens, feed trout, and discover the many strategies for sustainable living that the Seelyes employ. In the afternoon, we take a breathtaking hike in this spectacular highland forest, hoping to glimpse a resplendent Quetzal. On our hike, we learn about the highland forest and see many unique species of plants, trees, and birds that are endemic to this area. We have a chance to visit the magical Castle Tree, a redwood relative that is believed to be 1000 years old. 

Share some time with the Seelye family and enjoy a cooking activity.

Important Themes:

• Strategies for living sustainably "off the grid" or in your hometown
• How people live with (or removed from) nature
• Flora, fauna, and the watersheds of the cloud forest and Paramo forest

Overnight:  Seelye Family Farm

Today we have the chance to experience ecotourism at its best, taking part in an activity that helps protect fragile ecosystems while providing jobs for locals and enjoyment and learning for participants

This morning we head to the banks of the Pacuare River for an unforgettable day of white water rafting on class III and IV rapids.   As your group works together to move down the river, the bonds formed through the Expedition Mentality strategies employed throughout the trip will be apparent.  This scenic and famous river slices through pristine rainforest and mountain gorges, which drop the most beautiful waterfalls right alongside our raft. 

The Pacuare River is famous for its incredible scenery - its unique canyon, extraordinary biodiversity, pure and free-running waters,s and thrilling rapids.  Feel the spray of one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the tour, which cascades powerfully into the river itself. 

The Pacuare is considered among the ten most beautiful rivers in the world and is also one of the top five for whitewater rafting.

In the afternoon we reach our rustic accommodations on the banks of the river.

Important Themes:

• Conservation Areas
• Water cycles
• Eco-tourism and economic alternatives to deforestation

Overnight: River Sanctuary Eco-Lodge

Today, we wake up to the sound of this powerful river and get ready to explore the area.

Located in the Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica, in an area that forms a geological connection between the Central Volcanic and the Talamanca mountain ranges, this forest works as a corridor, which facilitates gene flow between countless populations and species. If this area were to be clear-cut and developed, the impact on biodiversity would be devastating. Habitat fragmentation is, by far, the biggest threat for wildlife species worldwide. The first step to prevent species loss is protection of remaining natural ecosystems, then working to maintain and increase functional connectivity between them. This is the cornerstone of modern conservation efforts.

Our young explorers will venture into the wild and choose from easy to challenging mountain trails, finding wildlife and their tracks, endemic plant species, rock pools, creeks, and waterfalls. 

On the program today: hike to the local waterfall for a swim and plant a tree.

Important Themes:

• Habitat protection & scientific research. 
• Cultural heritage and sustainable tourism.

Overnight: River Sanctuary Eco-Lodge  Early Morning transfer to the hills of Malaga for a fantastic and easy 7 km hike across and above the canyon of the "Caminito del Rey," a walkway pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge originally built in 1905 to provide access to hydroelectric powerplants. The walkway had fallen into disrepair and was partially closed for over a decade. After four years of extensive repairs and renovations, it re-opened in 2015. It has now been adapted and secured so that it is accessible to a wide audience of nature lovers.

The route of the Caminito del Rey is one of the most famous in the province of Malaga, but also in the whole of Spain. You will be able to see one of the most spectacular landscapes of the Málaga mountain range, with steep walls and considerable height. 

Overnight & Dinner: Malaga Old Quarter

Today, we board our raft to head down the rapids of Pacuare. After a pleasant last picnic on the river, we will transfer down the coast to a remote scientific station.

These next days are spent at Pacuare Nature Reserve, established in 1989, with almost 2000 acres of tropical forest and 6 kms of beach, which is one of the most important nesting sites in the country of the endangered leatherback turtle. Here, we will take part in the turtle census and with luck, witness at close range the nesting process - an unforgettable experience for all who have seen it.  From June to September, thousands of baby leatherback turtles hatch.  Pacuare Reserve and the surrounding canals are rich in wildlife, with over 300 recorded species of animals, 3 species of monkeys, over 200 species of birds,  and rarer species such as jaguar and ocelot.

During these days, we will focus on data collection, the protection of eggs and nesting turtles, as well as other conservation duties with our new friends. Our work here involves night patrols and hatchery shifts as well as daytime work like beach cleanups or involvement in small projects, such as maintenance of the equipment, including initial construction of the hatcheries. We may also get involved in other research projects with Primates.

Important Themes

-Endangered marine species

-Evolution and adaptation of sea turtles  

-Global connectedness of the oceans and the future of our seas

Curriculum Activities:

• field investigation 
• Invasive species 
• Sustainability
• presentations 

Overnight: Pacuare Reserve Station Today, we wake up to the sound of this powerful river and get ready to explore the area.

Located in the Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica, in an area that forms a geological connection between the Central Volcanic and the Talamanca mountain ranges, this forest works as a corridor, which facilitates gene flow between countless populations and species. If this area were to be clear-cut and developed, the impact on biodiversity would be devastating. Habitat fragmentation is, by far, the biggest threat for wildlife species worldwide. The first step to prevent species loss is protection of remaining natural ecosystems, then working to maintain and increase functional connectivity between them. This is the cornerstone of modern conservation efforts.

Our young explorers will venture into the wild and choose from easy to challenging mountain trails, finding wildlife and their tracks, endemic plant species, rock pools, creeks, and waterfalls. 

On the program today: hike to the local waterfall for a swim and plant a tree.

Important Themes:

• Habitat protection & scientific research. 
• Cultural heritage and sustainable tourism.

Overnight: River Sanctuary Eco-Lodge 

 This morning we say our farewell to the local researchers and volunteers and transfer by boat across the canals. Once back on our bus, we will continue east towards the shores of the Caribbean Sea.

In Cahuita and Puerto Viejo you will experience the Creole culture of Costa Rica. 

The area was first settled by African-Caribbean fishermen who moved their families to the area in 1828. They not only brought their possessions but also brought along the African-Caribbean culture and influence, which can still be observed today. This cultural blend is evident in the local cuisine, music, and way of life. Live reggae and calypso music often fills the air, adding to the vibrant atmosphere.

Souvenir hunt and then relax in the afternoon in our cozy lodge by the sea.

Important Themes:

• Expedition lifestyle vs holiday lifestyle.
• The Creole culture

Overnight: Puerto Viejo/Cahuita Area

 This morning, we head to the banks of the Cahuita National Park, a 1067-hectare park that hugs the turquoise Caribbean coast.  Here we search for Howler and White-faced monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and basilisks, and also snakes like the tinsel and tamagá.  We spend the morning in the park learning about coastal ecology. We will go for a short hike all the way to Cahuita point, but also make a few stops to enjoy the beaches for swimming or just relaxing.

The park is a perfect example of sustainable development at the community level, thanks to its shared management between the local community and government. 

In the afternoon we visit a local indigenous family with strong ties to their ancestral culture and well-known local activists.

The Bribri are an indigenous people of Costa Rica. About 15,000 in number, they live in several small towns in the southern part of the Cordillera de Talamanca and are one of the oldest and most powerful tribes in the country. After almost disappearing (due to being absorbed by the Hispanic culture), the Bribri have been refounding their communities, respecting their customs and traditional life. 

The Bribri live mainly from agriculture (coffee, cocoa, and banana plantations). We will have the unique opportunity to meet the people and experience an ancestral culture through a Cocoa Tour experience.

Important Themes:

• The importance of the National Park system to Costa Rica’s economic, environmental, and social well-being
• Biodiversity in the rainforest: Symbiotic, mutualistic, and parasitic relationships.
• Indigenous cultures

Overnight: Puerto Viejo / Cahuita AreaThe Oldest City In Western Europe

Founded in 1100 BC by the Phoenicians, Cádiz is one of the oldest inhabited cities in western Europe. It was occupied by different nations, including the Carthaginians, Visigoths, Romans, and Muslims.

Today we explore Cadiz and learn about its history and place in Greek mythology through a visit to the Gadir archaeological site. Discover how different modern-day Cádiz actually is from what was found by the Phoenicians, who arrived here 3,000 years ago from Tyre in Lebanon.  We will walk the old town, meet its inhabitants, visit its fish market and finally try (and even learn to cook) its delicacies. Then, relax on the seafront Caleta beach and meet local fishermen.

 Today we head back for a relaxing morning on the beach, enjoying the sights on our last day in Costa Rica

Relax, play in the water, check out the wildlife in the bordering jungle (howler monkeys just love playing up the in trees right by). 

After a nice lunch, some free time, and even some time for souvenir hunting,  we will board our bus and take the road back to San José.

Once in our little lodge on the outskirts, we will prepare our goodbye ceremony, enjoy a tropical dinner before going to bed.

Important Themes:

• Individual environmental impact and how to take positive strategies learned Costa Rica to your community back home
• Reflect on what was learned
• Choices as a consumer

Overnight: San José

On our final day together, we’ll enjoy a last group breakfast, head to the airport, bid our guides a fond farewell, and return home with memories of our E&E Expedition that will last a lifetime! 

We hope to inspire all those who participate in our community engagement programs to go beyond the surface to explore further, so they understand a country through its nature, culture, food, people, and relationships. 

We strive to educate and expand the comfort zones of students and teachers, helping them grow to become aware travelers, and coming to better understand how we can each contribute in the most meaningful ways to serve both our home communities and those around the world. 

Pura vida!