Overview
An 18-day service trip for up to 24 teens, with about 40 hours of volunteering and a letter of completion afterwards. Projects are with long-standing local partners: caring for animals at Refugio Animal, a sanctuary that rescues, rehabilitates and releases injured Costa Rican wildlife; helping Siempre Amigos, a local NGO founded in 2011 that improves living conditions for low-income families in rural Guanacaste with jobs such as painting and building homes, beach preservation and fixing up community spaces; and brightening classrooms in local schools with Somos Picnic, then playing games with the pupils.
Staff lead reflection sessions on the work, with an emphasis on empathy and cultural sensitivity. In between there's plenty of adventure: the La Paz waterfall gardens, a coffee farm and a Latin dance class in the Central Valley, canyoning and hot springs by Arenal Volcano, a waterfall hike, a canopy zipline and mud baths at Rincón de la Vieja, surf lessons at Tamarindo and a whitewater rafting finale.
The group travels in a chartered air-conditioned coach with a professional local guide, stays in hotels and lodges (no homestays) and has all meals included. There's a separate departure for grades 7–8.
What's included
The itinerary
- Start Central Valley — Service at Refugio Animal, helping care for rescued wildlife, and at local schools with Somos Picnic — improving classrooms and running games with the pupils. Plus the La Paz waterfall gardens and wildlife refuge, the Doka coffee farm and a Latin dance class.
- Stop Arenal Volcano — The town of La Fortuna, thermal hot springs and a canyoning adventure in the rainforest.
- Stop Rincón de la Vieja — A hike to a waterfall with a swim, a zipline over the canopy, the natural mud baths and downtime at the eco-resort's pool.
- Stop Flamingo Beach — Service with Siempre Amigos in the local community — recent groups painted and built homes for families in need, helped with beach preservation and renovated a classroom and the football pitch. Plus surf lessons at Tamarindo and a beach bonfire.
- Finish Central Valley — A whitewater rafting day trip, goodbyes and the flight home from San José.
Where teens stay
Hotels and lodges in air-conditioned rooms shared with other teens, all with a pool: in the Central Valley, near Arenal Volcano, an eco-lodge at Rincón de la Vieja and a hotel near Flamingo Beach. There are no homestays — the operator keeps the group together for a good night's rest.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included every day — Costa Rican rice and beans, meat dishes and lots of fresh fruit, with Western options on the menu too. Vegetarian, kosher-style, gluten-free (coeliac) and lactose-free diets and most allergies can be catered for if you tell us in advance. Tap water is mostly fine, but the group refills bottles from containers of purified water.
More photos
Frequently asked questions
Which departure is right for my child?
Groups are put together by US school grade, so each departure has teens of a similar age. Grades 7–8 (roughly ages 12–14, a middle-school departure): Jun 29–Jul 16. Grades 9–11 (roughly ages 14–17): Jun 29–Jul 16, Jul 20–Aug 6. The grade is the one your child is in during the 2026–27 school year — we'll help you match it to your school system. Dates are the operator's official start and end dates.
What does the volunteering actually involve?
About 40 hours of hands-on work, done together as one group, with a letter of completion listing the hours and projects afterwards. At Refugio Animal teens help care for wildlife being rehabilitated for release. With Siempre Amigos in Flamingo they do practical building jobs — past groups painted and built homes, worked on beach preservation and renovated a classroom and the football facilities — and with Somos Picnic they improve school classrooms and run activities with the children. Exact projects are confirmed in late spring and are similar to these; staff lead reflection sessions throughout.
Is there a fixed day-by-day schedule?
The operator publishes the projects, stops and activities rather than a day-by-day plan, and confirms the final schedule in late spring. The order shown above is indicative; we'll send you the detailed itinerary once it's out.
How do flights and arrival work?
The trip starts and ends at San José (SJO) airport, so you book a return flight there. Please check the operator's arrival and departure time windows with us before buying anything non-refundable. Staff meet your child as they come through customs and take them to the group at no extra cost, and teens flying in from overseas can arrive the night before the official start with the extra hotel night included. The operator also runs a chaperoned group flight from South Florida (sometimes New York), which teens can connect to — but from Europe there are direct flights to Costa Rica from a few hubs, so a US connection isn't necessary. On the last day the leaders help with check-in and stay at the airport until flights in the set window have left.
What exactly is included in the price?
Hotels and lodges, breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, all the service projects and activities listed, the local guide, chartered coach transport, airport transfers for flights within the set time windows, tips and local taxes. Not included: flights to and from Costa Rica, snacks, spending money, laundry (a wash-and-fold service about once a week), the operator's application fee, and travel insurance — optional, but we strongly recommend it.
Is there a discount for enrolling early?
Yes — at the moment the operator takes US$300 off the tuition for early enrolment, so the 18-day trip costs US$5,899 instead of US$6,199. It's a limited-time offer and the operator can end it at any point, so ask us whether it still applies before you decide. The price shown on this page is the full tuition.
What is the difference between the 10-day and 18-day versions?
The 10-day trip covers the Central Valley, Rincón de la Vieja and Flamingo Beach, with about 30 service hours at Refugio Animal and with Siempre Amigos, and ends at Liberia airport. The 18-day trip adds Arenal Volcano and the school project with Somos Picnic, with about 40 service hours, and ends back in San José.
Does my child need a visa?
Families arrange travel documents themselves. Teens with an EU passport don't need a visa for a holiday-length stay in Costa Rica; the passport must be valid for the whole trip and border officers may ask to see the return ticket. If the route connects through the US — including the group flight from Florida — they also need an approved ESTA (the online US travel authorisation), so apply well ahead. For any other passport, ask us and we'll check what applies.
Who else will be in the group?
Mostly American teens — on most programs around 85% of participants come from the US, and the operator tries to limit how many teens from any one other country join each group. For an international teen that means a genuinely English-speaking group, which is a big part of the appeal.
How good does my child's English need to be?
At least a confident beginner level — the operator recommends A2 or above, since everything on the trip happens in English. Your child can ask for an English-speaking roommate, and one-to-one English conversation time with a staff member can be arranged daily or a few times a week.
Can my child come on their own?
Yes, and many do. The first days are built around icebreakers and getting-to-know-you activities, roommates are assigned and rotated, and the staff actively help everyone settle into the group.
Are phones allowed?
Yes. Teens can bring their phone, so you can call or message them directly. The operator also runs a communication centre that's staffed every day of the summer, with someone on call around the clock for emergencies.