After your first night and introductory meeting in San José you will visit the crater of the impressive Poas Volcano and then visit don Gerardo’s workshop to learn about how Costa Rica’s giant masks are made.

You travel to the small town of Bijagual on the slopes of the Tenorio Volcano.  At Bijagual, near the border with Nicaragua, you stay at a lodge run by the local community (Las Heliconias) and learn about sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. You will have the opportunity to walk on the hanging bridges in the rainforest and to work with local people to support their community development project. While at Las Heliconias you will explore the jungle of the Tenorio Volcano National Park and swim in the warm volcanic waters of the Celeste River. Watch as the river changes from green to blue from the volcanic salts and minerals!

You travel across the northern plains of Costa Rica to the verdant and wild Rincón de la Vieja Volcano. Here you stay at the Rincon de la Vieja Agro-Ecological lodge and learn about the history of the community on the slopes of the volcano. You will be exhausted from your work in the community but you can soak away the exhaustion in the medicinal muds of the volcano’s hot springs. A local guide will take you to observe the volcano’s crater and you ride horse back through rainforest and agricultural land. Finally you journey through the mountains, pass beneath the Arenal Volcano, and return to San José.

After a refreshing night’s sleep and a final meeting to share everyone’s experiences it’s time to go back home.