After Class Activities

Our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, and everyday life after your class is over. Costa Rica has something for everybody! Most of the below excursions and activities can be reached easily from the school location.

Examples of typical cultural opportunities: enjoying the active city nightlife, attending traditional folk music and dance, hiking/walking in the surrounding areas, visiting local Boca bars or participating in cooking classes. Get yourself started for a trip to San José with the links below:

Butterfly Farm

This farm features thousands of live butterflies in all stages of the life cycle (eggs, larvae, chrysalides, and adults) in an enclosed tropical garden. All visitors will receive an hour-long guided tour and learn about the natural history of the butterfly and the farm s operations.

Monteverde Cloud Forest

In the private Monteverde Reserve, you will see the richest and most abundant displays of epiphytes in the world: ferns, orchids, and bromeliads (where the famous Resplendent Quetzal bird finds protection). There is also a lot of wildlife: monkeys, toucans, bellbirds, etc and a special "Hummingbird Gallery" where numerous hummingbirds come to feed. In addition to the private reserves in the area, you can visit a cheese and ice cream factory, butterfly farm and snake museum, and go horseback riding.

Rain Forest Aerial Tram

The Rain Forest Aerial Tram is located in a private reserve an hour away from San José and offers visitors a bird s eye view of the rainforest. The tour includes a 1.5 hour guided tour on a modified ski lift through primary and secondary forest, a guided nature hike and a film about the rain forest and the construction of the tram.

Irazu Volcano

This active volcano is located 55 km from San José. The trip, easily done by public bus and you can also stop in Cartago to visit the Basi­lica de Los Angeles, Patron Saint of Costa Rica. As you climb the slopes to the volcano you ll pass through the most important potato producing area of the country. The view at the volcano is spectacular. On a very clear day it is possible to see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Coffee Tour

Costa Rican coffee is well known around the world for its strong flavor and tantalizing aroma. Cafe Britt, widely known for its gourmet coffee, offers visitors a trip through a coffee farm near Barba. You will enjoy a multimedia presentation about the history of coffee, a visit through the factory, and then a delicious trip to the tasting room.

Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs

Take a trip to the Arenal volcano, the drive to Arenal takes you through the central highlands and past many beautiful Costa Rican villages, into the San Carlos Plains, and finally climbs up to one of Costa Rica s active volcanoes. At night you will have the opportunity to see red-hot lava near the volcano s peak and to hear the frequent eruptions. During the day, you can visit hot springs in the area and take a walk through a nature reserve to see a spectacular waterfall. This trip is very easy to reach from our Monteverde school and most of our other school locations can arrange an excursion.

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Located in the central region of the country just 23km (14 miles) north of San José. It has five kinds of forest,some with characteristic rainforest vegetation. Orchids and ferns, jaguars, ocelots and the Baird tapir may be seen here. There are trails through the park and many lookouts. Easy to reach from our Heredia, San Joaquin de Flores and San Jose schools.

Poas Volcano and National Park

See the biggest geyser volcano in the world only 90 minutes from San José. The park offers spectacular views and nice trails and is easily reached by public bus. Alternatively, combine a visit to Poas in the mornings with a trip to the La Paz waterfalls in the afternoons.

Tortuguero National Park

This park protects the Atlantic green turtle egg-laying grounds; it is in an area of great ecological diversity. Its network of canals and lagoons serves as waterways for transportation and exploration. There are camping facilities and lodges.

Cahuita National Park

This park protects the only coral reef on Costa Rica s Carribbean coastline. Its other attractions include howler and white-faced monkeys, racoons and 500 species of fish.