Costa Rica - Inbound Travel Group

From its rainforests to its volcanic peaks to its coasts, Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful nations in Central America. Home to some of the most bio-diverse swaths of land and sea on the planet, Costa Rica is famed for its natural environment – and its commitment to that environment! Costa Ricans – or Ticos, as they’re called here – are intensely proud and protective of their lands, and have put their country on the map as the world leader in ecotourism and environmental protection. In addition to its stunning flora and fauna, Costa Rica is also world-renowned for its adventure activities, which your students will love!

We value the trust that our travelers put in our ability to create unique and memorable adventures and we strive for authentic and sustainable experiences. Our operation is run by a local team with decades of experience managing outdoor education programs and student travel trips in Costa Rica in a way that aims to create a positive impact in all the stakeholders involved – participants, staff and communities that we visit. We partner with local community members to access some of the most off the beat locations while we visit some of the most popular destinations in the country. We don’t just go to the busy touristy areas but our goal is to show you what real Costa Rica looks like from the eyes of our local experts.

Our local team has decades of experience managing student travel programs across Costa Rica, achieving consistently high net promoter scores for our clients. Please contact us at hello@inboundtravel.com to discuss partnership opportunities in Costa Rica.

Your Students Will...

Visit one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and explore its flora and fauna.
Impact the lives of our community members in positive, meaningful and reciprocal ways.
Explore some of the most off the beaten path locations and experience them through the lense of our local experts.
Participate in cultural and immersive activities as we visit some of Costa Rica’s most welcoming communities.
Pump up their adrenaline to maximum levels as they participate in white water rafting, surfing, kayaking, zip lining, and many more!
Create lifelong connections and friendships, not only with their fellow participants and leaders but also with the locations and community members they’ll meet along the way.

Ricardo Romero

Director

Ricardo has been working in ecotourism since he first served as a river guide while completing his degree in Business Administration at La Universidad de Costa Rica. He was part of Costa Rica’s 1998 National Rafting Team and participated in the white water rafting World Championships. In 2005 he changed gears and started his journey in experiential education. Ricardo is a calm, collected, and analytical operator who brings a unique and balanced perspective to the business operations to our team. Outside of work, Ricardo enjoys spending time with his wife Marcela and son Mateo on the beach, up in the mountains, or in the rivers of his native Costa Rica.

Wainer Ocampo

Operations Manager

Wainer grew up in a big family on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and ventured to the capital of San Jose for university. His studies took him abroad for a year-long exchange in rural Ohio, where his love for travel and intercultural exchange was first sparked. His experience, balanced management, and curious mindset make him a critical member of the Offbeat leadership team. He has managed and led programs in the United States, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Central America, and continues to travel in his spare time, bringing with him his high energy and insight into service, education, and socially impactful travel. He also dances.

Local Team

Felipe

With a degree in Sustainable Tourism Management and years of guiding experience under his belt, Offbeat Travel’s programming and mission combines two important components of his life: access to nature and wildlife. Felipe has extensive experience working across Costa Rica's national parks and rural communities, focusing on sustainable issues in his previous role as vice president of a non-governmental environmental organization. As Offbeat’s resident Operations Manager in Costa Rica, he applies his experience and knowledge of the outdoors and sustainable community development to our programming and traveler experience.

Andres

Andres is a proud native of Turrialba in the Caribbean region of Costa Rica. He started working in the outdoor education industry after completing his Master's degree in Environmental Management and Eco-Tourism at the University of Costa Rica. His love of travel has taken him to more than 20 countries (and hopefully many more soon!) Andres is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys spending his free time camping, hiking, mountain biking, playing soccer, fishing, and trekking.

Marianela

After completing her MBA, Nela discovered that education is the best tool we can use to create responsible and engaged citizens. A southern Costa Rica native, Nela now lives in San Jose and manages the central administrative operations of the team. She is an extensive traveler herself who loves discovering chasing new experiences, meeting new people, and learning about the richness of other cultures. When San Jose, she loves exercising, going to the movies, and spending time with her family and close network of friends.

Sample Itinerary

Sample Itinerary 1 Sample Itinerary 2 Sample Itinerary 3

Sample Itinerary 1

Spend a week participating in service and adventure activities in beautiful Costa Rica. Its rainforests, volcanic peaks, and two coasts make Costa Rica one of the most beautiful nations in Central America. Home to some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, Costa Rica is famed for its natural environment and commitment to preserving it.

Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica!

Arrive into San Jose Airport (SJO) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relax after your long flight, and join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Day 2: Drive to Fortuna and Cultural Presentation

Wake up early for breakfast at the hotel and head North towards La Fortuna. Enjoy the beautiful and scenic ride through the cloud forest to finally arrive in the hometown of the famous Arenal Volcano. After lunch your Program Leaders will spend some time getting to know you better and learn about your expectations for the trip.

This first evening, your host village will share a cultural presentation including local music and dance, and some stories about the community you are collaborating with. This is a beautiful night of sharing and learning, and will give you lots of inspiration for your next few days in town.

Day 3: Community Infrastructure Projects

Contribute to service initiatives in the villages around La Fortuna. Split your time between morning and afternoon service sessions. Choose from a variety of ongoing service initiatives designed and monitored by Inbound staff in cooperation with local community leaders. Projects will focus on community infrastructure development, educational facility improvement, and environmental initiatives and will vary by day and the community-initiated projects. Our team will provide you more details about your projects closer to the date of travel; typically you will contribute to a few projects over the course of a few days work to see varied sides of community projects.

Day 4: Community Infrastructure Projects and Hot Springs!

During your second day on service projects, you will jump right in and improve your technique and understanding of what the projects mean to the community. These are projects that would take years for communities to fundraise for, and they are contributing a lot to the sense of pride and shared space for members of the village. Work one last full day of service to earn a really nice reward, because this evening the group will have an early dinner and then will have a very chill and relaxing time in the natural hot springs, made from naturally heated volcanic water. Arenal Volcano is known for these hot springs!

Day 5: Zipline through the rainforest and hike in a National Park!

Get ready to zipline through the rainforest canopy! You’ll ride an open-air gondola up to an observation deck for fantastic views of the Arenal Volcano and the Arenal Lake. From this area, you will start riding down on a zip line track stretching across canyons and in between treetops. This is the most thrilling zip line in the country!

In the afternoon the group will be hiking through the different trails of the Arenal Volcano National Park. Get really close to the lava tracks of its last eruption in 1968 and enjoy stunning views of this perfectly cone-shaped volcano. Spot wildlife while you walk along the trails and learn about Costa Rica’s flora and fauna with your local naturalist guide. During the evening a local salsa dance instructor will join the group to teach you the basic steps of salsa, merengue, bachata and other latin dances.

Day 6: Rafting Adventure!

Get suited up, grab your paddles, and hit the rapids of the Sarapiquí river! As you raft down the river, enjoy the rich greenery and fun rapids that have earned the Sarapiquí a reputation as one of the most enjoyable whitewater in the world. Stop along the way for a buffet picnic on the riverbanks. At the pull-out point, you will be able to shower, change your clothes and make your own sandwiches for lunch before going back to your hotel.

After getting some rest, taking a nap and refreshing, head out to the town of La Fortuna to do some souvenir shopping and eat an ice cream or drink a smoothie with your friends.

Days 7: Chocolate tour and back to the capital city

Spend your last morning in La Fortuna visiting a cocoa plantation, where you will learn the history of this delicious plant, and will have lots of fun making your own chocolate recipes during the all-you-can-eat activity at the end of the tour. Eat one last lunch before you start driving back through the rainforest and mountains to San Jose. Stop along the way for snacks and take some pictures of the breathtaking views of cloud forests. Then join your group for a big last dinner celebration in the country’s capital.

Day 8: ¡Adiós, Costa Rica!

We hope the people you’ve met, perspectives you’ve gained and lessons you’ve learned will serve you well as you head home to use your new Spanish skills in your own community. Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.

Sample Itinerary 2

Learn all about turtle conservation and work to protect native sea turtles on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. Spend the days both enjoying the beach and working to keep it clean. Help protect the turtles during evening walks looking for nests to relocate to safety. Carry out beach cleanups with park rangers and work shifts in the hatchery. Experienced conservationists will lead you through service and teach you about the many ongoing efforts to save sea turtles. There will also be time to snorkel, surf, take an art class and bask in the beauty of Costa Rica’s gorgeous Pacific beaches.

Day 1 : Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

Depending on the arrival time/airport of your group, we will either spend the evening in San Jose or Liberia, or head directly to Nicoya. Settling into your hotel, the group will be given a chance to refresh before an orientation and a good night’s sleep.
Enjoy your first glimpses of this spectacular country.

Day 2 : Coffee tour and intro to working with turtles

Wake up early for a good breakfast before departing for the Nicoya Peninsula. On your way to Camaronal we will make a stop in a local coffee farm to learn about one of the biggest incomes for the country. After a beautiful drive over mountains and along the coast, arrive at Camaronal Wildlife Refuge. Once you arrive, you will receive an introduction to the week’s service project with the turtles. In the evening, start your expedition with a night walk along the beach looking for turtles.

Days 3 - 6 : Conservation work and adventure

Enjoy the next several days working with the local park rangers on various conservation projects to protect the turtles nesting on Camaronal beach. These might include working at the turtle hatchery, participating in beach clean-ups, and going on nightly turtle walks.

In your spare time, enjoy the natural beauty of the area with fun activities such as hikes through the Wildlife Refuge, walks through the dry forest to a river, soccer games on the beach, and trips to the neighboring beach towns to surf. One day, you will have the chance to travel along the local dirt roads to visit a women’s group and learn woodworking and traditional skills during an art class. These four days are packed with service, immersion, and adventure!

Day 7 : Sea kayaking and sunset

After an early morning spent on the sea, kayaking and snorkeling, enjoy your last lunch and walk around Samara town looking for souvenirs, snacks, ice cream and natural smoothies. After your full last day in Costa Rica, join your group for a final group discussion.

Day 8 : Pura Vida, Costa Rica!

Depart for San José or Liberia. You’ll have just enough time today to pack away your belongings before departing for the airport. After some final group photographs and high-fives with the Tico team, you’ll head through immigration and board your flight home. We trust you’ve had an incredible time in Costa Rica and hope to see you again soon. Pura Vida!

Sample Itinerary 3

Explore Costa Rica’s rich South Pacific coast, learn to surf, and visit a National Park in Bahia Ballena. Then head inland for jungle hikes, waterfall rappelling and animal spotting. This program is a way to explore Costa Rica’s biodiverse ecosystems and see the wildlife that this beautiful Central American nation is famous for.

Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica!

Day 2: Bahia Ballena

Start your morning with an early drive out to beautiful Bahia Ballena. This South Pacific pueblo boasts picturesque beaches, pristine rainforests, stunning waterfalls, and the famous “Whale Tale” reef formation. After a day of practicing your Spanish, introducing yourself to the local community, and settling into your new accommodation, head to the ocean and enjoy a beautiful sunset at the beach.

Days 3 and 4: Surf and relax

Wake at sunrise and head down to the ocean for an early morning surf lesson. Not a surfer? No problem! Our Costa Rican professional surf instructors will make sure you learn the basics in your first lesson and will help you to get up on your board.

End each day with a sunset walk down to the beach if the weather allows it. You can also play in a community pick up soccer game, walk along the Whale Tale rock formation on low tide, hike in the ocean-side rainforest, or simply soak up the most beautiful sunsets. In the evenings, join your group for discussions and activities where you will reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned so far.

Day 5: Rainforests, Waterfalls, and Caves

The eco-adventure begins! Hike through primary and secondary rainforest up a steep hillside. This forest is privately owned and rarely visited, resulting in tons of wild flora and fauna in every direction. As we reach the top of the hill, cool off and relax in the natural pool beneath a small waterfall. Next, we’ll hike to the top of a stunning 90ft waterfall. From there, put on your harness and rappel off the side of the waterfall down to our new home for the evening, the cave. For those who do not wish to rappel, a Inbound Staff member will walk with you down a trail that leads to the cave.

This cave was once inhabited by the local shaman and still maintains an air of magic and mysticism. Although it is basic, there are beds, bathrooms, and a kitchen area. After dinner, we’ll make a small campfire and play music, tell stories, and wind down after an epic day.

Day 6: Back to the city!

After a hike back to the town, get ready for the drive back to San Jose! At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the global issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. After their closing discussion, groups participate in Inbound Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home

Day 7: ¡Adiós, Costa Rica!

You’ll have just enough time today to pack away your belongings before departing for the airport. After some final group photographs and high-fives with the Tico team, you’ll head through immigration and board your flight home. We trust you’ve had an incredible time in Costa Rica and hope to see you again soon. Pura Vida!