Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Three Jewels in Paradise

Program No. 20774RJ
Learn the story of Costa Rica’s natural wonders as you explore cloud forest reserves, the Savegre River and world-class Manuel Antonio National Park with plenty of time on your own.

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Protecting the Environment

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At a Glance

Absorb the brilliant natural beauty of Costa Rica on this journey that combines special access with plenty of time for independent exploration. Discover Manuel Antonio National Park, the crown jewel of Costa Rica’s renowned environmental protection efforts. Then experience two lesser-known jewels: a private cloud forest reserve protected by a Costa Rican family for decades and a lush rainforest where a South African family welcomes you to their safari lodge.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles daily on city streets and forest paths. River rafting and swimming. Elevations up to 7,200 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Experience Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity at Manuel Antonio National Park, in a private cloud forest reserve and in the Pacific rainforest.
  • Learn about gourmet coffee production in one of the world’s best places to grow coffee beans.
  • Raft down the lower reaches of the Savegre River and look for giant crocodiles during a boat ride on the Tarcoles River.

General Notes

Program includes independent time to explore the city and several meals on your own. Group Leaders will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities provided in preparatory materials.
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You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Year
2025
  • 2024
  • 2025
Date
Dec 04 - Dec 12
  • Jan 06 - Jan 14
  • Jan 11 - Jan 19
  • Jan 17 - Jan 25
  • Jan 19 - Jan 27
  • Jan 21 - Jan 29
  • Feb 03 - Feb 11
  • Feb 10 - Feb 18
  • Feb 17 - Feb 25
  • Feb 23 - Mar 03
  • Mar 11 - Mar 19
  • Mar 20 - Mar 28
  • Mar 25 - Apr 02
  • Apr 01 - Apr 09
  • Apr 29 - May 07
  • May 08 - May 16
  • May 23 - May 31
  • Jun 05 - Jun 13
  • Aug 03 - Aug 11
  • Oct 27 - Nov 04
  • Oct 31 - Nov 08
  • Nov 04 - Nov 12
  • Dec 01 - Dec 09
  • Dec 04 - Dec 12
Please Note: The program differs on certain dates.
Please Note: The program differs on certain dates.
Select trip year and date
2025
  • 2024
  • 2025
Dec 04 - Dec 12
  • Jan 06 - Jan 14
  • Jan 11 - Jan 19
  • Jan 17 - Jan 25
  • Jan 19 - Jan 27
  • Jan 21 - Jan 29
  • Feb 03 - Feb 11
  • Feb 10 - Feb 18
  • Feb 17 - Feb 25
  • Feb 23 - Mar 03
  • Mar 11 - Mar 19
  • Mar 20 - Mar 28
  • Mar 25 - Apr 02
  • Apr 01 - Apr 09
  • Apr 29 - May 07
  • May 08 - May 16
  • May 23 - May 31
  • Jun 05 - Jun 13
  • Aug 03 - Aug 11
  • Oct 27 - Nov 04
  • Oct 31 - Nov 08
  • Nov 04 - Nov 12
  • Dec 01 - Dec 09
  • Dec 04 - Dec 12
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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9 days
8 nights
20 meals
8 B 6 L 6 D
DAY
1
In Transit to Program, Arrive San José, Orientation
San Jose
D
Hotel Balmoral

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Orientation: 6:00 p.m. at the hotel. The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Meals on our program feature local cuisine. Unless otherwise specified, transportation during your program will be provided by air-conditioned bus. Our buses do not include onboard toilets, so we have scheduled stops during drives for bathroom breaks. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
2
Valley of the Saints Coffee
Savegre
B,L,D
Savegre Hotel Nature Reserve & Spa

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 70 miles, approximately 2.5-3 hours riding time. Traveling on winding mountain roads at elevations up to 11,000 feet at Cerro de la Muerte. Elevation at program site is about 7,000 feet. Prepare for cooler weather at this location.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: A local expert will join us at the hotel for an informative overview of Costa Rica, providing insights into the country’s history, culture and geography. We’ll check out of the hotel, board the Road Scholar bus, and begin our scenic journey to the Valley of the Saints. While driving near the farm owned by President Pepe Figueres' family, we will stop for coffee and cookies and discuss his political legacy in Costa Rica with our Group Leader. Don José “Pepe” Figueres Ferrer holds hero status in Costa Rican history, a position earned through a lifetime of political activism. Don Pepe, as he was known locally, was a key figure in the 1948 revolutionary movement that led to the ousting of President Teodoro Picado and the creation of a new constitution. Next, we’ll take a field trip to a gourmet coffee cooperative in the Valley of the Saints region to learn about coffee farming and processing and also to sample some world-class brews. The Valley’s landscape, acidic soil composition, and well defined dry and rainy seasons all lend themselves to raising coffee. Harvesting is done during the region’s dry season (November – March). Limited rainfall during those five months gives fruit an opportunity to ripen evenly and also facilitates the sun drying process.

Lunch: At the cooperative's cafeteria.

Afternoon: Continuing our ride, we’ll arrive at the lodge and check in with some time to freshen up, relax, and explore the lodge grounds.

Dinner: At the lodge.

Evening: After a review of tomorrow’s activities, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
3
A Walk in the Clouds, Free Time
Savegre
B,L,D
Savegre Hotel Nature Reserve & Spa

Activity note: Getting in/out of four-wheel drive vehicles; driving about 3 miles, approximately 1/2 hour riding time. Walking 1.5 miles on undulating forest trails, potentially muddy; wear closed-toed/heel shoes. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At the lodge.

Morning: We will start our day in the cloud forest searching for the bird of ancient royalty, the colorful and elusive Resplendent Quetzal. In addition to learning about the life history of the Resplendent Quetzal, we’ll investigate the myriad other flora and fauna that are characteristic of this highland environment. We’ll accompany our Group Leader on a nature walk on forest trails leading to the 400 year-old oak forest situated on the upper slopes of the valley.

Lunch: At the lodge.

Afternoon: Free time. You might like to go bird watching, walking/hiking, or try out some of the lodge amenities (additional costs might apply). Before dinner, we'll learn about the history, development and conservation of the Savegre Valley during a presentation by a local resident.

Dinner: At the lodge.

Evening: After a review of tomorrow’s activities, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
4
Forest Nature Walk, Cultural Interaction, The Rafiki Story
Lower Savegre Valley
B,L,D
Rafiki Safari Lodge

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 84 miles, approximately 3-3.5 hours riding time. Walking on irregular forest trails and potentially muddy conditions. Wear closed-toe/heeled shoes with lug soles.

Breakfast: At the lodge.

Morning: We’ll check out and depart for the Pacific coast and the transitional Pacific jungle.

Lunch: At the home of a local resident of the small town of Santo Domingo, we’ll have a meal with traditional Costa Rican cuisine.

Afternoon: Arriving at the tented camp, we’ll settle in and take some time to freshen up before our next adventure. We’ll accompany our Group Leader on a nature walk along the lodge's forest trails to learn about resident plants and wildlife. We’ll also learn about the efforts to reintroduce the tapir to this area. We’ll gather before dinner for a sunset discussion with the owner/manager of the camp to learn about the fascinating story of Rafiki.

Dinner: At the camp.

Evening: After reviewing the schedule for tomorrow, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
5
Nature Walk, Rafting Savegre River, Free Time
Lower Savegre Valley
B,L,D
Rafiki Safari Lodge

Activity note: Getting in/out of 4x4 vehicles; driving about 6 miles, approximately 1/2 hour riding time on bumpy, undulating roads.

Breakfast: At the camp.

Morning: After breakfast we will accompany a camp guide and our Group Leader on a scenic, half-mile nature walk from our camp to the Savegre River rafting put-in site. We'll set off on undulating paths and rocky terrain before reaching a mostly flat gravel road. After a preparatory session with local experts, we’ll board the rafts and embark on an invigorating ride paddling down the Savegre River. Each raft will have its own rafting expert who will sit at the back to navigate and direct participants on how and when to paddle. Delight in the swells and dips of the rushing river; a natural roller coaster ride that will make our inner child cheer and laugh out loud (even as you get a good upper-body workout!). At the end of our invigorating river activities we'll disembark from the rafts and return our gear, then we'll get on 4x4 vehicles for the ride back up to the camp.

Lunch: At the camp.

Afternoon: Free time. You might like to enjoy activities such as bird watching, walking/hiking on local trails, kayaking, horseback riding, or simply relax.

Dinner: At the camp.

Evening: After a review of tomorrow’s activities, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
6
El Silencio Community, Free Time
Manuel Antonio National Park
B,L
Hotel San Bada

Activity note: Getting on/off a bus; driving about 30 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking 1/2 mile on mostly flat terrain. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At the camp.

Morning: We’ll check out and begin our transfer from the lower Savegre Valley to Manuel Antonio. As we travel through the forested hills of Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Region, we’ll take the opportunity to visit the small farming community at El Silencio. During our field trip, we’ll learn from a member of the community about the history and ongoing projects of Coopesilencio—an agricultural cooperative in the area—during interactions with some of the residents. The farmlands that now make up El Silencio were once part of the United Fruit Company’s large banana growing operation in Central America. With the departure of the United Fruit Company in the early 1970s, local farmers had the opportunity to buy lands they had worked on for years. Area families created Coopesilencio in order to pool resources and work together on projects that benefit the community. Getting back on the road, we expect to arrive in Manuel Antonio in time for lunch. El Avion — “The Airplane” — is an historic restaurant literally built around a C-123 Fairchild cargo plane. We’ll learn from our Group Leader about its fascinating connection to the U.S. Iran-Contra Affair. The plane was one of a handful of aircraft purchased by the U.S. to secretly aid the counter-revolutionary movement in Nicaragua in the 1980s.

Lunch: At El Avion restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll check in to our hotel upon arrival with time to freshen up and relax. Late afternoon, at the hotel, we'll enjoy an expert-led presentation on the ongoing squirrel monkey (Mono Titi) conservation efforts taking place at Manuel Antonio.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: After a review of tomorrow’s activities, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
7
Manuel Antonio National Park, Free Time
Manuel Antonio National Park
B
Hotel San Bada

Activity note: Walking about 1.5 miles, approximately 2.5 hours; unpaved forest trails and sandy paths; wear comfortable clothes, closed-toe shoes, hat, sunscreen and insect repellent. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We'll accompany our Group Leader on a walking field trip in Manuel Antonio National Park to learn about the park's flora and fauna. This is one of the best areas in the country in which to view monkeys. In fact, three of the country's four species of monkey can be found here, including the highly endangered Titi Monkey (Grey Crowned Red-backed Central American Squirrel Monkey) which can only be seen here and in the Corcovado region. Once we conclude our field trip we’ll walk back to the hotel to freshen up.

Lunch: On your own to explore local fare.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Manuel Antonio. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: On your own to explore local fare.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check out and transfer tomorrow.

DAY
8
Crocodile Safari, Transfer to San José, Free Time
San Jose
B,L,D
Wyndham San José Herradura Hotel & Convention Center

Activity note: Getting on/off a pontoon boat, riding approximately 2 hours. Getting on/off a bus; driving about 107 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll check out, say goodbye to Manuel Antonio, and begin our transfer to San José. En route, we’ll stop for a crocodile safari boat ride on the Tarcoles River. As we navigate up the river, a local expert will provide background information on the resident crocodiles. The Tárcoles River Basin is one of the most important in the Pacific coastal region, virtually draining the entire western side of the Central Valley. Tárcoles hosts an amazing diversity of wildlife along its banks and in the extensive mangrove ecosystem. Perhaps the most famous of all the river’s inhabitants are its enormous crocodiles (Crocodilus acutus). These crocodiles have been studied by numerous local and foreign specialists and featured in TV series and specials.

Lunch: At a local restaurant en route.

Afternoon: Arriving in San José, we’ll check in to our hotel with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: At the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

DAY
9
Program Concludes, In Transit from Program
In Flight
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.

Breakfast: At the hotel (depending on flight times). This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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