1) The Road Less Traveled Village Experience:
COSTA RICA
Costa
Rica is a cultural and natural paradise, but most travelers
see only the large, touristy resorts. This Road Less
Traveled program, however, offers a unique opportunity
in the middle of a secluded natural rainforest to help
an untouched community create a sustainable future.
While helping the community to help themselves, volunteers
will be treated to enormous cultural learning and spectacular
contact with the lush rainforest.
Work
Project
A
decade ago, the government set aside a national forest
reserve for the spectacular Carara Rainforest, which
borders the village. The villagers love their nature
paradise and appreciated the action. However, since
then, the tiny village has struggled for sources of
income, as their crops are being eaten by protected
wildlife. As a first step toward creating sustainable
eco-tourism, the community needs help clearing paths,
marking trails, learning English, etc. No special skills
are required.
Do NOT expect squalor. Prior volunteers have constructed
2 darling "cabinas"in
traditional Costa Rican style, furnished with fans &
comfortable beds. These include Western-style bathrooms
and showers, though the water is unheated (unlikely
to be missed in the tropical climate). Volunteers are
fed plenty of fresh, healthy, abundant, Costa Rican
dishes. Electricity is available, though on a relatively
limited basis.
Leisure
Activities
Nature
hikes (to waterfalls, etc), horse-back riding, canopy
tours, cooking lessons, fishing, bird-watching, surfing
(in Jaco), bat- watching, see crocodiles, incredible
star gazing, and many other activities.
Arranging Your Airfare
You will need to arrange to be in San Jose by 12:30 on the Saturday your program begins. The program ends at 10am the following Saturday and it takes approximately 4 hours to get you back to San Jose. The airport is one of the return drop off stops our driver will make. You would not want to arrange a flight any earlier than 4:30pm on the return. For more on flight tips, click here.
Safety and Security
Traveling in and around national rain forests is considered quite safe, as both crime and disease are quite minimal. However if you decide to travel independently to urban areas such as San Jose, special care should be taken to prevent pick pocketing when in crowded areas. More Safety and Security.
