30 days starting at $3,010.00/person
Long Spanish program in which you can discover the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Costa Rica.
Learn Spanish while you visit Costa Rica. Experience during 1 month the beauties of Costa Rica’s South and Central Pacific, move to the Northern area and later to the Caribbean while you learn Spanish. Travel the country as you learn its language, this is the best way to put into practice what you learn with a real immersion program.
Day 1: Arrival to SJO International Airport. Your San José host family will meet you there and transfer you to their home nearby. There you can recover from the long journey. Room and meals Included.
Day 2: Your host family will take you to the bus station to take the bus to San Isidro, located in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. Upon arrival, your new host family in San Isidro will pick you up at the bus station and take you to their home. Room and meals Included.
Day 3 to 7: These days you will be able to participate in different interactive activities while learning Spanish at Diversity School. Visit the local farmer’s market and enjoy delicious traditional recipes in cooking lessons. You may want to use your knowledge to practice with local people to make the most out of this learning experience.
San Isidro del General is located on a wide valley in the peaceful mountains of Costa Rica’s Southern Zone. This small city is bursting with local culture, moderate temperatures, beautiful landscapes, and convenience to shops and services just an hour from the beach and near from Costa Rica’s tallest mountain, Cerro Chirripó.
**On day 4 Morning pick up for a Horseback Riding tour to Nauyaca Waterfalls. This is the ideal place for nature and adventure lovers featuring a forty-five meters high free fall waterfall forming at the bottom a 1,000 square meter and six meter deep pool. Upon arrival at the entrance, you will get safety instructions and explanation on the tour. This is a 12 kilometer route through lush forest, you will pass by Don Lulo’s house to have a delicious typical breakfast and continue the ride until arriving to the stunning waterfalls where you may dip in the warm water of natural pools. Enjoy the charming scenery and a delicious Costa Rican lunch. After a well-earned rest and a delicious cup of coffee, we begin the return trip to our starting point and back to San Isidro to receive today’s class. Room and meals included.
Day 8: Morning pick up to go on an exciting class III & IV General River white water rafting tour. This river is one of the longest rivers in all of Costa Rica. After a safety talk and instructions, you’ll raft into a blast of adrenaline and fun. This river is known for its big waves and challenging rapids. Experience what it is like to surf the raft with the many rock formations; enjoy a delicious lunch on the side of the river while contemplate the beautiful landscape. **This tour operates with a minimum of 4 people** Room and meals included.
Day 9: Today in the morning your trip to the South Pacific continues, your host family will take you to the bus station to take the bus Uvita de Osa. Upon arrival, your new host family in Uvita will pick you up at the bus station and take you to their home. Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the beach and surroundings. Room and meals Included.
Day 10 to 13: Continue to participate in the interactive Spanish classes at Diversity School now in Uvita.
This place is near the Marino Ballena National Park, famous for being the mating place of humpback whales that migrate here each year. Another interesting feature of this park is Punta Uvita or commonly called the "Tail of the Whale"; a natural isthmus made of sand that is accessible when low tide. Room and meals included.
Day 14: Today after class, you will be taken to Boruca Indigenous Reserve to spend the night and get inspired by the folksy and picturesque atmosphere. Borucas are an indigenous population from the south, they are about 2,600 inhabitants in the reserve and speak the language or dialect called “Brunka”. They are known primarily for their skills as craftspeople, using materials such as balsa and sometimes cedar wood, carved masks, arrows, drums, knives, jewelry and other objects. Room and meals Included.
Day 15: Today you will continue to the beautiful Drake Bay. You will be taken to Sierpe, from there you will take a taxi boat to one of the most beautiful places: Drake Bay! It is named after Sir Francis Drake who is believed to have ventured here in the late 16th century. With scattered hotels and lodges, Drake Bay is the ideal vacation spot for those wishing to relax and escape from it all. Room and meals included.
Day 16: Morning pick up for a shared Caño Island snorkeling tour. It takes about 40 min in the boat to get to the Island, on the way it is possible to see dolphins, whales, sea snakes, sea turtles and other species. The guide will accompany you in the snorkeling and will show different marine species that can be observed, these include many species of colorful coral fish, sea stars, eels, turtles, White tip sharks, among many others. Then you will move to San Josecito Beach to have lunch and enjoy the beautiful white sand beach. Afternoon at leisure when return to Drake Bay **this tour operates with a minimum of 4 people** Room and meals included.
Day 17: Early morning pick up for a shared tour to Corcovado National Park. The boat ride takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Along the way you will see beautiful panoramas of the beach, and possibly dolphins and whales. Once there, you will walk approximately 4 hours through trails around the station where is possible to see a lot of flora and fauna. This is probably one of the best places to see mammals in danger of extinction such as the tapir, white-lipped peccaries, monkeys, as well as many other species. Enjoy a delicious lunch and later return to Drake Bay. **this tour operates with a minimum of 4 people** Room and meals included.
Day 18: You will depart on a taxi boat back to Sierpe. From there you will take a shuttle transfer to Manuel Antonio area. Afternoon at leisure to relax and go to the beach. This area is popular for having this beautiful national park with white sand beaches backed by an evergreen forest that grows right up to the high tide line. There is also a lot of things to enjoy like going whitewater rafting, horseback riding, canopy tours, shopping, restaurants and many more. A must visit in your trip to Costa Rica. Room and Breakfast Included.
Day 19: Morning pick up for a shared Manuel Antonio National Park hike. Get ready to hike and enjoy the beautiful habitats of this national park; you will find primary forest, secondary forest, mangrove swamps, lagoons and beach vegetation. There is quite a varied fauna with 109 species of mammals and 184 of birds. The park includes 12 little isles just off the coast; these often visited by a number of dolphins.
Afternoon pick up for a shuttle transfer to Monteverde area. This is a world above the coastal town. It’s a place filled with tasty restaurants and folksy artisan shops, while the nearby rainforest hosts a remarkable amount of biodiversity. Room and meals included.
Day 20: Morning pick up to visit the hanging bridges and have a shared butterfly and hummingbird garden tour.
You will walk on eight different hanging bridges with various lengths and altitudes where you will admire nature in its entire splendor. Later on a guided walk inside one of the world’s largest live butterfly exhibitions, explore a community that gathers more than 20 species of butterflies. Learn about their life cycle, their special abilities and behaviors that have helped them evolve throughout thousands of years. Then at the hummingbird garden more than 14 species of these cuties will amaze you with their incredible aerial maneuvers and bright lively colors. Definitively a photography fan’s treat! No matter what mood you are in these small daredevils will cheer you up and give you an unforgettable air show. Close the tour with a delicious lunch at the restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will be picked up for a shared chocolate, coffee and sugarcane mill tour. This is perfect for those looking to learn a bit of Costa Rican culture. You will get to see and learn about the processes of the “Trapiche” sugarcane mill, coffee, chocolate and other important Costa Rican crops that this family has on their farm. A real taste of Monteverde! Room and breakfast included.
Day 21: Morning pickup to go on a shared bus/boat/bus transfer to Arenal area. This is a special place; there are mountains to be hiked, lakes to be fished, rivers to be floated and of course; its majestic Arenal Volcano. One of the country’s most scenic and accessible areas, making it a requisite stop on any trip to Costa Rica. Room and breakfast included.
Day 22: Morning at leisure to relax at the hotel or visit the town and surrounding places.
Afternoon pick up for a shared hike to the Arenal Volcano National Park. Hike through the rainforest with an experienced guide who will point out interesting plants, wildlife, nature and tell important facts and history. Later on, relax and soak at the Hot Springs and enjoy a delicious dinner. Room and breakfast included.
Day 23: Early morning pick up for a shuttle transfer to Puerto Viejo in the Caribbean side of the country. This is a small laidback beach town located on the Caribbean Coast close to the Panamanian border. Apart from its natural jungle-beauty, Puerto Viejo is known for its waves which attract surfers from all over the world due to the high and constant waves. Room only included.
Day 24 to 28: During these days, you will continue your Spanish program at Diversity School in the Caribbean from 8:00am to 12 noon (M-F). Enjoy the charms of the tropical forest in this beautiful area and remember to practice what you learn with local people to make this a memorable time. Take the time to explore the beaches nearby or if you desire, learn how to surf on a surfing lesson available in the area or other interesting activities. Room only included.
Day 29: Today you’ll take the public bus back to San José. Upon arrival, your host family will pick you up and take you to their home for your last night in the country. Room and Meals Included.
Day 30: Transfer will be provided to SJO International Airport. You need to be there 3 hours before your flight time.
Casual clothing like: sweater, loose shirts, pants, jeans, shorts, hat or cap and bathing suit.
We also recommend: Sunscreen, sunglasses, hiking shoes, small backpack to carry on tours and activities, water bottle, flashlight, bug spray, raincoat, camera and binoculars.
After countless hours of scanning through Spanish schools in Costa Rica, we finally found our ideal program. + Read more