School Trips

❖ Meals included: Dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Departure from Montreal Airport (P.E. Trudeau) on an international flight to San José.

Note: Arrival at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

• Arrival at San José Airport, meet-and-greet, and transfer to the hotel to check in.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• An informational session in a hotel conference room on the trip’s objectives and certain environmental and safety guidelines.
• Tour of Poás Volcano National Park. This park is home to one of the largest active craters in the world (1.3 km wide). The students walk along the paved trail leading to the observation deck to view the active fumaroles and the turquoise-colored acidic lake.
• Explore the La Paz Falls Garden, a 28-hectare private reserve home to the world’s largest butterfly observatory, a garden dedicated to rescued hummingbirds (26 species), and five impressive waterfalls. Discussion on the topic “Rescue or Captivity” and the preservation of the cloud forest.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• A drive along a scenic route through the San Carlos plains toward La Fortuna.
• Arrival at La Fortuna Waterfall. A 70-meter descent to a tropical pool via a staircase of more than 500 reinforced steps, winding through a lush forest where you can admire orchids and ferns. Swimming is permitted in the lower section of the river. Explore the Baldi Hot Springs, a complex of 25 thermal pools naturally heated by the Arenal Volcano. Includes a buffet dinner featuring traditional “casados” and international dishes. Explanation of the physical principles of geothermal heating and the properties of the mineral water.
• Transfer to the hotel to check in.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Set out to explore the Don Juan family farm, a producer of organic coffee and cocoa. Tour the plantation, have students participate in harvesting coffee beans (in season), and learn about the cocoa bean fermentation process. Each student will have the opportunity to grind their own chocolate on site. The program raises awareness about fair trade agriculture and the importance of the “golden bean” (coffee) in the development of this form of agriculture in Costa Rica.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• Drive to Pital and tour of a pineapple farm.
• A ride in a tractor-pulled cart through vast fields. The students tasted “honey-colored” pineapples, picked straight from the plant.
• Teaching modern export logistics and chemical-free pest control, and raising awareness about the carbon footprint of tropical fruits and sustainable development.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

A day dedicated to a real boat safari:

• A covered boat tour on the Río Frío River, in the heart of the Caño Negro Nature Reserve, which spans more than 10,000 hectares near the Nicaraguan border.
• Guaranteed sightings of caimans, spider monkeys, and the “Jesus Christ lizard.”
• Raising awareness about wetlands and their importance as carbon sinks and migration corridors for birds.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• A 4-hour drive toward the central Pacific coast, crossing the continental divide along the way.
• Arrival in Playa Hermosa and check-in at an eco-friendly beachfront resort, located directly on a gray-sand beach renowned for its world-class surfing spots. Explore the resort’s surroundings and facilities (swimming pools, private balconies overlooking the gardens, etc.).
• An orientation and reflection session on the beach at sunset.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

A day spent on a crocodile safari in the mangrove jungle:

• Boat tour on the Tarcoles River to observe American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus), reptiles that can grow up to 5 meters long. Explore their natural habitat—the red and black mangroves—ecosystems characterized by mangrove forests, tropical trees and shrubs well-adapted to saltwater and tidal conditions. Learn about the role of mangroves in maintaining ecological balance and how species adapt to brackish water.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner / Accommodations: 4-star hotel / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle.

• AM: Explore the tidal pools at Playa Hermosa (or the nearby nature reserve), a nesting site for olive ridley sea turtles.
• PM: Return trip to San José via a scenic route.
• Evening: A stroll through downtown San José, past the Plaza de la Cultura, to see the National Theater (from the outside) before enjoying a traditional meal at a farewell dinner.

❖ Meals included: Breakfast / Transportation: Air-conditioned vehicle and plane.

• Transfer to San José Airport and international flight to Montreal.

San José: RADISSON 4* Hotel (or equivalent)

La Fortuna: MONTECHIARI 3* Hotel (or equivalent)

Playa Hermosa: TERRAZAS DEL PACIFICO 4* Hotel (or equivalent)

• International flights (including baggage allowance of 23 kg per person, maximum)
• Airport shuttles
• Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver
• All 3-star and 4-star accommodations (3 or 4 students per room with 2 queen-size beds per room)
• Free Admission for Accompanying Adults
• 3 meals a day
• A local guide who accompanies the group at all times
• All activities and site admissions (listed in bold on the itinerary and conducted with French-speaking guides)
• “Comprehensive Coverage for Youth and Chaperones” insurance policy from Manuvie
• Tips
• All taxes
• Organization from A to Z
• 24/7 Support from Voyages Miaterra

• Personal Expenses

• Please note that the itinerary may change at any time for logistical reasons, but that the list of activities and visits on the program is always respected.