The number and type of excursions included in your program will vary depending on your course and the length of program. If you are participating in the January Spanish Intensive in Costa Rica program, there is one day trip and one weekend excursion included in your program fee. Tropical Ecology students, on the other hand, will attend at least one day trip and have two weekend field trips as part of their course. Please note: Field trips and excursions are not confirmed until closer to program.

The goal of excursions is to get out of the city and experience Costa Rica’s breathtaking scenery and diverse culture. Most excursions happen during the first few weeks of the program, so if you are looking to book travel on your own, we recommend waiting until you are onsite or booking for the second half of your time in Costa Rica.

While we don’t confirm our excursions until around the time the program starts, below is a list of past excursions that you will likely do as well. If you want to go on additional excursions, there is a travel agency at Veritas University that arranges excursions to various locations around Costa Rica, and even in Panama and Nicaragua. You can sign up for these outside of the program once you are onsite.

Cafe Britt – What’s more Costa Rican than visiting a local coffee plantation? This excursion, often taken at the beginning of the program, is a great way to see how some of the best coffee in the world is grown and made.

Monteverde Cloud Forest – A beautiful cloud forest located 1,000 feet above sea level. This is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, and you’ll have the opportunity to see its unique flora and fauna.

 

Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall – This excursion offers the opportunity to see the famous volcano in the morning, spend the afternoon swimming at La Catarata, and exploring the historic town of La Fortuna.

Tamarindo Beach – One of the most popular excursions, this trip takes participants to the northwest edge of Costa Rica to spend the day snorkeling, surfing, or just relaxing on the North Pacific Coast.

 

In addition to these excursions, CISabroad will arrange several cultural events through our La Vida Local series. CISabroad will cover the cost of some of these events; some are free; and others are social gatherings in which students pay a small fee if they want to participate. Examples of La Vida Local events include: trips to museums or local markets, bowling, concerts, hiking, getting coffee, roller-skating, meals, and much more. La Vida Local events are a great way to see more of local Tico life and bond with your fellow CISabroad students, so don’t miss out! Most of these events are organized by our site director, so look out for emails and Facebook posts from her once you are onsite.