Length: 14 Days
2009-2010 Grades: 9,10,11,12
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About the Experience

Join teens from around the world and head for the cloud forests of Costa Rica to explore a country rich in bio-diversity, culture and plenty of adventure.

Eco-Quest Costa Rica is a two-week teen travel experience that combines outdoor touring, a Costa Rican approach to sustainable living, and opportunities for peer-to-peer connections with local teens.

• Looking for adventure? Hike on an active volcano, zip-line over a rainforest, snorkel on a tropical beach, raft down a raging river, swim under a waterfall, relax in thermal hotsprings, and go on a night safari. Costa Rica is a stunningly beautiful country that is lush with colorful plants, rare animals, and endless opportunities for outdoors exploration.
  
  
• Living in harmony with nature. Although Costa Rica is a very small country, it contains more biodiversity than America or Europe! On Eco-Quest, we will learn about Costa Rica's unique approach to sustainable living. Spend the weekend on a "Costa Rican-style kibbutz", explore an organic coffee plantation, and eat deliciously fresh food at every stop along the way.
  

• Building cross-cultural connections. Costa Rica is a very friendly country. So friendly, it is one of the only countries in the world with no army at all. Spend an afternoon getting to know fellow teens from a local high school, celebrate Shabbat with the Jewish community of San Jose, and leave your mark through a series of service projects.
  

As a BBYO Passport experience, Eco-Quest is also an opportunity to explore your Jewish identity through the lens of life in Costa Rica. Delve into the meaning of being "eco-kosher", fulfill the Jewish value of Tikun Olam (fixing the planet), and celebrate two very memorable Shabbats.

Itinerary Snapshot

• WEEK #1 / Cloud Forests & Volcanoes!
  Land in San Jose and get acclimated to Costa Rican society by visiting with a local high school. We then head up to the highlands of the Monteverde cloud forests where we will search for exotic animals and fly high above the canopy forests on a world-renowned zip-line course. From Monteverde we set off for Arenal, a volcano so active that bright red flowing lave is visible most nights. This region of Costa Rica is especially beautiful, and we will explore it on horseback, on foot, and in the water. Our first week caps off with a visit to Ranch Margot, a small Costa Rican agricultural community that can best be described as a "Costa Rican kibbutz". Here we will celebrate a unique Shabbat with yoga, community-building, and well deserved relaxation time.
  

• WEEK #2 / Pacific Coast, River Rafting & San Jose
  Our second week in Costa Rica begins descending from the mountains and heading to the Pacific coast where we snorkel, ocean kayak, and enjoy a beautiful sunset over the open ocean. From the Pacific we head back up into the highlands for a white-water rafting adventure on the raging Paquare River and a tour of a local organic coffee plantation. The Eco-Quest experience wraps up where it started in San Jose, Costa Rica's capital. Here we will take part in a service project and spend Shabbat with the local Jewish community and learn about their history and special place in Costa Rican society.
  

Getting to Costa Rica

The program tuition for Eco-Quest Costa Rica does not include international flights. Participants can choose to either book a ticket on a staff supervised flight or make their own arrangements on the airline of their choice:

OPTION #1 / Purchase a Ticket from BBYO Passport on a Supervised Flight
For Eco-Quest Costa Rica #1 (June 28 - July 11), an optional group flight is available from Atlanta on Delta. The cost of the group flight is $490/person, including all taxes & fees. No group flight option is available for Eco-Quest Costa Rica #2 (July 26 - August 8)

OPTION #2 / Purchase Your Own Ticket on a Supervised Flight
For Eco-Quest Costa Rica #1 (June 28 - July 11), an optional supervised flight is available direct from both Atlanta on Delta Airlines and from JFK Airport in NYC on American Airlines. For Eco-Quest Costa Rica #2 (July 26 - August 8), an optional supervised flight is available from Atlanta on Delta Airlines, JFK Airport in NYC on American Airlines and from Los Angeles LAX Airport on American Airlines (via Miami). Participants are responsible for booking seats on the supervised flights on their own from their home city 

OPTION #3 / Meet in Costa Rica
Alternatively, for those participants who wish to make their own flight arrangements to San Jose, Costa Rica on a separate airline, they will be met personally upon arrival and escorted back to the airport for their return flight at no additional cost.

Learn More

• Sample Itinerary
• Trip FAQs
• Program-Wide FAQs
• Trip Video
• Register Now

Summer of Exploration / Connected Experiences

The Eco-Quest Costa Rica experience can be connected seamlessly with BBYO Passport programs to Israel and around the world for a full summer of eye-opening travel. Learn more...

• Eco-Quest Costa Rica + Israel Journey
• Eco-Quest Costa Rica + Euro-Quest Western
• ILSI + Eco-Quest Costa Rica
• Trek Israel + Eco-Quest Costa Rica
• Impact: Israel + Eco-Quest Costa Rica

Sample Itinerary

We have provided the following sample itinerary to give you an idea of what this travel experience is all about. Keep in mind that the actual itinerary may vary from the schedule below. That said, this sample itinerary is meant to give you a taste of the overall program. A formal itinerary, including a list of accommodations and phone numbers, will be sent to you 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the program.

DAY #1 / Monday / Arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica
Option #1: Meet-up for supervised flight
Option #2: Arrange your own flight – We will meet you at San Jose Airport in Costa Rica
• Evening: Group welcome, snacks & ice breakers at hotel
• Overnight: Hampton Inn Hotel, San Jose

DAY #2 / Tuesday / Above the Cloud Forests
• Meet with high school students at local San Jose-area school
• Travel northwards to the misty cloud forests of Monteverde
• Fly high above the cloud forest canopy at SkyTrek zip-lining course
• Night safari walk in the cloud forest – look out for sloths, monkeys & tarantulas!
• Overnight: Hotel Poco a Poco, Monteverde

DAY #3 / Wednesday / Monteverde Village
• Learn how to make jewelry at a women’s cooperative workshop
• Walk though a colorful butterfly garden
• Hike the Monteverde Biological Reserve and look for exotic toucans & quetzal birds
• Learn about the unique history of Monteverde, founded by Quakers from the U.S.
• Group night out at “Moon Shiva”
• Overnight: Hotel Poco a Poco, Monteverde

DAY #4 / Thursday / Arenal Volcano
• Travel through the central highlands to Lake Arenal
• Lunch at Toad Hall on Lake Arenal
• Hike into Arenal National Park for a stunning view of an active volcano
• Evening: Relax in the hot springs pools at Arenal
• Enjoy a fresh local dinner at the hot springs
• Overnight: La Catarata Eco-Lodge, La Fortuna

DAY #5 / Friday / La Fortuna
• Tour of Don Juan's organic farm
• Hike to the base of the La Fortuna waterfalls and cool-off in the river
• Shopping for local hand crafted goods at Sarcho & Naranjo
• Travel to Rancho Margot near the shores of Lake Arenal
• Take part in a unique Kabbalat Shabbat service overlooking Lake Arenal
• Shabbat dinner at the Ranch
• Overnight: Rancho Margot, Lake Arenal

DAY #6 / Saturday / Rancho Margot
• Shabbat programming & discussion: Being Eco-Kosher
• Learn about Rancho Margot’s unique approach to sustainable living
• Relaxed afternoon at hotel pool
• Overnight: Rancho Margot, Lake Arenal

DAY #7 / Sunday / Ranch Adventures
• Morning yoga class at the Ranch
• Horseback riding in the ranch’s backcountry jungle
• Kayaking on Lake Arenal
• BBQ dinner by the lake
• Overnight: Rancho Margot, Lake Arenal

DAY #8 / Monday / The Pacific Coast
• Travel south and west to the Manuel Antonio region
• Arrive to the Pacific Ocean in the early evening
• Sunset on the beaches of Manuel Antonio
• Hotel Rancho Casa Grande, Manuel Antonio

DAY #9 / Tuesday / Beach Day!
• Snorkeling and ocean kayaking
• Learn how to surf on Costa Rica’s famous waves
• Afternoon nature-walk in local reserve
• Hotel Rancho Casa Grande, Manuel Antonio

DAY #10 / Wednesday / San Jose
• Begin travel back to San Jose
• Tour of San Jose – Costa Rica’s capital city
• Ascend to the top of the Poaz Volcano overlooking San Jose
• Evening: Group dinner at a Kosher Burger King in San Jose!
• Overnight: Hotel El Sesteo, San Jose

DAY #11 / Thursday / Pacuare River
• Travel through Turiallba en route to the Pacuare River
• Begin full day white water rafting experience on the Pacuare River
• Return to San Jose in the evening
• Overnight: Hotel El Sesteo, San Jose

DAY #12 / Friday / Service Project
• Take part in a half-day service project with Habitat-for-Humanity
• Meet with local Jewish teens in San Jose
• Kabbalat Shabbat services at San Jose’s Shaare Zion Congregation
• Eat a festive Shabbat dinner with local Jewish teens from Costa Rica
• Overnight: Hotel El Sesteo, San Jose

DAY #13: Saturday / Shabbat in San Jose
• Shabbat programming at Shaare Zion Congregation
• Shabbat lunch at hotel
• Relaxed afternoon at hotel pool
• Evening: Farewell dinner party in San Jose
• Overnight: Hotel El Sesteo, San Jose

DAY #14 / Sunday / Return Flight
• Travel to San Jose Airport for return flights
Option #1: Take supervised flight back to North America
Option #2: If arranging own return flight, we will escort you back to the airport for check-in

Trip Q & A

This page contains trip-specific FAQ's. For program-wide info, check out the General FAQs page. _________________________________________________________________________________________

Do I need to make arrangements for a visa?

Citizens of the U.S. and Canada traveling to Costa Rica for less than three months do not need visas. Citizens of many other countries receive this courtesy as well. If you are uncertain, please visit the website of the Costa Rican Embassy (http://www.costarica-embassy.org/consular/visa/country-selection.htm) or contact your local Costa Rican consulate. To visit Costa Rica, your passport must be valid for at least one month after your arrival, and it must be in good condition, without any type of damage.

Do I need any immunizations before traveling?

You are not required to have any immunizations or medications to travel to Costa Rica. We view these issues as a matter of personal choice for which you should consult a trusted physician at least 4-6 weeks prior to trip departure. The Center for Disease Control recommends that travelers to Costa Rica receive immunizations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and typhoid, as well as have all routine vaccinations up-to-date. The CDC also defines some regions we travel to in Costa Rica as “malarial-risk areas” and recommends the anti-malarial drug chloroquine. The best way to prevent contraction of malaria and other insect-borne diseases is to prevent bites from mosquitoes and other carriers through appropriate clothing, bug repellant and similar measures. Some travelers go to Costa Rica without any special vaccinations, and some choose only to take anti-malaria drugs. We have provided the official recommendations by the CDC so you are aware, but please consult your physician who can help you to make an informed decision and prescribe accordingly.

Do I need to be in good physical shape to enjoy Eco-Quest?

Yes, you do need to be relatively in shape, but you certainly don’t need to be an athlete. Eco-Quest will include active exploration of the country’s natural wonders as well as touring, community service, and hands-on learning activities. If you have a spirit for adventure, appreciate nature and the outdoors, and have a lot of energy, then Eco-Quest is for you.

What is the weather like?

Average temperatures in Costa Rica in June and July are in the low-mid 70s (°F), although it could go up into the 80s or down into the 60s at different times of day in some locations. You will be traveling through the rainforests, so rain is a definite possibility! Bring a jacket that can handle it, preferably with a hood.

Will I need any special equipment to be able to use electrical appliances?

No, the electric current in Costa Rica is 120V, and the plug shape is also the same as in the U.S. However, remember that anything you bring with you is at your own risk, so we don't recommend bringing items that are extremely valuable to you.

How much clothing will I need to bring? Will there be an opportunity to do laundry? What kind of suitcase do you recommend?

About two months prior to the start of the program, we will post a detailed pre-trip preparation manual for each trip, which will include suggestions for the type of clothing needed. There will not be an opportunity to do laundry, so bring enough basics for the whole two weeks. You should try to pack as light as possible, in a rolling suitcase or duffel, because you will need to be able to transport your own bags between your bus and accommodations at each stop of the trip. You might want to consider buying very cheap packages of underwear and socks that you can discard when they are dirty; then you will have more room for souvenirs on the way back!

How much spending money is recommended? Should I bring traveler’s checks?

How much money you will need depends mostly on your own shopping plans. All of your programming costs are covered, so you will only need money for snacks, personal souvenirs, and gifts for family and friends back home. $100 per week should be more than enough. You should not bring travelers’ checks, as you will not have an opportunity to cash them during the trip. Instead, we recommend the Payoneer pre-paid debit card system. (Information will be provided to participants.)

Are scholarships available?

There is a small amount of financial aid available for BBYO members only. Please contact the Passport office for an application.

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