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 from Atlanta
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 / Travel to New York
• Fly to New York City from Costa Rica
• Meet up with other Euro-Quest Western teens
• Overnight: Holiday Inn, Newark Airport
DAY #15 / Monday / Depart for Europe
• Icebreakers and orientation at Newark Airport
• Depart in the early evening and spend the night in the sky en route to Europe
DAY #16 / Tuesday / Welcome to Europe!
• Land at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam in the morning
• Tour of traditional Dutch windmills
• Learn about Dutch cheese-making techniques at Clara Maria Farm
• Bicycle tour of the Dutch countryside
• Bowling activity & icebreakers in Amsterdam
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands
DAY #17 / Wednesday / Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Orientation city tour of Amsterdam
• Explore the Jewish Museum and the “Portuguese Synagogue”
• Lunch and shopping time in Leidseplein Square
• Anne Frank House – Visit to the site of her hiding and diary entries
• Van Gogh Museum – View the masterpieces in his native Amsterdam
• Group night out strolling through the Leidseplein Square
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Ijmuiden – Amsterdam, Netherlands
DAY #18 / Thursday / Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Begin travel from Netherlands to Belgium
• Walking tour of Antwerp old city center and Jewish quarter
• Diamantmuseum – Learn all about diamonds in Europe’s diamond center
• Fort Breendonk – Transit point to Auschwitz for Belgian Jews during the Holocaust
• Arrive to Brussels in the early evening
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium
DAY #19 / Friday / Brussels, Belgium
• Visit to Belgiums’ Museum of Cocoa & Chocolate
• Lunch and shopping at “Grand Place” – The central square of Brussels
• Walk by the famous “Manneken Pis” fountain sculpture
• Visit to the European Union and NATO headquarters in Brussels
• Shabbat services at the Great Synagogue of Brussels
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium
DAY #20 / Saturday / Brussels, Belgium
• Shabbat programming and lunch
• Walking tour of Brussels and relaxed afternoon at the hotel pool
• Evening: Group night out at Hard Rock Café
• Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Brussels, Belgium
DAY #21 / Sunday / Travel to France
• Begin travel from Netherlands to Belgium
• Drive through the Champagne region of France towards Paris
• Tour of Paris’ stunning Notre Dame Cathedral
• Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower!
• Evening: Cruise down the River Seine for view of Paris at sunset
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France
DAY #22 / Monday / Paris, France
• Shopping along the Champs Elysees
• Walk under the Arc de Triomphe in downtown Paris
• View Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France
DAY #23 / Tuesday / Paris, France
• Walking tour of the Paris Jewish Quarter
• Visit to the “Vel' d'Hiv Round-Up” Memorial
• Meet with a survivor and learn about the Nazi occupation of Paris
• Explore the palace of Versailles – Home to French Royalty and Mary Antoinette
• Overnight: Holiday Inn Roissy – Paris, France
DAY #24 / Wednesday / Normandy, France
• Head north through the countryside towards the English Channel
• Recount the D-Day Landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy
• Spend a solemn moment at Normandy’s U.S. military cemetery
• Visit to Caen’s Peace Museum
• Enjoy a memorable sunset on the Normandy Beaches
• Board ferry for overnight ferry bound for England
• Overnight: At sea on the English Channel
DAY #25 / Thursday / London, England
• Arrive at Portsmouth, England
• Begin travel northwards to London
• Witness the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
• Stroll through London's Hyde Park
• Visit to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben
• Evening out at Piccadilly Circus
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England
DAY #26 / Friday / London, England
• Relive the air raids on London in Churchill’s Imperial War Room
• Tour of the Tower of London – View the royal crown jewels
• Attend a local Shakespeare theater production
• Shabbat services & dinner with the local Jewish community
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England
DAY #27 / Saturday / Shabbat in London
• Shabbat program in London • Relaxed afternoon and program wrap-up
• Final closing dinner and group night out in London
• Overnight: Hilton London Olympia Hotel – London, England
DAY #28 / Sunday / Return to New York
• Depart from London in the morning
• Arrive back to Newark in the early afternoon