Location
  • Costa Rica
    • San José
    • Monteverde
Length
1 - 4 weeks

Program Details

Timeframe
Summer
Housing
Hotel Lodge
Age Min.
14
Age Max
18

Pricing

Starting Price
4595
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Meals Transportation
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance
Feb 17, 2023
Sep 30, 2022
5 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world; in fact, you can find nearly five percent of all known plant and animal species in its world-famous national parks and wildlife refuges.

This three-week program is perfect for students who want to learn more about the environment and interact with the marine and land animals of this eco-friendly nation. During this wildlife adventure, we visit some of Costa Rica’s most iconic regions, ranging from breathtaking cloud forests to pristine beaches to lush rainforests. We assist local park rangers, scientists, and conservation experts who are committed to protecting the wildlife of this beautiful country and enjoy adventures such as ziplining, and waterfall hikes.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Assist Scientists with Jaguar Research in the Rainforests of the Osa Peninsula
  • Work Alongside Biologists Patrolling Beaches During a Sea Turtle Conservation Project
  • Help Cloud Forest Researchers Tag and Release Tropical Songbirds
  • Zipline Through the Treetops of the Monteverde Cloud Forest
  • Snorkel Through Vibrant Coral Reefs and Watch for Humpback Whales at Isla del Caño

Program Reviews

2.00 Rating
based on 1 review
  • 5 rating 0%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 100%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Growth 2
  • Support 1
  • Fun 1
  • Housing 4
  • Safety 4
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 reviews
Default avatar
Virginia
2/5
No, I don't recommend this program

ARRC - Probably okay unless you are different.

Our grand daughter is unique. She was shunned and made fun off during so called "private" (i.e. without counselors) meetings of the campers. This was very unfortunate but she focused on the opportunities rather than the other camper's bullying of her and came back not unhappy about what she learned about the country she was visiting and about the kindness of its people. We, however, (and she) were very hurt to learn how she had been made fun of, called "the ugliest camper" and about the way in which some of the campers used the confidences she shared with them, against her.

Pros
  • Our teenager was happy to learn about the country, its culture and the people.
Cons
  • The counselors are not always there. The campers meet "in secret" and denigrate the peers that are different. There is not a strong and emphatic "anti-bullying" ethic. We (and our teenager) were totally hurt to learn that our teenager was made fun of.
11 people found this review helpful.
Response from ARCC Programs

Thank you for taking the time to provide this important information. This is, unfortunately, the first we have heard about the behind-the-scenes treatment of your granddaughter and we, too, are very disappointed to know that this occurred. We commend your granddaughter on not only her ability to persevere in the midst of a difficult situation but to even walk away with an appreciation for her experience despite the challenges you mention. As a program, one of our goals is to facilitate meaningful relationships among students by way of ice-breakers, games, leadership activities, and the shared experiences of traveling to new places. Our hope is that this helps to create a solid foundation for the students to operate within throughout the program. We are sorry to hear that some students did not align with the ethics of our program and used time, when not directly supervised by our leaders, to mistreat your granddaughter. We only wish we would have known about this while your granddaughter was still on the program so we could have taken steps to remedy the situation. We are always looking to grow and improve as an organization and remain motivated by this experience in our continual efforts to combat bullying and exclusive behavior. Please feel free to reach out to us directly to provide any additional feedback.

Questions & Answers