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Costa Rica: Cultural Tour

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A Costa Rican folkloric dancer twirls her ruffled dress at an outdoor cultural festival, celebrating the country's rich dance traditions
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Overview
  • Duration:9 days 8 nights
  • Tour Type:Educational Tours, Homestay, Immersion Tours
📍 Cities: La Guacima, San Jose, Sarapiqui, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio

Itinerary

Fly to Costa Rica - Meet Host FamilyDay 1

DAY 1: HOME - COSTA RICA

Board your flight and fly to Costa Rica. Bienvenidos a Costa Rica! Meet your Prometour Tour Director upon arrival. Transfer to host families in La Guacima de Alajuela, where locals speak only Spanish and families preserve the real Tico lifestyle. Take part in an orientation session with a welcome fruit cocktail. Meet your host families over dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

San Jose City Tour, Cooking and Dancing ClassesDay 2

DAY 2: EXCURSION TO SAN JOSE

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • San Jose: Board your bus and travel to San Jose. Follow your Tour Director on a discovery tour of the city - see Plaza de la Cultura, the Main Square, and Plaza de Democracia. Stop at the famous flea market to practice your Spanish.
  • Cooking Class: Partake in a cooking class. Learn how to cook like a Tico!
  • Dancing Class: Show off your fancy footwork by taking part in a Tico dancing class.
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

Poas Volcano and Doka Coffee PlantationDay 3

DAY 3: LA GUACIMA

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • Poas Volcano: Make your way to Poas Volcano National Park - considered the largest active crater in the world with frequent geyser-like eruptions. See Lake Botos with its cloud forest birds.
  • Coffee Plantation: Breathe in the aroma of freshly-roasted Arabica coffee beans at the Doka Coffee Plantation. Learn about the coffee trees, planting process, water mill, processing plant, and roasting room.
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

Sarapiqui Reforestation and Chocolate TourDay 4

DAY 4: EXCURSION TO SARAPIQUI

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • Reforestation: Drive to Sarapiqui. Partake in a Reforestation Program with your group - contributing to the global goal of planting at least one billion trees worldwide each year.
  • Chocolate Tour: Partake in a chocolate process tour - learn how it plays an important role in Costa Rican culture.
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Sarchi ArtisansDay 5

DAY 5: LA GUACIMA

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • La Paz Waterfalls: Explore La Paz Waterfall and Gardens - observe hummingbirds, bromeliad gardens, a serpentarium, a frog pond, and 3.5 kilometers of walking trails.
  • Sarchi: Embark on a discovery tour of the artistic town of Sarchi and watch artisans create the unique and colorful Ox Carts! Continue to Grecia to see the famous Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes Church!
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

Travel to Monteverde - Cloud ForestDay 6

DAY 6: LA GUACIMA - MONTEVERDE

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • Travel: Board your motor coach and travel to Monteverde.
  • Cloud Forest: Explore Monteverde's Cloud Forest - including eight distinct ecological zones that protect more than 400 species of birds and over 100 species of mammals.
  • Dinner: Dinner and overnight accommodation in Monteverde.

Monteverde Ziplining and Travel to QueposDay 7

DAY 7: MONTEVERDE - QUEPOS

  • Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel with your group.
  • Ziplining: Embark on a Ziplining adventure! About 70% of all life in a tropical forest takes place at the tree canopy level. Discover the forest in an exhilarating way!
  • Travel: Board your motor coach and travel to Quepos.
  • Dinner: Dinner and overnight accommodation in Quepos.

Manuel Antonio National Park and BeachDay 8

DAY 8: QUEPOS - MANUEL ANTONIO - LA GUACIMA

  • Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel with your group.
  • Manuel Antonio: Although it is Costa Rica's smallest national park, the breathtaking beauty and diversity of wildlife is unequaled in Manuel Antonio.
  • Beach: Enjoy time at the beach and relax in this natural environment.
  • Return: Return to La Guacima. Enjoy some leisure time at the Rancho.
  • Dinner: Dinner and overnight accommodation at El Rancho Lodge.

Fly Back HomeDay 9

DAY 9: LA GUACIMA - HOME

Breakfast at the hotel with your group. Transfer by motor coach to the airport. Say Hasta Luego to your Prometour Tour Director. Board your flight from San Jose and fly back home.

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Why Choose Prométour?
100% Risk Free Registration (no costs)
30+ years of Experience
Customizable Itineraries
Guaranteed travel dates
No Hidden Fees, No Surprises
24 x 7 Dedicated support
Learn More
Overview
  • Duration:9 days 8 nights
  • Tour Type:Educational Tours, Homestay, Immersion Tours
📍 Cities: La Guacima, San Jose, Sarapiqui, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio

Itinerary

Fly to Costa Rica - Meet Host FamilyDay 1

DAY 1: HOME - COSTA RICA

Board your flight and fly to Costa Rica. Bienvenidos a Costa Rica! Meet your Prometour Tour Director upon arrival. Transfer to host families in La Guacima de Alajuela, where locals speak only Spanish and families preserve the real Tico lifestyle. Take part in an orientation session with a welcome fruit cocktail. Meet your host families over dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

San Jose City Tour, Cooking and Dancing ClassesDay 2

DAY 2: EXCURSION TO SAN JOSE

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • San Jose: Board your bus and travel to San Jose. Follow your Tour Director on a discovery tour of the city - see Plaza de la Cultura, the Main Square, and Plaza de Democracia. Stop at the famous flea market to practice your Spanish.
  • Cooking Class: Partake in a cooking class. Learn how to cook like a Tico!
  • Dancing Class: Show off your fancy footwork by taking part in a Tico dancing class.
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

Poas Volcano and Doka Coffee PlantationDay 3

DAY 3: LA GUACIMA

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • Poas Volcano: Make your way to Poas Volcano National Park - considered the largest active crater in the world with frequent geyser-like eruptions. See Lake Botos with its cloud forest birds.
  • Coffee Plantation: Breathe in the aroma of freshly-roasted Arabica coffee beans at the Doka Coffee Plantation. Learn about the coffee trees, planting process, water mill, processing plant, and roasting room.
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

Sarapiqui Reforestation and Chocolate TourDay 4

DAY 4: EXCURSION TO SARAPIQUI

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • Reforestation: Drive to Sarapiqui. Partake in a Reforestation Program with your group - contributing to the global goal of planting at least one billion trees worldwide each year.
  • Chocolate Tour: Partake in a chocolate process tour - learn how it plays an important role in Costa Rican culture.
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Sarchi ArtisansDay 5

DAY 5: LA GUACIMA

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • La Paz Waterfalls: Explore La Paz Waterfall and Gardens - observe hummingbirds, bromeliad gardens, a serpentarium, a frog pond, and 3.5 kilometers of walking trails.
  • Sarchi: Embark on a discovery tour of the artistic town of Sarchi and watch artisans create the unique and colorful Ox Carts! Continue to Grecia to see the famous Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes Church!
  • Return: Return to your host family for dinner followed by overnight accommodation.

Travel to Monteverde - Cloud ForestDay 6

DAY 6: LA GUACIMA - MONTEVERDE

  • Breakfast: Breakfast with your host families.
  • Travel: Board your motor coach and travel to Monteverde.
  • Cloud Forest: Explore Monteverde's Cloud Forest - including eight distinct ecological zones that protect more than 400 species of birds and over 100 species of mammals.
  • Dinner: Dinner and overnight accommodation in Monteverde.

Monteverde Ziplining and Travel to QueposDay 7

DAY 7: MONTEVERDE - QUEPOS

  • Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel with your group.
  • Ziplining: Embark on a Ziplining adventure! About 70% of all life in a tropical forest takes place at the tree canopy level. Discover the forest in an exhilarating way!
  • Travel: Board your motor coach and travel to Quepos.
  • Dinner: Dinner and overnight accommodation in Quepos.

Manuel Antonio National Park and BeachDay 8

DAY 8: QUEPOS - MANUEL ANTONIO - LA GUACIMA

  • Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel with your group.
  • Manuel Antonio: Although it is Costa Rica's smallest national park, the breathtaking beauty and diversity of wildlife is unequaled in Manuel Antonio.
  • Beach: Enjoy time at the beach and relax in this natural environment.
  • Return: Return to La Guacima. Enjoy some leisure time at the Rancho.
  • Dinner: Dinner and overnight accommodation at El Rancho Lodge.

Fly Back HomeDay 9

DAY 9: LA GUACIMA - HOME

Breakfast at the hotel with your group. Transfer by motor coach to the airport. Say Hasta Luego to your Prometour Tour Director. Board your flight from San Jose and fly back home.

Learning Objectives

Analyze the daily life, values, and cultural traditions of Costa Rican families through a full homestay immersion in La Guacima de Alajuela, where families preserve the authentic “Tico” lifestyle.

Investigate the biodiversity of Costa Rica’s cloud forest ecosystem in Monteverde – including eight ecological zones, 400+ bird species, and 100+ mammal species – and the principles of tropical conservation.

Evaluate the environmental importance of reforestation through participation in a tree-planting program in Sarapiqui, contributing to global goals of planting one billion trees annually.

Compare the urban culture of San Jose with the rural homestay experience of La Guacima and the natural environment of Monteverde, examining how place shapes lifestyle and cultural identity.

Develop Spanish language skills and cross-cultural communication through 3-hour daily Spanish classes, Tico cooking lessons, and traditional Costa Rican dance lessons with host families.

Tour maps

Landmark Highlights

  • La Guacima Homestay: Live with a Costa Rican host family where locals speak only Spanish - daily meals, cultural exchange, and the real Tico lifestyle.
  • San Jose: Plaza de la Cultura, Plaza de Democracia, flea market, Tico cooking class, and Tico dancing class.
  • Poas Volcano National Park: Largest active crater in the world. Doka Coffee Plantation.
  • Sarapiqui: Reforestation program and Chocolate tour.
  • La Paz Waterfall and Gardens: Wildlife including hummingbirds, serpentarium, frog pond, and 3.5km of walking trails.
  • Sarchi: Artisan Ox Cart creation and Grecia Church.
  • Monteverde: Cloud forest with eight ecological zones, 400+ bird species, and Ziplining adventure.
  • Manuel Antonio National Park: Costa Rica's most biodiverse small national park and beach.
Why Choose Prométour?
100% Risk Free Registration (no costs)
30+ years of Experience
Customizable Itineraries
Guaranteed travel dates
No Hidden Fees, No Surprises
24 x 7 Dedicated support
Learn More

Frequently asked questions

Will my group be combined with another school group?

No. Every Prométour educational tour is personalized to ensure a meaningful experience. We guarantee private tours for all groups.

Your group will have its own dedicated Tour Director and itinerary, and will not be combined with any other school or student group.

How does Prométour support teachers with planning?

We take care of everything to make trip planning easy. From organizing travel logistics and accommodations to managing registrations, payments, and documentation, our team handles all the details so you can focus on the experience.

Support starts from day one. To help launch your trip, we host a parent meeting where your dedicated Tour Consultant introduces themselves, represents Prométour, and answers any parent questions directly.

Throughout the planning process, our expert Customer Service Team is available to assist families with registration, payments, and general inquiries, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience for everyone involved.

When will our travel dates be confirmed?

Prométour trips are fully customizable, including your travel dates. You can choose the dates that best align with your school calendar, giving your group flexibility to coordinate extracurricular activities around the trip.

How does Prométour support our group during the trip?

With our own teams in locations such as Montréal, Paris, and Málaga, you get real people who are with your students and know the destination inside and out, not a call center just reading from a script.
If any issues arise while on tour, our 24/7 Emergency Line ensures that help is always just a phone call away. Your group will have access to real-time support whenever it's needed.

What are Prométour's cancellation fees?

When you register for a Prométour trip, you can do so with confidence. If you cancel before the tour is officially confirmed, you'll receive a full refund with no questions asked.

Once the tour is confirmed, standard cancellation fees apply based on your departure date. Travelers may still be eligible for insurance coverage depending on their policy.

In some regions, and for travelers with an upgraded plan, Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance may be available. We recommend contacting the insurance provider directly for full details on coverage options.
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