Costa Rica | Medical Outreach Adventure with Susannah Jones

Upon arrival in San José, after clearing immigration and customs, you will be met by your guide and transported to Hotel Arenal Paraíso. Arenal Paraíso is located between the town of La Fortuna and Arenal National Park, with excellent views of Arenal Volcano. After settling in, receive an orientation about the area, and then have time at leisure to enjoy the onsite thermo-mineral water pools heated by the volcano. Before dinner, get to know your guide and learn more about the amazing country that will be your home for the next week.

After breakfast this morning, hike around the base of Arenal Volcano in Arenal National Park to learn about its geology and the local flora and fauna. After lunch, enjoy a thrilling SkyTrek zip line tour in the forest canopies at Sky Adventures Arenal Park. Board the SkyTram gondolas that offer a spectacular chance to view flora and fauna from an "up-in-the-branches" perspective. Once at the top of the mountain, start riding down on a zip line track stretching across canyons and in between treetops, ultimately returning to the starting point at the main building.

Morning hike along a treetop suspended bridge system situated in the rainforest canopy. Continue the day with a visit to a local farm for lunch and exploration of rural life in the Arenal region. Later, return to the hotel with time at leisure to enjoy the pools. This evening, participate in the Night Wings Project, a program that promotes education and conservation of bat species in Costa Rica.

This morning, depart Arenal and transfer to the Sarapiquí region to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve. Conservation of the rainforest was a major reason for the establishment of the lodge, which was founded in 1985. The lodge is designed to have minimal impact on the environment and is proud to participate in the Certification for Sustainable Tourism program (CST). This important program sets a standard for lodges in key aspects of sustainability including environmental impact, community impact, and environmental awareness-building. Receive an orientation to the lodge and private reserve and an introduction to the important work of the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center (SCLC). The SCLC's mission is to support conservation through educational programming and community development. The ESL (English as a Second Language) program, the after-school program, and the scholarship program have wide participation locally and are mostly funded by international guests via their participation in programs like this one. With our SCLC hosts, we will visit an area medical clinic to meet with local professionals to learn about Costa Rica's health care system, afterwards there will be a CPR class with the community. Next experience Costa Rican cuisine during a cooking class. After dinner, enjoy a guided walk around the lodge in search of nocturnal creatures.

Early this morning, join your guide for an exciting birding hike to view some of the 300-plus species found here. Some popular species you may see include the Great Tinamou, Gartered Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, and Red-lored Parrot, so be sure to bring binoculars. Following breakfast, set out on a hike through the 500-acre reserve to discover the rich and diverse examples of flora and fauna. As you study the forest, your guide will discuss the complex details of the ecosystem and how life in the rainforest thrives. Selva Verde Lodge's reserve is located on a large, private tract of primary and secondary premontane wet forest in the lush lowlands. Life in a rainforest is stratified in three distinct horizontal layers. The upper canopy is a little-known world of beauty and biological diversity. The middle tier is filled with small trees, lianas, and epiphytes. The ground surface layer is littered with branches, twigs, and undergrowth. Contrary to popular thought, ground cover is thick only where sunlight penetrates sufficiently. After lunch, enjoy an exciting whitewater rafting trip on the Río Sarapiquí. All rafting trips include a professional river guide, the necessary safety equipment (helmet, life jackets, etc.), and a thorough lesson on rafting and safety procedures prior to your adventure. As you raft along the river, keep an eye out for the variety of wildlife in the surrounding forests. Enjoy a dip in the river along the way along with some fresh fruit snacks before returning to the lodge.

After breakfast, embark on a boat ride down the Río Sarapiquí. While winding down the river, which is bordered with forests and cultivated fields, watch for aquatic animals, birds, and reptiles in their natural habitat. You can also see residents going about their daily lives and witness the impact of local banana plantations on this watershed. In the afternoon, visit the family-run farm at Best Chocolate to learn all about the cacao plant, how it is processed from fruit to final product, and the natural and cultural history of chocolate in Costa Rica. Learn about the crop's role in the pre- and post-colonial Americas while sampling chocolate prepared on the spot using traditional methods. Return to Selva Verde for dinner.

Depart for the airport for your flight home.