Doane students with the Arenal Volcano
COSTA RICA OUTDOORS INTERTERM
Instructor: Peggy Hart
May 31 - June 13, 2007
This naturalist-guided coast-to-coast tour captured the best of Costa Rica's outdoor adventures. The trip began with a visit to the Caribbean island village of Tortuguero and its canal-filled national park, an important green sea turtle nesting site and home to various reptiles, birds, big cats, sloths, and monkeys. A trip to La Fortuna included nighttime and daytime exploration of the world's most active volcano, Arenal, a rappelling adventure through a waterfall-filled canyon, and a hike to a 200-foot high waterfall swimming hole. The tour to Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve included a zip line tour through the tree canopy, and a hike through the national park reserve encompassing six different ecological life zones and the continental divide. Next, we traveled to the Manuel Antonio National Park to swim and shop at a rainforest beach and raft on the jungle-clad Sevegre River. A four day stay at the La Cusinga ecolodge located in the jungle along the shores of the Ballena National Marine Park followed. Activities included hiking, surfing, boogie-boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and relaxing.
Students learned about Costa Rica's history of conservation, and experienced sustainable living first-hand at many of the great natural sites of this country. In addition, stays in family-run ecolodges and the companionship of our Tico guide, Jose, exposed students to the warm culture and people of Costa Rica.