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Costa Rica & Panama Leadership Semester
Overview
Dates & Cost
Itinerary
Location
Reviews
Overview
65 days | Costa Rica | Ages 18+ | from $17,940 USD
Embark on the ultimate adventure through the heart of Costa Rica, as OBCR and HIOBS guide you through an adventure of lush rainforests, sparkling rivers, and breathtaking coastlines. From trekking through verdant valleys and cloud forests to navigating world-class whitewater rapids and surfing the Pacific’s pristine waves, this 65-day course will immerse you in the rich culture and stunning beauty of Latin America. Along the way, you’ll live alongside local communities, hone your leadership skills, and challenge yourself in ways you never thought possible—all while embracing the Pura Vida lifestyle that defines this transformative experience.
Top graduates of this Outdoor Leader Semester program may be offered a paid internship as a Field Instructor Intern for Outward Bound Costa Rica’s summer high season, with the possibility of staying on as a year-round instructor.
Dates & Cost
Dates: Feb. 15 – April. 20, 2025 (Spring)
Jan. 24 – March. 29, 2026 (Spring session #1)
Feb. 14 – April. 19, 2026 (Spring session #2)
Cost: $17,940 USD (Spring 2025)
$18,175 USD (Spring session #1)
$18,175 USD (Spring session #2)
Tuition includes all room and board, technical gear, course activities, and in-country transportation. Airfare to/from Costa Rica is not included in the listed tuition cost
Itinerary
PLEASE NOTE: This is a sample itinerary. Details are subject to change.
Orientation & Wilderness Training
Fly to Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) where you will be greeted by our staff and be driven to our remote and isolated rainforest base in Tres Ríos, Cartago. Get to know our rainforest base grounds, staff, and what you will be accomplishing during your semester course. Nights in furnished dorms.
Day 2-4
Orientation (3 days).
Day 5
Rainforest Base day – Cultural activities & hike prep day.
Day 6
Hike prep day.
Day 7-21, Hiking Phase:
Start your cross-country hiking expedition, backpacking, homestays, & service (15 days): Stay on a banana plantation, a farm, and/or in a local village. Take part in activities like cheese & bread making, native artifact collection, & community projects.
Day 22-23
Rainforest Base day – cultural activities & surf prep day.
Day 24-36
Surf and service.
Day 37-38
Rainforest Base day – cultural activities & river prep day.
Day 38
Rainforest base day – Spanish class, cultural activities.
Day 39
River prep day.
Day 40-53, River Phase
Learn how to smoothly take on the legendary Pacaure and Sarapiqui rivers.
Day 54: Course Wrap Up
Course close.
Day 55
Spend your last evening on base with a course reflection, final traditional dinner, and program celebration. Overnight in furnished dorms. Transfer to the Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) for departure. Say hasta luego to your friends and coursemates. Nos vemos pronto en Costa Rica!
Location
This Costa Rica wilderness course offers a unique opportunity to build outdoor skills in a stunning tropical setting. Participants will engage in whitewater rafting on the country’s abundant rivers, surf on the Pacific coast, and hike through diverse ecosystems, including rainforests and cloud forests. The course includes camping, cooking, and homestays with local families, fostering a hands-on experience of both nature and culture. Students will also stay in treehouse-style lodges and basecamps with shared dorms. The course takes place in the ancestral lands of several Indigenous groups, offering a rich cultural backdrop to the adventure.
Reviews
“This experience is just what I needed at this point in my life. I began to feel a lot more comfortable with my personality and all its quirks. I started noticing this during Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training. It’s something that typically causes me a lot of anxiety, but now I can cope with it more effectively and ease my anxiousness.”
“This experience allows you learn invaluable skills and meet amazing people in an environment so different than the one I have known for the past 19 years. I’ve learned to never be afraid to be unapologetically yourself.”
“This was a life changing course that teaches you more about yourself and your life. I found that experiencing things outside my comfort zone made me grow a lot.”
“There is nothing that can change your life more than being away from your life at home. This experience is a self exploration and a way to find out what is most important to you. The most important thing I learned is to look at the world with child-like wonder and show appreciation for everything. I have become more comfortable with who I am and I’ve developed a sense of caring for others.”
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