Costa Rica, among most other Latin American countries, celebrates the deceased on November 2nd every year. This day has several names, including Día de Todos Santos (All Saints Day), Día de Todos Almas (All Souls Day) and the more common Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Although this holiday is celebrated more in […]
Costa Rica Leadership Students Raft the Rio General Costa Rica is known for its world-class whitewater rafting. It has many fantastic rivers for all skill levels, on which rafting trips can last anywhere from a few hours to a four or five days. Our Water & Wave students are currently on a multiple day […]
This is a list of what our instructors deem as fundamental gear for your course. Feel free to bring items that are not on this list, but please keep in mind that you will be responsible for your personal belongings. Do not bring more than you think you will be able to carry! Prior […]
One of the many great parts of traveling abroad is checking out new currency, and Costa Rican money is no disappointment. With volcanoes, sharks, and jaguars and vibrant colors, the bills are full of Costa Rica´s natural wonders. (Read below for our Outward Bound Costa Rica recommendations and rules for bringing money on course.*) Costa […]
Along with stunning beaches and diverse rainforest ecosystems, Costa Rica is also home to volcanoes. Lots of volcanoes. There are over 200 identifiable volcanic formations, with only around 100 that show any signs of volcanic activity. And only five are classified as active volcanoes. Most of the volcanoes in Costa Rica lie in the northern […]
They come in May with the rain. At times they can drive you insane. They make a loud buzzing sound, then hit the wall and the ground, and this happens over and over again. Meet: the Abejones de Mayo. People in the States call them “June bugs.” Scientific circles know their family name to be […]
Día de la Tierra (Earth Day), on April 22, is a big day for Costa Rica. It could be because Costa Rica does so much to preserve its land and rainforest. In fact, the government presented a plan to protect 18 percent of the country in national parks and another 13 percent in privately owned […]
Christ has died, now let’s go catch a crocodile? During Semana Santa (Holy Week), some Costa Ricans from the Guanacaste province, go on a crocodile chase called “Lagarteada” (in Spanish, lagarto means lizard). And while this tradition is controversial, it still made its way into the celebrations of Costa Ricans this year (see photos below). […]
a-li-men-tar /v./ – to feedAll students who pass through our base in Manuel Antonio love to see the surrounding trees filled with titi monkeys swinging from tree to tree in perfect view from our three-story base windows. Students watch them as they wake up and eat breakfast every morning. But they have to keep that […]
Mt. Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica (and second highest in Central America) stands tall at 3,820 m (12,532 ft.). Climbing 19 km up Chirripó is one of the best ways to experience the beauty of Costa Rica. Monkeys roam the forests; the terrain continues to change every hour; the flowers come in every […]
“Between 40 min and 2 hours; it depends on the time of day, the day of the week, and the time of year.” This is the response we give when we’re asked, “So how far is the Outward Bound Costa Rica base from the airport?” We never know, either. When scheduling our drivers for student […]
Our five newest students got an extra special taste of Costa Rican culture on Christmas Day when Doña Carmen – one of our cooks and all-around Base Angels – invited everyone into her home for a holiday meal. Shortly after getting to our base and completing their “Duffle Shuffle,” the participants in our Adult Reconnect […]
There is a lot of mystery surrounding Costa Rica’s tiny remote Pacific island called Isla del Coco. Its Jurassic Park affiliation brought it some fame, and its restrictions for entry have increased the level of infatuation to visit it. Cocos Island is an uninhabited island located off the shore of Costa Rica. This National Park […]
“Service is an active expression of valuing our common humanity, our diversity, and the natural world.”This statement comes straight from the Outward Bound Costa Rica website under the Mission and Philosophy page. It is one of our goals to enrich the students not only through the challenges they face in and around the rainforest, but […]
Long live the turtle! ‘Tis the season to be nesting. Every year from August to October, two of Costa Rica’s three sea turtle species lay most of their eggs on the coastlines: the Green Turtles in Tortugero National Park (Caribbean coast) and Olive Ridley Turtle in Guanacaste (Pacific coast). There are seven species of sea […]