Location
  • Costa Rica
Length
2 - 4 weeks

Program Details

Activities
Animal Viewing Backpacking Bird Watching Dancing Farming Remote Exploring Surfing Ziplining
Timeframe
Fall Spring Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Host Family Hostel Lodge
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
18

Pricing

Starting Price
3500
Price Details
Included in your trip:
• Pre-departure support
• Airport pick-up
• Gapforce Expedition leader
• All accommodation for the duration of the course
• Three meals a day
• Project equipment and training
• Return airport transfer
• 24/7 emergency back-up
• Financial bonding
• Program Transfers
• All volunteering projects
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Meals Tour Guide Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare Equipment SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
Jan 11, 2023
Aug 19, 2022
16 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Costa Rica has some of the greatest biodiversity on earth and it’s also one of the finest adventure travel destiantions with surfing, hiking, ziplining, snorkelling and loads more! Join us now for an unforgettable jounry full of conservation work and cultural exposure.

On this epic 4-week adventure, you will experience the majesty of the Monteverde cloud forest and the sandy shores of Puerto Viejo as you help our local partners in their efforts to save the endangered sea turtles, explore the rainforest and relax on the stunning Caribbean coastline. A fantastic balance between guided excursions and sustainable volunteer impact, Costa Rica has something for everyone!

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Zip-line though the Monteverde cloud forest
  • Volunteer on a vital turtle conservation project in Tortuguero
  • Experience the wonders of the rainforest
  • Soak up some sun on golden Caribbean beaches
  • Immerse yourself in the fascinating local Bri Bri culture

Program Reviews

4.86 Rating
based on 21 reviews
  • 5 rating 85.71%
  • 4 rating 14.29%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Housing 4.55
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.8
  • Value 4.75
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 1 - 8 of 21 reviews
Default avatar
Lucie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Once in a lifetime!

Travelling to Costa Rica with Gap Force was incredible. We had the opportunity to volunteer throughout our trip including reforestation and hatchery guarding. We saw lots of different things I would not have experienced had a travelled on my own such as seeing turtles laying eggs on remote beaches and staying with the BriBri tribe. I also loved the ziplining and the Tarzan swing. Through this trip I have met so many great people and formed amazing friendships. I would definitely recommend this once in a lifetime trip!

Pros
  • Experience a different country and culture
  • Visit remote places
  • Meet incredible people
Cons
  • Night life was disappointing
19 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Alannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible experience

Such an amazing experience that I doubt you can get from anyone else! Gapforce really made sure our trip was stocked full of such rewarding and great experiences; Volunteering in the local community, hikes to waterfalls, zip lining, surfing, and plenty of afternoons off where we could explore our local environment! I don’t think I could have asked for a better trip, money well spent if you’re looking for an engaging and fun adventure. Our trip leader Jeremie was great, really helped the group gel and such a good motivator; you always felt supported by him and he had such good advice (and dad jokes). The trip all in all felt so well organised and you never felt as if you were out of things to do. I’ve made friends for life, working hard as a team and reaping the rewards brings people together so well and gapforce has managed to create a trip where exactly that happens!

Pros
  • You’ll make friends for life
  • The experience to help the community
  • Lots of social opportunities
Cons
  • Some volunteering got a bit repetitive
  • Not many completely free days
23 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Olly
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Pura Vida

Amazing experience, I really enjoyed the work and the social side of it, the rest of the group were all great and will hopefully travel with some after the trip, the weather was great and the food was good except from rice and beans.

I enjoyed seeing a new culture and new people particularly in monatverde. The accommodations are good with good service.

I would recommend the trio to anyone that wants a safe start to a gap year And learn how travel.

The activities were all really good and fun especially the surfing

Pura Vida

Pros
  • Surfing
  • Weather
  • The group
Cons
  • Rice and beans
  • Bar amigos
  • Sleep schedule
25 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Costa Rica Adventure review

One of the best experiences of my life! Met the best people and experienced the most amazing things. Would recommend bringing extra money as you have do subsidise some of the meals and things are more expensive than they seem. Had 2 different group guides and they were very different in dealing with challenges that we faced. Got to experience things you might not necessarily experience outside of an organised group (for example staying with the Bri Bri tribe), and met the most amazing locals. Would recommend to solo travellers as everyone is so lovely!

Pros
  • Nice people
  • Fun experiences
  • Varied locations
Cons
  • Expensive extras
  • Group leads vary
32 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Dylan
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Costa Rica Adventure

For any first time travellers (like myself) to somewhere so exotic, Gapforce provides an excellent safety net so that you feel independent but still supported. Certain experiences such as staying with an indigenous tribe or volunteering on a turtle project are things I would have struggled to sort for myself so I am hugely grateful to Gapforce for organising such privileges. Whilst more experienced travellers may find that going with a lead group is inhibiting, it is a massive confident builder to anyone who is even slightly apprehensive about travelling without family. I have also made friendships that will last a lifetime - it’s been the best time I’ve spent abroad by far.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
During our stay with the jungle tribe in Yorkin, I was amazed at how simple yet delicious the food was - an assortment of beige things I’d never even heard of turned out to be something I’m still craving 3 weeks later!
38 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Alexi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Costa Rica adventure Gap Force

I am extremely grateful for the experience I had. While the accommodations and overall cleanliness was not always ideal (nor expected given the locations), but that was far outweighed by the beautiful places we got to explore and volunteer with. The volunteer work was certainly tiring at times, but always felt satisfying and impactful in the end. There was a good balance between guided activities and free time. Overall the relationship between gap force and the places we visited felt very comfortable, welcoming, and safe. I can confidently say that it would be difficult to have a bad experience and I’d highly recommend anyone to give it a go. I found this program through a friend and truly knew nothing about it but after learning about the process the expedition leaders go through to lead these trips and the measures gap force takes to keep us safe, it is 100% trustworthy. I am sincerely grateful for the dedication and care gap force has for making a lasting experience on its travelers.

What would you improve about this program?
Less cooking at home and more going out for traditional food. For whatever reason it seemed like the budgeted was a little stingy and almost always not enough for a proper meal at any decent restaurant. I almost always had to pay out of pocket to get anything remotely nice and to have any sort of juice/drink.
36 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Claire
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best time ever !

Traveling with this program was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and every experience I had on this trip was so valuable. I made friends for life and has once and a life time adventures. There was such a variety of things we did it was great. You got out door adventure one day then a nice restaurant for dinner then to a classy bar for drinks. I loved that we got to experience all aspects of where we were staying instead of one or the other. The program was so immersive I’m the countries culture it was refreshing

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
Choose a longer trip so I can spend more time with the group ahhaha
35 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ishani
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Costa Rica Adventure

I loved going on the Costa Rican Adventure. Not only did we get to visit some incredible places and meet loads of cool people, I also made some really good friends from all over the world in my group. My favourite place was Puerto Viejo which was is a gorgeous Caribbean beachside town. Surfing and hiking up the mountains to the natural waterfalls were both amazing activities and I’m so glad I got the chance to do the both. The food and accommodation were great and I had loads of fun. I definitely want to come back to visit Costa Rica in the future!!!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Zip lining and Canyon swinging in Monteverde. It was a thrilling experience, especially when standing up in the canopies but it was so cool!!!
38 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers