Option 1: Airport Pickup Service from the Liberia Airport. This is the nearest airport.  We will pick you up at the airport and take you directly to your accommodation.

Option 2: Transportation on your own from the Liberia Airport. You can take a taxi on your own from the airport to your accommodation.  
 
Option 3: Transportation on your own from the Airport in San Jose to Playa Tamarindo.   If you arrive in the airport in San Jose, you must take the connecting flight to the Liberia Airport or take Interbus to Tamarindo.  However, the last flight or bus to Tamarindo leaves San Jose at about 14:30.  If you arrive later than that time, you must stay overnight near the Airport to travel next morning.  Please consult us for details. 

Instead of flying in on the day your Spanish language immersion program begins, you will arrive in Costa Rica three days earlier. Someone will pick you up at the airport in San Jose and take you to your choice of a student guest house or a nice Bed & Breakfast.

The next couple of days there will be a variety of interesting tours, activities and experiences to show some of the interesting aspects of Costa Rica and the locals. Our experience has shown that those students who participate in the Welcome Program have an easier time adjusting to daily Costa Rican life. The program is also designed to help you relax and enjoy your first couple of days in Costa Rica. It allows you to see the capital and the immediate surrounding area.

The cost of the program depends on the type of accommodations you choose. Please consult us for the prices. The cost includes all your meals, transportation, tours, a bilingual guide, and admissions to museums, theaters and parks.

The Welcome Program consists of the following:

Thursday
Airport Pickup
Transportation to the guest house or the B&B; with time to settle in and relax.
Welcome Dinner

Friday
You will have a choice of two great new tours to introduce you to Costa Rica’s natural wonders.

1) Sunset Tour: Breakfast at the Guest House. For lunch, you are free to do as you like and can visit one of the many local restaurants. Then at about 1:00 pm, you will be leaving for your adventure in the jungle, returning at approximately 9:30 pm.

2) Highlights Tour: You will leave at about 8:00 in the morning. Breakfast and lunch will be served on the tour and you are free to do as you like for dinner.

Saturday
You will have a choice of two tours to continue with Costa Rica’s nature.

1) River Rafting on the Rio Pacuare
Students are picked up at about 6:30 a.m. and transported by minibus to the Rio Pacuare. On the way there is a stop for breakfast at a country restaurant. At the river, students receive a half an hour of training in how to raft, along with safety tips and emergency procedures. Once on the river, students will experience some of the best rafting in Costa Rica over the class three and four rapids. This is the perfect trip for both beginners and seasoned rafters alike. The countryside and deep gorges are awesome. The total time on the river is about five hours with a stop in the middle for a picnic lunch. After the ride is finished, there will be an opportunity for students to purchase photos of the day's rafting. Students will return to San Jose around 6 p.m.

2) Calypso Island Tour
For students that do not want to go river rafting, we also have the option of the Calypso Island tour to Isla Tortuga. This one day cruise to the island of Tortuga is one of the most popular tours in Costa Rica.   Students will be picked up at 6:00 a.m. and transported in a luxury bus down to the Pacific coast town of Puntarenas where they will board an 80 foot catamaran. The Manta Ray is equipped with a full bar, two Jacuzzis, Calypso band and plenty of room for over 100 passengers. After cruising around a number of different islands in the Gulfo Nicoya for two hours they arrive at Isla Tortuga, which is a National Preservation Area. On the island students will be able to swim, snorkel, kayak, play beach volleyball or just lounge around for five hours. During which time you will have a gourmet lunch along with a delicious ceviche appetizer. At around 3 in the afternoon passengers re-board the catamaran and return to Puntarenas and then back by bus to San Jose, arriving around 7 p.m. Dinner will be on your own.