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Language Immersion Through Costa Rica

8 days in Guanacaste, the Arenal region, Sarapiquí, and Alajuela

Optional 3 day extension

Mist drifting through dense rainforest canopy on a Costa Rica language immersion tour.
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OVERVIEW

Learn Spanish through real-world connections across Costa Rica’s most vibrant landscapes

In Costa Rica, Spanish learning becomes an active part of every day’s discovery. Students build vocabulary through interactive lessons shaped by the activities they participate in, from sustainability and wildlife to daily life, food, and local history. Then they put those words into practice while meeting local vendors, preparing traditional dishes, and connecting with local hosts over a homemade meal. Along the way, nature becomes the classroom as students explore Guanacaste, kayak on Lake Arenal, zipline through the rainforest canopy, and learn how ecotourism helps protect one of the world’s most biodiverse environments. By pairing Spanish practice with hands-on cultural exchange and outdoor exploration, students grow as communicators while gaining a deeper understanding of Costa Rican culture.

Language Immersion Through Costa Rica route map

What you’ll do

Explore a sample itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Costa Rica

Board your international flight to Liberia

Meet your Tour Director at the destination airport

Travel to Guanacaste

Day 2: Guanacaste

Today's Theme: Community and Social entrepreneurship

Practice vocabulary related to Costa Rica's sustainability and craftsmanship during a language lesson

Take a nature walk

Explore a socially and environmentally sustainable project in Guanacaste and learn to make local crafts

Visit the thermal springs

Day 3: Guanacaste • Arenal region

Today's Theme: Costa Rican Diversity

Learn terms used to describe the country's natural surroundings and wildlife during an interactive language lesson

Interact with local vendors during a market challenge

Travel to the Arenal region

Day 4: Arenal region

Today's Theme: Environmental Sustainability and Ecotourism

Learn how Costa Rica used ecotourism to develop its economy while protecting its biodiversity

Visit Rancho Margot Eco-Lodge

Enjoy a kayaking trip on Lake Arenal

Day 5: Arenal region • Sarapiquí

Today's Theme: Daily Life in Costa Rica

Learn and practice vocabulary related to daily life in Costa Rica

Meet local Costa Rican students and compare teenage life in each country

Enjoy the rainforest from the unique perspective of a zipline through the canopy (For safety reasons, weight and size restrictions may apply)

Compete in a city-wide scavenger hunt

Travel to Sarapiquí

Discover the beat of Costa Rica during a salsa lesson

Day 6: Sarapiquí

Today's Theme: Culinary traditions

Learn food-related terms and practice your conversational Spanish during an interactive language lesson

Learn to prepare local specialties in a cooking class

Whitewater rafting excursion

Day 7: Sarapiquí • Alajuela

Today's Theme: Costa Rican History

Learn about Costa Rica's early settlements and industry

Visit a pineapple farm

Travel to Alajuela

Enjoy a local market or handicraft visit

Enjoy a Costa Rican folklore evening

Day 8: Depart for home

Board your flight home from San José

What makes this tour special?

Experience Spanish language learning throughout your tour with lessons shaped by each day’s activities

Experience Spanish language learning throughout your tour with lessons shaped by each day’s activities

Build confidence in your Spanish over a delicious homemade meal with local hosts

Build confidence in your Spanish over a delicious homemade meal with local hosts

Soar high above one of the world's most biodiverse rainforests on a ziplining adventure

Soar high above one of the world's most biodiverse rainforests on a ziplining adventure

All of our tours are powered by our proven EF Method

Learn more

Your experience includes

Airfare & transportation
Hotels
Regional-style meals
Full-time Language Immersion Program Director
Language lessons
Experiential learning
Entrances
Personalized Learning Support
Continuous Support
Worldwide Presence

Travelers save when you lead this tour before October 1, 2027

See 2027 pricing

Unlock your lowest price

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Payment plan options

Pay over time interest-free or pay all at once

Fundraising

Every traveler receives a no-fee donation page

Global Citizen Scholarship

Every year EF awards $100,000 to student travelers

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Frequently asked questions

Let’s unpack that

We’ll connect you with your personal Tour Consultant—someone who works with other teachers in your area and specializes in planning EF tours. They’ll walk you through this itinerary (along with other tours in our portfolio that match your curriculum or catch your eye), explain student pricing, and show you just how easy it is to partner with EF.

Once you decide to lead a tour, your Tour Consultant will help you get school administrators on board, students excited, and families ready to enroll. You’ll host an informational meeting to kick off the enrollment period, and we’ll provide everything you need—from a digital presentation to printed handouts, parent resources, and more.

You’ll have a dedicated Tour Director who will guide your group from the moment you land in your first destination until your final goodbye. They:

  • Take all the same transportation and stay in the same hotels as your group

  • Speak the local language (but lead the tour in English!)

  • Support you 24/7 as your right hand

  • Offer deep cultural context to help students feel connected to their destination

  • Handle all the logistics, so you don’t have to

  • Are the secret ingredient that makes your tour truly shine

Yes! You earn a free spot on tour as soon as six paying travelers enroll. For every additional six paying travelers, you earn another free spot for an adult chaperone of your choosing. For example, if 30 students sign up, that’s four free chaperone spots in addition to yours.

All travelers on international EF tours must have a valid passport. When it comes to documentation, every traveler and destination is different, so once your group starts enrolling, we’ll help direct you and your families to relevant resources.
 
Passports should have at least three blank pages and be valid for at least six months after your return date.

EF has set the standard for travel-based learning for over 60 years. Not only do our educational tours amplify the lessons you’re already exploring in your classroom, but they also help build more empathy, open-mindedness, confidence, and cross-cultural understanding.
 
Our educational philosophy, the EF Method, is built into every itinerary, so your students are immersed in a continuous journey of engaging, hands-on learning in real-world situations from the moment they step off the plane.

Yes! Plan to explore each destination primarily on foot, so be sure to pack your comfiest sneakers. You’ll have time to rest on the bus while traveling between cities and activities. If any travelers need accommodations, just let your EF Travel Team know in advance.

Every hotel your group stays in is required to meet EF’s rigorous standards for quality, safety, and cleanliness. (We have an entire team dedicated to ensuring that!) However, it’s important to remember that international hotels designed for student travel may feel a little different from what students are familiar with. For example, some hotels may not have an elevator. Rooms will have multiple single beds or shared double beds, and every room will have a private bathroom.

You’ll receive more detailed meal information closer to your tour, but here’s an overview of what to expect:

  • Daily breakfast is served continental-style at your hotel.

  • Most tours include daily group dinners, which take place at local restaurants (or your hotel) and feature a mix of familiar favorites and local dishes from a set menu.

  • Lunches are usually not included, but this varies by itinerary. If lunch isn’t included, this is the perfect opportunity for students to explore local markets and discover their new favorite food.

Travelers will share allergy or dietary information with EF after signing up, and we’ll help make the necessary accommodations.

We’re here to help! Start a live one-on-one chat with a team member.

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