Costa Rica - High School Trip

[4kids4karen]

Just looking to see what I can learn before the parent meeting. Teacher is choosing ‘EF Educational Tours.’ Any thoughts, advice, or concerns with a group of high school kids going to Costa Rica with this touring company? I have never visited Costa Rica but I am sure some of you have.

 

[sun_seekin]

I traveled to Europe with EF Tours in 1997 on a high school trip. It was a great tour, good value for what you got. We stayed in a mixture of very budget hotels and nicer (3-4 star) hotels. It was affordable for most families including several classmates of mine who worked all summer to save up for the trip themselves. I have been to Costa Rica, but on my own and not with EF or any other tour company. I do know they have been around a long time and are used by many schools for educational trips.

 

[carpenta]

Costa Rica is a perfect country for high school students to visit. Such a large diversity of animals and environments make it a great educational experience. Very safe in the area of crime as well as a very welcoming population eager to share their country. I would not hesitate letting our daughter to travel with a high school group to travel back to Costa Rica. You can even "drink the water" in most places and don't worry. He / she will have a wonderful educational time.

 

[4kids4karen]

Thanks for the info thus far. The teacher coordinating is a Science teacher.

I have a son and daughter in high school that could both go. Son says he is not interested but my daughter is.

 

[tink1970]

Just looking to see what I can learn before the parent meeting. Teacher is choosing ‘EF Educational Tours.’ Any thoughts, advice, or concerns with a group of high school kids going to Costa Rica with this touring company? I have never visited Costa Rica but I am sure some of you have.

i can't speak for Costa Rica but DD went with EF tours to Italy and Greece in 2017. She loved the trip and their group was with 2 other groups from other parts of the country. Everything went smoothly and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

 

[2-pointdoe]

EF tours is also who our (local) girl scouts use for travel. The troops who have used it have nothing but good things to say.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I think that is the same company that my daughter's AP Euro History used to go to Central Europe a couple years ago. She loved it. Kind of no frills compared to what she was used to (i.e. ABD), but well run. I was bummed because they code as eduction not travel for credit card points

 

[DCPhotoGal]

My 8th grader is doing an EF tour to Costa Rica in April. Her sister did an EF tour to the Dominican Republic last year and enjoyed it (our school alternates the spring break trips between the DR and CR). The student trips are much more bare bones than ABD trips, but they do take care of all of the logistics, and the prices include airfare, unlike ABD They stayed in a dorm-style hotel, and in her case there were about 3-4 girls in the same room in some hotels, in another I think it was 6. I am not sure about other groups' experiences but several kids got ill on the trip, and one ended up on crutches. My own child was ok so I don't know how they dealt with those things along the way. I know they did require us to purchase the trip insurance.

 

[kaseyC]

I did an EF tour with my Latin class as a HS sophomore to Italy and Greece in 1981. They are a well established travel company which offers basic but comfortable tours. Next year my youngest DD with be traveling to France and Italy with her AP Euro class, I believe it is also through EF.

Edited to add that the trip in 1981 cost $1500 for 10 days that included most meals plus airfare and a mini-Greek Island cruise.

 

[Jess_S]

I haven't done an EF tour, but my family did go to Costa Rica. It is our favorite place we have ever visited. A beautiful country with friendly people and so much interesting wildlife. I can see why it would be a good choice for a science focused trip.

 

[4kids4karen]

Thanks for the replies. I signed her up for the trip. Another teacher is taking students on the Germany/Italy/Switzerland EF tour this summer so I expect to hear how that went for the students.