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Day 1-5

Backcountry medicine administered by you.

This trip isn’t about getting on and off a tour bus and taking a bunch of digital photos at Costa Rica’s major attractions. In fact, from the moment you get off the plane in San Jose, you’re the one leading the way on an immersive adventure, focused on skill mastery and achievement. Start off in the dense jungle of Corcovado National Park. Witness the howler and capuchin monkeys up in the trees, crocs and sharks in the lagoons, and jaguars hiding in the thick forest. This first portion of the program is a backcountry medicine trekking experience. Through hands-on exercises in practical true-to-life role-play scenarios, you learn how to deliver first aid out in the wild, assess emergency situations and make vital care decisions that may save a life one day. Emerge from the jungle with your official Wilderness First Aid certification in hand and the confidence to tackle whatever comes next.

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Day 6-11

Light a fire under your wilderness skills.

You know those outdoorsy types who can set up and break down camp, get a fire going, locate drinkable water, track wild animals and basically survive out in the wild on their own? Well, you’re about to become one of them. This rugged trip segment — which takes place in an unspoiled natural setting amid waterfalls, canyons and pristine rivers — is all about wilderness skill development. As we push deeper and deeper into the Costa Rican backcountry, we ramp up the survival skills more and more. Learn to master all the skills we just mentioned above, plus navigational map reading, basic orienteering, compass use, and Leave No Trace camping principles.

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Day 12-17

Whitewater raft our way.

For the final leg of the program, we head to the mountain town of Turrialba, our jumping off point for a whitewater rafting expedition on the thrilling Pacuare River. Sure we get tossed around the boat and completely soaked on the Class III and IV rapids and, but beyond that, we get an opportunity to complete a Trainee Rafting Guide certification. Learn all about specialized rafting techniques, whitewater rescue skills, ropes skills, signals, and principles of guiding. As the raft floats down river and the raging water finally subsides, the full measure of your achievements comes into focus. That sense of accomplishment you feel inside is something you get to carry with you long after you exit the water, and Costa Rica.