9-Day Program | Student group Spanish language immersion begins with a taste for the local way of life in Costa Rica! Our unforgettable Family Stay Experience® allows students to become temporary locals and appreciate the everyday Costa Rican lifestyle. Students will stay three days and nights with a volunteer familia tica (2-3 students per family) where language skills learned in the classroom come to life in this unique language immersion experience in Latin America. Activities on this student language immersion trip to Costa Rica include hiking around the region, learning how coffee is made and participating in a reforestation project. Visit an active volcano and the local natural hot springs. Have fun kayaking and snorkeling at the beach! All travel dates are tentative, pending teacher approval and airline confirmation.
Program Price: $3,299
Please note that the base price does not include the cost of international flights* Prices are based on a minimum group size of 18 students. When the minimum group size is not reached, a small-group supplement will apply. Final prices are determined by dates, air arrangements, family stay communities and other program components as confirmed by Xperitas, as well as the total size of the group and number of leaders at the time of final billing. Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in fuel prices, exchange rates, and airfare costs beyond the control of Xperitas.
Email Lucia@xperitas.org with your departure city for an estimated international flight cost.
🐦Save $200 when you enroll before June 15, 2026 (discount applied to final payment)
All travel dates are tentative, pending teacher approval and airline confirmation.
(Note: 2–3 students will be placed per family on this program.)
The order of this itinerary and all itinerary items are subject to change based on unforeseen circumstances that may arise prior to or during the program.
What's Included
Round-trip airfare from city listed (and any airline fuel surcharges at time of booking)
In-country transportation (air, motorcoach, van, as applicable)
All overnight accommodations
Insurance for accidents or illness and trip cancellation coverage due to medical reasons only
International phone allowance $10 per day for one leader while in country
Local Spanish speaking guide during tour portion of itinerary
Xperitas Family Stay with all meals included
Local Family Stay Coordinator on call during family stay
24/7 Xperitas emergency support while abroad
Meals as indicated on the itinerary
Round-trip airfare from city listed (and any airline fuel surcharges)
In-country transportation (air, motorcoach, van, as applicable)
Tipping allowance of $70 per student
Activities Included
Hike in Trinidad
Pickup soccer game
Fruit picking
Coffee plantation visit
Tree planting
Local school visit
Hot springs
Zipline
Arenal National Park
Organic farm visit
Salsa class
Snorkeling and kayaking at Chora Island
What's not Included
Airline baggage fees
Variance in air cost due to changes in group contract after booking or if the group size prevents using the booked air contract.
Costs incurred due to late or missed flights
Activities and excursions listed on the itinerary but not in program inclusions, above, are to be paid using the student entrance fee allowance
Passport, visa (including ETIAS) or other document costs
Transportation to/from departure city
Any meals not indicated on itineraries
Spending money and gifts
Any fees associated with advanced seating assignments
Small-group supplement when group has fewer than 2participants
Payment reminders will be sent 1 week and 1 day before each payment is due.
Accepted Payment Methods
Payments may be made by credit card, debit card, ACH transfer, or check. A 2.9% processing fee applies to all credit and debit card transactions.
Checks must be made payable to Xperitas and include the participant’s full name and destination country. Postdated checks are not accepted and will be returned.
Family Stay Application
Family Stay applications are due on November 1, 2026.
Passport information and copy of passport due on December 1, 2026/February 1, 2027
Xperitas is a nonprofit educational organization committed to making our short-term immersion travel programs accessible to as many students as possible. We provide meaningful financial aid on a “needs based” sliding scale to create equitable access. Over the past decade we have dedicated over a million dollars to financial aid, scholarship and classroom grant programs.
Financial Aid Applications Due October 15!
At Xperitas, we work with teachers to provide their students with outstanding language and cultural immersion experiences. We believe that when students have an authentic experience outside of the classroom, using their language skills in a different culture, they make a deeper cultural connection. Our programs are designed to inspire students to make personal connections with communities worldwide and gain greater cultural awareness. Benefits reported to us by teachers, parents and the students themselves are as follows:
A better understanding of language and the nuance of dialect
An understanding of language within the context of the culture
A greater awareness of different perspectives
A sense of increased independence, self-sufficiency, and cultural competence
Since 1972, we have carefully selected families who volunteer to share their home, language, and culture with our student travelers. Students live with a local host family while abroad on their language immersion program, creating an authentic language and cultural immersion experience, unmatched by other cross-cultural programs. No Family Stay Experience is “typical”; every one is as unique as the families that host.
Families are volunteer, not a paid service
Students share meals and family routines in the target language
Families and students explore differences and similarities in culture and tradition
These connections can last a lifetime! Many students and host families stay in touch for years afterward.
The success of our Family Stay Experience® is due to our network of of dedicated Family Stay Coordinators around the world, who work tirelessly to ensure a safe and enjoyable hosting experience.
Xperitas Family Stay Coordinators are local to the host communities
Recruit and screen families in their own networks and match them to Xperitas participants
Are on call 24/7 during the program to address any issues that arise