Soccer in Costa Rica March 11 - March 17, 2017

Transcription

1 Sports Travel Experience Designed Especially for South Texas Youth Soccer Association ( ) Soccer in Costa Rica March 11 - March 17, 2017 ITINERARY OVERVIEW DAY 1 DEPARTURE FROM HOUSTON - ARRIVE SAN JOSÉ - MANUEL ANTONIO AREA (3 NIGHTS) DAY 2 MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK & FIRST FRINDLY MATCH DAY 3 MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK & SECOND DAY 4 MANUEL ANTONIO AREA - SERVICE PROJECT - SAN JOSE AREA (3 NIGHTS) DAY 5 SAN JOSÉ & THIRD DAY 6 POAS VOLCANO, ZOO AVE & FOURTH FREINDLY MATCH DAY 7 DEPARTURE FROM SAN JOSÉ

2 ITINERARY Soccer is the most popular sport in Costa Rica. Almost all residents eat and breathe soccer.costa Rica has a professional soccer league and Costa Rica's national soccer team is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States. This passion for soccer gives us the opportunity to use soccer as the vehicle for cultural exchange. Besides enjoying the weather, beaches, adventure, wildlife, and and natural wonders, you will have the chance to play competitive soccer with the locals and to experience a different soccer style. Educational Tour/Visit Cultural Experience Festival/Performance/Workshop Tour Services Recreational Activity LEAP Enrichment Match/Training Session DAY 1 Saturday, 11 March 2017 Relax and enjoy our scheduled flight from Houston to San Jose, Costa Rica Our bi-lingual Tour Director will meet us at the airport and will accompany the group throughout the tour. Our private coach will meet us at the airport and transfer the group to the Manuel Antonio area on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We will have the use of a private bus for all transfers and required sporting and sightseeing content. Manuel Antonio is a city located in a beautiful region of Costa Rica facing the Pacific Ocean. From white sandy beaches to turquoise waters, this booming tourist town has something to offer to everyone who visits. Our accommodation for the first three nights will be in the Manuel Antonio area. While here, breakfast will be included at the hotel. Lunch and dinner may also be included in the hotel restaurant. TRAINING SESSION We will participate in a Training Session at a local field. The training session will be led by your own coaching staff and are designed to prepare the team for upcoming friendly matches. (Training sessions may be in the morning, afternoon or evening and will be determined by the final hotel location, field availability, and the schedule of activities for the day). DAY 2 Sunday, 12 March 2017 An experienced guide will take us on an informative hike through sublime Manuel Antonio National Park, highlighting the main attractions. The park's centerpiece is a pair of white-sand beaches: Espadilla Sur and Manuel Antonio. The National Park also protects coastal rain forest, a rare mangrove swamp, colorful coral formations and twelve islands that serve as seabird sanctuaries. Our guide will teach us about the park's distinct plant life and point out some of the resident fauna, which includes 109 mammal species, such as the capuchin and squirrel monkeys, agouti and three-toed sloth, as well as 184 species of birds. 1

3 DAY 3 Monday, 13 March 2017 Enjoy a Costa Rican adventure on a Canopy Safari Tour. Our canopy course consists of 21 platforms, 9 "zip lines", and 2 rappel lines, one suspension bridge and a "Tarzan Swing." Expert guides assist participants in this exciting journey through the different layers of virgin and secondary rainforest. They point out and explain the many different types of flora and fauna; from poison dart frogs, to the "walking palm tree." As a result; at the end of the tour our clients are able to walk away with a newfound knowledge of Costa Rican wildlife. DAY 4 Tuesday, 14 March 2017 Today we will travel from the Manuel Antonio area to the San Jose area. This morning we will participate in a Volunteer Activity. Based on needs at the time of our trip, we will participate in a humanitarian, environmental or community based project. This can include volunteering at an orphanage or home for the elderly, volunteering in a local environmental project, or dedicating our time and resources to a worthy project in the region. Our team can also volunteer their time to work with youth in leading soccer drills. Our accommodation for the final three nights will be in the San Jose area. While here, breakfast will be included at the hotel. Lunch and dinner may also be included in the hotel restaurant. DAY 5 Wednesday, 15 March 2017 Take a walking tour of San José, including Plaza Park (the oldest continuously used public open space in the city, now known as Plaza de Cesar Chavez), and the Juzgado (town hall). The many other places of interest include Chinatown, the First State Capital (at the site of the Fairmont Hotel), the US Post Office (the city s first federal building), the birthplace of A.P. Giannini, the Peralta adobe (the oldest Spanish structure in the downtown area), and the Trinity Episcopal Church (the oldest church building in San José). During our tour, we will stop to visit the Museo del Oro, featuring an impressive collection of pre-columbian golden treasures. Take a guided tour of the National Stadium of Costa Rica (Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica) The stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in La Sabana Metropolitan Park, San José. It is the first modern sport and event arena to be built in Central America. The stadium was completed in 2011 and officially opened its doors to the public on Saturday, March 26 of that same year, with a capacity of 35,175 seats. The stadium serves as the home stadium of the Costa Rica national football team and it was used to host matches during the 2014 FIFA U- 17 Women's World Cup, including the opening game, the third place match and the Final. 2

4 DAY 6 Thursday, 16 March 2017 We will make an early departure and travel to Poas Volcano National Park. The Poás Volcano is one of the world's largest geysers with an awesome crater, over 1.5 km. wide! The tour begins with a beautiful drive through the lush coffee plantations and flower farms of the area. In addition to the volcano, the Poás National Park is a 9,884-acre reserve with rich tropical vegetation and animal life. The tour includes a hike through the surrounding forest that is teeming with typical plant life and exotic birds. The hike concludes at a restful, emerald green, tropical lagoon. Time permitting; we will visit Zoo Ave where we will view dozens of scarlet macaws, reclusive owls, majestic raptors, several different species of toucans, and a host of brilliantly colored birds from Costa Rica and around the world. Enjoy a stroll along the paths where to get a close look at large iguana, deer, monkeys, and a 12-ft. long crocodile. Zoo Ave houses only injured, donated, or confiscated animals. We will dine this evening in a local restaurant. DAY 7 Friday, 17 March 2017 Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our Tour Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day. 3

5 South Texas Youth Soccer Association Soccer in Costa Rica ( ) Tour Price $2,450 per person Tour Prices Guaranteed at Time of Enrollment! Our Price Guarantee: Once you have accepted this proposal, the dates have been confirmed and WorldStrides online registration portal (or equivalent paperwork) has been made available for your group's tour, the prices shown for the relevant group size level(s) will not change, regardless of any subsequent rate fluctuations (for example, on visits to attractions, airline fuel/taxes or currency movements on overseas programs). What is Included: Round trip airfare with a major carrier on scheduled flights and guaranteed dates All airport taxes and fuel surcharges (which will not change after time of enrollment for any participant) Accommodation in three or four star hotels or resorts in twin or triple rooms with private facilities guaranteed throughout Breakfast, lunch and dinner dinner daily (as per the itinerary) Water and ice for each training session and match A full-time, bi-lingual WorldStrides Excel Programs tour director to accompany your group from arrival to departure All soccer practice sessions and match arrangements (per the itinerary) All admissions, activities & excursions as per the itinerary Transportation by private coach for airport transfers, friendly games and sightseeing (where and when required) USTOA Extensive Consumer Protection up to $1,000,000 in coverage for advance deposits through our USTOA membership Basic health insurance while on tour (including medical treatment on tour up to $7,500) and $50,000 of coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation Costa Rica Departure Fee (Approximately $30) Manchester United Raffle fundraiser This Does Not Include: Any items not mentioned above or in the detailed itinerary Personal beverages with meals Laundry services on tour Visas (if required) Tips and gratuities for the guide and driver Any fees that might be imposed by the airlines at the airport for checked baggage Any costs for the hire of, or transport of, equipment or gear Travel insurance - We offer and always recommend our Trip Mate travel insurance policy to all participants. This comprehensive policy includes health, property and cancellation coverage at a cost of $149 4

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