A Rocha Discovery

Costa Rica

30 June to 7 July 2026

Thank you so much for your interest in discovering Costa Rica with A Rocha. It is going to be a rich experience, exploring the wonders of the forest, rivers and coast in the company of those who love it and are committed to its care and restoration. For keen birders, we will have the benefit of experienced guides. All of us will have the opportunity to enjoy time in nature, good conversation, spiritual reflection and delicious locally sourced food.

We will continue to update this page as plans unfold. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to email our trip organizer Sarah at [email protected].

Peter Harris & Jo Swinney

Costa Rica boasts incredibly rich and diverse natural environments, including cloud forests, volcanoes and coastlines, home to over half a million species. Around a quarter of its land is protected in national parks and reserves. During our visit you can expect to see toucans, macaws, monkeys and sloths and a wealth of other beautiful, colourful creatures.

Costa Ricans are a multicultural and multilingual people descended from African, Chinese, Jewish, Lebanese and Italian immigrants and Indigenous groups including Bribri, Cabécar, Maleku, Teribe, Bruca, Ngäbe, Huetar and Chorotega. In 1948, the Costa Rican military was abolished and the country instead invested in improving standards of living, which has helped maintain social peace.

For more information please visit www.visitcostarica.com

A Rocha Costa Rica’s mission is to be good neighbours. Neighbours are human and non-human; they share streets and also a watershed. So being good neighbours requires caring for people and caring for place: our urban environment and the river that irrigates it. Being good neighbours requires attention to the young and the old, to long-time residents and to guests. Being good neighbours means conserving, cleaning up, restoring, recovering life and relationships broken by neglect, conflict and indifference.

Until May 2025, A Rocha Costa Rica was known as Asociación Casa Adobe (ACA). Founded in 2013, the organization has achieved important milestones in community organizing, creative educational opportunities, ecological justice and accompaniment of migrants and refugees.

Peter Harris

Peter is President Emeritus and Founder of A Rocha. Now retired he continues to serve in a voluntary capacity. Based in Bath he travels to support A Rocha movements around the world, always managing to fit in some birding!

Jo Swinney

Jo is Director of Communications for A Rocha International & an award winning author. Peter and Miranda Harris’ eldest daughter, she was raised in Portugal in the first A Rocha centre.

Ruth Padilla DeBorst

Ruth is a globally recognized theologian, practitioner, educator, and captivating speaker with a rich history of engagement spanning decades across Latin America. She is a valued board member of A Rocha Costa Rica.

James Padilla DeBorst

James leads A Rocha Costa Rica. He is an accomplished social entrepreneur, dedicated organizer and is highly experienced in conflict resolution. He has spent several decades as a development practitioner both in Africa and Latin America,

Our home for the week is Casa Nube, a hidden gem in Heredia’s stunning mountains and a stone’s throw from Braulio Carrillo National Park. Casa Nube’s 11-hectare site is a haven of peace and natural abundance and will provide us with a beautiful and tranquil base.

Beginning life as a hotel, each of Casa Nube’s 11 comfortable bedrooms has a private bathroom. Common areas include a large living room with an open fire, a spacious dining room and plenty of quiet corners to be alone or in smaller groups. The majority of our meals will be provided by a local cook, with a few meals out as we explore the area.

Our programme will include activities such as:

Early birding walks with a guide
Watershed story experience: from Casa Nube to the Tárcoles River and on to the coast, showing conservation work and environmental challenges. Full day trip including a riverboat tour (mangroves, wildlife, crocodiles) with the opportunity to swim on arrival at the beach
An evening of live Central American music
Daily times of spiritual reflection
Local hikes and visits to parks – e.g. Carara National Park, Braulio Carrillo National Park
Photography, creative writing and cooking workshops
Presentations and storytelling to introduce us to Costa Rican culture, biodiversity and society

Indicative itinerary:

Thank you to all who have registered. As of May, we are very close to capacity. If you wish to be on a waiting list, please let us know. A non-refundable 20% deposit would be required immediately, with full payment due 1 June.

Cost – £2,450 per person

What’s included: 7 nights’ accommodation Tuesday to Tuesday, full board, all internal travel, field guides and activities, and administration costs.
What’s not included: international travel, visas, travel insurance and personal expenses.

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