Reasonably Priced Waldorf-Oriented School Group Excursions

Suggested Itinerary for a 12-day School Group Excursion:

• Day One: San Jose airport pick up. Dinner and sleeping at Los Pinitos (scroll down page for photos of the farm and tents)



Ziplining

• Day Two: Hiking tour of our farm. Learn about the challenges that organic farmers face today and how this is influencing the landscapes and farmers' communities in Costa Rica (or concert and lunch at the Turrialba Waldorf School).Basic notion of self sufficiency in the tropics, medicinal plants.  Discover the rich fauna and flora of our region. Nice Zip line/canyoning.



Waterfall near Los Pinitos Farm

• Day Three: Hike through the biggest coffee farm of Costa Rica. Learn about coffee history, growing, processing, and environmental and social certification. If time permits, you can pick some coffee. Visit historic church, picnic and swimming in a (cool) pool under a huge waterfall




CATIE Botanical Gardens


• Day Four: Morning Community work (plenty of possibilities to choose from will let you know ahead). Afternoon visit CATIE botanical garden and collections
• Day Five: Caribbean beach excursion. Lunch in Puerto Viejo (approx. 3-hour scenic drive from the farm) on a beautiful private property that is in front of one of the nicest beach of Costa Rica. Afternoon two hour surf lesson ($55/pp not included in package) or swim in the ocean and walk along a forested beach. Sleep in a villa right in front of the nicest and secluded beach in Costa Rica. Properties has a family of Howler monkeys and all sorts of wildlife.
• Day Six: Visit Gandoca wildlife refuge, and Tropical Spice and Fruit garden in Puerto Viejo then drive back to Turrialba

• Day Seven: Rafting on the very lush Peyibaye river



Guayabo

• Day Eight: Guayabo National Park and Monument (a UNESCO world heritage site!) and then spend a day with a typical Costa Rican farming family and enjoy visiting their farm and biodigestor after a typical meal  
• Day Nine: Visit the impressive 10,000 foot high Irazu Volcano, the beautiful Orosi valley and the magnificent Basilica in Cartago
• Day Ten: Farmers market, souvenir shop and coffee processing
• Day Eleven: Community work, Soap making, cow milking, traditional songs of the Caribbean, on the farm mini ziplining
• Day Twelve: Airport drop off

All activities will be with guide

Biking in CATIE

Please note that the community work can vary depending on the group interest between reforesting, repainting community centers, giving a nice concert to the senior citizen or to local school etc…

Program is not necessary in that order. Final program dates will be based on date of arrival.




Green Iguana

All activities and events directly benefit many small scale local farming families.



Please contact us for more details and availability :)

Contact:

Gina Baker Muschler

gmuschler@gmail.com

Tel. 011-506-2556-8021

or US Number (thru Magic Jack/internet): (305) 974-6505

Verbena Norte de Turrialba

Costa Rica

Stay Tuned for 2011 Family Summer Camp Details

Family Summer Vacation
Summer 2011 dates and prices TBA
Wise Traditions Costa Rica (Waldorf – inspired)

***SCROLL DOWN FOR PICTURES OF THE TENTS AND THE FARM AND ONE VIDEO OF GINA, THE ORGANIZER***

• Waldorf/Steiner inspired activities for children from 4 to 12 years old
• Spanish school and more for children 12+ and parents
• Nutrient and enzyme-rich food
  

Location
Most activities will be held at Los Pinitos, our 30 acre (12 ha) organic farm/forest property 7 km (4 miles) from the town of Turrialba. At 1100m (3300 ft) altitude, the yearly average temperature is a pleasant 21° C (70°F). The property overlooks the Turrialba Valley and the Central mountain range of Costa Rica with the highest peak of Central America in the distance.

On the farm, beautiful hiking paths lead you along a river through our species-rich forest and shaded coffee fields with tropical fruit trees, palms, a large variety of tasty bananas, oranges, mandarins and lemons, pineapples, turmeric, gingers, wild raspberries, orchids, and many medicinal and ornamental plants. You will also get to know the Mayan lipstick tree. Further on you walk through lush pastures with living fences for our grass-fed Jersey cows. Wildlife includes more than 200 bird species (weaver birds, Toucans, parakeets, owls, etc.), armadillos, raccoons, squirrels and many others.

Childrens’ Activities (4 to 11 years)
Waldorf-oriented activities including group games, forest walks, building huts from natural materials, singing and dancing, rushing down a water slide, drawing and painting, flute playing, milking cows, feeding chicken, gardening, bird watching etc.

Adults’ Activities (12 years and up)

• Basic traditional and Caribbean cooking for good dental arcs.
• Soap making
• Sourdough bread making
• Making cheese, yogurt, kefir…
• Making Sauerkraut, beet kvass and other fermented goodies
• Bird and Butterfly watching (bring binoculars!)
• Hiking to beautiful Waterfalls
• Latin and Afro-Caribbean dance classes
• Spanish Classes

Activities for All
Campfire with storytelling, singing, laughing and making music. On weekends we will visit national parks (volcanoes and beautiful beaches), botanical gardens, local farmers markets and organic farms.

Lodging

Each family will be accommodated in one or more tents with private bathrooms (see photos in next entry down) .

Food and Cooking
Delicious Caribbean and continental food will be prepared based on Dr Price’s findings and the Nourishing Traditions cookbook of Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. Vegetarians will be accomodated.

The price includes:
• All transport (in Costa Rica) incl. airport shuttle,
• National Park fees,
• All food and beverages and accomodation in tents
• All activities organized by Wise Traditions Costa Rica


Optional (not included in the price):
River rafting (world-class white-water rapids on the Reventazón and Pacuare rivers), horseback riding, snorkeling and diving, zip-lining, etc. For those wishing to stay longer we will gladly assist with car rentals, hotel reservations and custom touring of Costa Rica.

Conditions
Children must be accompanied by parents or legal guardian at all times except during the morning activities when they will be with teachers or monitors.

Camp Organizers
The Muschler family: Gina and Reinhold are the founders of the Turrialba Waldorf School, Wapf chapter leaders for Turrialba and the central valley of Costa Rica, and members of the Association of Organic Farmers of Turrialba. They have two lovely daughters (Naomi, 14 and Malaika, 9, in the photos). Gina is a medicinal and ayurvedic herb educator and Reinhold is a professor of tropical agroecology.

Contact: Gina Baker
waldorfcostarica@yahoo.com
Tel. 011-506-2556-8021 
or US Number (thru Magic Jack/internet): (305) 974-6505
Verbena Norte de Turrialba
Costa Rica

Photos of the Tents

Here are some photos of our spacious 10´x 14´ tents with electricity and private bath. We will be uploading a video tour of the tents next week.

Exterior of Tent:

Interior of Tent. We can fit up to 4 beds in one tent comfortably (5 with bunk beds). We will provide beds, linens, homemade soap, and towels. The water on the farm is potable.Private Bathroom for the Tent. It´s open to nature, yet covered and private.

More Pics of the Farm :)

The rain forest creek on the property. Can you find Malaika?

A small waterfall on the creek trail.

A true jungle!

Outdoor kitchen at the guest house.

Outdoor dining.

Malaika and the cows.

"Egra" the calf.

Some of the abundant organic fruit trees on the farm.

Scroll down for more photos and a video.

Pics of the farm!!!

Los Pinitos Organic Farm

View from the driveway

The Driveway

The Muschlers on their lush property

Fresh organic milk and homemade cheese.

The rainforest on the back of the 30-acre property.

The Muschlers' organic pineapple patch.

Malaika and the pineapples.

The guest house.

Your Host, Gina, Explains Why She Loves the Waldorf Philosophy