As February winds bring snowflakes to camp, we wanted to share about our recent Merri-Mac and Black Mountain Expeditions trip to Costa Rica! We took an awesome group of Merri-Mac girls on a reunion trip where we celebrated the new year camp-style in the warm Costa Rican rainforest.

Our expedition spanned seven days, with adventures like waterfall rappelling and surfing, as well as amazing cultural experiences and beautiful homestays. We had a terrific group of campers from all sessions that came together in Costa Rica to create a deep bond over shared camp memories, stunning views and delicious food. It was a perfect time to build on existing friendships and to make new ones! We all talked about our excitement for next summer as we hiked big mountains and surfed some incredible waves. 

We stayed several nights in the rainforest where we fell asleep to the sound of a rushing river and awoke to a full day of adventures and new experiences. A few members of our group were eager to try out their Spanish as we conversed with our generous host families. Afternoons were spent swimming in the river and drinking delicious Costa Rican coffee and hot chocolate. On our last day in the rainforest, we took to rafts in the Savegre River for an unforgettable day on the water. 

We ended our trip at Marino Ballena National Park where we had an introductory surf lesson before promptly jumping into the Pacific Ocean and surfing some warm waves. Every single person stood up on the board and it’s fair to say we all caught the surfing bug! 

On our last evening we experienced an unforgettable sunset on the beach before we had a celebratory dinner. We made sure to spend time reflecting on the magic of Costa Rica, how we each changed and grew, and the incredible Creator God that we grew to know a little bit more. We were all sad to depart the next day, but we are so eager to return next year! 

We haven’t been able to stop thinking about how incredible our time there was and are already so excited for next year’s trip!

Pura Vida!
Adam Kepke – Assistant Director, Merri-Mac
Katherine Kepke – Black Mountain Expeditions Guide