OTS Experiences is an educational travel program that invites the OTS community and their friends to engage and learn from nature in the hands of experts that are passionate about conservation and nature.

This program offers unique educational travel opportunities fueled with interactive and engaging experiences in both Costa Rica and South Africa.

Each OTS Experiences trip is unique and memorable, where participants foster connections with likeminded naure lovers and get to be a part of a travel program that honors the special OTS field framework of offering educational experiences that promote a positive relationship between people and nature.

2026 Costa Rica OTS Experiences trip from April 5 – 19, 2026

2026 South Africa OTS Experiences trip from August 9 – 22, 2026

Note: our SAMPLE itineraries for Costa Rica and South Africa give you key insights into the level of detail, activity, and immersive learning you will gain on these OTS  Experiences.

Our 2026 trip itineraries will closely follow the sample ones listed with some new exciting additions to the program. If you like what you see, contact us and reserve your spot today! You don’t want to miss this opportunity.

Contact us

Phone number: (323)-621-9167
E-mail: julissa.larios@tropicalstudies.org

Costa Rica Trip Highlights

• Experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit all of our stations in Costa Rica and more. For instance, Palo Verde provides an opportunity to experience the unique beauty of a dry tropical forest (less than 2% remain in the world!).
• Gain an insider’s view and learn about the exciting NEW educational developments and research accomplishments at OTS.
• Explore the incredible biodiversity of Costa Rica.
• Enjoy the cultural richness of Costa Rica.
• Create memories, make friends, and expand your horizons.

South Africa Trip Highlights

• Experience  a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Kruger National Park, one of the world’s largest and most magnificent parks, including an insider’s view of the challenges facing wildlife management under a changing climate.
• Immerse yourself in the incredible biodiversity of South Africa with a chance to see Africa’s Big 5: lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalos! and more as we also seek to learn more about the smaller animals. 
• Enjoy the cultural richness of South Africa and understand the growing importance of Africa in today’s world and economy.
• Explore the history of apartheid in South Africa with an extended visit to Cape Town accompanied by local expert voices. 
• Create memories, make friends and expand your horizons.

Our Team

True to OTS, our OTS Experiences team is made up of OTS staff that are passionate about nature experiences with strong educational components. The team you will interact with in Costa Rica and/or South Africa is made up of local and international professionals in science, research, and education.

Jeisson Figueroa

OTS Naturalist Guide

Julissa Larios

Coordinator of Special Programs and Initiatives

Laurence Kruger

Director of OTS Curriculum

Contact us

Phone number: (323)-621-9167
E-mail: julissa.larios@tropicalstudies.org

Complete our reservation form to save your spot!

(No deposit required at this time)

OTS Experiences Costa Rica Interest form

OTS Experiences South Africa Interest form

Testimonials from our Alumni:

“Their email promised three things: the experience of a lifetime, good food, safe travel. What it didn’t mention was how completely we’d be made to feel at home in a thriving and generous community of scientists who would attend so warmly to our interests and our needs that it seemed completely natural to rise before dawn and drive out in frigid cold to watch giraffes grazing at the side of the road.” – Katharine Haake, OTS Experiences Alumni South Africa ’24 and Costa Rica ’25.

“I can’t say enough good things about the people who organized this trip and made this happen. The knowledge of the people who were involved seemed unending – each time one of us had a question about plants or animals or anything, someone had the answer! They were great at communicating with us about the plan for each day.” – Bonnie Robinson, OTS Experiences Alumni South Africa ’24 and Costa Rica ’25.

“I love learning new things, and this trip was packed with education. I dutifully checked off all the wildlife I’d never seen before in my Kruger handbook. I gained many life birds. But more importantly, the research being done seems critical to the future welfare of the park, and OTS offers fantastic opportunities for anyone of any age to get involved.” – Rebecca Louden, OTS Experiences Alumni South Africa ’24.

“Could we actually make this happen – travel with just ourselves and explore all that OTS and Costa Rica has to offer, worry free? Yes!…” – Kelly Leone, OTS Experiences Alumni Costa Rica ’23.

“Someone once told me that Costa Rica is the place where your spirit gets younger. After traveling with OTS for 12 days… it is easy to see what a wonderful and true sentiment this is. I feel younger. I am smarter. I am able to share all of this with my students… Thank you for the work you do.” – Jennifer Adams, OTS Experiences Alumni Costa Rica ’23.

“We also got insiders’ views of the scientific research that OTS makes possible, with lectures and facility tours. All in all, we were made to feel like honored guests!” – David Josephy, OTS Experiences Costa Rica Alumni ’23.

“Our travels featured the beauty and drama of nature in Africa but also made us mindful of the critical importance of OTS and its programs in championing conservation, environmental education, and the wise use of natural resources.” – Michael Breed, OTS Experiences Alumni South Africa ’23.

Are you ready for an educational travel experience of a lifetime?

Say yes to yourself. 

Choose this immersive and unique OTS travel experience and take your trips to the next level…

Travel in a way where you are backed up by experienced scientists, local naturalists, and key staff and collaborators every step of the way.

See you in an OTS Experiences trip soon!