Discover Corps

Amazing travel opportunity. My significant other and I traveled with Discover Corps to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and had an amazing time. The guides provided were excellent and we learned history, geography, geology, botany and more about the animals of the area than I thought possible. We traveled, saw, explored, tasted and learned about all sorts of things. It was, simply put, amazing. I'd highly recommend Discover Corps to anyone looking to explore with a purpose. Not only did we learn, we took part in a number of activities that we just plain cool. Feeding tortoises, meeting families, learning about weaving and finding stars. :) Simply put excellent way to go.

We just came back from a family reunion in the Dominican Republic of 28 ages 5 to 77. It was absolutely wonderful. The food was excellent and the staff and people were delightful. Being part of a service project with the whole family created a memory that will be enjoyed in the years to come. I highly recommend this organization.

We travelled to Cuba with Discover Corps in late January on the Preserving Nature’s Wonders trip and the 3-day add on to Trinidad and Cienfuegos. Our guide was terrific and so well versed in the culture, history, and politics of the country. We really enjoyed meeting the families at the Casas Particulares. The Casas have separate rooms apart from the families so have no concerns about privacy. Cuba feels really safe, the safest I have felt in a long time as a tourist. Coming and going between the US and Cuba was a breeze. It’s such a fascinating country - where you can see the benefits of free medical and education for everyone. People seem to have enough, but not a lot. Few are begging and people seem adequately clothed and fed. On the other hand, making a living is difficult. For an enhanced experience, be prepared to be unplugged. Internet and WiFi is scanty. Just let it go and enjoy an off the grid experience. Take time to enjoy music and dancing in the evenings, waking up to the early morning countryside stirrings, and mojitos! We had no problems eating local fruits and salads. Practical tips: bring TP with you and carry small coins to use the facilities. Practice Spanish before you go to really enjoy your encounters with the Cuban people. They are very welcoming and happy to engage with you. Useful gifts: thumb drives, guitar strings or other musical needs, hygiene products. Bon Voyage!

My family (me, my husband, and 3 kids ages 17, 14, and 11) took a 2-week trip to Peru in August and used Discover Corps to organize several days of service while we were there. It was an incredible experience that we will never forget, and one of the highlights of our entire trip. Miguel, our host and guide, was so informative and kind and made us feel like family. We loved spending time with him and the children in the community -- doing arts and crafts, flying kites, eating meals, and teaching them English. We also got to visit an orphanage and a local NGO where women produce dolls that are sold around the world. It gave us an incredible perspective on the country and our lives as well. When my daughter sprained her ankle, Miguel took us to the clinic in the main city, and we got excellent and expeditious care. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. It was just what we wanted, and I highly recommend this trip and the organization.

Discover Corps—great way to discover more about the world!nnThe two highlights of our 2019-20 Discover Corps trip to Costa Rica? 1) A thrilling white-water rafting adventure on the Sarapiqui River; and 2) a night-time trek with a local expert guiding turtle hatchlings to the sea on New Year’s Eve while we watched with our night vision he had helped us develop. Together with our tour guide Moises Cordero Hernandez and driver Ellioth, these adventures made our Costa Rica trip one of the best of our lives.nnMoises was a fount of knowledge. He knew where to go, how to avoid the crowds, and what was special about each place we visited. Ellioth was a master driver, wheeling our van through breath-taking jungle and mountain roads and narrow urban streets as if we were on a Sunday drive. And both were genuinely nice guys.nnOur turtle and rafting experiences were education based—focused on environmental and wildlife efforts, like our visits to the Biological Research Station and to jaguar and toucan rescue centers, where knowledgeable guides introduced us to plants and animals of the jungle: we saw toucans, macaws, hawks, monkeys, lizards, slots, crocodiles, alligators, and caiman—though not a single jaguar.nnDiscover Corps is a tour group formed by former Peace Corps Volunteers to introduce small groups of travelers to out-of-the-way spots in other countries through involvement in purposeful projects. You can count on Discover Corps tours to be special, off-the-beaten-track experiences unlike the over-subscribed tours where you get lost in the crowd. The guides are terrific and great at helping you get experiences you were hoping for. You should get to meet local people and maybe even get involved in a local development project.