Field Courses

My experiences with Human Nature Expeditions were truly unforgettable! I’ve led student groups on two trips in Costa Rica with HNE - one group through a field research project in the cloud forest and another exploring the community dynamics of conservation - and both were impeccably planned and executed. Eberth is a natural teacher who kept our students engaged and excited the entire two weeks. His knowledge of conservation, culture, birds(!!) and nature added so much depth to our experience. Alexa and the HNE team are well-connected in communities and find such unique experiences, working tirelessly to ensure a smooth trip from the moment you land in-country. The trips felt like the perfect balance - meeting inspiring experts, getting hands-on with real conservation work and research, and experiencing the beauty of Costa Rica’s ecosystems and wildlife. Not to mention, the food was delicious, the accommodations were great, and every day brought something new and exciting. I know I’ve only scratched the surface of what HNE has to offer, but I can confidently say I’d recommend them 100 times over.

Working with Human Nature Expeditions has been an incredibly positive experience for me and my students. For the last few summers, I have led a 6-week college class through Costa Rica, and each year, Human Nature Expeditions has set us up with incredible programming, comfortable lodging, and wonderful people everywhere we go. Alexa, who has been our primary point of contact, asked what my course learning goals are and designed a customized set of experiences that match those needs by connecting us with local people, businesses, and communities that all share projects and perspectives that align with the course goals. Further, Alexa knows the communities she works in so well and is so invested in supporting conscientious travel, that she has built our itineraries in ways that are both eco-friendly and positively contribute to the communities we visit. It is so nice to get to show students what conscientious travel can look like, and Human Nature Expeditions makes that easy. I would not want to run my program without the help of Human Nature Expeditions and I cannot recommend them strongly enough.

Human Nature Expeditions is a warm, personalized breath of fresh air compared to the large corporate study abroad providers. I have run two field courses that were organized and supported by HNE, high school level and conservation biology themed. HNE's understanding of the local communities, attention to detail, and caring presence cannot be overstated! Alexa is a master of her craft with many years of experience, and she knows how to put together a world class itinerary that is deeply rooted in responsible tourism and local knowledge. They are also able to tailor their support entirely based on the wishes of the program, e.g. whether you already have knowledge/experience in the location and how much [control] you wish to have over the themes, experience, and curriculum. Our guide, Eberth, was unfailingly energetic and cheerful, very knowledgeable about local biodiversity, very popular with the students, and made the logistics seamless. Overall, I could not recommend HNE more highly - we were so lucky to have them! The attached photo of a glass frog was taken for me by Eberth on our of our night tours, and has become one of my favorite photos. Did I mention he is an excellent wildlife photographer on top of everything, even just using your phone!  

We have worked with Alexa many times over the years, and she and others on the team have consistently provided an experience second to none. You can expect first rate guiding across different ecosystems, with particular expertise in birding. But you will also find her to be an extremely knowledgeable source of information and anecdotes covering all groups of tropical organisms (such as amphibians, insects, plants, fungi, etc.), regarding their natural history, biology and ecology. Among the advantages of working with this group is their strong connection to the local communities and cultures. In addition to their guiding expertise, they convey a high level of excitement, enthusiasm, and sincerity that engages students and tourists across all ages. You would be very hard pressed to find equally expert and professional guiding in the tropics.

I have been leading trips in Costa Rica with Alexa since 2016 and every trip has been fabulous. She is a true naturalist! Her joy and excitement about all things biological is infectious and impressive. We traveled for 10 days across the country through tropical , cloud , dry and mangrove forests. Her commitment to supporting small, local businesses made for an excellent trip and her ability to find speakers tailored for our course content did not disappoint.

We had a wonderful experience with Alexa from Human Nature during our Tropical Ecology course trip to Costa Rica. She led us on a really fun and informative natural history hike at Finca Ecológica in San Luis de Monteverde. She helped with the logistics of visiting the reserve and setting up lunch. We were able to process the payment through Payment Works to transfer funds directly from the university which was greatly helpful- if you work in international education at a university you know how valuable that is! Alexa is a joy and full to the brim with knowledge and passion. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she is very gifted at engaging students. I highly recommend working with her, whether for a one-day natural history guided hike or to plan an entire course abroad.

I've had Alexa Stickel from Human Nature Expeditions do my logistics for traveling with students in Costa Rica and I can say that it has been the best experience possible. She is responsive, knowledgeable, and highly tuned into the happenings within Costa Rica at all times. When I am on the ground in Costa Rica, working with students in Costa Rica, and understandably busy, she makes sure everything goes smoothly and all problems are solved with speed. The best part of working with with Alexa and Human Nature Expeditions is that she (and the company) ask what you are seeking, find the ideal experience for your goals, and are also willing to suggest ways to improve your program. I can say with confidence that my programs with students went better because of the hard work of this company