About us
Morgan Expeditions is a third-generation installment of what the Morgan family has known since 1957, leading student groups into the outdoors to create lifelong bonds, gain new ideas, and build a deeper appreciation for our natural world.
Our family, your leaders
We're a brother and sister team that are with you every step of the way! Our friendly, family-oriented operation allows for a personalized touch from pre-trip planning to each day's adventure.
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After graduating from Ohio University where I studied business and entrepreneurship I switched gears and headed to Taiwan where I taught English for two years. In the mornings I was a kindergarten teacher and in the afternoons I taught a 7th-grade which then turned into my 8th-grade class. Over the two years with my 8th grade class I realized the importance of exposing young people to new ideas and ways of life. Each week I strove to get my students out of their comfort zone to build confidence into better English speakers, explore both my American culture and their Taiwanese culture, and to bond with their peers in new environments and mini-adventures during our bi-weekly field trips. As I saw my students grow over two years into well-rounded versions of themselves also helped transform me to where I am today. With our family's history in Costa Rica I have been very lucky and fortunate to now develop, lead, and grow my passion into what is Morgan Expeditions.
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Mary Cate graduated from the University of Cincinnati in special childhood education and now lives in Denver, Colorado. My sister encompasses the spirit of a camp counselor. Energetic, friendly, and always ready to lend a helping hand, Mary Cate brings the energy to the Morgan Expedition trips. With a love for yoga, be ready for daily yoga sessions on the beach! Since we're a small, family-operation, Mary Cate heads up our social media and is our one and only resident photographer. Together, we are ready to lead more memorable adventures in Costa Rica.
1957: Canoes to Costa Rica
We trace our roots back to 1957 when my grandparents Bob and June Morgan began leading canoe trips for Cincinnati youths into the Canadian wilderness and other rivers across the United States. Years later, my dad and his brothers began leading school, family, and birding groups to Costa Rica. Today, Morgan Expeditions is following a similar route, but forging our own, unique path.
2000: First group at the lodge
During the off-season from our canoe livery in the US, the Morgan family would head south to Costa Rica where we hosted student groups at our eco-lodge on the Osa Peninsula. Although the lodge is no longer operational, the spirit of student exploration lives on through Morgan Expeditions. Our small groups, off-the-beaten path itineraries, and leadership aim to provide students with lifelong memories and friendships, a better sense of themselves and the world, and the importance of teamwork.
Creating Morgan Expeditions
Being a part of my dad's trips both as a student and leader, I always dreamt of creating my own student adventures. I founded Morgan Expeditions to mirror the magic my dad created on the student trips he led to our lodge in Costa Rica. Just as my dad embraced nature, sought adventure, and grew strong group bonds, Morgan Expeditions was created to do the same.
Our values
Ubuntu
'I am because we are.' Ubuntu is an African word referring to the power of our shared humanity rooted in kindness, compassion, and interconnectedness. We achieve ourselves through trusting, caring, and sharing with others so they do the same to you. Each Morgan Expedition trip strives for this idea of ubuntu, the importance of this practice during our days together, and with the ultimate goal of practicing this idea upon return.
Understanding Our Environment
We aim to accept students that already have a respect for our natural world. Our itinerary builds off of this respect to provide real, tangible experiences to aid a students' growth in understanding the environment. Through projects like turtle conservancy or reforestation projects students will learn to better understand our natural world while gaining new interests into their own relationship with the environment.
Opening new doors
Our adventures take us from whitewater rafting to surfing, from eating casados and gallo pinto, from snorkeling in the shallows of the Pacific to canyoning through jungle waterfalss. We value opening new interests, ways of thinking, and discovering opportunities for our students' futures.