Survival Basics Course
"Improvise - Adapt - Overcome"
Course Description
"Are you prepared for the zombocalypse?"
Our immersive, two-day Survival Basics Course is designed to provide you with the essential skills and knowledge to survive in any scenario. Hosted at Camp Zen Commando in the lush surroundings of Costa Rica—or brought to a location of your choosing—this course caters to individuals, families, communities, and businesses alike. Whether new to survival or a seasoned expert, you're guaranteed to learn something new.
During this course, you’ll learn how to develop the Zen Commando Mindset, focusing on the psychology of survival and mental preparedness for worst-case situations. Discover the principles of survival in any climate, and master equipment and tool selection to enhance your chances of thriving. Build your customized survival kit and "Go Bag," essential for rapid response.
Gain practical experience in critical skills like water procurement, fire starting, and constructing shelters to protect against nature’s elements. You'll also learn survival first aid for injury prevention and treatment and techniques for trapping small game for food. Navigate dense jungles effectively and learn crisis planning and organization, enabling effective teamwork and reduced stress.
This course is perfect for preparing, surviving, and finding peace in chaos.
The course is offered at Camp Zen Commando, but we can also provide offsite instruction at any location within Costa Rica. Customized courses are also available to meet your specific needs—email Todd at todd@zencommando.com to
find out more about customized courses
What You Will Learn
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The Psychology of Survival. How to mentally prepare for the worst-case situation you may encounter. Learn "Zen Commando Mindset Techniques."
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Survival Principles. Essential ingredients to ensure your survival in any climate.
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Equipment and Tool selection. How to properly select the right equipment and tools to increase survival.
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Survival Kits. A well-crafted survival kit is vital to your survivability. Learn how to make a survival kit to increase the odds.
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“Go Bags.” Learn how to construct a simple “Go Bag” suited for any situation.
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Water Procurement. Water is a necessity to live! Learn techniques to procure water in a natural environment.
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Fire Starting. Fire produces warmth, and is used for cooking, and purifying water. Learn how to start fires using various techniques.
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Shelter. Protection from the elements of nature is vital in temperate climates. Learn how to construct simple shelters to protect yourself from wild animals and inclement weather.
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Survival First Aid. It’s not “if,” but “when.” Injuries are inevitable in a survival situation. You will learn preventive measures to avoid injuries and basic first aid techniques.
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Small Game Traps. Learn how to make simple snares to catch wild game for food.
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Jungle Movement and Navigation. Movement through a dense forest or jungle is not easy. You will learn how to select proper routes and maintain direction in a jungle setting.
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Crisis Planning, Organization, and Management. Proper planning and organization reduce internal confusion, which increases overall stress levels. Learn how to plan and organize as small teams to eliminate unnecessary stress and liability. This is perfect for families, small communities and businesses.
I was captivated by everything Todd showed us over the intensive weekend on jungle survival. As we covered an extensive amount of material and immersed in experiential learning, Todd helped us systemize and adapt so that by the end we gained confidence and clarity about our community plan going forward for survival.
We learned everything we need to know about procuring go bags, survival kits, and first aid kits. We learned how to build a fire successfully, procure drinkable water, and set up shelter, we learned what kind of gear we need for navigating in the jungle safely with our families and kids of all ages, and we learned how to set up various types of traps. We also learned about teamwork and breaking down into groups for strategy, and we understood that we need to have communication systems and meeting location plans in place should an emergency arise.
Following our training weekend one of our community members got injured and thanks to Todd‘s guidance we had figured out who would be the go-to person in this emergency and take the person to the clinic plus who would go to translate, and had personal documents ready to bring along.
We now know how to be prepared in any situation here in a jungle environment and what to look out for so that we are alert, centered, self-reliant, and handling everything as a team without weak links.
No more flip-flopping around!
RahQuel Star Achiaviatta
Director
The Energy Of Breath School
Om Sat Community Member
Testimonial
Logistics
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COST: $500.00 per person. Airfare and ground transportation fees are not included.
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Each course can accommodate four people
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The course length is TWO full days
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Requirements for entering Costa Rica are located HERE
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Arrival. Arrive ONE DAY before the course start date. This day is reserved for travel, orientation, and settling into your accommodations. Please arrive at Camp Zen Commando between 3 PM and 5 PM.
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See "Getting to Camp Zen Commando" HERE
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Departing. Because each person's travel itinerary is different, e.g., some participants may choose to stay and explore Costa Rica longer. It is incumbent on each participant to plan their departure accordingly.
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Camp Zen Commando is a substance and alcohol-free environment
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Meals are NOT provided. Bring enough food to sustain yourself for two full days. Though a refrigerator is available on site, you should bring dry foods.
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Accommodations will be provided in the Zen Commando Guest House. You can check it out HERE
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The course is suited for all levels. The only stress provided is self-induced.
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The packing list can be found HERE
Dates
2026 Dates TBD
After you sign up, an email with all the information you need, including questionnaires, travel packets for retreats, and payment methods, will be sent to the address you provided.
A $200.00 USD security deposit is required upon signing up to secure your spot for all retreats. The remaining amount must be paid two weeks before the start date. You can also pay the total amount upfront during the signup process.
Todd Opalski, Navigator | Pointman
I served in U.S. special operations for over 20 years, five of those in direct line of combat. After military service, I spent time in the corporate and private trenches of Silicon Valley, California, where I learned how to operate in a new, technology-driven battlefield. Now, based in the serene jungles of Costa Rica, I guide transformative and life-changing experiences at Camp Zen Commando, a total mind-body adventure camp.
"My purpose in life is to help you succeed in any battle you may encounter in today’s world, whether at home, in public, or in the workplace."
I’m a distinguished combat veteran, successful entrepreneur, writer, high-ranking endurance athlete, long-distance thru-hiker, survivalist, and problem solver. All curriculum and courses taught are created by me and unlike any other, you’ll ever see or experience. Let me take you to the next level!!! More Here