Costa Rica

The group leader on this Costa Rica group trip will be one of our Americas based group leaders. His/her job is to ensure the safety and well being of everyone on the trip and, of course, to show everyone the most amazing time ever! While he/she will have a basic knowledge of the history, culture and customs of Costa Rica he/she may not be an expert in the matter.

A passport is required for this Costa Rica trip. It is strongly recommended that your passport have at least 6 months validity (from the time you leave Costa Rica) to avoid any problems. If you hold a U.S. passport you will not need a visa for entry to Costa Rica as long as you are not staying more than 90 days.

You will be staying in a simple, eco friendly 2*/3* hotel for the duration of this trip. While the hotel is simple, it has spacious rooms, is in an excellent location (relative to the activities on this trip), and is safe and clean. The hotel will likely have a very different feel than that of similar hotel star rankings in other parts of the world (such as the U.S. or Europe) for seasoned travelers. For example, the infrastructure might seem dated and more simple, there might be less amenities, and services such as housekeeping might be less frequent.

In order to budget properly please consider the following items which are not included in this Costa Rica group trip:

• Meals: You are responsible for 3 lunches and 2 dinners. Budget around $100 for meals not included.
• Tipping
  • Local guides and restaurant staff: Tipping is not compulsory but can make a big difference to individuals in the local hospitality industry in Costa Rica. Therefore, we recommend budgeting around $25 for these services.
  • Group leader: Tipping your group leader is completely discretionary. For outstanding service you may consider tipping your group leader ~$10/day.
  • Travel insurance: Travel insurance covering our minimum requirements ($100k+ in medical coverage including emergency evacuation) is compulsory for all participants. Budget anywhere from $50 to $130 for travel insurance (from a 3rd party) depending on your specific coverage inclusions.

The single room supplement on this Costa Rica group trip is $299. Due to the boutique nature of the eco hotel there are limited rooms available and, therefore, a single room supplement is not guaranteed on this trip. If you wish to join this trip and have a single room please contact us for single room availability before applying.

You will meet the group at the airport in San Jose! Your group leader will be waiting for you upon your arrival at San Jose airport (SJO) and, once everyone has arrived, you will take a van to the hotel in La Fortuna. After getting checked-in you will have free time until around 7pm upon which you will meet the group in the lobby of the hotel for dinner nearby as you begin to get to know one another! While you will not physically meet your group mates until the first day you will be in contact with everyone well ahead of time in the group WhatsApp chat and, in addition, we will provide you with everyone’s traveler bios so you’ll already know each other a little before physically meeting!

On days 2 and 4 you will have the opportunity to tailor the trip to your style by selecting an optional excursion. You will be able to select the optional excursion during the application process.

Day 2:

• Hot springs: $50

Day 4:

• Wildlife nature walk : $55

We recommend bringing cash for this trip. The U.S. dollar (USD) is accepted virtually everywhere in Costa Rica so it’s very easy to pay for everything using just USD!

You may bring any size luggage that you wish!

Yes, you will have WiFi access at the hotel and most restaurants but please note that the signal might be weak and sporadic at times.

The entirety of this trip is spent in La Fortuna with a resident population of about 15,000. While there are bars in town they are all low key and, further, the focus on nightlife is low on this trip. But, of course, the decision to go out at night or not is completely up to you!

Previous hiking experience is not necessary! As long as you have a desire to hike (and be active on this trip) you will enjoy the experience!

If you’re having a hard time finding a flight that arrives on the first day by 3pm (flying into San Jose airport) we recommend flying in one day early and staying overnight at a hotel in San Jose near the airport. Then you will take a taxi to the airport on the first day of the trip and meet the group there! Further, if you’re having a hard time finding a flight that departs after 1pm on the final day we recommend staying at a hotel in San Jose near the airport and departing a day after the trip ends. On the final day of the trip you will be dropped off at the San Jose airport at approximately 10:30am so you can take a taxi to your hotel at that time. We’d be more than happy to recommend hotels in San Jose near the airport depending on your budget!