Essential Costa Rica

Embrace the ‘pura vida’ philosophy for a fun-filled foray into the wilds of Costa Rica

Go in search of wildlife and wild rides on this essential introduction to Costa Rica. Adopting the national motto, pura vida (pure life), we delve into the astonishing diversity of the country with our expert guide leading the way. We spend time in the shadow of Arenal volcano, swim next to a jungle waterfall, and trek through the Monteverde cloud forest at night. We also take the Pan-Am Highway to Manuel Antonio, where we have a guided tour of the national park in search of mischievous monkeys and sedate sloths. By the end of our adventure, you will fully understand why Costa Rica was named the happiest country on the planet.

Join us to celebrate Exodus’ 50th anniversary! Select departures of this trip feature extra inclusions to mark the occasion: a treetop tour of the Arenal Hanging Bridges, a local birthday celebration and a special edition Exodus kitbag. The selected departures on this trip start in San José on 20 July 2024 and 2 November 2024.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and support of other local enterprise.
• We use fairly small, family-run and locally staffed establishments, which ensures we benefit local communities.
• Our local guides are careful to explain that any souvenirs that are made from animal parts, shells or local hardwoods should not be purchased.
• This is a small-group tour, meaning we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and can ensure we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.

• Our local operator cares about our impact on the destination and is very involved in supporting community projects, which is why we carry out several actions. For instance:
  • Celebrating International Tourism Day 2019 by cleaning a beach at Guacalillo, recollecting 330lb (150kg) of waste.
  • Collecting plastic lids and donating them to Fundación Proparques to develop walkways to improve accessibility for people with mobility problems in protected wild areas of the country.
  • Forming an alliance with the Recycling Program of the Municipality of San José, since May 2015 until December 2020, that led to recycling 43 tons of recoverable resources. During the covid pandemic, staff continued with the recycling process from their homes, collecting and recycling items including paper, cardboard, plastics and lids, batteries, and electronic devices, among others.
  • Purchasing souvenirs from local artists to promote local benefits.
  • Holding beach days for older adults living in care homes.
  • Eliminating single-use plastics in our operation.
  • Reducing printed documents by having all the information in a secure drive.
• Our local operator continuously develops activities for the benefit of their staff, through its human resources department and the Brigada Pintando Sonrisas. Different activities are carried out, such as More 4 You, which has the purpose of creating strategic alliances that promote health among collaborators. In addition, the New Work project is responsible for promoting healthy spaces that promote the work environment of the staff.
• The local staff is given the option of free therapy with BetterHelp, the largest provider of online therapy in the world.
• In 2017, Exodus Travels introduced the Inspiration Project, where we’ve worked with our partners to take more than 6,000 children in 30 countries on a day of adventure and exploration. Each inspirational day out is designed to introduce young minds to the wonders of our world and their place in it. From visiting cultural heritage sites to natural wonders, each trip has been packed with firsts – their first time leaving their own village, their first time seeing the sea, their first time visiting a busy city. We continue to operate these days out to inspire children to protect and preserve the world as they grow up.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our local operator has a policy that requests suppliers to comply with the minimum conditions of animal welfare.
• Our local operator has been awarded by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for their sustainable tourism practice and dedication to improving sustainability standards. This means that efforts are made to rationally use water and electricity, provide adequate waste management, and positively impact communities, among many other actions.

• Most of the accommodation and restaurants we visit on this trip use locally sourced food.

• Vegetarian options are available if notice is given, which include a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and rice.
• We travel responsibly using appropriate methods of transport; therefore, depending on group size, a minibus/coach will be used.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Is this trip for you?

This trip has been graded Activity Level 1 (Leisurely). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

Driving distances are not very long and most of the roads that we take are good quality. There are some nature walks on the itinerary, which occasionally involve walking on rough paths. During times of heavy rain, trails can be muddy and slippery and extra care should be taken. Many of the areas visited on the trip are hot and humid and there is the chance of heavy rain year-round – the reason Costa Rica is so green.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Costa Rica

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, rabies and typhoid. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Many travellers will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, Tanzania and Zambia.

Dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Costa Rica. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Please check all requirements and travel vaccination recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Costa Rica

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica; however, proof of onward travel may be required – we suggest you take a physical copy of your flight details in case officials ask to see them.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/costa-rica
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/costa-rica
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/costa-rica/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Costa-Rica.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts are included in the price of the tour.

Hotel breakfasts are normally buffets. Vegetarian and vegan options are limited but food is plentiful and tasty – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.

Costa Rican specialities include gallo pinto, a black bean and rice dish that’s a staple part of the local diet. Soups and stews are also common, and fresh fruit is abundant and will no doubt be one of the highlights of your time here.

Weather

Costa Rica is 10 degrees north of the equator and has an almost perfect tropical climate. The average temperature is 12C-22C (54F-72F) in the highlands, and 22C-27C (72F-81F) in the lowlands. There is a rainy season from May to November when there are daily downpours, though these are usually quite short and there is still plenty of bright sunshine, so the midsummer is not necessarily a bad time to go. December to April is the driest time of the year but expect some rain. Many areas visited on the trip are hot and humid throughout the year.