Practical Information

Passport

Remember to check the expiration date of your passport if travelling internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return.

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

If you are travelling via the USA and are eligible to transit under the Visa Waiver Program, you are required to register in advance for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). There is a US$21 charge, which is only payable online. Please see our website www.exodus.co.uk/usvisa for further information.

Please note, not all nationalities have the same eligibility for travel to or transit via the USA, and you may not be covered by the visa waiver program. Regulations stipulate that any person who has travelled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011, or have dual nationalities of these countries, may no longer qualify. In addition, if you have travelled to Cuba since 12 January 2021 you will not be eligible for the visa waiver program and should instead apply for a visa.

If you are in doubt of your eligibility, please check the visa requirements with your local US embassy.

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.

Local Time

Costa Rica's time zone: America/Costa_Rica (UTC -06:00)

Electricity

Costa Rica's electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins, US standard) and B (three pins, US standard) – 120V, 60Hz

Money

Costa Rica's currency: Costa Rican colon (CRC); however, US dollars are widely accepted

ATM Availability

ATMs are widely available in Costa Rica, particularly in the main tourist areas. A flat fee of up to US$$5-$7 and a small commission usually applies with debit card withdrawals. Mastercard and Visa are quite widely accepted in the bigger hotels, restaurants and tourist shops, though not in rural areas. Always check the handling fee when paying by credit card as it can be high. It is certainly much more convenient to carry as much of your money in cash as possible, so long as you are security conscious. We recommend that you bring some small denomination notes (US$1 and US$5 notes) since getting change is often a problem when paying for small items.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

US dollars are widely accepted as payment in Costa Rica; however, change will likely be given in local currency and the exchange rate will fluctuate. We suggest taking some US dollars with you but then using ATMs to withdraw the rest of your money in local currency while you’re there.

You should allow extra to cover the cost of meals not included in the price of the holiday.

• Snack lunches are approximately US$15-US$18
• Evening meals US$35-US$50 per meal (excluding drinks)
• Average costs for drinks (in restaurants) are US$2-US$3 for mineral water or soft drinks, US$4-US$5 for a bottle of beer, US$7-US$10 for cocktails and US$7-US$10 for a glass of wine.

Optional excursions are available during this tour (bookable locally):

Tortuguero

• Turtle nesting tour (July to October only): approximately US$50 and can only be booked directly with the hotel at check-in

La Fortuna/Arenal

• Ecotermales hot springs (four hours): Approximately US$45
• Sky Tram/Sky Trek (zip line): US$112
• Sky Walk (hanging bridges): US$67
• Sky Tram/Sky Walk: US$98

Please note: Joining optional activities in Arenal may mean missing other included elements of the tour.

Monteverde

• Sky Walk suspension bridges approximately US$60
• Sky Tram and Sky Trek: approximately US$96
• Coffee tour: US$46
• Canopy tour: US$70

All prices are per person and some excursions require a minimum number of participants. Optional excursions can be paid for by cash, credit or debit card.

Tipping

On this Premium Adventure, tipping for any local support staff is included, and will normally be taken care of via your tour leader (or in some cases through our local agent). So need no for any tipping kitty contributions, or to make your own tips during the trip.

Our ‘included tips’ will normally cover drivers, local specialist guides, certain hotel staff, and serving staff for included meals. Amounts will be in line with the local standard. Of course, if you wish to make a further tip for some extra special service you may do so.

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 and 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 on sale over the duration of the trip which 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 are able to ensure we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.
• Our local operator is very involved in supporting community projects. Our local operator cares about our impact on the destination, which is why we carry out several actions. For instance:
  • Celebrating International Tourism Day of 2019 by cleaning a beach at Guacalillo, gathering 330lb (150kg) of waste.
  • Collecting plastic lids and donation them to Fundación Proparques to develop walkways to improve accessibility for people with mobility problems in protected, wild areas of the country.
  • Establishing an alliance with the Recycling Program of the Municipality of San José, from May 2015 to December 2020, that led to recycling 43 tons of recoverable resources during that period. During the pandemic, staff members continued with the recycling process from their homes. Collection and recycling include paper, cardboard, plastic items and lids, batteries, and electronic devices, among others.
  • Purchasing souvenirs from local artists to promote local benefits.
  • Holding days on the beach with 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.
  • Continuously developing activities to benefit company personnel through the 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, in which 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 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 of Animal Welfare 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 & 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 such as fruit which is always sourced locally and abundant.
• Vegetarian options are available if notice is given which include a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and rice.
• To reduce our carbon emissions, we use a shared coach at the beginning of the tour to transport clients from San José to Tortuguero rather than an internal flight. During the trip, 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 re-usable 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.
• Examples of eco-friendly accommodation used on this trip:

Aninga Lodge: An ecolodge in the Tortuguero region committed to sustainable development and environmental awareness that will generate a positive impact on the community, the environment and customers. The hotel is constructed 5ft (1.5m) above the ground. Restaurant, bungalows and walking trails are built on stilts, protecting animal habitats and provides guests with a panoramic view of the tropical rainforest.

Rio Perdido Hotel: From the start, the commitment has been to keep the land’s topography as close as possible to its original state. The hotel elected for structures to be founded on existing geological formations and, where that was not possible, to be elevated by pylons. This style of raised architecture was ideal in conserving the natural hydrology of the terrain. The result is the ultimate respect for the natural environment. Rio Perdido focuses on sustainable transplanting. Because Rio Perdido is in the most sun-drenched area in the region, irrigation is vital for the younger transplants. To enhance this, the hotel uses mostly treated residual water plus circulated pool water.

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 re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Important Information

Optional activities and excursions

If you would like to join an optional activity or excursion outside those listed in the itinerary, your leader may be able to assist with selecting a provider. However, Exodus has not assessed the safety standards of activities or excursions that are not listed in the Trip Notes. All optional activities or excursions are undertaken at your own risk.

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.