For reservations call 1-800-788-7885
or contact your local travel agent

Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel and lodge accommodations, entertainment, special dinners, land transportation, sightseeing, luggage handling, the charter flight from Tortuguero to San José, and the services of the Tauck Director, guides and drivers are included. A representative of Tauck will meet you at Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia and provide transportation to the Hilton Papagayo Resort in Guanacaste, regardless of the day and time of your arrival, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight information at least two weeks prior to the start of your tour. Tauck will also provide transportation from the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel to the San Jose Airport whenever you choose to depart.  We suggest you allow at least 2½ hours for flight check-in. The Costa Rica Marriott Hotel provides complimentary shuttle service to the airport every thirty minutes beginning at 5 a.m. In the event you require an earlier transfer, the Tauck Director will coordinate a complimentary taxi transfer for you.

Child Discount – Children 11 years of age and younger may receive a discount on the tour price. To qualify for a child discount, the child’s birth date must be provided at time of booking. No child discount is offered on the Tauck Travel Protection plans.

Hotel and Lodge Accommodations – Tauck’s price includes all hotel and lodge accommodations with private baths. The Tauck standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from place to place, this standard remains uncompromised. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended for comfort. Quadruple accommodations are not available.

If you request an adjacent, adjoining or connecting room, Tauck will do all it can to accommodate your request. However, Tauck cannot guarantee such accommodations will be available. Please note that a hotel may consider “adjacent” to be across the hall or down the path. Also, connecting rooms are often not available in many lodges and hotels on this itinerary.

Children under the age of 18 must be booked in a room with at least one adult.

Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.

Tauck Director – Costa Rica: Jungles & Volcanoes is conducted by a Tauck Director who remains with the group throughout the tour. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.

Gratuities Included – All appropriate gratuities for restaurant and hotel staffs, local guides and drivers, and the Tauck Director are included.

No Options Sold – Your Tauck Director will assist you with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.

 

Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from Tauck for travel originating in the United States.

Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, Tauck will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through Tauck. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this website and discuss it with the reservations agent when you book your tour.

Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to the Tauck Protection Plan for more information.

Personal Expenses - Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, mineral water, soft drinks, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, departure taxes, visa fees and services, and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

 

Airline Security Measures – In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your passport name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket or you may be denied boarding.

If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.

Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette lighter, or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, and aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times.

 

You may also visit the U.S. Transportation Security Administration Internet website to obtain more information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage items by clicking here.

Air Services – Airfare may be purchased through Tauck for travel originating in the United States. By using Tauck's air services, you agree that Tauck, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, is acting only as your agent and is not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any carrier. All carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by Tauck. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline (and not Tauck), even if purchased through Tauck. Tauck is not liable for, and does not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to, seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). Tauck must handle ticketing for Tauck's special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Special fares cannot be combined with any other promotional offer. Tauck's air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a Tauck tour. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.

Holidays and Museum Closures – Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed.

Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility – Tauck pledges to make every effort to operate your tour as advertised. Tauck reserves the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Any savings realized by these changes will be refunded to you. Any resultant added expense will be covered by Tauck. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecasted at the time of publication.

Journey Start and End Times are provided at time of booking. The tour begins with a Welcome cocktail party and dinner at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilton Papagayo Resort in Guanacaste on the first day of the tour. You or your booking agent will be advised of any change to this schedule. The journey ends with transportation to the San Jose Airport on the day of your departure. We suggest you allow a minimum 2½ hours for flight check-in.

Membership will be granted to all persons. Tauck reserves the right to terminate the tour of any person who is abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour. Please be advised that the parent or guardian of children on tour is solely responsible for the behavior of their children while on tour.

Photography on Tour – Occasionally, Tauck will use photographs taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.

 

Air Conditioning – The Costa Rica Marriott Hotel, the Tilajari Resort Hotel and the Hilton Papagayo Resort provide air-conditioning in their guest rooms. The Pachira Lodge is not air-conditioned but guest rooms are equipped with ceiling fans.

ATM and Credit Cards – We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be “suspicious” charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Clothing and Packing – Your adventure in Costa Rica is casual. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Comfortable, cotton clothing is suggested. High temperatures and humidity in most areas make lightweight clothing practical. Long pants and long sleeves are suggested for sun and mosquito protection. Evenings in all lodges are casual with no specific dress code. Casual resort wear is appropriate for dinner on the first and last nights of the tour.

Most importantly, bring comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in. It is important that your shoes have good ankle support as the walking trails can be wet and muddy.

The Costa Rica Marriott Hotel, the Tilajari Resort Hotel and the Hilton Papagayo Resort provide valet laundry services; the lodge does not.

Children may want to consider bringing along pocket toys and games with a "sound off" button or a portable radio or CD player with headphones for use on longer travel days. Travel journals, binoculars and cameras also help children make the most of their adventure.

If you book a summer departure and wish to view the nesting turtles in Tortuguero National Park, you will need to adhere to certain clothing rules and guidelines. Please be sure to bring a black or navy blue long-sleeved, lightweight shirt and pair of pants, and closed-toe shoes. The carrying or use of cameras and video recorders – even those equipped with infrared lights - is strictly prohibited when viewing the turtles. The guides will not allow participation in the walk if guests do not abide by these rules, as light-colored clothing and camera equipment frightens the turtles and disrupts their approach to the nesting sites. Restrictions are necessary to conserve and protect the turtles’ beach nesting sites and assure their annual return.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription (or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you), a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for travel to Costa Rica:

Elevation – The overnight elevations on this tour are:

Health – This Costa Rica family adventure is a very active tour. Our activities include visiting national parks, biological reserves, rainforests and villages. You should be in good health and able to climb into and out of small boats, river rafts, and planes and able to walk reasonable distances over unpaved and uneven terrain. Only the hotel in San Jose has elevators. The Tilajari Resort Hotel and the Tortuga Lodge are two-story facilities with no elevators and their accommodations are spread out. The Hilton Papagayo Resort also comprises many acres and provides shuttle service throughout the property.

The road conditions in Costa Rica are improving; however, paved roads are often in poor condition. Some roads to beaches and other rural locations are not paved and some out-of-the-way destinations are accessible only by these roads. Roads into, in, and out of the mountains are unpaved and bumpy.

The itinerary includes several early morning starts and leaves little scheduled free time.

We regret that we are unable to accommodate wheelchairs on this tour. We also regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you require such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.

Throughout the tour, we will provide you with clean and safe drinking water.

The Tortuga Lodge is a non-smoking hotel.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advises that there is a risk of contracting malaria in and around the areas visited on this tour. While a vaccination against malaria is unavailable, you can protect yourself by avoiding mosquito bites and by taking medication to prevent malaria. Mosquito bites can be avoided by applying mosquito repellent with DEET to exposed skin and clothing, wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants if you are outdoors at night, and by avoiding perfumes and colognes.

Various types of anti-malarial medicine are available. Therefore, you should seek the advice of a physician well in advance of departure to select the medicine that is right for you. Strict adherence to recommended dosages is critical for effective protection.

If you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

If you are a citizen of the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Costa Rica; however, an International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever is required if you will be arriving from an infected area within 5 days of the start of the tour. For complete vaccination information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the CDC. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour, pre-recorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC Internet website at www.cdc.gov.

If you are a citizen of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of Costa Rica to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

Luggage Restrictions -  

Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour

Space constraints and weight limitations aboard the charter flight from Tortuguero to San José require you to bring no more than 25 lbs (11.3 kg) of luggage. Therefore, we will provide you with a duffel bag (13.5 x 21.75 x 12 in, or 34 x 30.5 x 55 cm) to carry your clothing and personal items for your two-night stay in Tortuguero National Park. Your remaining luggage will be safely stored in San José.

If you reside in the U.S., the duffel bag will be sent to your home and should arrive approximately two weeks prior to your departure for Costa Rica. If you reside outside of the U.S, you will receive your duffel bag upon arrival in San José because customs regulations prohibit the easy delivery of your duffel in advance.

Children will also receive a Tauck Bridges backpack in addition to the duffel!

Checked Luggage – General

While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.

In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.

Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage size and weight may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.

Tauck World Discovery cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage size, piece or weight policies.

Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home.

Carry-on Luggage – General

Although oversized bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many intra-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may not allow for access during daytime travel.

Travel Document Requirements – If you are a U.S. citizen, you, and each child traveling with you, will need a passport that is valid for at least one month beyond your intended stay for entry into Costa Rica. You will not need a visa for the short duration of this tour. Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

If you are a citizen of another country, you should contact an embassy or consulate of Costa Rica to determine what travel documentation is required.

Tauck strongly recommends that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. Also, Tauck recommends that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as both sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Travel with Children -

Age Recommendations – Children who are 3 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck Bridges journey. All activities are available for children 8 years of age or older. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.

Babysitting – Tauck Bridges journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.

Safety and Welfare Responsibility – Tauck Bridges welcomes the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. Please be informed that any minor traveling on a Tauck Bridges journey is the sole responsibility of the parent and/or guardian, hence the accompanying adult must ensure all rules of safety are followed by said minor. By traveling with Tauck Bridges, parents and/or guardians release Tauck Bridges, Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child traveler. In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, medical facilities will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment.

Special Documentation for Children Traveling Abroad

Authorization for Travel

If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.

If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

All children who are U.S. citizens should also have a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptism record for ID. Children over the age of 14 are also required to have a photo ID.

Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, Tauck requires all guests to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information is available from each country’s consulate.

Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.

Tauck is not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for any travelers, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard for these letters, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.

 

Cell Phones - We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during motor coach travel, group functions, when sightseeing and when the Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There are usually ample opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.

Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your cell phone service extends to Costa Rica.

Currency and Exchange Rates - The official currency of Costa Rica is the Colón (CRC) which is divided into 100 céntimos. U.S. dollars are also widely accepted. U.S. dollars and travelers’ checks can be exchanged in banks and many hotels. Banks charge a service fee for cashing travelers’ checks, and currency other than U.S. dollars is difficult to exchange. Major credit cards are widely accepted, although American Express and Diners Club are more limited. ATMs are becoming more widespread throughout the country, but it is advisable to always have some local cash handy, especially outside the major tourist destinations.

To obtain the most current exchange rates, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to the Internet website www.oanda.com.

Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – You should familiarize yourself with Costa Rica’s specific required customs declarations before you travel. In general, you are not permitted to bring live plants, fresh fruits and other produce items into most countries.

 

Costa Rica – Travel.State.Gov

 

If you are a U.S resident who will be returning to the U.S. at the end of the tour, current regulations permit bringing back $800 worth of items duty-free, as long as you physically bring them with you. There are limits to the amount of alcohol that can be a part of this exemption. Certain restrictions apply to unaccompanied goods mailed from abroad to the United States. Please call your local customs office or consult the U.S. government's customs regulations as contained in their publication entitled Know Before You Go.

If you are a resident of another country, please refer to your own country’s rules and regulations regarding customs and duty-free shopping to ensure compliance upon your return.

 

Currently, Costa Rica levies a 14% Value Added Tax (VAT) on consumer goods and services. (The tax rate may be higher for luxury items and lower for basic goods.) As a rule, if you are not a resident of the country (or of the country’s intergovernmental economic community, e.g., the European Union) in which the purchase is made, you may be entitled to a VAT refund and should inquire about the refund policy where you shop.

 
Electrical Current – The electrical current in Costa Rica is 110/220 V, 60 Hz, AC. If you bring electrical devices that do not conform to this standard, then you will need to bring the appropriate adapters and converters.

 

Internet Access is available for a fee in the guest rooms at the Hilton Miami Airport Hotel and Costa Rica Marriott Hotel and in public areas at the Hilton Papagayo Resort.

Time Zones – Costa Rica is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time). Costa Rica does not use Daylight Savings Time. To determine current time in major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, www.timeanddate.com.

Weather – Costa Rica's tranquil environment offers stable, tropical weather where the temperature remains fairly constant throughout the year. Average high temperatures range from 75 to 80°F (24 to 27°C) in the Central Valley and 85 to 88°F (29 to 31° C) in the Northern Subdivide and the Caribbean regions. Rain is common throughout the year, with more frequent rain occurring in the "wet season" which is typically from May through October.

Rainfall:

 

 

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, www.weather.com.

 

Cancellation Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in Tauck incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, Tauck will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in its Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, Tauck offers a Tauck Protection Plan.

If you choose to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will have the cancellation penalties waived. Click here for more details.

If you choose not to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:

 

60 days or more before departure
$350 per person (the cost of the deposit)

59-8 days before departure
$600 per person

7-1 days before departure
$900 per person