2010 Itinerary

Inclusive Prices

Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel  accommodations, entertainment, special dinners, land transportation, sightseeing, porterage, and the services of local guides, drivers and the Tauck Director are included. Transportation  from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José to the Real InterContinental Hotel is included, provided we have received accurate international flight arrival information at least two weeks prior to the tour departure date. On the last day of the tour, you will fly via charter from Tortuguero to Tobias Bolanos domestic airport in San José. Transportation from the domestic airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José is included. Transportation to the international airport in San José is also included if you choose to spend additional nights at the Real InterContinental after the tour ends. Transportation to and from airports may be shared with other Tauck guests.

Hotel Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality of accommodations may differ slightly from one hotel to another, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are usually two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.

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

Tauck Director – Costa Rica Adventure 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 customary gratuities for restaurant and hotel staff, and local guides 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, pleasant experience for you.

On-tour Flights

Airfare While On Tour - The charter flight from Tortuguero to San José on Day 8 is included.

Not Included

Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us 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, we will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through us. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. Airport transfers are included for these bookings. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this webpage and discuss it with our your reservations sales consultant or travel 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 Tauck Travel Protection on this webpage for more information.

Lost luggage is an unfortunate possibility in today's world of airline travel. We suggest that you:

• Pack some basic clothing in your carry-on bag 
• Split your items between your suitcase and a traveling companion's suitcase 
• Do not pack any vital medications or valuables in your checked luggage 
• Confirm that your luggage is checked and tagged to your final destination at airport check-in 
• Be sure to place your luggage claim tags in a secure place for your flight 
• File a claim for any missing luggage immediately before leaving the baggage claim area 
• Secure a case number and contact information for follow-up communications 
• Be certain that the airline has your onward itinerary

Your Tauck Director will assist you with airline communications, but has no inside contacts to guarantee or expedite recovery of lost luggage. All recovery costs, including the communication costs, are your responsibility. Check your travel protection details for covered expenses.

Personal Expenses  such as phone calls, room service, alcoholic and other beverages not specifically included, laundry, dry cleaning, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.When departing from Costa Rica on an international flight, you will be required to pay a departure tax. The departure tax may be purchased at the Real InterContinental for a small fee, which will permit you to avoid the line at the airport. Although you can pay the airport departure tax with a credit card, it is charged as a cash advance. Most credit card companies charge a high fee for this type of transaction and begin charging interest on it immediately. It is best to pay the airport tax in cash, either US dollars or CR colones.

Tauck Director Gratuities – The customary gratuities to the Tauck Director and local drivers are not included. We ask that gratuities be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.

Additional Information

Airline Security Measures –

If you are traveling from the U.S., the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight program requires that your name, as it appears on your domestic or international airline ticket, must precisely match your name as it appears on the government-issued photo ID (i.e., passport or driver’s license) that you present during security screening. The ID name must also match any additional airline data, such as frequent-flyer information. For example, if you present your driver's license to security and it says John T. Smith, your ticket must also say John T. Smith, not John Thomas Smith, Jack Smith, or any other variant. Your date-of-birth and gender information provided to the airline must also match your passport.

If you make your air travel arrangements through us, please ensure that the name you provide us precisely matches your name as shown on the identification you will use while traveling. If you make your own airline reservations, please ensure that the airline has the correct information.

For more information on the Secure Flight program, please visit the TSA website by clicking here.

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, or 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.

Air Services – Airfare may be purchased through us for travel originating in the United States. By using our air services, you agree that we, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, are acting only as your agent and are 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 us. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline only, even if purchased through us. We are not liable for, and do 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). We must handle ticketing for our special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Our air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a one of our tours. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air booking before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.

Holiday and Museum Closures – Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and civic holidays locally observed. You may wish to log on to Wikipedia to view a list of holidays by country by clicking here.

Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility – We pledge to make every effort to operate all tours as advertised. We reserve 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 us. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecast at the time of publication.

Journey Start and End Times are provided at time of booking.  The tour begins at 6:30 PM at the Real InterContinental Hotel in San José on the first day of the tour. You or your booking agent will be advised of any change to this schedule. Your tour ends when you arrive at the Juan Santamaría International Airport on the last day of the tour. Each carrier and each airport has different rules regarding how early you must arrive for flight check in. Please contact your individual carrier for this information.

Membership will be granted to all persons. We reserve the right to terminate the tour of any person who is abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour.

Photography on Tour – Occasionally, we will use photographs and/or video taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for print, Internet and other media promotional purposes. If you prefer that your image not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.

Preparing to Go

Travel Document Requirements–

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey 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.

We recommend 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 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. 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 ― Our journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. If you require babysitting services, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer on-site babysitting services; however, babysitting services may not be available at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.

Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with us, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.

Special Travel Documentation for Children

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 (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.

Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, we require you to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information may be obtained from a country’s consulate or embassy.

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 (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.

Children who are U.S. citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the journey.

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

Air-Conditioning - The Real InterContinental Hotel and the Tilajari Resort Hotel provide air-conditioning in their guest rooms. The Monteverde Lodge and the Tortuga Lodge are 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 in San José on the first day 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 Real InterContinental Hotel and the Tilajari Resort Hotel provide valet laundry services; the lodges do not.

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:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and/or plenty of film
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Battery-operated travel alarm clock
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Zipper-lock bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

Elevation – The overnight elevations on this tour are:

Health – Costa Rica 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.The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion.  Only the hotel in San Jose has elevators. The Tilajari Resort Hotel and the Tortuga Lodge are two-story facilities with no elevators where accommodations are spread out. The Monteverde Lodge has three-stories.

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 or scooters 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.

While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

The only hotel that allows smoking is the Real InterContinental 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 us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

If you are a resident 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. This requirement also applies if you will be entering from Brazil after completing our Essence of South America 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, prerecorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC Internet website by clicking here.

If you are a resident 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.

Checked Luggage – General

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.

Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, 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 that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size 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. You may wish to consult the website, luggagelimits.com, by clicking here,

We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.

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

Carry-on Luggage – General

Although oversize 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 on-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 that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel. 

 

Destination Information

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 while on the motor coach, during group functions, when sightseeing and when your Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There will be many opportunities to make and 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 for all national currencies, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to oanda.com by clicking here.

Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – Currently, Costa Rica levies a 13% 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. In general, you are not permitted to bring live plants, fresh fruits and other produce items into most countries. You may find additional information by visiting VisaHQ.com by clicking here.

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.

 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 as indicated below:

Real InterContinental San José: Access available in guest rooms at $15.00 USD per day
Monteverde Lodge: Not available
Tilajari Lodge: Guests may check e-mail for free at the front desk; however, the access is neither fast nor reliable
Tortuga Lodge: Not available

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 timeanddate.com by clicking here.

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, 63 to 69°F (17 to 21°C) in the North Pacific 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 November.

Rainfall

• Central Valley (San José): From November to April the total average rainfall is 10.7 in (272 mm). During the rainy season the total average rainfall is 60.1 in (1,527 mm). April and November are considered to be transition months. In July, there is a diminishing of the rainfall due to the “veranillo de San Juan”, a few weeks of hot dry weather that breaks up the rainy season
• North Pacific (Monteverde): From February through May, the total average rainfall is 11.6 in (295 mm). During the rainier months of June through January, the total average rainfall is 64.7 in (1,643 mm).
• Northern Subdivide (Tilajari Hotel) and the Caribbean (Tortuguero): These regions do not have a true 'dry season' since the rainfall here is approximately 138 in (3,515 mm) per year. Regardless of when you visit, plan on encountering some rain.
  

If You Have to Cancel

Did you know that you can link-up Tauck itineraries to create longer journeys? Many of these trips are in the same region, and depending upon availability you might connect with them before or after your trip. Alternatively, you might find one of these options better suited for your interests and preferences or for when you are available to travel.