Important Info

Trip Notes & Expectations

ACCOMMODATION

Our program fees are based on double-occupancy accommodation (see “Single Travelers” below if you do not have a travel companion and would be interested in a private room). Our accommodations are selected for safety, cleanliness, and convenient locations. While they are comfortable and well-suited for group travel, they are generally simple rather than luxury properties in order to keep the program affordable.

LUGGAGE

We recommend bringing a small to medium-sized bag (22-30 lbs) and a daypack. While larger bags may help with souvenirs, space is limited, so make sure that you can easily walk with, maneuver and carry your own luggage.

PROOF OF DEPARTURE

Costa Rica requires all visitors to have proof of departure (e.g., a return airline ticket). If you are traveling through a few countries in Central America, you will need to show proof of your itinerary. Please print the itinerary and bring it with you to Costa Rica.

TRANSPORTATION

We use a mix of transportation that gets our guests from location to location safely. Sometimes you will have full days and nights of transportation as our trips tend to cover a lot of ground. The transportation will often be an adventure in itself.

ACTIVITY LEVEL & PACE

Please make sure you have thoroughly read the itinerary and can handle the group activities, which sometimes include day hikes with your daypacks. We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.

FREE TIME & SPENDING BUDGET

This program has quite a bit of free time in each location, with few activities included as part of the tour. This allows participants to choose how to spend their time exploring each destination. We recommend researching options ahead of time, but apart from sites that need advance booking due to limited capacity or timed entry, your tour leader will be able to help everyone choose and purchase tickets. Tour leaders often know the most reliable vendors and may also offer to book the whole group on insider tours. For ideas, check the “Optional Activities” section on the Add-Ons tab.

Because there’s so much free time, your out-of-pocket costs will be higher than other GEEO trips with more inclusions. Food and activities in the towns on this itinerary (Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, La Fortuna) run closer to U.S. prices than in much of Central America, especially at restaurants geared toward tourists. Many businesses also add a surcharge of 5–13% for credit card payments, sometimes framed as a tax, with a discount for paying cash. Bringing more cash than you think you’ll need can save you money over the course of the trip.

GROUP LEADER

All GEEO programs are led by a G Adventures Chief Experience Officer (CEO), whose role is to take the hassle out of travel and help you get the most from your trip. They’ll share information about the places you visit, suggest activities and restaurants, and introduce you to our local friends. While not traditional guides, CEOs have broad knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and daily life. On some excursions, local guides are used for deeper insight.
 

Single Travelers

Traveling solo? You’re in good company—about half of our participants do the same.

Shared room by default. The program fee covers one person in a twin room. We’ll pair you with a roommate of the same gender if you don’t have a travel companion.

Want a private room? Most trips offer a “My Own Room” (single-supplement) upgrade. Check the price in the Add-Ons & Budgeting section, then email travel@geeo.org to reserve it. You pay the single-supplement only if you request it.

Emergency Contacts

Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call their local G Adventures office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.

AIRPORT TRANSFER
If you have purchased an arrival through G Adventures or if an arrival transfer is included in the cost of your tour, please note that:

Your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, we will do our best to rearrange your arrival transfer however we cannot guarantee this. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area please take a taxi to your start point hotel.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS:
G Adventures Office San Jose, Costa Rica
During Office hours (Weekdays 9am-5pm Local Time): +506 4001 8474
After hours emergency number: +506 8322 9140

If you are unable for any reason to contact their local office, they have a toll-free line within North America (or our regular direct line), which will connect you directly with their Toronto office. In the event that you cannot get through, you can reach a member of their Operations department at the mobile number below.

Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Outside North America: +1 416 260 0999

Packing List

See our blog post of staff-recommended gear to help you pack for your upcoming travels. You must be able to carry your own luggage—up stairs, on and off of transport, and during 15 to 20 minute walks. Bring one small or medium backpack or rolling bag (22-30lb) and one daypack for daily items. Space is limited on transportation, so oversized bags cannot travel.

As you prepare your packing list, we recommend checking average weather conditions for your destination.

*Laundry: Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge. You can also use a local laundromat, if necessary. We recommend packing enough clothes so you don’t have to do laundry.

Passports and Visas

Travelers are responsible for securing all required travel documents and meeting the entry requirements for every country on their itinerary, including applicable transit/layover countries.

PASSPORT
All travelers must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip dates with enough blank pages for stamps. Need to apply or renew? Start here.

ENTRY/VISA REQUIREMENTS
Visa rules change frequently—always verify the latest requirements on the U.S. State Department Country Information Pages. Non-U.S. passport holders should verify requirements with your country’s official government resources. You can also use Sherpa, a third-party service and trusted G Adventures partner to look up the latest requirements.

Money Exchange

Currency:The local currency in Costa Rica is the Colón (CRC). For current exchange rates, visit www.xe.com.

Credit/Debit Cards: Credit cards (especially Visa and Mastercard) are accepted in main towns, but carry processing fees. Some hotels, restaurants, and tour operators (for onsite activities) add a surcharge of 5–13% for credit card payments (sometimes described as a tax). Cash payments are often discounted accordingly.

Cash: Costa Rican Colón (CRC) and US Dollars (USD) are both widely accepted. ATMs dispense colones, but each withdrawal typically carries a $3–5 USD fee. Bringing some USD cash can reduce how often you need to withdraw, but the notes must be unblemished, uncreased, and free of tears ($20, $10, $5, and $1 bills are most useful). ATMs in Sarapiquí and Tortuguero are scarce or frequently out of service; withdraw sufficient cash in San José, Quepos, or La Fortuna before traveling to rural regions.

Emergency Funds: Bring at least $200 USD (or the equivalent in local currency) in cash for emergencies in case of ATM or card issues. Always carry more rather than less to avoid feeling short of funds while traveling.

For more advice, see our post, Smart Travel Finances: Your Guide to Money, ATMs, Fees, and Safety Abroad

Tipping

Please note that in Costa Rica, a 23% charge is added on to almost every meal (13% tax, 10% tip). Further tipping for wait staff is appropriate in the case of excellent service.

Tipping is optional but appreciated and goes a long way for the people who look after you on the trip. If you are happy with the service, use these ballpark amounts and adjust as you see fit:

– Local guides and drivers: $5-10 USD per person per day.
– G Adventures tour leader (CEO): $5-7 USD per person per week. (We suggest pooling contributions in an envelope and presenting it as a group)

Tipping Kitty: On some trips, your CEO may suggest a “tipping kitty” where everyone contributes at the start of the tour, and the CEO uses that pooled amount to tip service providers for the group as a whole (not including your CEO). If your CEO doesn’t mention it and you’d like to use a kitty, we recommend asking about it early in the trip. Your CEO will advise the suggested amount and preferred currency for the kitty.

Vaccinations

GEEO cannot provide any medical advice, so it is very important to consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which vaccinations you will need for your trip. We recommend contacting Passport Health, which has travel clinics located throughout the United States. You can also check the CDC’s recommended vaccinations for your destination. Please take this seriously!

Flights

This program begins and ends in San Jose. Make sure you look at flights for Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) in San José, Costa Rica, and not San Jose International Airport (SJC) in California.

Wait for official trip confirmation via email from GEEO before booking your flights. Prices tend to be lowest 90–120 days out, but that window varies by route and year. Neither GEEO nor G Adventures bears responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed.

Check the itinerary for the required arrival date. Aim to arrive no later than mid-afternoon for the 6 p.m. Day-1 welcome meeting, and consider arriving a day or two early to buffer flight delays and see more of San Jose. You can depart any time on the final day of the program.

Plugs and Converters

Costa Rica uses the same plug design and nearly the same voltage found in the United States—a type-A plug and 110 Volts—so there is no need for electrical adapters or converters.

Weather

Late June marks the start of Costa Rica’s green season. Expect warm, humid days with sunny mornings and afternoon or evening rain showers, especially in the Arenal and Monteverde regions. Temperatures are warm and fairly consistent year-round, cooler in the cloud forest of Monteverde given its elevation. Pack a lightweight rain jacket and quick-dry layers, and don’t let “rainy season” deter you—the rain is typically brief, the landscapes are at their lushest and greenest, and crowds are thinner than in the dry months.