Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click here to go to our general FAQ, which has essential information that applies to all of our programs.

Resources to Learn & Teach about Costa Rica

Visit our recommended reading page to see the list of books GEEO recommends reading before your program (this is not required reading). We also have lesson plans and Pinterest boards that may be useful for you as you learn about your destination and prepare to bring lessons back to your classroom.

Terms and Conditions

It is very important for you to visit our Terms and Conditions page before signing up for this program.

Cancellation policy

All cancellations must be submitted to GEEO in written form by emailing your request for cancellation to travel@geeo.org. If you do not receive a confirmation that we have received your written cancellation request, please call us at 1-877-600-0105. Verbal cancellation requests will not be honored.

• If you cancel 60 days or more prior to departure, all your program fee payments will be refunded besides your $350 deposit which is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel between 30 and 59 days prior to departure, you will receive a 50% refund and your deposit is kept on file for future use
• If you cancel within 30 days of departure, you will receive no refund, but your deposit is kept on file for future use

Trip Notes

1. PROOF OF DEPARTURE: Costa Rica will not be allowing anyone to enter the country without proof of a departure ticket (bus, airplane, boat, etc.). If you are traveling through a few countries in Central America, you will need to show proof of your itinerary and a departure ticket from your last destination. Please print the itinerary and voucher and bring it with you.
2. RAINFOREST LODGE: The access to Sarapiqui rainforest is difficult and can seem extreme for those who are not mentally prepared for the experience. The tractor ride to get to the rainforest is an extreme adventure. It is not recommended for pregnant women or people with serious back problems. Also, all trails are natural, with uneven and sometimes slippery footing, so it’s not recommended for people with difficulty walking on uneven terrain. The lodge is rustic and most likely multi-share.

Group Leader Description

All GEEO/G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of G Adventure’s group leaders, which they refer to as Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are traveling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. Our itineraries often have plenty of free time to explore on your own. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting – we think it’s the best of both worlds.

Single Travelers

Half of the people that travel with GEEO are traveling by themselves, so please don’t worry if you have no one who can join you on your trip. Our pricing is based on double occupancy, in other words, two people to a room. You never have to pay for a single room unless you want one. GEEO can find you a roommate of the same gender. Most of our trips have a “My Own Room” option, also known as a “Single Supplement,” which is an extra fee that will allow you to have a room to yourself. If you want to room alone, please email travel@geeo.org. To see the price for the “My Own Room” option, please click here where you can look up your trip in the extra services spreadsheet. Please note that if you have booked the "My Own Room" option for this tour, you will receive your own single accommodation for all night stops, with the following exceptions: Nights 9-10: Sarapiqui Rainforest

Joining Instructions

Day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned. Upon arrival to the city on Day 1, or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation with us, please make your way to the joining hotel. Check-in time will be in the afternoon. Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note at reception from your tour leader. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on Day 1, usually between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., at which you will get a chance to meet your tour leader and other travelers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details! If you have paid in advance for an arrival transfer, a G Adventures representative will be at the airport to meet you. If for any reason you are not met at the airport, please call our local support line. If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the joining point hotel via taxi.

Emergency Contacts

Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call their local 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 transfer through G Adventures 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: +51 997 582 712 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 Sales department at the number below. Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100 Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000 Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000 Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618 Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307 Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999

Packing List

Please read this article on GEEO’s blog for our staff’s suggestions on the best gear to pack for your upcoming travels. You must be prepared to carry your own bags and be comfortable carrying them up and down stairs, on and off transportation, and to hotels. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 minutes with your bags, which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 22-30 lb. Most travelers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size. No XXL bags please! A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person plus a daypack per person. Health & Safety (Required!)

• N95/KN95 Face masks (At least three per week)
• Hand sanitizer
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Quick Covid Test/Antigen Tests (At least 5, and for longer trips, 3 per week of travel)

Suggested Checklist

• Windproof/waterproof rain jacket
• Personal clothing for hot to warm weather – we recommend packing 7-9 days of outfits, so you only have to do laundry once or not at all
• Bathing suit and small, quick-dry towel
• Fleece top
• Light hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes
• Daypack
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat
• Sport Sandals or Water Shoes (if you plan to do waterfall rappelling and/or rafting)
• Watch or alarm clock
• Head lamp (recommended for jungle stay)
• Toiletries
• Camera
• First-aid kit, including lip salve, aspirin, bandaids, anti-histamine, Dramamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, electrolyte powder, insect repellent, extra prescription drugs you may be taking

Optional Checklist

• Drybag (Will help keep cameras and essentials dry)
• Binoculars
• Travel pillow
• Water bottle
• Money belt
• Phone/Tablet for internet – most hotels have WiFi
• Chargers for electronics as well converters/adapters, if needed
• AirTags or Tile trackers
• Packing cubes
• Ear Plugs
• Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can buy snacks when you get there too, so don’t go crazy here
• Ziplock bags
• Reading/writing material
• Hand sanitizer/Baby wipes

Document Checklist

• Passport (with photocopies)
• Travel insurance (with photocopies)
• Airline tickets (with photocopies)
• EUR/USD cash
• Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
• G Adventures vouchers, pre-departure information, and dossier
• Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
• GEEO Classroom action plans for your group – this is sent 10-30 days before departure

Laundry

Laundry facilities are sometimes offered by the hotels.

Passports and Visas

All GEEO trips require that the participant have a valid passport. Please see our general FAQ for information on obtaining a passport. As with all of our trips, we try to provide the most accurate information we can, but governments sometimes change visa rules. It is your responsibility to double-check the information we provide below by searching here. Americans do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica.

Money Exchange

The currency in Costa Rica is the Colon (CRC). Visa cards are the most widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available, there are no guarantees that your credit or debit cards will actually work in Latin America. Check with your bank. You should be aware that to purchase products or services on a credit card a fee of 5%-10% usually applies. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of US dollars cash and cards is best. Always take more rather than less, as you don’t want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds. We do not recommend you bring traveler's checks, as it is very difficult to exchange them in Costa Rica. CURRENCY EXCHANGE TIP: Please be advised that slightly torn notes, notes that have been heavily marked or are faded may be difficult to exchange. It is best to bring notes in fairly good condition, in denominations lower than 100 USD (or equivalent). As currency exchange rates can fluctuate often we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an ’emergency’ fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Tipping

It is customary in Latin America to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. 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 an expected – though not compulsory – component of your tour program and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from $5-10 USD per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture. At the end of each trip, if you felt your G Adventures tour leader did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline $5-$7 USD per day can be used.

Vaccinations

We legally cannot give you any medical advice. It is very important to consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which vaccinations you will need for your trip. GEEO recommends contacting Passport Health (http://www.passporthealthusa.com/), which has travel clinics throughout the United States. Please take this seriously!

Flights

We find the best prices for flights are often available 60 days before departure, but of course this varies greatly from route to route and year to year. We advise that you wait until this trip is confirmed before booking non-refundable and non-changeable flights. GEEO and G Adventures bear no responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed. Your trip begins and ends in San Jose. Please double check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in San Jose. You can arrive at any time of the day you choose. You can depart any time on the final day of the trip.

Plugs and Converters

There are two components to provide external power to your device: adapters and transformers. The adapter is the plug, adapting the prongs on a standard U.S. two to three-pronged power cord to match the prongs required by the local outlets. The transformer changes the local voltage to that required by your device. Costa Rica uses 2- and 3-pronged power plugs similar to those in the United States, so no need for an adaptor. Their outlets are 110V, which works with U.S. electronics without the need of a transformer. If you are not using electronics made for the United States, you will need to look online for what adaptors or transformer you will need.

Expectations

Before you decide on traveling with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the information about the program you are considering. Remember, our programs are quite adventurous.

• The purpose of the accommodation is to provide a safe, well-located place for you to sleep. Sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised, but do not expect luxury as we are trying to keep these trips as inexpensive as possible.
• 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.
• You must be able to easily carry or roll your luggage, so do not over-pack.
• 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.
• Please make sure you understand the role of your tour leader on this trip, as they are not the traditional “guide” you may be expecting. While our trips are educational, they aren’t study/lecture trips. We want you to learn through exploring and much of your experience will be based on how active you choose to be in acquiring knowledge and interacting with locals.

Hopefully this is the kind of adventure you are interested in!

Itinerary Disclaimer

While it is our intention to adhere to the routes described on our website, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable, to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The information on our website is a general guide to the tour and region, and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.

Weather

July is a great month for Costa Rica weather. Although it’s the third month of Costa Rica’s seven-month rainy season, a weather phenomenon called veranillo (“little summer”) means sunny days can dominate for weeks. July is also great for reduced crowds. This “mini dry season” shifts from year to year, however, so it’s hard to plan ahead. Some years veranillo happens in early July. Other years it stretches into early August. Also be aware that veranillo varies considerably from region to region. In some regions it will rain a lot less, in other regions it will rain a lot more. We are traveling to several different regions so should get a variety of sunshine and rain. July also means the start of sea turtle nesting season in Tortuguero National Park. If you’re interested in watching sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand at night, July is a wonderful time to visit Tortuguero.