Raft, Surf & Kayak Costa Rica

You’re in for an active trip! Whilst previous experience isn’t essential for getting involved, a decent level of fitness will help you get the most out of this tour. There’s always a choice to opt out of certain activities too.

If you’re already a regular exerciser, you’re probably good to go. If you’re not, it might be an idea to add it into your routine in the weeks leading up to your departure. Anything cardio related (swimming, running, cycling, etc.) would definitely help you to enjoy this action-packed adventure to the max.

San Jose, Costa Rica. Please be careful when booking flights to/from San Jose; make sure you fly into/out of Juan Santamaria International Airport [SJO]. Please do not book flights to/from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport [SJC] as this is located in California, United States.

If you receive an immigration card upon entry, please ensure you keep this safe as it may be requested at point of exit. Passport holders from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand and The United States of America are not required to obtain a visa prior to arrival. Some nationalities will require a visa but be aware that you cannot get it at the border. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Costa Rica for the most up to date information. To enter the country visitors are required to have a return or onward travel ticket. Visitors generally get a 90-day stamp in their passport upon entering Costa Rica.

USA Visa Waiver

Applicable if arriving via the United States of America. Many countries now operate under a visa waiver program, meaning a visa isn't required, however, you still need to obtain an authorization which confirms that you have been approved to travel. This authorization must be obtained in advance of travel. All travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries must obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to their flight from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) website. All ESTA registration applications or renewals require a US$14 fee to paid by card. Apply for ESTA no later than 72 hours (Intrepid recommends 1 week prior to travel) before departing for the USA. Real-time approvals will no longer be available and arriving at the airport without a previously approved ESTA will likely result in being denied boarding. If there are any discrepancies between the name on your ESTA, your passport, your tickets or even your frequent flyer membership, you may be detained at Immigration and subject to a secondary inspection which could take a few hours. If you have recently changed your name, please check that your details have been updated everywhere.

A negative COVID-19 test is NOT required before joining a trip unless it is a requirement of entry for the country. If you are unwell prior to traveling, please stay at home and contact Intrepid to make alternative arrangements. At the group meeting, you will be asked to complete a self-screening health form and report any COVID-19 symptoms as well as any close contact with someone who has suspected or confirmed COVID-19. If you are displaying any symptoms or have any health concerns at this time, the advice of local health authorities will be followed to determine whether medical assistance, isolation or further action is required. All travelers should continue to monitor their health throughout their travels and report any relevant symptoms to their tour leader.

Zika Virus:

There have been reports of transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in this region and Intrepid advises all travelers to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Given possible transmission of the disease to unborn babies, and taking a very cautious approach, they recommend all women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant to consult with their doctors before booking their trip.

Dengue Fever:

Dengue Fever is common in Latin America and can occur throughout the year. This virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. There is no vaccination against it, but there are preventative measures that you can take such as wearing long clothing, using repellent, and being indoors particularly around dusk and dawn.

Malaria:

There is no commercially available vaccination against malaria, which is transmitted by mosquito bites and is a risk in many less-developed tropical areas in Latin America. Protection against mosquito bites is essential and where the risk is considered high, anti-malarial medications are recommended. Anti-malarial medications should be discussed with experts as there are different medications available and not all medications suit all people or all destinations. Where malaria is considered prevalent in mountainous regions we prefer that trekkers to altitude try to avoid the use of mefloquine (Lariam) if possible.

WhatsApp is a popular way to communicate in Latin America. Intrepid recommends downloading WhatsApp prior to departure to communicate by text with your leader and group members during the tour. Once downloaded, please validate your phone number before leaving home as you will not be able to do this once you arrive unless you have international roaming enabled. Connections for making phone calls through WhatsApp are not reliable, so please do not use this app to make calls to Intrepid's emergency phone line.

To allow flexibility in showing your appreciation, gratuities are not included. If you're happy with the service you receive, providing a tip - though not compulsory - is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many destinations. Please note we recommend that any tips are given directly to the intended recipient by a member of your group, rather than collected and passed on by the group leader.

The recommended tipping amounts are listed in USD for the relatability of universal travelers. Intrepid does however recommend that you tip in the local currency - Hold on to your smaller notes and coins to make tipping easier. The following amounts are per person suggestions based on local considerations and feedback from our past travelers:

Restaurants:

Local markets and basic restaurants - round your bill up to the nearest US$5. For more up-market restaurants, Intrepid suggests 10% of your bill.

Local Guides:

Throughout your trip, you may at times have a local guide. Intrepid suggests US$3-5 per passenger per day.

Drivers:

You may have a range of drivers on your trip. Some may be with you for a short journey while others may be with you for several days. Intrepid suggests US$3-6 per day for drivers.

Local Guides:

There might be times during the trip where you’ll have a specialist local guide alongside your trip leader. Intrepid suggests tipping these guides about USD$2-3 per day.

Your Tour Leader:

You may also consider tipping your tour leader for outstanding service throughout your trip. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline USD$2-4 per person, per day can be used. Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

In total, Intrepid recommends you budget approx USD$5-10 per day of your trip to cover tipping.

Most travelers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in Intrepid's private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. Generally speaking, Intrepid recommends you pack as lightly as possible. You'll also need a day pack/bag for activities and day trips. In terms of weight, airlines generally allow a maximum of 33-44lb for check-in luggage and a maximum of 11lbs for carry-on.

For this trip, Intrepid recommends between USD 25 to 50 per day. How do they work this out?

• Breakfast: if breakfast is not included, you can expect to pay between USD5 to USD10 at a local café.
• Lunch: if you are happy with a quick snack on the go, you may get away with as little as USD5 to USD10 for a set menu at a local eatery or a sandwich and a drink at a café. On the other hand, a lunch meal at a more tourist restaurant can cost between USD10 to USD15.
• Dinner: at dinner time, your leader will normally recommend restaurants where you can safely try the local specialties of the region. Expect meals to cost between USD12 to USD25 for a main.

These are indicative prices only. If you are in a tight budget, are happy to eat just local food and are not afraid of an upset tummy every now and then, you can eat cheaper than this. If you want to try just the finest food at the finest restaurants, then you can expect meals to cost as much as in western countries.

While traveling with Intrepid, you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, Intrepid groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though. Please let them know your diet requirements before your trip starts.

Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.

More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. Intrepid recommends that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.

For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, Intrepid understands your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are traveling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. Intrepid recommends researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home.

All group trips are accompanied by one of Intrepid's group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavors to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

Your leader 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 their local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid, they aim to support local guides who have specialized knowledge of the regions they visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

The official currency of Costa Rica is the Costa Rican Colón (CRC). You can pay with major credit and debit cards at many hotels, restaurants and stores. You can use major credit cards and some debit cards to withdraw colones from ATMs. US dollars are widely accepted except for taxi fares (so if you arrive by plane please ensure you get some local currency at the airport before taking a taxi).

Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America, particularly compared with its neighboring countries Nicaragua and Panama. Expect meals, souvenirs and optional activities to cost as much as they would in western countries. That said, Costa Rica has done a great job of looking after its natural wonders yet maximizing their potential as tourist attractions. So, while optional activities are pricey, you can expect a high standard of service, well-maintained gear, clear paths and signage and well trained local guides that allow you to make the most of every activity.

Essential:

• Warm as well as light clothing. Central America is often assumed to have hot weather, but it can get cold in the countryside, mountains and at night in the winter so Intrepid suggests you check the expected temperatures en route and bring clothing that you can layer
• Closed-in shoes will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through cities as well as bush/grass-lands, and will also act as a barrier protection in rare cases against bites or stings
• Sun protection such as a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses

Recommended:

• Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, travel insurance etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
• Water bottle. Intrepid recommends at least a 1.5-litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1-litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
• Electrical adapter plug (view www.kropla.com)
• Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but Intrepid recommends you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and Band-Aids.
• Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both
• Swimwear
• Travel beach towel
• Tissues &/or toilet paper &/or wet wipes
• Insect repellent
• Camera with a spare memory card, charger &/or batteries

Optional:

• Earplugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate
• Phrasebook

Valuables:

Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your safe if available. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

• Airfare
• Airport transfers, taxes and excess baggage charges
• Travel insurance (mandatory and must be taken out at the time of booking)
• Optional activities and all personal expenses