ABOUT COSTA RICA
Located in the heart of Central America, Costa Rica is one of the
oldest democracies in the Americas, enjoying full political stability
with a long-standing commitment to a democratic lifestyle. With
no army or militia, Costa Rica is known for its civilized way of
life and can be described as an oasis of peace.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
We are located in the heart of one of Costa Rica's wildest, most
unexplored areas, the Osa Peninsula. Our facility, 450 feet above
the Pacific Ocean, is surrounded by lush tropical rainforest rising
from the black sand beach to 600 foot elevations. This area, located
an hour and a half from the nearest town, could be considered very
remote.
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
Wild Studies arranges travel to Costa Rica. You will travel from
your city of departure to Costa Rica's capital of San Jose. After
a day of local culture and two nights in San Jose, the group will
depart by air for a 1-hour flight to Puerto Jimenez and drive to
our beach front facility on the Osa Peninsula.
WHERE WILL WE STAY?
In San Jose, participants will stay at the Inca Real Hotel. In
the rainforest, rustic cabinas and tent cabins each with their own
bath, will house four to six students in double bunks. Our common
building has a full kitchen and a dining/study area.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
Because of the unpredictability of airline schedules, delays, increases
in misplaced baggage, and the remote possibility of program delays
or cancellations, Wild Studies highly recommends each student purchases
an inexpensive travel insurance policy that covers trip cancellation,
missed connection, trip interruption, trip delay, and emergency
medical evacuation and treatment. Click
here to learn more
.
WHAT DO WE EAT?
Meals will be a mix of local fare combined with more traditional
North American foods. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided
as well as snacks, plenty of ice water, and flavored drinks.
WHAT ARE YOUR GROUP SIZES?
Group size will be limited to 16 students and their teachers. Our staff will consist of our program manager, an instructor, a local guide, and our local kitchen staff.
WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITIES?
The week's adventure is divided into two areas. Days one and two
will include the cultural aspect. San Jose and surrounding areas
which consist of walking tour of town, interacting with locals,
shopping in the markets, a visit to a coffee plantation, hiking
at the La Paz Waterfall gardens, sampling fruits at a local farm,
a cruise on a river boat, and a visit to a butterfly far. The second
component is the Osa Peninsula expedition. This adventure will include
hiking on beaches, up rivers and waterfalls, and exploring dense
and mountainous tropical rainforests. Through a system of harness,
ropes, and pulleys, you can have the option of visiting a tree top
platform one hundred feet up in the rainforest canopy. Optional
horseback riding, geology studies, sea turtle watching, a boat ride
across the gulf, interaction with locals in Puerto Jimenez. Be advised
caution is required on all activities. There are no paved walkways
here. Rough, steep, uneven, slippery footing is the rule rather
than the exception.
WHAT SHOULD I PACK?
Click here for 2008
Packing List
Keep it simple. Lightweight tropical clothing and footwear is
the norm. (25 lb. total). See our complete rainforest travelers
packing list for details
DO I NEED A BACKPACK?
Yes, a good school type day pack is fine. It should definitely
have a waist cinch strap and padded shoulder straps. It will be
for carrying items such as your 1 liter water bottles or camelback
hydration system, camera, binoculars, lunch, a change of clothes,
and a towel.
HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BRING?
Costa Rican currency is the colon. US dollars are accepted throughout
the country. Exchange rates fluctuate, but have been around 300
colons to the US dollar. $150 - $200 US in small bills ($5, $10,
$20) will cover most emergencies (unexpected travel delays, medical
emergencies) and local shopping for souvenirs and snacks.
WHAT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
You will need a passport. Apply at your local courthouse. Don't
wait until the last minute, it does take some time. They cost $80-100
not including two headshot photos which must be submitted with your
passport application.
WHAT ABOUT WATER?
Our local drinking water is safe. Many of our students use a combination
camelback system built into a small backpack, just be sure the pack
is large enough for the backpack items listed previously. This is
a perfect set up for our day hikes. Another less expensive system
is a belt and waist pack that holds two 1 liter water bottles, or,
a third method is a camelback with shoulder straps to be worn as
a backpack or slipped into your own backpack. All of these methods
have been tried and proven to work equally well. Do not drink from
streams or tap water in towns.
ARE VACCINES REQUIRED?
Vaccines are not required, but check with your physician to be
sure you are up to date on your shots. A tetanus shot is a good
idea. Check with your doctor and check the Center for Disease Control's
website for updates and recommendations.
DO I NEED SPECIAL FOOTWEAR?
Many students have been using a good trail running shoe (canvas/nylon
combination all work well). Tell the sales person you'll be walking
up and across rivers and will need something that will drain well.
Keep them as light as possible and get a good lug sole. We also
recommend a second pair of shoes to wear in the evenings while your
day shoes dry. Any light shoe, tennies or sandals, will work fine.
.
WHAT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
You will need a passport. Apply at your local courthouse. Don't
wait until the last minute, it does take some time. They cost $80-100
not including two headshot photos which must be submitted with your
passport application.
CAN I CALL HOME?
Telephone and cell phone communication is not possible from our
facility at this time. However, a "we got here" call can
be made from Puerto Jimenez on the way in to our facility - assuming
local phones are working. As with our Bahamas program, don't panic
if there is no call. If there is a problem, you'll hear about it.
No news is good news, is the rule here.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE COST?
All airline and ground transportation from your airport of departure.
Local transportation, departure tax, all meals, daily activities,
lodging, guide services, a visit to a volcano, the waterfall gardens,
a butterfly farm, a coffee plantation, a riverboat trip, snorkeling
equipment, rappelling gear, horseback riding, and the boat trip
to the wildlife rehab center. We also include our workbook/rainforest
journal and a Wild Studies T-shirt.
HOW IS THE WEATHER IN COSTA RICA?
In June, July, and August, the weather is hot. 90 degrees with
some rain almost daily, although we have gone without rain for several
days in a row. If we didn't have the rain it wouldn't be a rainforest,
would it? The rain is warm and by the time it drips through the
forest canopy, you hardly feel it. You'll learn to like the rain
in contrast to the humidity when the sun is out. We never use our
rain gear: it's too hot. Everyone gets used to being wet and enjoys
being in the rain.
DO I NEED TO GET INTO SHAPE?
It is a one and a half hour drive to the town clinic. About another
hour to the hospital. Air evacuation is quick but medical care can
be significantly delayed.
.
WHERE IS THE NEAREST MEDICAL FACILITY?
It is a one and a half hour drive to the town clinic. About another
hour to the hospital. Air evacuation is quick but medical care can
be significantly delayed.
HOW SAFE IS THIS ADVENTURE?
No outdoor adventure is safe. This is an Eco-Adventure educational
trip. Adventure does not come without some risk. This trip is not
as safe as sitting home watching TV or playing with a computer.
You are out experiencing nature and nature can be unpredictable
and dangerous. At times, we hike over slippery, rough uneven terrain;
you could slip and be injured. We climb and scramble along waterfalls;
you could fall. Don't we face many of these same risks every day
as we travel, shop, and work around the house or participate in
school activities and athletics? Participants in this trip, with
the training, rules, and procedures we have installed, have never
had an incident more serious than a minor scrape or split toenail.
Please follow our rules and help keep it that way.
WHAT IS THE AIRLINE TICKET POLICY?
Due to weather, unannounced government rules changes, unreliable
freight shipping and airline schedule changes, or other forces beyond
our control, any planned schedule or activity may have to change
or be cancelled without notice. Airline tickets are purchased in
your individual names and are your property once paid for. Subsequent
schedule changes, route cancellations, or other complications are
beyond our control. Hence it is the named individual’s responsibility
to handle such matters directly with the airline.
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