Adventure Inn Hotel

100m east of main gate of Los Arcos

Ciudad Cariari

San Jose

Costa Rica

Tel: +506 2239 2633

San Jose to Tortuguero National Park. The tour starts in San Jose. You will be picked up from the Joining Hotel at 6.15am.

We begin our journey with a scenic drive from San José through Braulio Carrillo National Park to the port city of Limón. You’ll see lush rainforest, banana plantations and very typical, picturesque Costa Rican pueblos along the way. The Tortuguero Canals are a vast system of natural waterways and man-made canals used both for basic transport and jungle exploration.

You will take a fascinating boat ride through the canals to Tortuguero National Park - your chance to see monkeys, iguanas, monstrous crocodiles and countless tropical birds. In fact, this part of Costa Rica is only accessed via boat or by air – there is no paved highway system to reach this isolated region comprised of more than 47,000 acres of lush landscape and 14 kilometres of Caribbean coast.

Upon arrival, you will check into a rustic lodge. The rest of the day is at leisure, and you can explore various trails through the humid, tropical rainforest and along the beautiful beaches. 

Tortuguero National Park is an important nesting beach for four species of marine turtles, including the Green Turtle, which has existed for more than 200 million years and can weigh more than 400 pounds. The female turtle typically arrives at night to deposit her eggs and observing these massive creatures as they nest on the beach is an amazing experience. Green Turtles arrive from July to October. The Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles are less common, and come ashore to lay their eggs between March and October. An astounding statistic about the life of a turtle is that only one of every 5,000 baby turtles survives to grow to adulthood. Costa Rica is one of very few of countries worldwide that protects turtle nesting sites.

Night tours are available and one guided walk to see the nesting turtles is included.

Please note that the weight limit for this tour is 5 KGs (10LBs) per person.  Excess luggage can be stored at the Joining Hotel.  It is important to include dark clothes to wear when turtle viewing, and also to take insect repellent.

Tortuguero to San Jose.  Today we return to San Jose via boat and road. The tour ends on arrival back into San Jose at approximately 2pm.

Please note that accommodation is not included tonight, but can be organised on your behalf.

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs as smoothly as possible but please note that Latin America does not run like clockwork, therefore do not expect the streamlined travel arrangements associated with some other continents. Things do not always go to plan; there will be times when you will need to be patient and philosophical about your travels. Conditions in Central America can change rapidly and changes to the itinerary may be necessary. Be flexible, you will enjoy your tour much more. Kumuka makes a point of visiting the indigenous populations of each country you visit, in order to give a true reflection of the country; please treat the local people and their customs with respect. Lastly, your tour leader is always conscious of everybody's views, but sometimes he/she will have to make an unpopular decision and your understanding will be appreciated in these circumstances.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Central America trip. Country entry regulations can change daily. Our website  www.kumuka.com provides visa information. Please consult your relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

Prophylactic tablets are essential in some areas of Central America. They are prescribed by your vaccinating doctor and should be taken as directed. 

• We recommend that you do not take unnecessary valuables with you. Wearing jewellery and expensive watches will attract attention.
• A money belt, or something similar, worn close to your body is the best way to carry passports, airline tickets and money.
• DO NOT leave any valuables in ANY hotel room, please use SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES. Items are left at your own risk.
• Pickpockets operate everywhere, particularly in tourist areas and in crowded markets; you must always exercise care. Be aware that anything left lying around will also be liable to theft.

We suggest passengers budget for between US$25-30 per day for personal expenses, souvenirs, evening out, alcoholic drinks etc. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

Belize, Costa Rica and the Yucatan province in Mexico are more expensive than the other Central American Countries, in those areas you should budget on US$ 30 per day.

Take your money in US dollars only. This is the only foreign currency readily exchanged in Latin America.

Traveller’s cheques should be AMERICAN EXPRESS. American Express is the most widely accepted.

Cash is far easier to exchange than Travellers Cheques, but also more risky as once lost, is irreplaceable. However, we do recommend that you take some US dollars cash in small denominations ($10 and $20).

In many countries, you may exchange US Dollars traveller’s cheques for US cash, or retrieve US dollars cash from ATMs (with a credit card), usually for a small commission but please do not rely solely on this option.

Credit cards are accepted frequently, particularly in the larger cities. They can also be used to get money from ATMs.

Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the most widely accepted credit cards. Visa being the most useful.

Included Excursions - All activities mentioned in the brochure unless optional are included in your tour price. This also includes many extra things that the group does as a whole such as ruins site entrance fees, domestic flights, local guides at some attractions, National Park entrance fees.

How much should I take?·

The weight limit for this tour is 5 KGs (10LBs) per person. 

A small daypack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles and boats.

Excess luggage can be stored in San Jose.

We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards travellers cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

We recommend that you travel as light as possible. Dark clothes are needed for viewing the turtles so please ensure you include suitable clothes, as well as insect repellent. 

Most passengers will travel with digital cameras.  Should you run out of memory you can download your photos onto CD at the local internet cafes or camera shops on your tour.  Alternatively, you may be able to purchase extra memory cards.  With regards to film, all types of camera film are readily available in Central America.  However, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

Most Latin American countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your camera confiscated.  It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

For better or for worse, tipping is an accepted part of everyday life and although it is always at your discretion, you will be expected to tip to reward service. 

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

UK OFFICE

40 Earls Court Road, London W8 6EJ
Tel: 020 7937 8855 Fax: 020 7937 6664
Email: sales@kumuka.com
www.kumuka.com

AUSTRALIAN OFFICE

Level 5, 387 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9279 0491 Fax: 02 9279 0492
Email: sales@kumuka.com.au
www.kumuka.com.au