Most Inspirational Moment
I think the Costa Rican nation are the most inspirational thing about the trip. Considering it’s a relatively young country, surrounded by pretty unstable neighbours with an economy seemingly based on bananas, coffee and sugar cane, they’re doing just nicely. They’re a very friendly bunch and have run the place just about as sensibly as could possibly be expected. Thanks to very far-sighted government policies around nature conservation and energy supply, they are now reaping the rewards through well developed eco-tourism. As long as the whole world doesn’t descend at once on Costa Rica, they’ll do just fine.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mayer did a fantastic job of coordinating us all – not an easy job by any means. Plus he’s a really nice guy who kept us all entertained and informed throughout. Mayer is a one man Costa Rican version of Google. What this chap doesn’t know about Costa Rican wildlife you can ignore. How he kept managing to spot tiny, camouflaged creatures hundreds of meters away through his incredible scope, I’ve no idea. For lugging this unwieldy scope and tripod through some of the world’s most hot and humid rain forests, he deserves a medal. You will learn all about the fascinating wildlife, history, politics and sociology which is why you need a decent guide for this sort of tour. He’s also very keen to answer any questions you might have.
Advice for Potential Travellers
So, what to take with you? Don’t go overboard with stuff because you’ll be doing a lot of packing and unpacking as you move between locations. I wasn’t sure whether to take a wheelie suitcase or a large holdall. In the end we went with holdalls but it didn’t really matter either way.
As for currency, we didn’t bother with dollars and used a combination of Colon notes and credit card to pay for things. Most meals and almost all excursions are included so you shouldn’t need a huge amount of cash – just the odd lunch/dinner/drinks and tips. The remote places miles from an ATM are Tortuguero, Turriabla, Savegre and Drake Bay. Make sure you’ve got enough cash in your pocket before you get to these places.
Medicines – upset stomachs and sickness were unfortunately not uncommon but soon passed after a day or two – best pack some tablets to be on the safe side. Insect repellent – you will get bitten even in the dry season, through clothes and despite DEET – hydrocortisone cream is fantastic to stop itching though which means the bites heal quicker.
As mentioned, it will rain at times. Heavily. Poncho needed.
Footwear – Approach/trail shoes or hiking boots are ideal for the walks – as long as they are comfortable and have plenty of grip you’ll be fine. Water shoes / Crocs are also worth packing for when you get in and out of boats as they reverse up to the shallows of beaches during the trips from Drake Bay.
Technical (polyester) t-shirts, thin shorts and walking trousers are ideal for walking in the jungles as they’ll keep you cooler.
Don’t forget a warm fleece / light jacket for Savegre.
We were advised to take a beach towel but in the end didn’t need it. Most resorts lend you a beach towel free of charge so not an issue.
For some strange reason, only the San Jose hotel had a sink plug. Get yourself a travel sing plug if you want water to stay in the basin whilst you’re having a wash.
Camera is a must. Ideally a decent one with a good zoom otherwise you’ll come home to a load of photos with a small dot in the middle which could be anything from a sloth to a pelican.
Don’t be afraid to ask your assigned Exodus rep and questions about the tour you might have before you go – they are really helpful and usually get back to you within a day or two.
Laundry – Drakes Bay resort do have a free, same-day laundry service but this is near the end of your stay. I tried washing some clothes at Savegre but getting them to dry was hard work – this country is humid, even in the mountains but especially on the coasts – you have been warned.
Flights from/to the UK – get the direct BA flights from Gatwick if possible. The food is plentiful if not gourmet. You’ll need an extra night in San Jose at the end but Exodus will sort all this out for you along with the airport transfers.
