A: Most of our tour programs are fully customized, so you can decide exactly what you want to include in the tour price. Most of our clients want to include a private naturalist guide, private driver and transportation (ground, water, and domestic air), hotels, entrance fees to requested activities and excursions, and most (if not all) meals. You can also include international airfare between your departure country and Costa Rica. There are a few expenses that we do not include in any of our tour packages. Please see those expenses listed below.
A: To get the most out of their vacation experience, most of our clients include almost all the expenses related to the tour program in their tour price. However, there are a few expenses that we do not include in any of our tour programs. These expenses include the $29 Costa Rica departure fee (except for student tours when requested), tips to the Natural Expeditions guide and driver, airport porters, passports, laundry, phone calls, personal expenses, and beverages/food not included on the regular menu. If you would like help booking a flight or a tour package that includes airfare, we would be happy to assist you. Listed below are some of the airlines that offer flight service to Costa Rica:
Aeromexico, Mexicana, American, Avianca, Copa, Delta, Lufthansa, Southwest, Spirit, Alaska, United, Jet Blue, WestJet, Interjet, LATAM, KLM, Viva, Volaris, British Airways, and Air France.
A: As with anything you buy, the price generally reflects the quality of the product. To keep prices low and enticing, some companies sacrifice the overall enjoyment of their travelers by combining 40 strangers on a bus, hiring guides with little to no experience, and exploiting local providers by paying below market value for their services. Plus, the price listed on the website is not the price you end up paying once you add in the extra costs associated with the travel dates you choose, your room occupancy, taxes, and fees. This is not what we want for our travelers. When we customize a tour for you, the price we give you is the price you pay. You let us know if you want to add or subtract services to adjust the program cost. However, we will never sacrifice the quality of our drivers, transportation, expert guides, lodging, excursions, and customer service to make a few extra dollars. We will also support Costa Rican families and business owners by paying them fair wages and competitive market rates for their services. Our attention to these essential elements makes each tour we design and operate an absolute success for our travelers and providers.
A: Tips for your tour guide and driver are not included in the tour price. Tipping will be at your discretion. We suggest a certain daily amount based on the service you have received. If you feel that service has been excellent, you can decide which amount would be most appropriate. Our suggestion would be:
$6 US $10 US per traveler per day for the tour guide
$3 US $5 US per traveler per day for the driver
These tips should be handed directly to the tour guide and driver individually. We request that no group collections be made to ensure that your tip is given to the guide and driver.
A: Single occupancy means that the traveler will have a private room. Double occupancy means the traveler will share a room with someone else. You will designate who that person is on your registration form. We will specify the occupancy quoted in your tour price when we send you your customized tour program proposal.
A: Natural Expeditions recommends at least one sweater or jacket because even though the days can be warm, the temperature tends to drop at night. The air-conditioning on the minibus can be a little chilly for those who get cold quickly. Think casual when planning your clothing choices for Costa Rica. Outfits for sightseeing and daytime traveling should be light, breathable fabric that can dry quickly. Be sure to include comfortable closed-toed shoes for walking and hiking in the jungle.
A: We design tours for all ages. Our programs include hikes, boat trips, and zip lining, among other activities requiring a fair amount of energy. Please remember that if you customize your program, you can choose the types of activities you want to do according to their difficulty level. Please contact us if you have specific questions about the difficulty rating of any activity listed in our tour programs.
A: Children younger than 13 years are not allowed on the Costa Rica Verde monthly departure, and children aged 13-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. However, children are welcome on any customized tour when accompanied by an adult. Please let us know if you will be traveling with little ones, and we will prepare a tour program that your whole family will enjoy.
A: Yes, tap water is safe to drink in most places in Costa Rica. However, there will also be a chance for bottled water throughout the country.
A: The local currency is colones (named after the Spanish name for Christopher Columbus – “Cristobal Colon”). However, US currency and major credit or debit cards are accepted in all places on our tours. We do not recommend using traveler’s checks as they are not widely accepted while on tour. Please let your bank know if you will be using your debit card while out of the country to avoid blocking your access.
A: Yes. Costa Rica requires U.S. citizens to possess a passport that is valid for six months after the date of entry into Costa Rica. Please check the expiration date of your passport. If you need to renew your passport or apply for a new one, you can pick up a passport application at your local U.S. Post Office. Passport applications can take up to 6 weeks to process unless you pay extra for the faster-expedited service. You do not need a visa to visit Costa Rica.
A: Costa Rica requires foreigners to carry their passports at all times in Costa Rica. However, this requirement is waived for U.S. and Canadian citizens, who can simply carry a photocopy of their passport photo and information page. If you carry this photocopy with you, you may leave your original passport in a safe place.
A: Cancellations will be charged the per-person fees listed below.
For all tour programs that do not include international airfare, the following cancellation fees apply:
- 61 or more days before the start of the tour: Fee is $200 (deposit)
- 60-31 days before the start of the tour: The fee is 50% of the tour price.
- 30 days or less before the start of the tour or during the tour: The fee is 100% of the tour price.
For all tour programs that include international airfare, the following cancellation fees apply:
- 121 or more days before the start of the tour: Fee is $200 (deposit)
- 120-61 days before the start of the tour: The fee is 50% of the tour price.
- 60-31 days before the start of the tour: The fee is 75% of the tour price
- 30 days or less before the start of the tour or during the tour: The fee is 100% of the tour price.
The time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our office.
A: For those registered for the Costa Rica Verde monthly departure tour program: if you need to change your departure date for a different scheduled monthly departure date, you may do so with no penalties 31 days or more before the start of your currently booked tour, provided that accommodations and transportation services are available. If you change your departure date 30-0 days before the start of your currently booked tour, you will not receive a refund or transfer of funds to the new tour. This does not apply to student tours or customized tours. Please contact us if you registered for a customized or student tour and need to change your departure date.
A: We recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your tour investment. The Vacation Insurance package protects you from possible loss of money in case of unexpected trip cancellation/interruption due to accident, sickness, or death, baggage loss, medical expenses, and emergency air transportation costs.
A: We do our best to book the hotels listed in the tour itineraries. However, suppose the listed hotel does not have occupancy for your tour date. In that case, we will use a similar hotel from our list of preferred hotels that meet our high-quality service and accommodations standards.
A: Before departure, you will receive packing and travel tips, a day-by-day itinerary, and a final list of all the specific tours, names, and websites of hotels and meals included in your tour package.
A: Smoking is not permitted on the bus. The driver will have some stops specifically for those who smoke or need to stop for any other reason.
A: Your privacy is essential to Natural Expeditions. Your e-mail address, name, street address, telephone number, and credit card information (if applicable) are stored in our database and will only be used by Natural Expeditions to get in touch with you. Natural Expeditions will not sell, rent, trade, or give your name, e-mail address, street address, or any other personal information to any other organization. Click here to see the full details of our privacy policy.
