Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Costa Rica. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING AND LEAVING COSTA RICA: U.S. citizens entering by air need a tourist card (issued by your arriving airline) and proof of U.S. citizenship in the form of a passport. Your passport should be valid for at least six months after the date the tour ends. Citizens of other countries may need a visa and should check their nearest Costa Rican embassy. If required by the embassy or visa-granting entity, WINGS can provide a letter for you to use regarding your participation in the tour. The airport departure tax is US $26; departing passengers must pay this tax at the bank counter inside the airport.
COSTA RICA MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Costa Rica in the University of Texas series here. You can review the U.S. Department of State background notes on Costa Rica here.
HEALTH: Medical services are good. Essential medicines are available. Drinking water is purified in San José hotels and restaurants. Costa Rica is an extremely sanitary country and it is our experience that water can be consumed throughout the country without ill effect. Still, we suggest bringing a bottle (or tablets) of Pepto Bismol or some other mild anti-diarrhea medication.
The more serious health hazards — amebic dysentery, malaria and typhoid — are rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mention a risk for malaria in some provinces of Costa Rica but our ground agent assures us that none of the places we visit during our tours have reported cases of the disease, and the reported cases in the country have not been of tourists. The ground agent’s position is that there are unpleasant side effects of the anti-malaria drug, while the chances of getting malaria in Costa Rica are slim. It’s better just to bring (and use liberally) a good insect repellent, and when hiking in the forest, wear light-weight long pants and light-weight long-sleeved shirts. Your best prevention is to avoid being bitten. You can review the latest CDC advisories here.
PACE OF THE TOUR: All days will begin with early breakfasts, usually at 5:00 or 5:30 am. Early mornings beg early bedtimes — most participants opt to turn in right after dinner. On one or two travel days, we may arrive at our hotel after dark. People in reasonably fit condition will not find the walking especially rigorous, but good footwear is essential and walking ticks may be useufl. . There will be several optional nightbird forays by foot and/or bus.
CLIMATE: Costa Rica’s climate varies with altitude. Temperatures will range from the 50s in the mountains to as high as the low 90s at lower elevations. San José, at an altitude of 3,800 feet, can be cool. Those of you arriving in the evening will want to wear a light sweater. There will probably be some rain and, at higher elevations, mist and wind. We birdwatch one day at elevations between 9,000-10,900 feet; temperatures may be cool and mist or rain is possible. Some tours experience more rain than others, especially in the eastern lowlands. Note that in the warm, humid lowlands, raincoats may produce as much moisture inside as they protect you from the outside; an umbrella is a necessary birding accessory.
ACCOMMODATIONS: All lodges have private baths with (nearly always) hot water. Bathrooms have tubs or showers or both. In all of our hotels, the tap water is safe to drink. Occasionally, small lizards, amphibians, or unusual insects may visit a hotel room.
FOOD: Food in Costa Rica is not known for being distinctive, but is consistently very good and not even remotely spicy. Fresh fruit, green vegetables, and tasty main dishes are served at our hotel restaurants. A well-liked staple for breakfast is gallo pinto, a mix of rice and beans, though cereals, eggs, and fresh fruit are also available.
TRANSPORTATION: We will be traveling by comfortable, air-conditioned minibuses.
SMOKING: We request that you not smoke in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that more restrictive policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Costa Rica will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary.
Updated: September 2010