General Tour Information
ENTERING COSTA RICA: U.S. citizens entering by air need a tourist card (issued by your arriving airline) and proof of U.S. citizenship. We suggest bringing a valid U.S. passport. Your passport, as a general rule, 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.
COSTA RICA MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Costa Rica in the University of Texas series here. To adjust the map size, click on the lower right corner of the map. 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: Most days will begin with optional dawn birding and coffee on the balcony followed by a delicious, relaxed, sit-down breakfast. Two mornings will feature predawn departures with early breakfast and picnic lunches, but as we return to the same lodge, all such outings are optional. People in reasonably fit condition will not find the walking especially rigorous although parts of certain trails are moderately steep. Good foot gear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.
CLIMATE: We will be on the humid Caribbean Slope for the entire tour. Temperatures at Rancho Naturalista usually stay in the 70s F, while the coldest nighttime temperatures rarely go below 60°F; the morning at Tapantí will probably be a bit cooler, and the one day in the lowlands could get as warm as the low 90s if it is sunny. San José, at an altitude of 3800 ft., can be cool; those of you arriving in the evening will want to wear a light sweater. There may be afternoon rain on some days, some tours experiencing more rain than others. Note that in the warm, humid lowlands, raincoats may produce as much moisture inside as they protect you from the outside.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Our lodge at Rancho Naturalista has private baths with hot water. The tap water is safe to drink. Occasionally, small lizards, amphibians or unusual insects may visit a hotel room.
TRANSPORTATION: We will be traveling by comfortable, air-conditioned minibuses.
SMOKING: We request that you do 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 possible.
GENERAL INFORMATION & 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 Rancho Naturalista will be sent to each regsistrant 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. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Updated: July 2006