Friday, April 15, 2011

The Best of Costa Rica….with two days in Panama

March 10 – 24, 2012

Prospectus, Itinerary, Application

This tour combines the best of Costa Rica.... sand, sun sea, and forested mountains. We have the opportunity for hiking, swimming, snorkeling, and beachcombing. There will be hikes, boat rides, banana and coffee plantations tours,.wildlife observation, zip line tour, and so much more. Check out the Itinerary for details.

During our two-week adventure in Costa Rica, we will visit four different areas including three National Parks.

Our first stop is Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean.

Next Caribbean highlights of Cahuita National Park before crossing into Panama to the tropical paradise of Bocas del Toro.

Heading west, we cross back into southwest Costa Rica and visit the remote Corcovado National Park on the Pacific coast.

We fly from Corcovado NP north to San Jose and then drive to Monteverde Cloud Forest and Arenal Volcano.

This tour will provide you with what we think is the best of Costa Rica. Before retiring at the end of 2010, Ric and Janie Finch of “Rutahsa Adventures” provided my groups and many others with wonderfully planned eco-tours in Latin America. I was disappointed that due to retirement, Ric would no longer be leading his Costa Rica trip. Ric has kindly agreed to assist me with the planning of this trip. His comments are noted below in the description of his…and now our Costa Rica Tour Guide – Ricardo Bolaños.

Presenting our Tour Guide: Ricardo Bolaños

Ric Finch wrote “Ricardo Bolaños, 48, was born in San José, Costa Rica and grew up always loving nature and observing the ways animals live and act. After working in many different roles--student, parent, salesman, bank teller, baker-- he found his true vocation, studying AGROECOTURISM at Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica and became a certified tourist guide in the year 1992 (License No. 326 of the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo). Since then he has worked as a Naturalist Guide, and loving it. Ricardo guided Rutahsa Adventures' 2008, 2009 and 2010 Costa Rica trips, and we (Ric and Janie Finch) can vouch that he is a superb guide, has eagle eyes for spotting wildlife, often knows in advance just where to find certain critters, and is highly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. He has an irrepressible sense of humor, is infinitely patient, and truly cares about the experience that visitors have in his beloved Costa Rica. “

When asked for a summary from Ricardo, he wrote: "It is always a challenge for me to show people as much as possible of the wildlife in Costa Rica, but the major challenge is to do my best in order that people have a good time while traveling in our country. I love to share with others knowledge and time, love and care, and this is what I mostly like of my job. It is also very nice to meet new people and learn from them, about different cultures and ways of living. I am looking forward to meeting you. --Ricardo"

Costa Rica is a country located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama to the north and south and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the east and west. The country is sparsely populated with approximately 4.5 million people inhabiting an area of 19,652 square miles. Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals. There is abundant animal and plant wildlife viewing in the many national parks throughout the country.

Weather and Climate

Being located just 8 degrees north of the equator, Costa Rica has a tropical year round climate. Elevation and other geographic features affect temperature and rainfall amounts: the northeast slopes of the Central Cordillera mountains receive the most rain, with annual amounts of around 200 inches (over 16 feet). Correspondingly, humidity is also higher on the Caribbean side than on the Pacific side. The mean annual temperature on the coastal lowlands is around 80°F to 69° F in the main populated areas of the Central Cordilera, and below 50°F on the summits of the highest mountains.

Costa Rica has two seasons: Verano or summer occurs from December to May and is relatively dry. Invierno – winter – runs from May to November, and during this time, in many locations, it rains constantly. Although we will be traveling during the “Dry Season”, Costa Rica is a tropical climate and thus we need to be prepared for occasional rain.

Accommodations and Meals

Our trip includes 14 nights at comfortable hotels…..the best in each area visited. All are en-suite rooms with double occupancy. Single supplement may be possible at an additional supplement of $590.

Itinerary indicates the included meals…..14 breakfasts, 11 lunches, and 6 dinners. Please indicate on your application if you have any food allergies, preferences, or limitations (please be specific).

Transportation

Our ground transportation will be provided by chartered bus. We will have one internal flight from Drakes Bay (Corcovado NP) to San Jose. This will save us over six hours of travel time giving us the opportunity to take a “Crocodile Tour” on the Tarcoles River. At the time that this prospectus is being prepared, we do not know the cost of the Drakes Bay to San Jose flights. We estimate the cost to be $118....but, this could change. We have not included this flight into the cost of the trip.

Participants will be responsible to book their own round trip flights from home airports to San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO). Kathy Didier will keep an eye on the rates for the flights. When it appears to be a good time to purchase you tickets, she will contact you. There will be one group pick up at the SJO airport. Feel free to arrive a day or more early to explore the area around San Jose on your own.

Once we have the minium number of trip participants required to make the trip go (12 participants), we will provide suggested flights. Please do not purchase airline tickets prior to the trip confirmation that it will go, unless you plan to travel to Costa Rica regardless.

Cost, Registration, and Cancellation

If you are comparing the price of this trip with those provided by various outfitters, be aware that we are staying in comfortable accommodations and most meals and activities are included. You do not pay extra for zip-lining, snorkeling, whale watching, boat rides…etc. There are very few extras for which you will need to spend money.

Group of 12-14: $ 3150

Group of 16-19: $ 2925

Group of 20: $ 2825

Includes: 14 hotel night stays, 14 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 6 dinners, all ground transportation and boat rides, plus all the following tours: banana plantation; Tortuguero N.P. (boat trips & hiking); visit to Sea Turtle Conservancy center; Cahuita N.P. hike; Bocas del Toro activities; two snorkeling tours; border fees between CR and Panama and CR, tour to Ca~no Island with whale and dolphin watching; hiking at San Pedrillo sector of Corcovado N.P.; Airport fees (not the flights) for flights from Drakes Bay, Crocodile Safari boat tour; Selvatura Park activities: canopy tour with suspension bridges, Zip Lines, Tarzan Swing, and butterfly house; bat museum visit; Monteverde cloud forest hike; visit to hot springs spa; coffee tour at Cafe Britt plantation. Plus services of a professional (and very excellent) bilingual naturalist-guide.

Not included: international air fare, ****plus air flight from Drake's Bay to SJO estimated at $118, alcoholic beverages, bottled drinks, CR departure tax (currently $26), tips for naturalist/guide and bus driver. ,

**** We will book and purchase your flight ticket from Drakes Bay to San Jose. At this time, we do not know the cost so could not build it into the cost of trip. You will later be notified and the cost of flight will be added to trip cost.

To apply, you must complete and submit the Application form with your deposit of $1500. The schedule of future payments are: August 15, 2011 $1000, Balance due by November 15, 2011.

Make your checks payable to Kathy Didier. This trip is likely to fill quickly. If you are interested, you should apply as son as posible. Please send completed form and deposit to Kathy Didier, PO Box C, Woodstock, NH 03293.

Our cancellation policy is based on the simple precept that your cancellation shall not raise the cost to any of the other participants or the leader. Therefore, if you cancel we will refund any fees that you have paid, less expenses already incurred, or unavoidable expenses that will be incurred to the leader or other participants as a result of your registration and subsequent cancellation. If you cancel after Drakes Bay to San Jose airline tickets have been purchased, then you own the tickets and that part of the fee cannot be refunded. You are STRONGLY encouraged to purchase an optional trip cancellation/evacuation insurance policy.

Requirements, Experience, and Risks

While none of our days are particulary strenuous, participants should be in good physical condition for this trip. Most of the time we will not be near major medical centres but local clinics. You do not need hiking nor snorkeling experience. You do not need to particpate in all of the activities. If it is not a “moving day”, you can hang back at our lodging while the rest of group goes out on an excursión. Hard to imagine that anyone would want to miss anything...but, you have that option. Most important is to have a positive attitude.... “the Difference between Adventure and Adversity is Attitude”

ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For entry into Costa Rica, a U.S. citizen must present a valid passport that will not expire for at least thirty days after arrival and a roundtrip/outbound ticket. Because of possible fines levied by Costa Rican Immigration, many Airlines will not permit passengers without a roundtrip ticket to board flights to Costa Rica unless they have Costa Rican citizenship, residency or a visa. There is a departure tax of $26 USD for visitors.


Highlights of Costa Rica

March 10 – 24, 2012

Itinerary

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOUR – CONTACT KATHY DIDIER

kathydidiertravels@yahoo.com

Day 1- Sat., Mar 10: Fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) serving San Jose, CR. Most likely, we will be arriving at around 9:30pm. Met by guide and taken to Hotel Don Carlos in downtown San Jose. www.doncarloshotel.com (superior rooms) www.doncarloshotel.com

Day 2 – Sun., Mar 11: Early departure today for the drive to Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast, passing down through the wilderness area of Braulio Carillo National Park en route to the coast plain. In the lowlands we will visit a banana plantation. And to finally arrive at Tortuguero we board a boat and travel through a maze of coastal canals.

Tortuguero is the most important nesting area for green sea turtles in the western hemisphere, and a national park and biological preserve protected by the Costa Rican government. Nesting season for the green turtles is July to Oct., so we may not see any during our visit. However, other, rarer turtle species, such as the giant leatherback turtle, hawksbill and loggerheads also nest here, and we will explore one of the beaches at night in hopes of a sighting.

Our lodging will be Laguna Lodge: www.lagunatortuguero.com Night walk on beach. Included meals: B, L, D

Day 3 – Mon., Mar 12: Early his morning we will go by boat on a wildlife tour of one of Tortuguero's canals, then after breakfast, take a hike along a trail through the coastal rain forest. After lunch another boat excursion in another canal is scheduled, and there will still be time to relax and enjoy the hotel's large swimming pool.

Second night Laguna Lodge. Included meals: B, L, D

Day 4 – Tues., Mar 13: Today will be largely a travel day: we head south from Tortuguero, first by boat, next by bus, generally paralleling the Caribbean coast, to Cahuita National Park. Providing we arrive prior to 4 PM, we will enter Cahuita N.P. for a hike of 3 miles from the Kelly Creek Ranger Station to the Puerto Vargas Ranger Station. The trail is a good one for wildlife.

Overnight at the Hotel Jaguar in Cahuita: www.hoteljaguar.com Included meals: B & L

Day 5 – Wed. Mar 14: Visit the Jaguar Rescue Center at Puerto Viejo, then continue on to Sixaola, then cross the border into Panama and continue to Almirante, where we embark on another boat to take us to our hotel in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago.

Hotel: Laguna (or similar) www.thehotellagunabocas.com Included meals: B & L

Day 6 – Thurs. Mar 15: Today will be a day of sand, sun and sea: swimming, snorkeling, and beachcombing in the tropical paradise of Bocas del Toro. This area, consisting of an archipelago with coral reefs and mangrove stands, is one of the principal natural attractions of the Republic of Panama.

Hotel: Second night Hotel Laguna or similar. Included meals: B & L

Day 7 – Fri., Mar 16: Today you can have the unusual experience of witnessing the sun rise over the Atlantic side of the continent and set on the Pacific. We will travel for some hours along scenic roads to cross over the contiental divide in Panama and re-enter Costa Rica at Paso Canoas, then continue northward to Sierpe. Here we will embark for Drake's Bay (named after the famed English captain and adventurer, Sir Frances Drake) and Corcavado National Park, one of Costa Rica's finest national parks, but not heavily visited due to its remote location.

Our lodgings will be at Drake's Bay Wilderness Camp: www.drakebay.com Included meals: B & D

Day 8 – Sat., Mar 17: This morning we will go whale watching, with good hopes of seeing humpbacked whales and dolphins as we cruise out to Ca~no Island. At the island we will have a chance to compare Pacific snorkeling to that we enjoyed earlier on the Atlantic (Caribbean) side.

This afternoon you can enjoy exploring tidal pools or kayaking in the Agujitas River, or just relaxing in the Wilderness Camp.

Second night Drake's Bay Wilderness Camp. Included meals: B, L, D

Day 9 – Sun. Mar 18: This morning, after breakfast, we will go on a hike to visit a superb sea level rain forest near the San Pedrillo Ranger Station in Corcavado N. P.

PM: Free time, to relax and enjoy the surroundings of the Wilderness Camp hotel.

Third night Drake's Bay Wilderness Camp. Included meals: B, L, D

Day 10 - Mon, Mar 19: Fly Nature Air from Drake's Bay back to San Jose, departing at 9:05 AM, and arriving SJO a mere 45 minutes later (instead of a six hour drive). We will be met at the airport in San Jose by our tour bus, which willhave been sent ahead while we enjoy Drake's Bay!. From San Jose, we will drive first to the Tarcoles River, where we will stop and take a "crocodile tour". This tour, by boat, is a wonderful opportunity for spotting a great variety of water birds, but it is the American crocodiles that make the show spectacular. The Tarcoles River has a high concentration of these reptiles, and some of them are truly impressive monsters.

Further to the north we eventually turn inland and climb back up into the mountainous interior of Costa Rica to arrive at the Monteverde area, famed for many years as a cloudforest wonderland and biological preserve.

Our lodging tonight (and the following two nights) will be at the Fonda Vela Hotel: www.fondavela.com Included meals: B & L

Day 11 – Tues., Mar 20: Today will be a very full day! First, after breakfast, we go to Selvatura Park where we will get our adrenaline flowing as we enjoy the canopy tour of thrilling zip line rides, including also a "Tarzan swing" (optional) that will certainly get your heart pumping! Then we will enjoy the more sedate pleasures of a walking tour passing through and over the majestic cloud forest on trails and a series of suspension bridges. We will also visit a large butterfly house and garden, and watch innumerable hummingbirds, flashing like feathered jewels, as they visit a feeding area.

Second night: Fonda Vela Hotel. Included meals: B & L

Day 12 – Wed., Mar 21: Hike in Monteverde Cloud Forest. The Monteverde area has more attractions than we have time to visit, but this afternoon we will make a point of visiting one that is very unusual and educational, the bat museum.

Third night Fonda Vela Hotel Inclluded meal: B

Day 13 – Thurs., Mar 22: Today, while our bus takes the long route, we will drive a back road down to Rio Chiquito where we board a boat to cross Lake Arenal and meet our bus to continue on to our lodging for the night near the flank of Volcan Arenal, Costa Rica's most active volcano. Our hotel originated as a volcano observatory and is ideally located for a good show! When we were here in 2009 we were treated to an all night fireworks show of glowing blocks of lava tumbling down the mountainside, accompanied by apprpriate rumblings. Let's hope the volcano is in a cooperative mood for this year's trip..

The area's volcanic activity gives rise to numerous hot springs which have been made into attractive and popular spas. Before arriving at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, we will visit the Ecotermales hot springs spa (so be sure to carry your bathing suit with you in your daypack today!).

Lodging: Arenal Observatory Lodge: www.arenalobservatorylodge.com Included meals: B & L

Day 14 – Fri., Mar 23: Today we wend our way back to the capital city of San Jose, with stops at Sarchi, the "birthplace of Costa Rican handicrafts" and at Grecia to see its unusual metal church, and finally at the Cafe Britt coffee plantation for a very educational (and highly entertaining) explanation of the coffee cultivation and processing business.

Back in San Jose, we check in once again to our familiar quarters at the Hotel Don Carlos. And for supper tonight, we will have a farewell group dinner.

Lodging: Hotel Don Carlos. Included meals: B, L, & D

Day 15 – Sat., Mar 24: Transfer from H. Don Carlos out to SJO airport, with assistance at the airport, to take your return flight home.

Included meal: B

Itinerary is subject to change due to weather, road conditionss, or other circumstances beyond our control.

WEBSITE RESOURCES

www.rutahsa.com/cr-animals.html - Birds and Beasts of Costa Rica

Highlights of Costa Rica

March 10 – 24, 2012

APPLICATION

Please take this form seriously. It must be completed and carefully filled out in order to be considered for this trip. Registrants will be considered on a first come (deposit plus completed forms) first served basis. Each person must fill out a separate application.

NAME AS IT APPEARS ON PASSPORT

NAME: _________________________________ PHONE: hm ( )___________________________

ADDRESS: _____________________________ wk ( )______________Cell Phone_____________

_______________________________________________ Email Address: ________________________

OCCUPATION: ___________________________ SMOKER: ____ NONSMOKER: ___________

DATE OF BIRTH: _____________ SEX ____ HEIGHT _______ WEIGHT _______

PASSPORT # _____________________________ PASSPORT EXPIRATION DATE _______________

EMERGENCY CONTACT:

NAME: ____________________________PHONE: hm or cell ( )___________________________

ADDRESS: _____________________________ wk ( )__________________________

_______________________________________ RELATIONSHIP: __________________________

DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR A ROOMMATE? __________________

IF YOU ARE A COUPLE, DO YOU PREFER TO HAVE TWIN BEDS OR A DOUBLE? _________________

1. Please be candid about your expectations concerning this trip. Why are you interested in coming on this trip? Are you able to adapt to group living and changing itineraries?

2. Please describe your hiking ability. Describe the extent of your hiking experience over the past two years. Include the frequency and level of difficulty.

3. List any disorders, however slight, for which you take medication. List medications and dosages.

4. Please describe any chronic disorders that you have (i.e. knee, ankle, back, etc.)

5. List any dietary restrictions or preferences that you have.

6. Describe any physical activity that you routinely do in order to maintain your health. Please include types of activities, frequency of each, and duration of exercise.

7. List any organized group excursions of one week or more in which you have

participated.

Title and Dates Primary Activity Leaders

_____________ _________________________ ____________________

_____________ _________________________ ____________________

8. Other trips or comments: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Doctor’s note: A note from your doctor certifying that you are in satisfactory health to enjoy and complete a trip of this nature is not normally required. At the leaders’ discretion such a note may be required.

Cost of trip: $ Will depend upon the number of participants… See prospectus

Deposit: If you register before August 15, 2011 - $1500

August 15, 2011 next payment of $1000

After November 15, 2011, – Balance is due

Thank you. Please mail this application with your deposit

Kathy Didier

PO Box C

Woodstock, NH 03293

603-726-3553

kathydidiertravels@yahoo.com

Please keep in mind, we reserve the right to make changes in itinerary based on weather, road conditions, and other conditions beyond our control

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