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EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Explore the wilderness with wildlife experts who help you spot sloths, monkeys, and other local creatures on a jungle river-rafting adventure and a canal boat cruise in Tortuguero National Park
Go coastal during your two-night stay on the Gulf of Papagayo where snorkeling adventures open your eyes to an underwater world alive with tropical fish, manta and eagle rays, coral, sea urchins, pufferfish, turtles, trumpetfish – and dolphins
TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES
Gratuities to Tauck Director, drivers & local guides are included
On-tour air included (1 flight).
Zip line adventure for extraordinary views of Arenal Volcano and the lush rainforest canopy
Guided pineapple tour includes tastings of field-fresh pineapples and pineapple treats
Hands-on demonstration in making chocolate
SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES
Activity
3
Active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included, and hills and/or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. Guests should be able to walk two to three miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty.
Pace
3
Often robust – may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.
World Travel. Family Discovery.
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Your journey
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Travel Documents
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Costa Rica. You will not need a visa for the short duration of this tour.
If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact an embassy or consulate of Costa Rica to determine what travel documentation is required.
The company that operates your Day 4 flight requires that your passport information be provided to us prior to your departure. You need to provide this information to us as soon as you book your tour.
Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.
Note: For activities marked with an asterisk (*) in day-by-day descriptions, participation is at your own risk; a signed liability waiver will be required.
TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.
Deposit & Booking Information
Deposit Information:
The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is CAD $450.
At the time of booking, please have the following information ready:
Regarding your final payment:
Final Payment is due to Tauck 90 days before departure for lands trips, and 120 days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.
Tauck Travel Protection Product
Effective for plans purchased as of July 2021:
Tauck's Guest Protection
Tauck's Guest Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. Guest Protection includes the following:
Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:
Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.
*Extreme Circumstances: In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.
Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.
The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection (CAD) is:
$390 per person – Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests; Mystical Peru
$549 per person – Most Tauck Bridges Europe land tours
$585 per person – A Week In... Europe tours
$595 per person – The Best of Hawaii
$699 per person – Most Europe land journeys
$849 per person – New Zealand: A North & South Island Adventure; Australia Adventure: Adelaide, Tasmania & Sydney
$865 per person – Tanzania: A Grand Family Safari
$895 per person – Most South America Land Tours
$975 per person – Asia land tours
$995 per person – Africa land tours; Israel and Jordan; Egypt and Jordan land tours; Grand Australia and New Zealand; A Portrait of India; Northern India & Nepal
$1250 per person – Most India Tours
This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.
This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.
The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.
Note: All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.
To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit http://www.affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPINTL
If You Have To Cancel
If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit
Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees.
If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit
Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in costly penalties and fees from hotel, ship operators and other travel providers. Therefore, a cancellation will result in a fee that increases as the days until departure shorten. Tauck's Guest Protection Plan provides you with protection that reduces these fees as outlined below.
Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:
Guests choosing to purchase Tauck's Guest Protection will incur the loss of the Guest Protection fee, per person.
Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:
90 days or more before departure = Loss of Deposit, per person.
89-8 days before departure = Loss of 15% of cost of tour, not including air (if applicable) per person
7-1 days before departure = Loss of 25% of cost of tour, not including air (if applicable) per person
Tour Interruption Fees
If you have to interrupt your tour en route, you may be entitled to a refund for the unused land portion if it exceeds 24 hours; certain restrictions apply. Such refunds are based upon the number of overnights missed less a fee of $40 per person per day for unused transportation and other fixed expenses.
Partial Room Cancellation
A person who cancels or leaves a tour while a roommate remains constitutes a cancellation of one type of accommodation and rebooking of another type of accommodation. The price charged to the remaining person is the new, higher price for the new accommodation.
In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.
Travel Terms and Conditions
Click here to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.
Air Information and Luggage Restrictions
AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.
TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for your pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.
AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.
LUGGAGE RESTRICTIONS
Space constraints and weight limitations aboard the flight from Tortuguero to Arenal require you to bring no more than 25 lbs (11.3 kg) of luggage. Therefore, we will provide you with a duffel bag (18 x 12 x 11 in, or 46 x 30 x 28 cm) to carry your clothing and personal items for your two-night stay in Tortuguero National Park. Your remaining luggage will be safely stored with the driver on the coach in the town of Cariari.
If you reside in the continental U.S., the duffel bag will be sent to your home and should arrive approximately two weeks prior to your departure for Costa Rica.
If you reside outside of the continental U.S. or in Hawaii or Alaska, you will receive your duffel bag upon arrival in San José because customs regulations prohibit the easy delivery of your duffel in advance.
Children will also receive a Tauck Bridges backpack in addition to the duffel!
Checked Luggage – General
Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).
Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.
Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.
Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.
Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.
Health Safety and Mobility
HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide water on the motor coaches.
Costa Rica is a smoke free country. No hotels, restaurants or bars have smoke areas.
If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Some of the countries visited on this itinerary may require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against certain diseases in order to enter the country. These requirements are subject to frequent change as outbreaks occur and subside in different areas, and it is therefore crucial that you obtain the very latest information on entry requirements as you prepare for your journey.
For the most current information, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by clicking here and the World Health Organization (WHO) by clicking here. You may also wish to visit the web sites for the embassies of the countries you will be visiting. Besides providing details on vaccination requirements, these sites can also provide information on vaccinations that may be recommended (but aren't required) and other potential health issues for which no vaccines are available.
Any decisions relating to your health, of course, should not be based solely on information provided by a web site. It is critically important that you consult with your personal physician prior to your journey to obtain any required vaccinations and to review any optional recommendations offered by the CDC or other sources.
Please be sure to discuss your journey with your physician at least four to six weeks in advance of your departure, as certain vaccinations take time to become fully effective. Also, be certain to ask your physician for proof of any vaccinations you receive, and to pack this proof along with your other travel documents in your carry-on luggage (not in your checked luggage).
Researching and complying with vaccination entry requirements for the countries visited on this itinerary is the responsibility of the traveler and not Tauck. Tauck is therefore not responsible for any expenses incurred or disruptions to travel caused by improper or incomplete vaccinations, or by the failure to provide proof of required vaccinations.
If you do not obtain the necessary vaccinations and proper documentation, you may be denied entry into one or more countries, or temporarily quarantined until the necessary vaccinations are administered, or until proper documentation is provided.
MOBILITY
This Costa Rica family adventure is a very active tour. Our activities include visiting national parks, biological reserves, rainforests and villages. You should be in good health and able to climb into and out of small boats, river rafts, and planes, and also be able to walk reasonable distances over unpaved and uneven terrain.
The Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower Costa Rica in San Jose has an elevator. Aninga Lodge comprises 32 comfortable jungle rooms stretched along a wooden boardwalk and El Mangroove Hotel suites are situated within two to three-story buildings.
Some roads to beaches and other rural locations are not paved and some out-of-the-way destinations are accessible only by these roads. Roads into, in, and out of the mountains are unpaved and bumpy.
The itinerary includes several early morning starts and leaves little scheduled free time.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN AND MOBILITY ISSUES: This Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate oxygen tanks, wheelchairs or motorized scooters. Oxygen tanks are strictly prohibited in many foreign countries on regional flights aboard small aircraft, such as those intra-tour flights featured on this Tauck journey. Likewise, the very limited cargo capacity on such flights prohibits the transport of wheelchairs or motorized scooters.
Guests should also bear in mind that the infrastructure in many foreign countries, particularly in developing countries, often presents severe and even insurmountable challenges for those with walking difficulties or other mobility issues. The responsibility of the Tauck Director is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.
SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS
The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.
Reading List
We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!
You can view the reading list here.
What To Pack
Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site.
Your adventure in Costa Rica is casual. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Comfortable, cotton clothing is suggested. High temperatures and humidity in most areas make lightweight clothing practical. Long pants and long sleeves are suggested for sun and mosquito protection. Evenings in all hotels and lodges are casual with no specific dress code. Casual resort wear is appropriate for dinner on the last night of the tour.
Most importantly, bring comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in. It is important that your shoes have good ankle support as the walking trails can be wet and muddy.
The Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower Costa Rica, Tabacón Resort and Spa and El Mangroove provide valet laundry services; the Aninga Lodge does not.
If you book a summer departure and wish to view the nesting turtles in Tortuguero National Park, you will need to adhere to certain clothing rules and guidelines. Please be sure to bring a black or navy blue long-sleeved, lightweight shirt and pair of pants, and closed-toe shoes. The carrying or use of cameras and video recorders – even those equipped with infrared lights - is strictly prohibited when viewing the turtles. The guides will not allow your participation in the walk if you do not abide by these rules, as light-colored clothing and camera equipment frightens the turtles and disrupts their approach to the nesting sites. Restrictions are necessary to conserve and protect the turtles' beach nesting sites and assure their annual return.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
We recommend you pack the following items for travel to Costa Rica:
Each child 17 and under will be sent a complimentary backpack from Tauck Bridges! If the child resides in the continental United States, the backpack will be sent to his or her home approximately two weeks prior to the tour departure date (please note backpacks cannot be sent to P.O. boxes). If the child resides outside of the continental U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, the backpack will be waiting on arrival at the first hotel on your itinerary.
Weather
Costa Rica's tranquil environment offers stable, tropical weather where the temperature remains fairly constant throughout the year. Average high temperatures range from 75 to 80ºF (24 to 27 ºC) in the Central Valley and 85 to 88ºF (29 to 31ºC) in the Northern Subdivide and the Caribbean regions. Rain is common throughout the year, with more frequent rain occurring in the "wet season" which is typically from May through October.
Rainfall
Central Valley (San José): From November to April the total average rainfall is 10.7 in (272 mm). During the rainy season the total average rainfall is 60.1 in (1,527 mm). April and November are considered to be transition months. In July, there is a diminishing of the rainfall due to the "veranillo de San Juan", a few weeks of hot dry weather that breaks up the rainy season.
To determine current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website by clicking here.
The Tauck Experience
Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin
Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.
Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin
Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.