Real Affordable Costa Rica (2012)

San Jose • Sarapiqui • Arenal • Guanacaste • Pacific Coast
  • 13 days
  • from only:
  • $1595
  • $123 per day
    Land Tour Only
  • 13 days
  • from only:
  • $2095
  • $162 per dayIncludes international airfare and government taxes
RAP Map T26
IN THIS SECTION:
Detailed Itinerary
Video: Travelers' experiences of Costa Rica
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Is This Adventure Right for You?
It's Included
Unique Accommodations
Extend Your Adventure
Optional Tours
Local Team & Insider Tips
Grand Circle Foundation
Your Travel Handbook
Air information
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CT

Customize your trip

Learn how to customize your adventure, or view standard air routing and travel times. The choice is yours with our True Choice program.

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CT

Customize your trip

With our True Choice Program, you can choose to stay longer before or after your trip on your own, or combine two adventures to maximize your value. Here are more ways to create the OAT adventure that’s right for you:

  • Choose our standard air routing, or work with us to select the airline and routing you prefer
  • Make your own international flight arrangements directly with the airline, applying frequent flyer miles if available
  • Stay overnight in a connecting city before or after your trip
  • Request to arrive a few days early to get a fresh start on your adventure
  • Choose to “break away” before or after your trip, spending additional days or weeks on your own
  • Extend your adventure with our optional pre- and post-trip extensions
  • Combine your choice of OAT adventures to maximize your value
  • Upgrade to business or premium economy class

The air options listed above will involve an additional fee of $100 per person for confirmed requests (as well as incremental airfare costs based on your specific choice). This service fee will be waived for Inner Circle/Sir Edmund Hillary Club members.

Or, when you make your reservation, you can choose our standard air routing, for which approximate travel times are shown below.

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta

6hrs

Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles

8hrs

Denver, New York (JFK), San Francisco

9hrs

Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, DC (Dulles)

7hrs

Miami

3hrs

Minneapolis

11hrs

Portland, OR

17hrs

Phoenix, San Diego

14hrs

Seattle

12hrs

* Estimated total time, including connection and layover. Actual travel time may vary.

The information above reflects approximate flight times from the gateway cities listed to San Jose, Costa Rica. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

REFER and EARN

Earn increasing rewards as a Vacation Ambassador

REFER and EARN as a Vacation Ambassador with
the BEST referral program in the industry

Inspiring new travelers to join the OAT family is a rewarding experience—both for you and your new travelers.

Share your love of travel with others and, for each referral who embarks on an OAT trip, you will earn $100 in CASH or credit. With your 4th referral departing on a 2012 departure, your reward increases to $200 in CASH or credit per person. And once you refer 8 travelers departing in either 2012 or 2013, you'll earn a FREE trip valued up to $4,500 per household—which will bring the total value of your earned rewards up to $5,600.

And you are also passing along savings to your new traveler: We'll instantly deduct $100 off the cost of their reservation when they mention your name and Customer Number while reserving.

To learn more about the benefits of our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, please call us toll-free at 1-800-955-1925 or click here.

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Is this Adventure Right for You?

What to Expect
  • Physical requirements: This adventure is not appropriate for travelers using wheelchairs or other mobility aids. You must be able to walk 3 miles unassisted over the course of each day, exploring on foot and standing for up to a half hour at a time. You must also be comfortable participating in 6-8 hours of daily physical activities. We have 2 days with travel at high altitudes of 6,000 feet. We reserve the right for our Trip Leaders to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home if their limitations are impacting the group’s experience.
  • Climate & terrain: Costa Rica has a tropical climate with high temperatures, high humidity, and moderate-to-heavy rainfall. As a narrow isthmus, Costa Rica is influenced by many meteorological systems, making weather prediction difficult. We’ll travel over rural streets, unpaved roads, rugged paths, and trails.
  • Pacing: 6 locations in 13 days with 2 one-night stays; early mornings. While this is a mobile trip, the pace is not demanding. We begin fairly early to catch wildlife while it is active. Our longest drive is about 5 hours.
  • Transportation: We’ll travel overland via air-conditioned minibus, and we’ll get the chance to river raft, horseback ride, and kayak.
  • Accommodations: We stay in authentic accommodations that often convey a sense of local culture. It’s important to note, however, that some of our lodgings might be quite small or family-run. Amenities may not be what you expect from a hotel in the U.S.; in rural areas, our lodgings may have limited services and no air-conditioning. Water temperature and pressure may vary, and bed sizes may vary.
  • Group size & leadership: 16 maximum with 1 Trip Leader.
  • Cultural insight: During the course of our adventure, we may see some people living in poverty, which could be distressing for some travelers. In San José, you should be prepared for large crowds and congested traffic.

Visa Information

U.S. citizens do not need a visa for this trip.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, do not travel with a U.S. passport, or will be traveling independently before/after this trip, then you may need a visa. Please check with the appropriate embassy or a visa servicing company. To contact our recommended visa servicing company, PVS International, call toll-free at 1-800-556-9990.


Vaccinations Information

For a detailed and up-to-date list of vaccinations that are recommended for this trip, please visit the CDC’s “Traveler’s Health” website.