select your preferred tour date
DAY 1 (MON): Arrival - San Jose
It’s finally here - the commencement of your epic journey starts today. When you arrive, one of our hearty and forever-smiling guides will be waiting to greet you with a hug, smile and Bamboo hi-5!
You’ll then be whisked off to the accommodation to get rested and refreshed. There will be an informal meet & greet for those of you feeling energised enough tonight. Let the adventure begin!
DAY 1 (MON): Arrival - San Jose
It’s finally here - the commencement of your epic journey starts today. When you arrive, one of our hearty and forever-smiling guides will be waiting to greet you with a hug, smile and Bamboo hi-5!
You’ll then be whisked off to the accommodation to get rested and refreshed. There will be an informal meet & greet for those of you feeling energised enough tonight. Let the adventure begin!
DAY 2 (TUE): San Jose
To kick off today, we will gather you all for an in-depth orientation. We'll explain some do's and don'ts, the culture and customs as well as offer some tips to help you get the most out of this trip.
It's then off to the animal rescue centre, located about an hour and a half away from San Jose city. We'll have a brief look around and learn about the work going on to protect the country's flora and fauna.
Once we are all happy and in the know, we will head back to our lodging for a relaxing afternoon before heading out for a welcome dinner together.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 3 (WED): San Jose
Today we will head to the animal rescue centre and get straight into feeding, cleaning cages, and learning more about the country's ecosystem and animals.
We will spend tonight back in San Jose and enjoy an evening walk around downtown, checking out the shops and seeing the sights and monuments, You'll feel like a local in no time!
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 4 (THU): San Jose to Pacific Coast
After breakfast, it's time to get on the road and head off to the Pacific Coast and our turtle conservation project!
On arrival at the project we'll have a chat about the work that's going on here to save Costa Rica's turtle population.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAYS 5 - 7 (FRI - SUN): Pacific Coast
Working with a local award-winning initiative, we will be doing a variety of tasks that not only focus on the turtle population but also the education of the local community.
The beaches of this area are stunning and have been the fertile breeding grounds for these turtles for thousands of years. Together we'll work to reverse the negative effects that humans have created and ensure that these legendary creatures continue to have a safe and sacred land for breeding.
Whether you're involved with beach clean ups, night patrols or educating the local community, each and every task will play and important part towards the overall goal of improving the lives, and sustaining the population of Costa Rica's sea turtles.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 8 (MON): Pacific Coast to La Fortuna
This morning we'll bid farewell to the coast and set off on our 300 kilometre journey to the picturesque town of La Fortuna.
Famous for its active volcano, lake and hot springs, the surrounding vistas are like something from Jurassic Park, all that's missing are the dinos!
We'll start off our stay here with an introductory tour of the local flora and fauna before settling into our accommodation for the night.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 9 (TUE): La Fortuna
Today we get our adventure on with a hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park.
Learn about the history of the area, witness remaining lava rocks from the last eruption and get ready for some amazing views!
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 10 (WEDNESDAY): La Fortuna
An amazing boat adventure awaits in the marshy wildlife refuge of Los Chiles. Just a couple of hours from La Fortuna, here lies one of the world's most biodiverse animal habitats.
Cruising along the river in this nature lovers paradise, we'll be looking out for numerous bird, reptile and plant species.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 11 (THU): La Fortuna to San Jose
After our last jungle breakfast, we're heading back to the beginning, back to where it all started with a road trip to San Jose.
But the fun doesn't end just yet, we have a final night-out to give Costa Rica the send-off it truly deserves!
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 12 (FRI): Departure - San Jose
It's over...the end! Trust us, you won't believe how much you've done, how much you've experienced, how many new friends you've made and how soon you want to be back here in this magical country.
Hugs, back-slaps and hi-5's all around, along with that final team photo – the memory that'll last forever.
Meals included: Breakfast
select your preferred tour date
You'll be staying in various accommodation types throughout your trip. At the turtle conservation project, the accommodation is basic but comfortable. This will be bunk bed, dorm-style accommodation with shared bathroom facilities. There are no towels provided here so it is important to bring your own.
At the rest of the locations, you will be staying in either hotels or guesthouses in shared rooms (sleeping two to four).
Wi-Fi is available in each place we stay, although not the most reliable!
If you need to have your laundry done, there are local services that are low-cost and, unlike the WiFi, are reliable.
In short - anything that’s not on the "What's included?" list in the info pack! The main things you’ll absolutely need to get that aren’t included are:
International flights - we have people join us from all over the world so we leave these flexible so you can choose the departure airport and airline that suits you best.
Travel Insurance - you can choose your own travel insurance, or we can organise this for you. You can find details on the travel insurance here and will be able to add this onto your booking.
Visas – depending on the passport you hold you may need to get a visa before you travel. Please see below for more info on visas.
Arrival
You need to book a flight that lands into San Jose's International airport (airport code SJO) on the Monday that the tour starts. Providing you arrive on this day (between the hours of 8am and 6pm), one of the team will then be there to meet you on arrival and take you back to the hostel in the city.
If you arrive before your Monday start date, you will need additional accommodation. We can book this for you and you will just need to make your own way there from the airport and pay on arrival.
Departure
The tour will end in San Jose on the Friday 12 days later so you need to make your arrangements from there that day.
When you are ready to secure your spot on a Bamboo tour, you can choose the best payment option to suit you:
1. Pay a deposit today and the remaining balance 120 days before your tour starts (you will also have the option to pay the rest of your balance in instalments).
2. Pay in full to get a discounted price and save money
3. Sign up to monthly instalment payments
If you know you want to travel but just need more time to decide on the destination or date, the best option is to get a Bamboo Travel Voucher. Not only will you be sure of a place on a tour, you'll make a saving as our vouchers match the amount you pay. Get a $50 voucher and we'll take $100 off; get a $250 voucher and we'll take $500 off; get a $500 voucher and we'll take $1000 off!! Vouchers are valid for 3 years so there's plenty of time to decide when and where you want to go. Click here to find out more and get your voucher.
You may also want to consider signing up to our Bamboo+ Membership. For $997, we'll not only reduce your tour balance by $1000 but you'll automatically get a 20% discount on each and every future tour with Bamboo! There's also loads of other benefits - click here to find out more and become a Bamboo+ member.
