Self drive holiday in Costa Rica

We are passionate advocates of what Costa Rica has to offer visitors, but also of protecting and maintaining the country’s habitats and native cultures. As such we have been careful to ensure our partners on the ground are as equally committed to responsible travel practices as us. Our tours are structured to create the least possible impact on local ecosystems.

Environment
Most of our trips are conducted on an independent basis, usually with a hire car, and we encourage clients to book any day tours on the ground with local companies. This gives clients the freedom to explore at their own pace as well as insuring the money spent directly benefits the local economy. When we do book tours in advance group sizes never exceed 15 passengers: the standard size being six to eight in any given group. Not only does this help to keep the effect on the local environment to a minimum, it also means clients receive more attention from the guide, and therefore a richer overall experience.

There are now many properties jumping on the eco bandwagon in Costa Rica, with varying degrees of authenticity. We give priority to hotels and lodges with proven ecological credentials, built with sensitivity to the local environment. We only suggest hotels and lodges where we have stayed ourselves, or where our partners on the ground have stayed, and which we believe to be the best in their area. This does not necessarily mean those with the obvious trappings of comfort, but rather those who have an established ethical outlook and a long-term vision for preserving their local surroundings.

Along with encouraging clients to offset the carbon in their international flights, we also offer the chance to offset the carbon emitted during a typical two week trip. With your contribution our local partners will plant and take care of a tree, which when grown will compensate for around one ton of CO2 (enough to cover standard transfers and lodging). The funds are administrated through the Climate Change Friendly Program, which is endorsed by the National University of Costa Rica and Control Union Certifications.

Together with our partners on the ground we also support a series of local projects directly. The Neotropica Foundation works with communities and schools to improve environmental education, helping local people to live in a more sustainable way. One project currently underway is the “Amigos de la Naturaleza” which seeks to introduce primary school children to the basic concepts of sustainable living, such as protection of water resources, the responsible management of waste and the conservation of national parks.

The black sand beaches of Tortuguero are the most important nesting site in the Western hemisphere for the endangered green turtle. They also play host to large numbers of leatherback and hawksbill turtles, which come to lay their eggs between June and November each year. For the last forty years the Caribbean Conservation Corporation has been monitoring the arrival of these sea turtles, gathering information on their migratory and reproductive habits. This information is proving vital in the struggle to protect these creatures and their habitat.

Community
The guides we use for walks in the national parks are all trained naturalists and many live locally to the area. They are experts in the flora and fauna of the region and are incredibly passionate about passing on their knowledge, so clients have a greater understanding of local environment and the delicate balance of regional ecosystems. Where possible we only use small, locally run properties, who stand up for their employees’ social rights and offer an honest wage. One of our favourite jungle lodges, for example, supports three primary schools located in the villages of Bajo de Tigre, Los Angeles, and Guyacán, downriver from the lodge itself. The lodge donates a percentage of its bookings to the school boards, which in turn use the money for vital materials and services for the schools. The lodge has also improved and maintained previously disused local roads, along with a cable car used by local residents to cross the river.

Similarly, one of our preferred beach retreats on the Pacific coast has set up a comprehensive program of sustainable projects, working with the local community to increase awareness of environmental and social matters. Projects so far include setting up the first public library in the region for residents, as well funding a composting station and a recycling initiative.

We also directly support the following organizations: Paniamor Foundation is a private non-profit, non-partisan, organization created in 1987 and works to protect the social interests of vulnerable and disadvantaged Costa Ricans. The foundation runs several schemes, including the Social Development Programme, which works with children aged 13 to 18 from deprived communities. The programme seeks to promote values, knowledge and skills that will empower the children to exercise their rights and responsibilities for their own personal growth, and that of their families, peers, and communities of origin. For almost 20 years World Vision has been working hand in hand with the local communities in the Chorotega and Northern Huetar regions to promote sustainable development practices. Among the schemes they have initiated are: the Economic Development programme, which generates sources of employment and agricultural funding in rural areas; the Prevention, Emergency and Rehabilitation programme which works in the area of emergency prevention and offers relief and rehabilitation to victims of disaster; the Promotion of Justice programme, which helps to foster respect for the rights of children and women through better education.