Premium Costa Rica small group tour

Planet

We continue to search out accommodation that is suitable for our travellers, while also finding properties that are making concerted efforts to reduce their environmental impact. We include properties that have water-saving measures in place, use renewable energy sources, and are built to complement their surroundings. This Costa Rican trip includes accommodation at properties that have achieved four green leaves as part of Costa Rica’s Certification for Sustainable Tourism program, demonstrating commitment to environmental, cultural, community and gender equality goals.

We believe that wild animals should be viewed – with no contact or interaction – doing what they do best: living in the wild. We only visit wildlife sanctuaries if the rationale for the sanctuary operation is in the best interests of the animals involved (i.e. only visiting animal sanctuaries and/or rescue centres operating with the highest animal welfare and conservation standards possible). We actively discourage the participation of travellers in any activities that exploit wild or domestic/working animals. While in Costa Rica, travellers on this trip will visit the Cano Negro Wetlands, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Manuel Antonio National Park. We use local guides who understand the unique flora and fauna of Costa Rica, and who ensure our travellers are not venturing off paths or entering areas of rehabilitation. Fees from these visits go towards preserving these protected areas and their wildlife for future generations.

People

Our trips maximize the opportunity for travellers to engage meaningfully with local culture and communities. Many experiences on our trips also support traditional cultural practices – whether artisanal, culinary or otherwise. In turn, this helps to sustain and preserve these traditional practices so that future generations may continue to learn, enjoy and benefit from them. While in San Jose, Costa Rica, travellers on this trip will visit a family masquerade business. They will meet members of the family who make colourful masks for annual parades and celebrations, learning about the traditions and techniques of this local craft.

The best folk to show you the heart of a destination are the ones that live there, which is why we work exclusively with local leaders. Our leaders are not only travel experts, they’re teachers, travel gurus and enthusiastic purveyors of grassroots experiences. They’ll just as easily steer you through the laneways of a city as help you strike up a conversation with the locals – and all with a smile. On this trip through Costa Rica, travellers will also be joined by local guides in several places. In each location these guides will bring to life the destination, its history and what makes it special. That might be the military history of San Jose, traditional farming practices in La Fortuna, or spotting unique wildlife in Manuel Antonio National Park.?