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Tropical Adventures Wish List
Our projects depend on the generosity of people like you to survive!
Includes:

• 9 Days / 8 Nights
• All transportation
• 20 Meals
• 2 nights of hotels in San Jose
• 4 nights in Puerto Viejo with a host family
• 2 nights on the Indigenous Reservation
• 3 fantastic holiday parties!
• 3 Adventure Tours
• Tons of fun!

Arrive at San Jose International Airport (SJO). You will be met by one of our drivers (usually Manuel) who will be holding a sign with your name on it. Your driver has your flight information and will track your flight just in case of delays or problems.

Please review our Volunteer Manual for more information about what to bring with you, important information about Costa Rica, and basic words in Spanish. You’ll also find some airport instructions and other important information you’ll need to print out and bring with you.

Manuel will drive you to The Don Carlos Hotel where you will spend one night. The Don Carlos Hotel is a quaint, historic hotel and situated close to museums and restaurants.

Rafting Pacuare River (Class III – IV)
Minimum age for Pacuare rafting is: 12 years

Your tour today starts between 6:00 and 7:00 am when you are picked up by a micro-bus at your hotel.

One day tour, rafting, Pacuare and Reventazon river, by Costa Sol RaftingA Costa Rican breakfast is offered at around 8:00 a.m.

Then we arrive to Tres Equis, Turrialba, a town where our guides wait for us with the equipment to start this wonderful adventure.

Each participant will receive a life jacket, a helmet and a paddle. One of the guides will give a safety speech and a small practice before facing whitewater rapids like Huacas, Cimarrones and Dos Montañas.

The Pacuare is considered the most beautiful rivers in Costa Rica, and worldwide one of the best whitewater rafting rivers due to the scenic beauty, waterfalls, hiking trails and diversity of flora and fauna, among which participants will observe blue morpho butterflies, sloths, toucans, red frogs and great variety of birds.

This is a 3.5-hour journey is approximately 18 miles length.

Once the river journey is finished, our customers are moved to a restaurant in Siquirres, Limón for a shower and a typical lunch. The rafting company will then drop you off in Puerto Viejo at your host family where you will spend the next 2 nights and participate in the Holiday Party the next day.

Puerto Viejo Party

One of our projects is located in the beach town of Puerto Viejo. We have some pretty amazing host families, volunteers and supporters there and we’re going to show them our appreciation by having a special party for them. It would be even better if you’d come and join us!

We will have a bouncy castle, lots of activities for the children, live music, food, some dancing and gifts for all the kids. Oh yeah, and a piñata too!

Last year Continental Airlines graciously helped us by providing the gifts for the kids. So far, we don’t have any sponsors, so if you know of anyone who might be interested, please let us know!

Volunteers help shop, decorate, wrap gifts, prepare food, lead the activities, pass out gifts, visit & play with the children and help to clean up.

Bambu Retirement Home Party

This morning after breakfast we move on to Bambu where you will stay at the cultural center and participate in the parties for the next two days.

Our retirement home is located on the Talamanca Indigenous Reservation, in the small community of Bambu. There are currently 20 residents, most of whom have been abandoned by their families. Though don’t let that get you down. Here in Bambu they are well cared for and live in a beautiful setting. They all have chores, receive physical therapy, eat well and get lots of love. They don’t, however, get many visitors and we hope to throw them another fun-filled party to rival the one we all enjoyed last year.

The residents get so excited for this party. Every year they are waiting in the driveway as we pull in. We all begin decorating and playing games with them. We dance, play with bubbles, balloons and typical Costa Rican games. We provide a lot of food (fruit cocktails, drinks, lunch, ice cream, pastries, coffee, tea and shakes). And we give away gifts at the end, thanks to all the donations we receive through the year from all of our supporters. It always makes for a fun, satisfying and beautiful day.

Bambu Cultural Center Indigenous Party

This is a big party that we’re going to host for the Indigenous families and kids at the Bambu Cultural Center on the Talamanca Indigenous Reservation. Children come from all over the reservation for this party. Some walk more than a day to get there.

The best part about this center is that its existence directly supports 20 local families. They all take turns with the Center responsibilities and really watch out for one another. There are many things our volunteers help with here, including teaching English to community members at night, translating for the tours, helping develop marketing materials, planting flowers and trees, general maintenance, and working in the nearby elementary school.

This party will include the Center staff, host families and nearby children we work with. It’s sure to be the best party of the season, and a blast. We had over 250 people at this party last year, and we expect this year to bring in many more. Several of the children we gave gifts to last year had never received Christmas gifts before.

Children from St. Patrick’s School in Chestertown, Indiana sent down tons of gift bags and backpacks filled with school supplies. Past Volunteers, supporters and “strangers” donated the rest. And the Clark Family brought down hundreds of new pairs of shoes from the Soles 4 Souls Foundation to provide to all the kids. All of us together with the kids will enjoy super fun games, deliver great surprises for the winners, pass out ice cream, candy, hot dogs, drinks, cake, great gifts for all the kids and…..the big finale, the pinata, which will be devoured instantly by the kids. We always have such a great time! We sure hope you’ll join us!

Tour, explore, relax, enjoy!

Panama Water Fall Tour

Ride in a traditional dugout canoe on the Telire and Yorkin Rivers, then walk about 10 minutes into the forest to a beautiful waterfall. Swim, relax and cool off in the pool. A unique experience into the country of Panama.

After your visit to Bambu we’ll head back to Puerto Viejo and your host family to spend Christmas Day.

Celebrate Christmas, tour, explore, relax, enjoy!

Canopy Zip Line

Soar above the treetops in a thrilling ride.

After breakfast and saying goodbye to your host family, you head to San Jose to spend your last night before flying out on the 27th. A semi-private shuttle bus will pick you up in Puerto Viejo and drop you off at the Adventure Inn, where you will spend your last night.

Adventure Inn has large, modern, spotlessly clean deluxe rooms each with A/C, cable, telephones, a room safe, and large tiled bath. The hotel amenities include a complimentary build-your-own American breakfast, international and Costa Rican cuisine in our sports bar and wireless internet.

After your tropical breakfast, please ask the receptionist to arrange a taxi for you at whatever time you wish to leave for the airport, and request the hotel pay the taxi driver directly. This way you arrive quickly and safely to the airport prior to your flight at no cost to you.

Please be at the airport 2 hours before your flight. Remember to have your $26.00 departure tax ready, when you enter the airport, walk to the right and you will see on the right hand side 4 or 5 air port staff where you can pay the departure tax, then fill out the form they give you before getting in line for your boarding pass.

Adults $1,595
Children 12 and under $985

*If only one adult, first child (12 and under) pays $1,249

1. Most tours run daily but have a minimum number of persons required for the tour to operate. They may also reach their maximum number of clients they can accommodate. If we are unable to accommodate you on your chosen date, we will, at your option, either reschedule your date or refund your payment.

2. Full payment is required at the time of reserving with Tropical Adventures to secure your spot. We will email you a confirmation of payment received.

3. Should your plans change and you are unable to make your tour, we will work with the tour vendor to either accommodate you on another tour or refund your money. However, many tour companies have already committed resources to your tour when you book it so refunds are not always guaranteed. The more notice you give us, the more likely we will be able to accommodate your request.

4. Prices have not been set for this tour after November 30, 2009 so prices may be subject to change for bookings made after this date.

Itinerary subject to change, based upon availability, weather and other factors.