A valid passport for at least six months beyond your planned departure from your home country is required. Visas (are/are not) required for entry by United States citizens. Non United States citizens should check with their consulate/embassy for instructions.

We request that participants limit their baggage to one medium-sized, soft-sided roller bag - or one duffel bag - or one suitcase - and one carry-on, as space in the vehicle will be limited. This statement is very important for birding expeditions or for trips that have domestic flights involved. For Culture and Nature trips in Costa Rica we recommend not to exceed 18 pounds per person. Extra luggage can be stored at our hotel in San José, and laundry can be done at all of the hotels at which we stay for more than one night. As a precaution, we suggest that you pack your travel documents, medications, toiletries, a change of clothes and your binoculars in your carry-on bag. The airlines now strictly enforce baggage regulations. Excess baggage charges, which can be substantial, are the personal responsibility of each participant. Please consult your airline to find out specific weight restrictions. Due to ever-changing circumstances in the government’s attempts to improve airport security we recommend that you check the website of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the most updated information: http://www.tsa.gov/.

As is the case for all of our tropical tours, lightweight field clothing is the norm for touring Costa Rica as well as Colombia or Ecuador. Long-sleeved shirts, a hat, sunglasses, and a strong sunscreen are recommended for protection from the sun. Also, please be sure to have a pair of good water-resistant hiking boots or walking shoes and a second pair of lightweight shoes. Mudboots are not necessary. Unless advised otherwise, make sure you contact our office prior to your trip in order to determine which type of foot wear will be appropriate. Generally, the weather will be warm to hot and humid with daytime highs of 75 to 90 degrees. However, it is cool at night in highlands (temperatures can be as low as the 40’s and occasionally lower depending the time of the year and the elevation we’re staying at), so a thermal top and a warm sweater and/or a jacket are essential for layering. You may also wish to bring gloves and a warm cap. Most days it warms up quickly once the sun is up. Trails should not be too muddy, unless you are on one of our birding trips where some locations are remote and wet and require the use of rubber boots. Otherwise, water-resistant footgear is best. Do not forget a small umbrella and/or poncho, as we may get caught out in mist or rain.

You should pack a pair of binoculars that are in good repair along with a belt pack or day pack (for carrying books, sunscreen, extra film, etc.). As a precaution it is a good idea to pack your binoculars, a change of clothing, toiletry items, medications and travel documents in your airline carry-on bag. Your guide will have a spotting scope (Vortex Razor 27-60 x 85 with long-range and close-up lenses), but if you have one and wish to bring it, please feel free to do so.

A number of traditional booksellers and online stores list excellent inventories of field guides and other natural history resources that will help prepare you for this tour. We recommend www.amazon.com, which has a wide selection; www.buteobooks.com and www.nhbs.com, which specialize in ornithology and natural history books; and www.abebooks.com for out-of-print and hard-to-find titles.

Field Guides (Birds):

Garrigues, Richard and Robert Dean, The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2007. Compact and complete, now the recommended field guide.

Stiles, Gary and Alexander Skutch. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1990. The first field guide specifically for Costa Rica and still very useful, especially the text.

Ridgely, Robert S. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992 (2nd ed.). Edition expanded to include Costa Rica and suitable for use here.

App´s: 

Merlin Bird ID. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The best app to use in the field. Nowadays considered the “future of birding.” Once you download the app, you must download the pack for Costa Rica. Includes bird description, photos and voices. Also, there is a section for Bird Photo ID which can be useful in the field. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Ebird. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This is nowadays your best way to keep your life list, all in a single application. When taxonomic splits are incorporated, your list will be automatically updated. Furthermore, your guide will be able to share the daily list. You can just accept the list, and have it uploaded in your files! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Bird Call Xeno. This app gives you access to one of the largest online bird libraries in the world. Provided that your phone has an active data service, you´ll be able to listen to the bird recordings uploaded in the site.

Costa Rica Birds. Field Guide. Birding Field Guides. A good source of information with bird voices and range maps. It provides multiple filter choices and easy search function. Downloadable in the App Store, Amazon appstore and Google Play.

Mammals of North, Central and South America - A mammal app.

Sky Guide. If you’re interested in stargazing, you might want to consider using this app. Just hold your device overhead and it will show you the stars, constellations and planets. Downloadable in the App Store and Google Play.

Maps.me. If you like checking routes, roads and locations, this app allows you to track the tour route even with your phone offline! Just download the app and the Costa Rica map and you will be all set. Downloadable in the App Store and Google Play.

General Introduction to the Tropics:

Forsyth, Adrian, and Ken Miyata. Tropical Nature. Scribner, 1987. Paperback available. Excellent chapters, very readable and informative. Written for the layman; highly recommended.

Forsyth, Adrian, Portraits of the Rainforest. With photos by Michael and Pat Fogden. Camden East, ONT: Camden House, 1990. Stunning photos and a superb text by one of the best nature writers in the business.

Hilty, Steven. Birds of Tropical America. Shelburne, VT: Chapters Publishing Ltd, 1994. An excellent, easy-to-read book on the ecology of neotropical birds. Highly recommended.

Kricher, John C. A Neotropical Companion. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999. Good introduction to the tropics.