Yampu Tours founders, Monica and Jose Irauzqui recently returned from an inspection trip to Costa Rica, checking that all hotels and services are to Yampu’s gold standards, especially during this strange time. The two were thoroughly impressed by the attention to cleanliness and safety at every turn, meeting Yampu’s requirements with flying colors.

Sharing some of their experiences and what they learned during their journey, the two returned to the states with a surplus of information and exciting travel ideas for Yampu Travelers!

Take a look at some of their notes from their trip below….

Visiting Costa Rica and what to Know

Costa Rica currently is not requiring a COVID test to enter the country. They do require you to insure $2000 of Extended Stay should you get covid and not be able to travel back. Yampu can help you with getting the best plan for you, getting the corresponding paperwork to enter the country, and organizing all of your travel arrangements.

“On your return to the states, many hotels around the country can organize the test for you.  In our case, we did ours in San Jose at a small clinic, it was quick, safe, and easy. They sent us all the paperwork we needed for the flight within 2 hours!” Says Monica.

Getting Around: Transfers and Touring Vehicles

Having a private vehicle in this climate is a necessity, not a luxury, and our cars are sanitized daily and are stocked with hand sanitizer for clients to use before getting into the clean vehicle.

Tour Guides

A good guide you can trust in these times is ever more important. Depending on your budget and where you choose to visit, we believe it is good to keep the same guide throughout your entire trip. Always equipped with a mask, your guide is tested before each new client to provide that extra assurance. Just as important as being safe, our guides are fun and caring, allowing any worries to slip away.

Accommodations

Currently, we are focusing on small eco-lodges which offer a naturally social distanced environment. These hotels are extremely clean, most require a temperature test before entering the property, and many have casitas spread across beautiful gardens distanced from others. Most of our properties are secluded from other properties, leaving travelers in a little safety bubble to call home during their stay.

Safe Operation of Tours

Most tours and local attractions operate with limited availability by appointment only. Many of  Costa Rica’s tours take place in parks, but we were able to go into spaces with a confirmed appointment. This included a rejuvenating hot spring, rappelling, lunch with locals, visiting a butterfly farm, and a coffee farm. Everyone wore their mask and went on as usual, albeit in a more sanitized way.  Since most everything happens outdoors, you have a triple safety setup with masks, easy social distancing, and fresh air circulating.

Hospitals in Costa Rica

Though it may not be a visit we want travelers to make, things can occur and it’s important to feel at ease with the area’s healthcare. San Jose and a few other areas of the country have nice hospitals and one of the first things they did is make more space for treating COVID patients. Knowing this was comforting, making me feel safer knowing that Costa Rica would take care of me. Also, Costa Rica has lots of private planes and helicopters, even flying doctors if needed.

The Perfect Place to Social Distance

Open beaches, national parks, and private reserves provide a focus on nature, adventure, and preservation. In fact, Costa Rica is home to 27 national parks and five percent of the world’s biodiversity. But it’s not all just jungles. It’s also cloud forests, swamps, coral reefs, dry forests, and rainforests. It is incredibly easy to eat all meals outdoors in open-air restaurants as the majority of the country is wilderness.

Local Flights

From our experience, the local flight was the only place in Costa Rica that we felt that we were taking a risk with COVID. Many people were on the flight and the air did not come on until we had been on the plane for a few minutes.  With this, we recommend that we use all car transfers and eliminate the air transfers during your journey. If you have a large group (5+ people) chartering a plane is an option. In the meantime, we have sent our opinion up the ladder and maybe it will hit the top and they will change!

Put Party Places on Hold

Under usual circumstances, Costa Rica is a fun destination to socialize and get your party on! However, for now, we feel that people should avoid this type of travel to Costa Rica. As people become vaccinated and the world continues to reopen, this type of travel will quickly return.  #destinationweddings2022!

Why Book Costa Rica with Yampu Tours?

Aside from assisting you with navigating the requirements and logistics during this time, Yampu Tours provides top-of-the-line services with enhanced safety protocols while curating your adventure. Our vehicles, hotels, and services have been inspected thoroughly by our team (including us personally!) Working closely with our local partners, we know all the ins and outs of our destinations, down to which rafting companies have the newest rafts and which rappelling or Zipline is the safest. Not to mention, our expert guides are very familiar with all safety precautions to provide a comfortable experience. Being the best wildlife spotters in their regions, our guides will lead you in finding what you want to see in Costa Rica while being entertaining, fun, and knowledgeable.

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