Pure Jungle Adventure

You will need to fly into Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) in Costa Rica. This is in the district of Alajuela, near San Jose.  

From there you will need to arrange travel to the meeting point at the hotel in Puerto Viejo. The meeting time is 2pm on Day One of your trip.

Breakfast on Day Nine marks the end of your expedition. You will be able to leave Puerto Viejo after breakfast on this day, or stay on to enjoy the beach and Caribbean vibes. You will need to arrange travel back to Alajuela for your flight home. 

To get between Alajuela and Puerto Viejo you have options depending on your budget and preferences:

1. Shared shuttle bus. There are several companies that offer this service. Caribe Shuttle has a morning and afternoon departure in both directions on most days. The journey can take between 5 and 7 hours, depending on road conditions. 
2. Internal flight. You can take a flight between Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) and Limon airport (LIO) taking around 40 minutes. You would then need to take a taxi between Limon and Puerto Viejo, which will take around 1.5 hours.  

Depending on your arrival and return flight time you may need to book a night’s accommodation in Alajuela at the beginning and end of the trip (not included).

Travel insurance
Adequate personal travel insurance is compulsory to join this expedition. This should have sufficient cover for an air medical evacuation should it be required. It is also advisable to have standard cancellation cover in your insurance in case for any reason you are not able to attend the trip. Please ensure your policy covers you for all activities listed in the itinerary.
Passport/visas
Please ensure you have at least 6 months left on your passport or you may be denied entry into Costa Rica. Please check the visa requirements for your nationality entering Costa Rica and ensure you apply for any required visas in good time.
Immunisations
For vaccination advice, please consult your own doctor or a travel clinic. The NHS website ‘fit for travel’ gives up to date advice on vaccination requirements. Please ensure you allow adequate time to get any vaccinations required for your travel.

All the details you should need to prepare for your adventure are below but if you need help, then email us at [email protected]

We will provide you with a hammock and tarp, plus there will be machetes and saws available for your use in the jungle. 

You will need to pack all items (except your arrival/departure dinner clothes) into your rucksack and carry it into the jungle along with a share of the food and group kit to make camp.  You should allow extra capacity in your bag for the group kit.

The total weight is likely to be 15-20 kg depending on your strength and size.

Essentials:

• Rucksack – make sure your bag has sufficient capacity to carry your personal kit in plus your share of the group kit and food. The best expedition packs will have a waist strap and an adjustable back section to fit it to your height. Try it on in the shop with weight in it to be sure it fits well and is comfortable. 65-85 litre capacity should be ideal depending on your size. A bag smaller than 65 litres will not be sufficient. 
• Dry bags – you can use one large waterproof rucksack liner or several smaller dry bags to protect your kit from getting wet. 
• Boots – boots that are suitable for hiking in the jungle will have good grip for muddy and rocky terrain, they are usually leather and canvas with higher ankle coverage than most hiking boots, they will not be waterproof.  They may have drainage holes to let out excess water as you walk. Specific jungle boots are available, or military all-terrain boots can be used. The key is that they are not waterproof or Goretex boots as these will hold water in.
• Bushcraft knife – a simple fixed blade that feels comfortable in your hand and has a sturdy sheath. Wooden handles can swell in the humidity and leather can go mouldy. Mora makes very cost-effective knives with plastic sheaths and rubberised handles.
• Head torch – a red light function can be useful to protect your night vision (and it attracts less bugs!)
• Camping bowl/mess tin, spoon and fork, camping mug – if you anticipate wanting to do a solo night you will need a mess tin or similar that can be used to cook over a fire. Flat plates are not suitable for the nature of most meals due to the liquid content.
• Light sleeping bag or blanket – jungle nights can be cooler than you would expect. Synthetic filler is preferable to down due to the humidity.
• Travel towel – travel towels pack down smaller and dry faster than standard ones. 
• Sun protection – you are unlikely to need much of this in the jungle but bring a small bottle for use on the journey in and any time around Puerto Viejo.
• Sun hat – a wide brim or baseball cap to keep the rays off your face. 
• Sunglasses – with adequate UV protection.
• Swimwear – bikini or trunks, to wear for washing in the jungle river.
• 2 quick dry tops – long or short sleeves, lightweight, synthetic. You can wear a shirt or thin wicking sports top. We suggest a “wet kit/dry kit” system in the jungle.  This means you wear one top and trousers during the day which will get wet and muddy. You then change into a dry set in the evening and wash your dirty kit. You then put the wet kit back on the next day. Any questions, just ask us to explain. 
• 2 pairs of light/quick dry trousers – lightweight, synthetic – as above, one for “wet kit”, one for “dry kit”. 
• 4 pairs of underwear – synthetic, quick dry to wick moisture away from the skin. Sports bras will be more comfortable and quicker drying than bras with wires or padding in them. 
• 6 pairs of socks – avoid thick walking socks as they will stay wet. If your boots rub it is best to layer two thin pairs to reduce friction, and they will dry faster. Polyester socks are available and dry faster than most other fabrics.
• Water bottles – 2 x 1 litre bottles. We do not use any single-use plastic bottles on our trips so please bring two bottles that you can fill and re-use. 
• Water purification – once in the jungle we will be refilling from rivers. You will want to treat this water to make it safe before drinking it. There are various products available for this with different price tags and levels of convenience. Chemical methods such as Chlorine Dioxide tablets are simple to use and relatively inexpensive. Alternatively, many water purifier bottles and devices are available. These can be more expensive. If you opt for one of these, please ensure it is a purifier not just a filter to ensure it removes all contaminants. 
• Wash kit – once at camp we will be washing in jungle rivers. All washing products need to be biodegradable to protect the aquatic life and ecosystem.  You will need to wash your clothes in the river too. 
• Foot care – antifungal foot powder will be part of your nightly foot care routine to keep your feet healthy in the jungle. 
• Medication – remember to bring adequate amounts of any medication you would usually take. 
• Period products – most options will be suitable, though it will be hard to dry period pants in the jungle. 
• Insect repellent – there are various options on the market. If you choose to use DEET there is little benefit in using anything above 30%. Remember that DEET can melt plastic so store it safely away from any items that may get damaged. Natural alternatives are very effective and can be kinder to your skin and the environment. We use Incognito or Trek Natural.
• Sandals/flipflops/comfortable shoes – for walking around Puerto Viejo on your arrival and departure days. 
• Casual clothes for your arrival day, final dinner and travel days. 
• Travel adapter to charge electronics – Costa Rica uses type A – 2 flat parallel pins.

Optional:

• Book/Kindle
• Camera/Go Pro/Drone
• Power bank
• Waterproof jacket or poncho
• Eye mask/earplugs
• Treats/travel games
• Light fleece or hoodie 

Pack light. Many people bring way more items than they use. You will be packing and carrying your personal kit, food and some group kit into the jungle so remember that every kilogram counts. Embrace the experience of living with less and go minimal.

The humidity can be hard on electronics. All electronic equipment such as your camera should be kept in dry bags or Tupperware boxes ideally with silica gel packets. 

You can safely store any valuables and clean clothes to collect after the expedition.

You will be accompanied by an experienced expedition leader and a local indigenous guide. They will be on hand to ensure your safety and enjoyment of the adventure. Read more about our Team here

Still got questions? Head over to our FAQ page

This is a primary consideration when it comes to how we run our expeditions. We have strict guidelines on the use of natural resources (such as for shelter building, camp construction, foraging, firewood collection) to minimise impact on the areas of rainforest we visit. We do not cut down live trees and teach sustainable harvesting of leaves and materials that are needed specific to each plant type and in line with the indigenous practices of the area.

We do not engage in any hunting or animal trapping and carry in the food that we need. Following a leave no trace policy we then ensure to cover all fire scars and renature camp areas before departing.

Group sizes are capped at small numbers to reduce footfall and soil erosion. Camps are rotated to minimise impact on certain areas.

No single use plastic water bottles will be issued on the trip. All participants are to bring their own reusable bottles.

Local Community

We employ indigenous local guides during the trip and pay an agreed fair rate competitive with a UK based leader.

We also make use of local transport, including mini bus drivers.