Comfort
On the first night you will stay at a hotel in San Jose, with a swimming pool, close to the airport. For the rest of the trip, you will stay at a quaint and colonial-style hacienda and farm. Each room has an ensuite bathroom, and rooms are normally shared between two or three riders. You will have the opportunity to stay one night in one of the four “eco-decks” – large platforms with an open terrace and no windows or electricity, giving guests a rare chance to observe the forest and listen to the noises of nature overnight. There is a shared kitchen and meals are served on the different terraces of the house, depending on the number of guests. Please note: it is also possible to skip the hotel night in San Jose and join only for the nights at the estancia in Turrialba. Please see ‘dates and prices’.
Meals
Breakfast is usually continental style, with toast, eggs, farm jams, fresh fruit and yogurt, coffee and tea. Coffee is all from the farm, the Naturalba coffee.
Lunches are typically local dishes, such as rice and beans (Casado) with chicken or meat, sautéed vegetables, mixed salad and fruit. Alternatively, you may have a picnic with sandwiches, savory and sweet pastries, freshly cut fruits and vegetables and juice.
Dinner is usually local cuisine, for example, on the first night at the hacienda there will be a buffet with grilled meats, potatoes and various vegetables, green or mixed salad, and a dessert of ice cream, tropical fruits or homemade cakes. On some other days you will try restaurants with a choice of meals or a set menu.
WATER
You will be supplied with fresh water to drink.
Climate
This area of Costa Rica has a humid, tropical climate tempered by altitude, with pleasant temperatures all year round and very green vegetation. Average daytime temperatures are usually between 22 and 28°C. Night time temperatures are usually between 16 and 20°C.
The dry season runs from December to April. At this time the climate is generally drier and sunnier. Days are warm but pleasant, and nights are cool. A few showers are possible, but usually infrequent.
The rainy season (green season) runs from May to November. At this time, there is more frequent rainfall, mainly in the late afternoon or evening. Mornings are often sunny or partly cloudy. Nature is particularly lush during this period. September and October are the wettest months.
Tips
You should tip what you feel the service is worth and what you feel comfortable with. We suggest around 10–15% of the trip cost to be shared among the team.
Packing list
Please pack carefully and sensibly: the following guide is here to give you an idea of what to bring.
Head
- Riding helmet
- Sunhat for when not riding
- Sunglasses - with a cord attached so they don't fly off when riding
- Buff or bandana
Upper body
- Long sleeved shirts provide protection from the sun and are an extra layer
- T-shirts
- Lightweight fleece or jumper
- Warm fleece or jumper if needed
- Waterproof jacket
Legs
- Lightweight, comfortable riding trousers or jodhpurs - we recommend riding in them at home before taking them on holiday to ensure they don't rub
- Casual trousers for the evenings, such as jeans or tracksuit bottoms
- Waterproof over trousers if you want, in case of lots of rain
Hands and Feet
- Comfortable riding boots. We recommend short boots with half chaps. We don't recommend taking your favourite long leather boots in case they get damaged.
- Waterproof shoes/boots
- Trainers or equivalent light shoes for moving around in the evenings
- Flip flops or sandals
- Socks
- A thin pair of riding gloves (optional, to protect your hands from the sun).
Nightwear
- Pyjamas
Other useful items
- Swimsuit
- Small backpack for accessing items required during day trips
- Headtorch or small torch
- Water bottle
Medical kit
- Sunscreen and lip balm - should be high factor
- Insect repellent, preferably containing deet
- Any medication you regularly take
- Blister plasters in case of any rubs
- Antiseptic cream, plasters, aspirin, anti-histamine, insect-bite salve etc...
- Spare prescription glasses/contact lenses
- Eye drops
- Imodium or similar anti-diarrhoea medication
- Re-hydration sachets
Other recommendations:
- We recommend travelling in your riding boots and carrying your hat and some riding clothes / any essentials and valuables in your hand luggage - then if your luggage goes astray you are still able to ride!
- Please print copies of your passport and insurance documents and take them with you.
- We recommend using a soft-sided bag which can easily be transported.
- Backpacks should not be worn whilst riding. We recommend a small bumbag or a coat with pockets so that you can carry small items with you during the day (camera, sunscreen, lipbalm etc).
