Costa Rica 2026: Participant Travel Guide

Use SJO—Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica, arriving November 2 for the group hotel night. Double-check the airport code; SJC is in California. If you are already in Costa Rica or have a different arrival plan, coordinate it with BRAM ahead of time.

DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari San José, San Antonio de Belén / Ciudad Cariari. We use the same hotel on arrival and on return from the lodge. Use this name rather than older hotel information in an earlier message or saved itinerary.

Clear immigration, collect your luggage and go through customs, then head outside to the curb. Someone from Ríos Lodge will meet you with a sign and help get you to the hotel. The exact sign wording will be posted in the private trip WhatsApp group before arrival.

The hotel’s shared shuttle runs hourly, with approximately 12–15 passengers per van. A larger flight group may need more than one van or shuttle run.

Send your updated airline, flight number and local arrival time to BRAM through the private trip WhatsApp group or by replying to your pre-trip email. Please keep individual travel details in those private channels. If you miss a hotel shuttle, another runs the following hour.

For hotel assistance, call DoubleTree Cariari: +506 2209-1000. The hotel WhatsApp contact supplied for our group is +506 8688-2437.

Meet for hotel breakfast around 7:00 a.m. and be packed and ready by 7:30 a.m. If you are joining from elsewhere, arrive by 7:00 for breakfast or 7:30 without breakfast. Follow the group’s final departure instructions; all meeting times are Costa Rica local time.

No. Your registered itinerary includes one return night at the same DoubleTree Cariari before the planned flight-home day. The regular program includes November 6; the extended program includes November 7. You do not need to arrange that night separately unless an individual exception has already been agreed.

Yes. The scheduled transfer from the river/lodge back to the DoubleTree is included. The hotel’s complimentary shared shuttle back to SJO is also included. It runs hourly; ask the front desk which departure gives you enough time for your flight. This is a shared shuttle rather than a private car reservation.

No—those are different days. Regular participants leave the lodge November 6, stay at the DoubleTree that night and fly November 7. Extended participants leave November 7, stay at the hotel that night and fly November 8. Do not plan a flight for the day you raft out.

Your included return hotel night is based on the registration option you purchased, even if your independent travels continue afterward. Tell BRAM about changes before making assumptions about room nights or transfers. Any individual arrangement already agreed with us still applies; extra nights and private transport are not automatically included.

Hotel rooms are assigned as double occupancy. We have done our best with the pairs. If yours is not quite right, you may trade with other participants after check-in; please tell BRAM about the swap so the rooming list stays accurate. Room assignments are shared privately.

Submit the 2026 participant and travel form, including your flight details and the BRAM waiver requested there. Separately, complete the Ríos Lodge waiver for this 2026 group booking before we head to the river. One waiver does not replace the other.

Already submitted your flight information? No need to submit it again unless something changes. Contact BRAM if a form requirement does not fit an arrangement already approved for you.

Meals during the Ríos Lodge stay and hotel breakfasts are included; other meals in San José are at your own expense. Submit dietary needs and allergies privately in your participant form. If something changes, tell BRAM before the trip so we can coordinate with the lodge.

Your registered program covers its hotel and lodge nights, lodge meals and hotel breakfasts, scheduled rafting and activities, educational programming where applicable, airport shuttles both ways and the scheduled hotel/river/lodge transfers.

Budget separately for international flights, travel insurance, other meals in San José, alcoholic drinks, personal purchases, gratuities and any separately arranged extra activities. Extra nights, private transfers or changes need a specific agreement. Your booking terms and purchased registration option still govern.

Personal travel insurance is not included. BRAM strongly recommends coverage for cancellation or interruption, significant travel delays and medical issues. Check that a policy fits your plans, including the river and adventure activities you intend to do. This guide does not change the payment or cancellation terms supplied with your booking.

Yes, bring some cash if you would like to thank the guides and lodge team. Tips are very much appreciated; US dollars or Costa Rican colones are welcome. Cash is also useful for personal incidentals and travel stops. Gratuities are not included in the program price.

Bring those, plus quick-drying long pants, a light fleece or sweater and a rain jacket. Warm, humid days can still mean cool evenings or a chilly stretch after getting wet. Keep an evening outfit dry and bring spare clothes; rainforest humidity is not especially interested in drying your laundry.

Ríos Lodge’s packing list and climate notes (PDF)

No. Put your lodge clothes and personal gear in a small, soft-sided carry-on-size duffel. Ríos supplies a large dry bag that you share with another guest. Your larger suitcase and items you do not need at the lodge can be securely stored at the operations/rafting center and reunited with you after the river trip.

Keep your water bottle, rain layer, medications and other day essentials accessible in a small personal bag. Pack compactly; do not assume an unconfirmed weight allowance.

Bring secure river footwear with good grip—no flip-flops on the river—and closed-toe shoes for night hikes and ziplining. Add a headlamp, sun protection, insect repellent, refillable bottle, personal medications, phone charger/battery bank and a small day bag. A small towel is useful after the final raft-out.

Use the full Ríos packing list (PDF) for the rest, and remember your Jungle Disco outfit.

Ríos provides filtered drinking water, lodge towels, bedding and yoga mats. Bring a refillable bottle. Rooms have electrical outlets that accept standard US plugs; devices using other plug types may need an adapter. Bring your own charger, battery bank and any personal toiletries you specifically need.

Expect limited connectivity at the lodge rather than a normal week of video calls or streaming. Install WhatsApp, link it to your number and finish verification before leaving the U.S. Use your privately emailed invitation to join our group.

Save reading, presentations and other essentials offline before the river day. Presenters should send Chris their final PowerPoint for an offline backup and keep a copy on their own device.

Extended-program participants remain at Ríos for the November 6 training day with local guides, then raft out November 7. Volunteers will help with practical first-aid and CPR teaching, skill stations and scenarios. Look for the role-specific briefing and preparation materials shared privately by BRAM; ask if you have not received yours.

Guide numbers and the final rotations will be confirmed with the local team. Follow the broad week plan and private trip updates for the final daily timing.

No. Informal guided wellness sessions are planned before breakfast on November 5 and 6, on the yoga deck with mats. They are optional, with no pressure to participate or share. Please respect one another’s privacy. Chris’s main Psychological First Aid lecture is a separate teaching session.

Ríos says prior rafting experience is not required for its guided trips, but rafters are expected to paddle. The outbound gorge includes Class III–IV rapids. Talk with BRAM before travel about mobility, swimming or other participation concerns, and let the local guides make river and activity decisions.

Ríos also describes a hiking route; any alternative needs advance coordination rather than an assumption at the river. See the operator’s rafting and access FAQ.

Guest/family options are for accompanying travelers who are not participating in the medical educational activities. Your purchased option determines your program nights and logistics. Coordinate any guest’s age, activity needs or itinerary changes with BRAM before travel; do not assume every activity fits every traveler.

One evening we will have a Jungle Disco party at the lodge. Bring a loud shirt, sequins, absurd sunglasses or whatever feels right for dancing in a rainforest. Dancing is optional; questionable wardrobe choices are encouraged.

Activities outside the scheduled program may cost extra and must be arranged with BRAM/Ríos. Check before adding something to your plans.