S T A N F O R D T R A V E L / S T U D Y Undiscovered Costa Rica explore lush rain forests and diverse coastlines March 1 to 10, 2013 A P r o g r a m o f t h e S t a n f o r d A l u m n i ass o c i a t i o n
Faculty Leader Our Expedition Explore the lush rain forests and diverse coastlines of Costa Rica. Begin by visiting the canals, waterways and beaches of Tortuguero on the country s lively Caribbean side and learn about the turtles that nest here. Wade in the warm, aquamarine waters and experience the culture, music and food that make this eastern coast so distinctive. Travel by plane over mountains and agricultural regions to Manuel Antonio National Park and Costa Rica s Pacific coast to enjoy its marine environment before our sojourn overland to the Osa Peninsula. The rain forests, mangroves and beaches of the Osa support over 2.5% of the world s biodiversity ideal for taking photos, hiking and observing wildlife in its natural element. Brett S. Thompson, 83 Director, Stanford Travel/Study COSTA RICA TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK Caribbean Sea MANUEL ANTONIO Isla del Caño San Pedrillo Sirena Ranger Station anthropological sciences at Stanford, is an innovative teacher and administrator whose primary interests are ecology and evolution, the interactions of genetic and cultural change in human populations, and the challenges to conservation and community development in the tropics, especially the Galápagos and the Amazon. Creating and leading the first Stanford Field Seminar in 1992, and more than a dozen since, he has conducted fieldwork throughout Central and South America and Africa. Joined the Stanford University faculty in 1977 Currently the Bing Professor in Human Biology and the Yang and Yamazaki University Fellow Recipient of the Bing Fellow Award and a MacArthur Prize Fellowship San José Pacific Ocean Pr o f e s s o r W i l l i a m D u r h a m, 71, past chair of the department of Sierpe It was a privilege to have Professor Durham as our faculty leader. Bill Durham s involvement and expertise were the key reasons we joined this trip in the first place. PANAMA Cameron Ward, Galapagos Field Seminar, 2009
Itinerary Friday, March 1 U.S. / SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA Depart the U.S. for San José, arriving in the evening at the Juan Santamaria International Airport. Transfer to our hotel. barcelo palacio Hotel Saturday, March 2 SAN JOSE / TORTUGUERO Transfer to the airport for our flight to Tortuguero where local boats transfer the group to our rain forest lodge. Take a cruise through the canals to spot wildlife and learn about the inhabitants of this national park from our expert guides. Visit the Caribbean Conservation Corporation to learn about the green sea turtles that nest on the beaches here. Gather with fellow travelers for a welcome reception, followed by dinner at our lodge. Anhinga Lodge (B,L,D) Sunday, March 3 TORTUGUERO Start the day by exploring a series of canals and waterways where we may spot three-toed sloths, scarlet macaws, howler monkeys, bats, toucans and other tropical birds and mammals. Alternately, explore the canals by kayak at a self-guided pace. Take an optional zip-line excursion after lunch. Listen to a Caribbean calypso band while dining on local Caribbean cuisine this evening. Anhinga Lodge (B,L,D) Monday, March 4 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK / MANUEL ANTONIO Travel to Manuel Antonio National Park by propeller plane, crossing over lush, volcanic forests and agricultural land. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant that features freshly caught fish. Take an afternoon sailing excursion aboard a catamaran, and have the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean before watching the setting sun from our floating vantage point. Settle into our hotel and enjoy dinner there. Si Como No Hotel (B,L,D) Tuesday, March 5 MANUEL ANTONIO Explore Manuel Antonio National Park s beaches and network of hiking trails. Spot white-faced Capuchin and howler monkeys, tropical birds, crabs and sloths. Swim and snorkel or spend time relaxing on the white-sand beach. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to our hotel for a private reception and dinner with views of the ocean as a backdrop. Si Como No Hotel (B,L,D)
Friday, March 8 Enjoy an excursion by boat to Isla del Caño and snorkel off the rocky coastline, amid schools of pelagic fish, colorful anemone and tropical fish. Return to our lodge for lunch and enjoy a hike before dinner. Casa Corcovado Lodge (B,L,D) Wednesday, March 6 MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK / SIERPE / CORCO- VADO Travel by coach to Sierpe where we board boats that take us out of the Sierpe River and into the Pacific Ocean for a coastal transit to our lodge on the Osa Peninsula. Enjoy time on the rain forest property and in private bungalows before watching the sunset from a hilltop vantage point. Dinner is at our lodge. Casa Corcovado Lodge (B,L,D) Thursday, March 7 Hike to San Pedrillo Ranger Station from our lodge along a primary forest trail. Spot wildlife and learn about the diverse eco-system on the Osa Peninsula from our expert naturalists. Savor a picnic lunch and time on the beach and in the water before returning to our lodge. Casa Corcovado Lodge (B,L,D) Saturday, March 9 Travel by boat to the Sirena Station and walk along remote, pristine rain forest trails in search of the birds and mammals that abound here. Celebrate our adventure with a farewell reception and dinner at our lodge. Casa Corcovado Lodge (B,L,D) Sunday, March 10 / SIERPE / SAN JOSE / U.S. Travel by boat from our lodge to Sierpe and transfer to the local airport for flights to San José, connecting with independent flights back to the U.S. (B)
Information Dates March 1 to 10, 2013 (10 days) Size This program is limited to 26 participants. Cost* $5,795 per person, double occupancy $6,795 per person, single occupancy *Association nonmembers add $200 per person. Included 9 nights of hotel and lodge accommodations 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions Bottled water on excursions Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers for all group activities All tours and excursions as described in the itinerary Transfers and baggage handling on program arrival and departure days Air travel within Costa Rica Minimal medical, accident and evacuation insurance Educational program with lecture series and pre-departure materials, including recommended reading list, a selected book, map and travel information Services of our professional tour manager to assist you throughout the program What to Expect We consider this program to be moderately strenuous. Full days of touring are balanced with free time on one s own. Daily excursions involve one to three miles of walking or hiking on trails or beaches and in reserves or rural areas. Some of the walking takes place in the rain forest and on natural terrain, where paths can be rocky and uneven. Our journey at times requires travel by motorcoach, motorboat and small propeller airplane, the longest transit being up to 3 hours. Typically the weather in Costa Rica in March is marked by sunny, warm days; moderate humidity; and slightly cooler evenings. Accommodations are at 5-leaf hotels and lodges. Five leaves is the highest award given for sustainable tourism in Costa Rica. Properties are adjacent to national parks and reserves and adhere to strict guidelines for sustainable tourism. Additionally, our internal flights throughout the program are aboard a carbon-neutral airline. Participants must be physically fit, active and in good health. We welcome travelers 10 years of age and older on this program. Not Included International and U.S. domestic airfare Passport fees Costa Rica departure tax Immunization costs Meals and beverages other than those specified as included Independent and private transfers Trip-cancellation/interruption and baggage insurance Excess-baggage charges Personal items such as internet access, telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities for nongroup services AIR ARRANGEMENTS International and U.S. domestic airfare is not included in the program cost. Round-trip, economy-class airfare on United Airlines from San Francisco to San José, Costa Rica is approximately $950 as of June 2012 and is subject to change without notice. Information on recommended flight itineraries will be sent in the trip confirmation documents.
Terms and Conditions Deposit and Final Payment A $1,000 per-person deposit is required to hold your space. Complete and return the attached reservation form or sign up online at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?costarica2013. Final payment is due 120 days prior to departure. As a condition of participation, all confirmed participants are required to sign a Release of Liability. Cancellations and Refunds Deposits and any payments are fully refundable, less a $500-per-person cancellation fee, until 120 days prior to departure. After that date, refunds can be made only if the program is sold out and your place(s) can be resold, in which case a $1,000-per-person cancellation fee will apply. Insurance Stanford Travel/Study provides all travelers who are U.S. or Canadian citizens with minimal medical, accident and evacuation coverage under our grouptravel insurance policy. We strongly encourage that you subscribe to optional baggage and trip-cancellation insurance. A brochure offering such insurance will be mailed with your confirmation. The product offered in this brochure includes special benefits if you postmark your insurance payment within a specified window: 15 days of the date listed on the confirmation letter for the Waiver of Pre-Existing Conditions and coverage for Financial Insolvency; 21 days for the Cancel for Any Reason benefit. Eligibility We encourage membership in the Alumni Association; the program cost for nonmembers is $200 more than the members price. For more information or to purchase a membership, visit alumni.stanford.edu/goto/membership or call (650) 725-0692. Responsibility The Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford University and our operators act only as agents for the passenger with respect to transportation and exercise every care possible in doing so. However, we can assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity in connection with the service of any automobile, motorcoach, launch or any other conveyance used in carrying out this program or for the acts or defaults of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the program. We cannot accept any responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, force majeure or other causes beyond our control. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide arrangements only for the time stated. We reserve the right to make such alterations to this published itinerary as may be deemed necessary. The right is reserved to cancel any program prior to departure in which case the entire payment will be refunded without further obligation on our part. The right is also reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the program. No refund will be made for an unused portion of any tour unless arrangements are made in sufficient time to avoid penalties. Baggage is carried at the owner s risk entirely. The airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not onboard their plane or conveyance. Neither the Alumni Association, Stanford University nor our operators accept liability for any carrier s cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket connected with the tour. Program price is based on rates in effect in June 2012 and is subject to change without notice to reflect fluctuations in exchange rates, tariffs or fuel charges. California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50 COPYRIGHT 2012 STANFORD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Printed on 100% recycled paper
Reservation Form Undiscovered Costa Rica March 1 to 10, 2013 NAME Mr. Mrs. Dr. Ms. Miss PROF. Age stanford class year NAME Mr. Mrs. Dr. Ms. Miss PROF. Age stanford class year address city/state/zip Email home PHONE WORk PHONE CEll phone I/we have read the Terms and Conditions and agree to them. SIGNATURE DATE If this is a reservation for one person, please indicate: I wish to have single accommodations. OR I plan to share accommodations with: OR I d like to know about possible roommates. BED PREFERENCE: OR Twin Beds Queen Bed Here is my deposit of $ ($1,000 per person) for space(s) on the trip. Enclosed is my check (make payable to Stanford Alumni Association and return with completed form.) OR Charge my deposit to my: Visa MasterCard American Express. CARD NUMBER Expiration date authorized cardholder SIGNATURE DATE Mail completed form to 326 Galvez Street, Stanford, CA 94305 or fax to (650) 725-8675 or place your deposit online at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?costarica2013. Please submit your reservation only once to avoid multiple charges to your account. 8734