Costa Rica wildlife vacation, Jungles & Beaches

Environment

We know our wildlife; in fact it is buried within the roots of our company and will always be so. Despite accounting for only 0.03% of the Earth’s surface, Costa Rica holds 6% of world’s biodiversity and has a huge abundance of bird life. It is essential that we preserve the natural habitat and home of these creatures, great and small – from jaguars to frogs, sloths to capuchin monkeys and even the tiniest insect. We contribute a percentage of each safari sold to wildlife conservation and always keep our eyes peeled for new projects to get involved with.

Wherever possible we use locally run and managed accommodation; we use a combination of eco-lodges and locally run hotels. As a result of this we minimise the impact on the local environment at the same time as providing the traveler with a high level of comfort. This is a private safari which means that your impact on the environment and wildlife is kept to a minimum at all times, resulting in you also being likely to see more!

We aim to reduce waste and our impact on the environment within our destinations, and at home in the UK, where our offices our based. We work in partnership with the Borough of Brighton & Hove in an attempt to recycle and reuse as much as possible. Our clients are always advised on the best way to do this when away. We recommend using environmentally friendly shampoos, soaps and toiletries, to avoid leaving any litter (whether it is biodegradable or not)

At Mawamba Park, in the grounds of the Mawamba Lodge there are frog and butterfly gardens. There is also a Bio digester in which is the only one in Tortuguero that treats the sewage waters to convert them into a natural source of gas to heat up the stoves. Arenas del Mar uses solar power to heat water that is used within the hotel. It also has a state of the art treatment plant so water leaving our properties will not affect the surrounding water sources. There is also a complimentary Easy Being Green Tour that you can take during your stay. All the lodges and hotels have recycling programs in place to reduce their carbon footprint.

Community

Where possible, we always use local suppliers in preference to others, whether this is in the purchase of provisions, accommodation, transport or equipment. Through the employment of our local ground operators, who use local guides and drivers, money is fed directly back into individual families and villages that would otherwise not benefit from tourism, as well as giving more jobs to local people. Great guiding is essential on wildlife adventures and few people know a place better than the locals. Even on specialist led trips, we still try our best to use the local guides alongside, we whole-heartedly do not believe in taking jobs from local populations for our own needs.

When it comes to accommodation, this trip incorporates lodges that are further away from the usual tourist trail, thus spreading the money spent by tourists further into the communities. This is turn shows the economic importance of the wildlife and natural assets of the area, which feeds back into helping the environment – win! Mawamba Lodge is a family run business that employs people from the local area. Arenas del Mar also employs people from the local communities, but also support and help the local communities through two principal programs: Building for the Future and Natural Curiosity. Building for the Future focuses on providing schools with needed infrastructure and supplies. Natural Curiosity supports the environmental education efforts of the Titi Conservation Alliance, a local organization working on the protection and conservation of the Titi (squirrel) monkey.

We make sure tourists have the opportunity to buy local souvenirs and handicrafts, assisting further to contribute to their community, and always give support to local communities and conservation agencies. We advise people not to bargain just for the sake of it and because it is the ‘thing to do’; you should pay what you feel the object is worth to yourself and the vendor, bearing in mind local cultures.
Please note that we give a direct contribution of each safari sold to conserving the wildlife, helping local communities and supporting local conservation agencies