Costa Rica self drive vacation, natural history

Planet

As an in depth specialist tour operator to Costa Rica, we take a considered approach to the social, environmental and economic impacts of the vacations we design. To us, this means much more than a simple donation to a charity for each client. We try to build long and constructive involvements with local guides, wildlife lodges and hotels, in the course of which we, and our clients, can make lasting wide-ranging contributions to the wonderful places and people we engage with. In this itinerary we have selected several hotels and lodges whose documented practices align with this approach:

Chayote Lodge offers guests opportunities to learn about local rural life and culture in Costa Rica's Central Valley. The guest bungalows are designed to resemble traditional coffee receiving stations, or recibidores, and feature artwork and furniture made by local artisans. The lodge employs staff from the surrounding communities and prioritises local producers and suppliers. Its on-site restaurant and bar, Quelites, serves seasonal produce sourced locally where available, including ingredients such as palmito cheese, coffee and squash. The lodge also offers guided experiences focused on local culture and agriculture, including visits to a coffee plantation, cooking experiences in a local home and visits to the towns of Zarcero, Naranjo and Sarchí.

Tocû Tent Camp at Hacienda Caño Negro undertakes a range of activities relating to the management and restoration of the property's natural environment. These include reforestation projects in areas affected by previous human activity, using native tree species. Guests can also participate through the camp's tree-adoption programme.
Hacienda Caño Negro provides habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, including species of conservation concern. The property's environmental initiatives include the creation and maintenance of biological corridors to facilitate wildlife movement between areas of suitable habitat. They also works with local biologists and conservation organisations on activities involving the monitoring of wildlife, including migratory birds, mammals and reptiles.
The camp provides educational activities for local communities and visitors, including workshops, talks and guided tours covering the flora, fauna and environmental practices at Hacienda Caño Negro. Local community members are also involved in activities associated with the property's environmental initiatives.
Hacienda Caño Negro also provides facilities for scientific research and works with universities and other organisations on studies relating to biodiversity, climate and environmental management. The findings from these studies can be used to inform the property's ongoing environmental management and conservation activities.

We were the first tour operator in the UK to form a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to work towards the implementation of best management practices in tourism. In real terms this means that we are working with hotels who are making a positive impact on their local community – socially, environmentally and economically.

People

In Costa Rica we work with local ground handlers, helping to retain a significant proportion of our operational expenditure within the Costa Rican economy and supporting employment, including in more remote regions. By incorporating locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of local guides and drivers into our itineraries, we aim to keep as much tourism expenditure as possible within the local economy, allowing local businesses and communities to benefit from tourism.

We use local guides in all of our destinations. It is our experience that, with the right approach, local guides' detailed knowledge of their destinations makes them particularly well placed to guide our tours, while their local connections enable them to share their knowledge of the communities and places we visit. We also see employing local guides as a way of creating opportunities for people to build careers in their own communities rather than having to move elsewhere to find work.