Adventure Mission to Costa Rica
Join us for a mission to Costa Rica soon! You’ll share the love of Christ with the poorest of the poor while getting your hands (and boots) totally filthy exploring some of the world’s most beautiful jungle and oceanic environments.
This trip consists of 8-14 days serving in the outskirts of San José, including nearby villages and rural areas. Mission projects vary by season and level of need.
Cost
From $1000
Trip Includes
- Lodging
- Mission Project Costs
- 3 Meals/Day
- Ground Transportation
- Exploration Day
- Travel Insurance
- Donations, Taxes, and Tips
- Creatio & Local Guides
Excludes
- International Flights
- Passport fees
Note About Flights...
We can either purchase groups flights or allow you to choose your own flights to keep our trip costs as low as possible. The earlier flights are purchased, the better! We recommend checking www.kayak.com, www.skyscanner.com, and www.google.com/flights/ for flight options.
Previous Missionaries
“I grew up on the side of a mountain and stargazing was such a prominent part of my prayer life. When I moved to Philadelphia last year, I didn’t realize how much my faith relied on finding our Holy in creation. Going on a mission trip to Costa Rica with Creatio and several of my students reconfirmed how crucial it is for me to seek out Christ in new environments (like a city), but also how beautiful of a truth it is, that our Holy is always waiting for us in the wild.” #hosea2:14 Carolyn in PA
– Carolyn | University of Pennsylvania
“It’s difficult for me to express in words how God truly does work in mysterious ways, a fact which was manifested through this trip. Never before have I experienced with such intensity the feeling and awareness of God’s presence that everything else becomes unimportant.”
– Janae | UPenn
Spirituality
Creatio’s spirituality is focused on strengthening the four relationships: relationship with self, with one another, with nature and with God. We encourage all of our missionaries to be open to experience a deepening of these relationships while on our trips.
Creatio takes a holistic approach to improving lives by addressing material and spiritual wellbeing of the people we serve. We do this with a Catholic worldview as our foundation, however we encourage Catholics and non-Catholics to join us in encountering the beauty of creation and our Creator. All participants are encouraged to join in group activities such as discussions on faith-based topics or visiting Holy sites, but nobody will be forced to participate in specifically Catholic traditions and practices.
Typical Itinerary
- Day 1 : Flight to San Jose, arrive in afternoon, orientation
- Day 2: Tour San Jose, Basilica
- Day 3-6: Mission Project
- Day 7-9: Adventure Days
- Day 10: Flight back to US
Travel Insurance
The cost of your Adventure Mission with us includes trip insurance. This insurance covers things like trip cancellation/interruption (under certain conditions), emergency medical care & evacuation, travel delays, lost luggage, etc. Travel Insurance only covers the advertised costs and services. If you are purchasing your flights separately (on-your-own) your flight will not be covered by the Trip Travel Insurance, and another policy must be purchased separately.
Travel insurance is required for Creatio trips. A policy in your name will be included in the Experience Price. All policies included in an Experience only provide coverage during the advertised dates of the Experience. If a participant’s personal situation results in canceling the trip prior to departure (e.g. participant gets sick and must withdraw from the Experience prior to departure date), then Creatio’s cancellation policy applies.
Creatio is not an insurance company and has no responsibility for the submission, payment, or adjustment of any insurance claims. Any insurance claims that may fall under the relevant travel insurance policy must be submitted to the insurance company identified in the policy.
If a participant is concerned about recovering costs due to cancelation for any reason whatsoever, Creatio recommends participants to purchase the Add-on Cancel-for-Any-
Medical Insurance
In addition to travelers insurance, it is good to know what your medical insurance covers in foreign countries. Call your insurance before departing and know what is in your plan. Bring your insurance card with you. All participants must have their own medical insurance plan. It is possible to purchase short-term coverage specifically for medical issues while abroad.
Required Documents
US Citizens:
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the final day of trip. Passport must have at least one blank visa page.
Non US Citizens or those traveling from outside of the US:
- Visit travel.state.gov to understand visa and vaccine requirements regarding the country from which you are coming.
- Please contact us to confirm non-US citizen visa requirements.
Fundraising
You can fundraise! This is a great way to reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket expenditures on your part. Plus, mission fees can be tax deductible (you and your donors will need to talk to your accountant). But if you want to make this happen fundraising is a great way to do it – plus it gives others “buy-in” to the mission and an opportunity to evangelize when you explain to possible donors why you’re going to serve.
Click here for some helpful tips!
What To Bring
Carry-On Luggage (Recommend a backpack/day pack):
- Passport
- Travelers insurance card
- Medical insurance card
- Emergency Contact Information (we will give it to you before you depart)
- Some cash in USD; ATMs are widely available and the best way to get Costa Rican colones. Visa and Mastercard are accepted in many places.
- Call your debit card company at least one week in advance to inform them of where you are traveling and the dates (phone number on card).
- Know your PIN.
- Change of clothes
- Medications – in original containers. Bring any special or over-the-counter medications you need with you from the US.
- Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, etc.)
- Hand sanitizer
- Spiritual materials – Bible, journal, Rosary, spiritual reading, etc.
- Water bottle – empty to go through security
Checked Luggage (50 lb max):
- Copy of your ID, Passport, traveler insurance card, and medical insurance card
- Jeans/pants, t-shirts, sweatshirt for work (you will get dirty). Please bring only modest clothes – no tank tops (always have shoulders covered) and shorts knee length or longer.
- Comfortable, casual outfits for touring, sightseeing, and walking
- Nicer clothes for mass, restaurants (decent clothes without holes – “dressy” clothes like skirts and dressy pants aren’t necessary, but you may bring them if you would like)
- Shorts (remember length)
- Socks
- Undergarments
- Bathing suit
- Work gloves
- Two warm sweaters
- Lightweight winter hat and gloves
- Poncho/rain jacket
- Sandals/Flip flops – for shower
- Walking shoes
- Old tennis shoes or work boots
- Toiletries: Shampoo, toothbrush, baby wipes, etc.
- Small roll of toilet paper
- Towel
- Sleeping Bag
- Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Lip balm and lotion
- Secure money/Passport carrying case
- Luggage ID tags
- Prescription glasses – If you wear contacts, please be sure to bring your glasses as well. You will be asked not to wear your contacts certain work days since dust will likely get underneath them.
Optional:
- Camera/batteries/charger
- Leatherman or knife
- Earplugs
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Granola bars, power bars, trail mix, Gatorade powder packets, etc.
- Cards or small games for down time
- Spanish translation book
- Mass parts and Rosary in Spanish
(Electrical outlets and voltages are the same as in the United States. Travelers from the U.S. should not need adapters or converters.)