Team Tortuga

Information

After months of planning and initializing our summer camps first ever field trip to Costa Rica I am confident on releasing our fees and itinerary to you! We are departing from Toronto on January 2nd 2012 for Costa Rica for 1 week. We are staying at the Barcelo Langosta resort in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Check it out!

Costs:
The fee structure is as follow:
$1664.00 to Caribbean Vacations (All inclusive vacation, flights, taxes….see Caribean Vacations for details)
Contact: Caitlin
Caribbean Vacations
1104 Fennell Ave E
Hamilton, Ontario
L8T 1R9
905 543-0656
www.caribbeanvacations.ca
info@caribbeanvacations.ca

Please make arrangements to pay Caribbean Vacations directly. The have payment plans and they have forms you will need to fill out and sign. Please send me a message when you have booked with them to confirm with me.

$650 to “Reptile Store Summer Camp” This includes 4 meeting/education nights prior, day trips and entrance fees in Costa Rica, transportation, guides, some meals when we are not at the resort, Sea Turtle Walks, and 1 “Team Tortuga” t-shirt. This is due 1 week prior to departure at the latest. You can pay in instalments or all at once.
You are still responsible for any souvenir money and your trip insurance. I recommend $200-$300 in American money in $10’s and $20’s. This again is up to you….everything is covered with our fees so you will never be in “Need”….just in “want”. Extra Team Tortuga clothing can be purchased at additional costs.

Itinerary:
Here’s what we are planning to do while in Costa Rica:

Zip Lining, 2 Reptile Zoos, La Fortuna waterfall hike and swim, natural hot springs, 3 Sea Turtle Walks, Monteverde Cloud Forest, butterfly park, hummingbird reserve, crocodile river boat tour, Arenal Volcano, hiking (day and night hikes!), kayaking, herping, and other shenanigans.

We will spend some time at the resort swimming, playing games and relaxing however this will be a very busy, very short trip to one of the world’s most biodiverse countries on the planet and we want you to be able to soak it all in!

If you want to howl with Howler Monkeys, swim with Crocodiles, go searching for Fer-de-Lances or get chased by a Jaguar, this may be your chance!! I can’t promise we will all come back alive, I can only guarantee that you will feel more alive in Costa Rica than you ever have before! This trip will change you forever…

Holly, Jordan and Steve @ La Fortuna Waterfalls in 2010!

Class Sessions

The schedule for Team Tortuga class schedules is posted below. These classes are for the people that are comitting to attending all field trips while in Costa Rica. It is important that we not only travel to new destinations but that we are as educated about the countries, people, biodiversity, cultures and history as possible. These class sessions are our quick notes version.

Sundays 6-8 pm @ Summer Camp Facilities.

October 2nd

Part 1: (Jordan) Recap of last years trip and findings. Learn about some of the places we are going to be touring through. This will give you some basic knowledge of the area, and identify some species we hope to encounter again.

Part 2: (Steve) A general slide show about the earths diffrent species of Sea Turtles and some factors leading to thier demise.  

October 23rd

Part 1: (Steve) Costa Rica basics. No Army. History. Government. Education. Life as a Tico. Foods and more!

Part 2: Groupwork, Course Load, Homework, Projects and Fundraisers!

November 13th

(Rachel) Mamalls of Costa Rica (excluding bats and cats).

(Kaelyn) **Species Spotlight** Jaguars and other predatory cats of Costa Rica.

(Nicholas) Bats of Cost Rica

(Nicole) Primates of Costa Rica

(Torrie) Parrots of Costa Rica (excludding the Scarlette Macaw)

(Brendan) **Species Spotlight** Scarlette Macaw

November 20th ****NEW****

Guest Speakers!! you dont want to miss this!

November 27th

(Taylor) Snakes of Costa Rica

(Colin) Crocodilians of Costa Rica

(Patrick) Lizards of Costa Rica

(Shelby) Amphibians of Costa Rica  (excluding the Golden Toad)

(Tayler) **Species Spotlight** Golden Toad and the Global Amphibian Decline

(Cole) Birds of Prey of Costa Rica

December 11th

Part 1: (Holly) Flowers, Plants and Trees of Costa Rica

Part 2: (Katie) Marinelife of Costa Rica

Part 3: (Jordan) Insects and Arachnids of Costa Rica

December 18th:

Part 1: (Steve and Jordan) Meet and Greet. Icebreakers. This will include everyone who is traveling with us….. even if they are not doing the Field Trip portions. So far we have 30 people attending the trip! We will go over itineraries, rules, expectations, groups, room assignments, packing lists, do’s and dont’s, and all kinds of other VERY VALUABLE INFORMATION!

Part 2: (Victoria and Zenaida) Spanish basics!! Ecotourism style! Learn some basic language that will help you along your travels. This will allow you to feel more comfortable in conversing with Ticos! You may always look like a GRINGO but maybe you dont have to speak Gringo….maybe you can speak SPANGLISH!

As always….get me if you need me!