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 European travel guru and guide book author, Rick Steves, wrote about his Wildland Family Adventure in Costa Rica in his January blog entry. See his story and pictures of night walks in the jungle, zip-line through the
forest canopy, and surf lessons too!
"The last morning finally arrived. I spent the hour before our departure time mostly face-down on a La Paloma massage table. With the soothing roar of the distant surf rather than New Age music setting the mood, I reviewed a
wonderful week in my mind. "
~Rick Steves
 Read more:
Rick Steves' Wildland Family Adventure in Costa Rica |
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Incentives to
Get Up and Go!
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Look here in every Wild Enews for good reasons to get up and go! Call for details about your destination interest. Offers valid for new bookings only.
PERU
Free Inca Trail Permits,
Going Fast
Hike the Royal Road of the Incas to Machu Picchu on either our
Inca Trail Trek and Amazon or the
one-day Inca Trail hike. Book by May 1st and we'll include your Inca Trail permit, but don't wait, permits are already sold-out through May and much of June.
Reduced rate: A New Amazon Experience
On our
Machu Picchu and Amazon Tour we avoid the crowds up the Tambopata River and head downstream to the Tipischa Jungle Lodge, 8 native-style bungalows in an extraordinary natural setting near a native Piro community.
BOTSWANA OR NAMIBIA
Explore together and save on either of two journeys
Reserve our
Great Wilderness Journey for 2 adults, travel between April and November 2009, and save $1465 per person. Book 2 adults on our
Namibia Explorer, travel between March and June 2009, and save $1385 per person, or travel between July and November 10th 2009 to save $1465 per person.
COSTA RICA
"Green Season" rates
Save up to $410 on
Lapa Rios Tropical Adventure for travel between May 16-October 30, 2009. Newly updated itinerary!
$100 discount for children under 11 on the
Costa Rica Family Vacation for travel until November 30, 2009. Newly updated itinerary!
$100 adult discount for July and August departures of our
Natural Wonders Family Tour.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Aboard the luxury expedition ship
M/V Eclipse
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Free airfare to Galapagos from the Ecuador mainland, save over $500 on April 30 and May 28 departures
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Family savings between $2,000 to $2,495 per child on all designated family departures after June 11 through 2009.
Celebrate Christmas aboard the luxury yacht
M/V Galaxy
Get the lowest rates by chartering a small yacht in Galapagos. Built for 20 but only licensed to carry 16 passengers our charter on this spacious luxury motor yacht is still available December 20-30, 2009 for a private group.
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It's no surprise that many travelers are booking their trip closer to the departure date. But that's OK, because we're wildly flexible! We often have space available even a few weeks before travel, especially in the low season. With great
airfares, lower "green season" rates, and off-peak availability, Central America is a quick day-trip away for an eleventh hour adventure and we can help you get your money's worth – and more.
 The "green season" in Costa Rica, Belize and
Panama is from May through November -- when orchids thrive, butterflies abound, prices are low and tourists are few -- making a late spring trip or summer vacation the perfect time to experience the rainforests, reefs, Maya ruins, native
cultures and tropical beaches of Central America. And in Costa Rica in July, you can count on the "little summer", or veranito, as the locals call it, a short dry season when Costa Ricans take their vacation.
Although we can often accommodate last-minute reservations, it is still necessary to book 6-12 months in advance for some trips like African safaris that feature small camps, Galapagos yachts, and treks on the Inca Trail. But there are
always great savings to be had (see the Incentives section in this mail!) when you plan in advance.
Costa Rica Multisport Family Adventure
Raft the Pacuare River (see video below), kayak a jungle river, zip through the forest canopy, and hike in Corcovado National Park based from
La Paloma Lodge on this active trip designed for families with teens and adventurous adults!
Price from: $2890
Departures: Twice monthly
Video:
Rafting the Pacuare River
Undiscovered Belize Adventure
Venture off the beaten path to southern Belize on this trip voted one of National Geographic "50 Tours of a Lifetime" featuring Lubaantun Maya ruins, exploring the Blue Creek Caves, visiting native Maya communities, and
snorkeling the barrier reef.
Price: $2895
Weekly departures: Jun, Jul, Aug, Oct, Nov, Dec
Video:
Belize: Caves, Snorkeling and Jungle
Panama Discovery
Traverse the isthmus from the Panama Canal rainforests, through the cloud forests and coffee plantations of Boquete, and over the continental divide to the Caribbean cayes of Bocas del Toro.
A wildlife and native culture lover's delight!
Price: $2095
Weekly departures: Jun, Aug, Nov, Dec
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Meet Grettel Calderon
Our Resident Expert in Costa Rica
 When you call to plan a trip to Costa Rica, Belize,
Panama, and now Nicaragua, you'll be connected to
Grettel Calderon in our Central America field office in Costa Rica. Grettel is a native "Tica" from Costa Rica and is one of the most knowledgeable and proficient adventure travel tour planners in the region!
Meet Grettel and read a personal interview with her about how she got into travel, how Costa Rica is changing, her recommendations, where she traveled recently, and what sets her apart from other Central America travel planners.
"As Wildland Adventures' field expert here, I represent the traveler and not the special interests of any Costa Rican tour company, hotel, or service provider. "
Read more:
Interview with Grettel Calderon
Custom Trip Planning:
Adventure The Way You Like It
Grettel can help you choose from among
all our trips to Central America. Or, she can help you plan a private, custom itinerary free of charge --
For trips to Central America departing from April through November 2009 we are now waiving the $100 fee for custom trip planning services.
Read more:
Custom Trip Planning in Costa Rica |
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Through our non-profit Travelers Conservation Trust (TCT) we foster means by which Wildland travelers
can join us in supporting local conservation and community development projects in host countries where we travel throughout the world. In Peru we are helping Canadian wildlife biologist Robyn Appleton, working in collaboration with
two former local hunters now turned conservation biologists, to protect the rare
location in the dry forests
of South America where the Andean bear is known to exist. Robyn and her village colleagues are gathering data by observation, radio collars, and 24 hour cameras in the field. Our initial $1,000 contribution was used by Robyn to involve
the local schools and communities to help protect vital water sources and habitat for the bears which is also necessary for their small-scale cattle ranching. What's good for bears is also good for people! 