actionchallenge in A unique opportunity to travel deep into the heart of as we follow the river s journey downstream towards the Caribbean. We travel on foot and by raft on this exhilarating one week adventure into nature Immersed in lush rainforest we trek along the banks of the Pacuare River, across swing bridges, visit beautiful waterfalls, enjoy delicious picnics and swim in the clear waters. Passing through several indigenous settlements, we get a fascinating glimpse into the way of life in the heart of the rainforest. Our trek leads us inland, high into the surrounding mountains along trails and rural roads to a Pacuare settlement. Here, as a group, we have the opportunity to give back to the rainforest communities by helping out at the local school before heading back to the river for our rafting experience. Huge boulders and rocks churn up the water as the mighty river twists and turns its way down to the Caribbean. Get ready to engage those core muscles as we shoot the rapids and hurtle down the river on an exhilarating 30 km raft ride. This adrenaline fuelled journey takes us through towering canyons on a buckaroo ride over class II to IV rapids so hold on tight! After our amazing adventure we celebrate together with a delicious dinner and n party back in San Jose. at a glance Activity: Trekking & Rafting Location: Pacuare River Valley, Duration: 7 Days / 4 days trekking and 2 days rafting Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 70 km When: November 2015 Group size: 15-25 trip highlights Cross stunning swing bridges Shoot class II rapids Hike through lush rainforests Picnic by the Pacuare River Help out in a local school A celebratory meal in San Jose Central America s green jewell Action Challenge have been leading inspirational team adventures across the world for individuals, private groups, charities and corporate clients since 1999. Our trips enable people to experience the world s most exhilarating locations, often in aid of charity. At the heart of every challenge is team spirit and fulfilment; together we take on once-in-a-lifetime adventures, achieve formidable goals and forge friendships for life. www.actionchallenge.com
introduction This fully-inclusive adventure to will begin as soon as you register! You will receive a challenge pack including a training guide, kit list and discounts for all the essentials you may need. If you are raising money for a charity, we will sort out all the formalities so you can concentrate on your own preparation and fundraising. We offer pre-challenge briefings and training weekends in the UK, where you can meet our trek leaders, members of your group and others taking part in challenges around the world. On the day of departure you will meet your group and Action Challenge leader at the airport in London. Whether you re joining the challenge on your own or with others, you will instantly be made to feel welcome. As a team we will board our flight to San Jose, ready to take on the hike of a lifetime! brief itinerary November 2015 Please visit our website for more details All inclusive trip cost from 1,799 Initial 399 deposit to sign up Three payment options available Please visit our website for more details Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Arrival in San Jose Bajo Pacuare to Santubal Santubal - San Joaquin San Joaquin - Pacuare Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Finca La Cruz - El Nido Del Tigre Finca Pacuarito Arrive UK what s included International flights Action Challenge trek leader Full support team, including local guides UK medic All accommodation All meals, except in free time Airline taxes Treated drinking water All transfers in local vehicles National Park entrance fees Celebration dinner in San Jose Invitation to a challenge briefing in London Discounted training weekends in the Peak District and Wales Fitness and training guide Discounts from UK retailers Reduced rates at Nomad Travel Clinics and Masta Health This challenge has been classed as a moderate challenge as you will be trekking for four days over distances of 12 km to 22 km per day. In addition, you will be rafting for two days which will require good core muscle strength. Additional strength and aerobic training is therefore required for this challenge. The best time to travel to is during the dry season which runs between November and April. Be aware that the dry season does not mean that there is no rain, it means that there is less rain than at other times of the year. Completing the challenge during the dry season helps our rafting experience as, during the rainy season, the river can swell and become extremely hazardous.
itinerary DAY 1 - Arrival in San Jose We meet our group and Action Challenge staff at the airport in London before departing on our trip to. On arrival in San Jose we transfer to our comfortable hotel in the city where we enjoy a trip briefing with our local guides. Meals: Dependent on flight schedule Accom: Hotel Breakfasts each morning will be at our camp, whilst packed lunches will be prepared for us to have en route. Evening meals will be freshly prepared for when we arrive at our accommodation or in a local restaurant. There will be a wide variety of fresh food available including meat and fish. We can cater for all dietary requirements if informed in advance. DAY 2 - Bajo Pacuare to Santubal An early breakfast, followed by a three hour drive from San Jose brings us to the start of our five day trek. We set off from near the settlement of Bajo Pacuare, heading up river along the bank of the Pacuare to the settlement of Paso Marcos. Here we cross the Pacuare using a swing bridge and begin heading down the valley. The day ends with a climb up to the village of Sentubal and our first camp. Meals: B,D Accom: Tent Distance: 17 km DAY 3 - Santubal to San Joaquin We wake to a spectacular view of the Pacuare River Valley and its mountains blanketed by rainforests. Leaving Sentubal, we begin our trek to our next camp in San Joaquin. We pass several indigenous settlements and get a glimpse of their unique way of life. The highlight of the day is another crossing of a swing bridge over the Pacuare River. Lunch and a swim are followed by the last few kilometers of trekking to San Joaquin. The village s football field and community centre is our camp for the night. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Tent Distance: 19 km Two nights in hotels Four nights camping en route All accommodation is on a twin/tripleshare, single-sex basis and we will pair you with someone of a similar age, where possible. If you wish to share a room with someone you are travelling with, please specify this If you decide that you would like to have your own room on the challenge, we can accommodate this in the majority of places. Please email us for more information DAY 4 - San Joaquin to Pacuare An impassable river canyon means we must leave the valley floor and head inland, into the surrounding mountains. Today s route takes us over a river and along country roads and trails up to 1000m, the highest point of our journey. Tonight we relax and enjoy a peaceful evening in the settlement of Pacuare. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Tent Distance: 22 km Insurance - 60 Tips for local staff - 30 Vaccinations - Malaria tablets will be needed. It is also preferable if you are up-to-date on your boosters. Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as applied by airlines. Please note that this is capped at a maximum of 150.
DAY 5 - Trek / Raft Finca La Cruz to El Nido del Tigre Before we start our final day s trek, we will spend a couple of hours at the local school giving a helping hand with some simple repairs and maintenance. Once underway, we have a three hour trek to the start of our rafting experience. After lunch and a safety briefing, we begin our descent of the Pacuare River. The 10km section of class II-III rapids takes around two hours to complete. We arrive at El Nido del Tigre, our comfortable riverside camp in time to explore the area. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Tent Distance: 12 + 10 km DAY 6 - El Nido del Tigre to Finca Pacuarito The reward! After the last four days of tough trekking we are rewarded with a 20 km paddle down the class III-IV rapids of the Pacuare River. This section of the river features some of the most exciting rapids the Pacuare has to offer. We navigate the river through virgin rainforest, cascading waterfalls and river-carved canyons on our way to the Caribbean lowlands and the end of our challenge. Along the way we take time out to do a side hike to some waterfalls and have lunch on the shore. The finish line is at Finca Pacuarito, near the town of Siquirres. We return to San Jose, appreciating the breathtaking views as we pass through Braulio Carillo National Park. Tonight we have a dinner and party to celebrate the end of our adventure! A kit list will be sent to you on receipt of registration. Many everyday items can be used on this challenge, and we offer a kit hire service to keep costs down. If you are planning on travelling to Costa Rica before the challenge or wish to organise your own flights, we do offer a land only option, with a significant discount off the trip price. You will be required to meet your group at the hotel on day two of the itinerary. Please email us for more information Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Distance: 20 km DAY 7 - Arrival in UK Transfer to the airport for your return flight to London. training weekends / briefings We run a number of training weekends throughout the year in the Peak District, Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia. These are fully-inclusive - 2 night s accommodation and all meals. We also organise training days in London and the North and South downs. On both, you will get the chance to meet our mountain leaders and test out your kit and fitness! You will also receive an invite to a challenge briefing in central London. Alcoholic drinks Drinks and food outside of meals, other than water Personal kit / equipment Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as applied by airlines. Please note that this is capped at a maximum of 150.
payment options A REGISTRATION DEPOSIT of 399 (for 2014) is required to secure your place. We offer 2 deposit payment options: OPTION 1: Deposit paid in full, by card at the time of registration. OPTION 2: Deposit paid in two 50/50 split payments. The first 50% is paid when you register and the second is charged to your payment card at the end of the following month. For this option, a 10 supplement will be charged with the first instalment. ATOL is a scheme that protects you from losing money or being stranded abroad if your travel company collapses. Action Challenge is 100% ATOL bonded, which provides you with full financial protection. On receipt of your registration fee, you will receive an ATOL certificate explaining your protection. Once registered, there are 3 PAYMENT OPTIONS to fund the balance of the trip cost. Full details are on our website. 1) SELF FUNDED For anyone who wants to pay for the entire trip themselves. It s then completely up to you whether or not you choose to raise any money for a charity of your choice. The total all inclusive cost of this trip is 1,799 (for 2014), which, after you pay the 399 Registration Deposit, leaves a balance of 1,400. This final balance is due for payment 10 weeks before your departure along with any fuel surcharges levied by the airline. 2) SPONSORSHIP FUNDED This is for anyone who wants to take on this challenge and will link it with fundraising a significant sum of money for a charity of their choice. You would have to raise at least 2,800 (for 2014) via sponsorship and donations from friends, family and colleagues, and be confident at the outset that you can achieve this total. Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least 2,800 (for 2014), your charity will pay for the balance of your trip costs to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,400 (the same as if you were you were Self Funded ) - the charity will retain at least 1,400 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. how to book To book on to this challenge, please visit our website; www.actionchallenge.com for a full list of prices and all available dates. private groups If you are a charity, business, school or private group with a minimum of 10 people and fancy your own bespoke trip, please call us on +44(0)207609 6695 or you can send us an email to events@actionchallenge.com for more information. 3) MIXED FUNDED A mix of the 2 options above! You pay about half the trip cost yourself, and also fundraise for your charity. They pay the remaining balance of your trip costs. Ideal for anyone who wants to take on the challenge and also fundraise for a charity, BUT is happy to pay a reasonable proportion of the trip cost themselves, which with your registration deposit, is set at a level that covers at least the costs of flights & accommodation; perfect for those who feel more at ease asking for sponsorship in respect to the challenge component of their trip. Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least 2,100 (for 2014), your charity will pay a portion of your trip cost to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 850 At the same time, you will be required to pay the remaining balance yourself, which will be a figure of 550 (These two amounts add up to the same as the Self Funded final balance) - the charity will retain at least 1,250 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. @actionchallenge www.facebook.com/actionchallenge Action Challenge UK Ltd United House North Road London N7 9DP United Kingdom