To be certain of your Visa status, contact the Costa Rican Consulate or Embassy in your home country. Visitors from most of the European countries, Israel, Canada and USA can stay 90 days without applying for a visa.
When you arrive to PachaMama you'll be asked to present a valid health insurance that covers you during your stay in Costa Rica.
Ask about an insurance in your Travel Agency.
No, it is not necessary to get Colones prior to arrival. PachaMama, and almost all other businesses in Costa Rica, accepts U.S. currency. If you should want or need Colones, we can exchange small amounts here in PachaMama or you can go to many local banks to exchange larger amounts. The best is to bring CASH Dollars in small bills or Colones (costarican currency). We do accept credit cards and traveler's cheques as well here, but have also enough cash with you, since we do not have ATM machines here.
A list of recommended hotels in San José can be supplied on demand from our welcome office.
Yes, we accept U.S. Dollars, traveler’s cheques and Visa or MasterCard in PachaMama but we do prefer cash Dollars or Colones (The Costa Rican currency).
We do not have an ATM here on the property of PachaMama but there are few available in the nearby town of Nosara.
Citizens of the U.S. and Canada may enter Costa Rica with a valid passport. Please note that Costa Rican law requires your passport to be valid for at least 90 days after the date you enter the country. This means that if your passport will expire within the next 90 days, you must renew it before your trip. Check with your airline or travel agent for more information. Citizens of other countries should check with the applicable Costa Rican Consulate in your country about rules governing entrance into Costa Rica. You are required to carry your passport with you at all times. If you are stopped by officials, a photocopy with your photo, passport number and entry stamp will usually suffice and is recommended.
Only 100% biodegradable soaps and shampoos are used in PachaMama. All the products that you bring should be natural, including skin and hair products, deodorants, insect repellents, shaving creams, toothpastes, etc. All these can be purchased in the PachaMama shop. A good strong flashlight (preferably an alternative one without using batteries), flip-flops, sandals with a good grip for walk in the forest trails (Crocs shoes are very popular here), beach wear, sunglasses, sun hat, lungi. We provide all bedding's but towels. Please bring your own towel. Mosquito repellent and Tee tree oil is useful, comfortable clothes for yoga and meditations, an umbrella (from May till November), nice to have: a set of white clothes for Satsang, and… good books and DVDs for the PachaMama library
If you bring anything electrical, Costa Rica runs on 110 Volts, 60Hz. If you want to bring 220V equipment, a converter is needed. Please bring only rechargeable batteries!
No shots or vaccinations are needed for a visit to Costa Rica.
Please verify with your local cellular provider that the specific phone you have fits the cellular networks in Costa Rica. Please be aware that reception depends on topographic features and distance from cellular antennas.
There is an internet café in PachaMama and a pass can be purchased at the welcome centre.
Yes, we offer a laundry service to our guests. The charge is $ 5 per load to wash, dry and fold.
Yes, it is easy to rent a car if you wish. You can either arrange it with the major car rental companies before you come or we can help arrange it once you are here. There are several companies that will drop off your rental car here in PachaMama. You will need a valid driver's license, passport and credit card.
The "Jungle Shop" offers health food and you can get all the necessary items for your stay in PachaMama, from biodegradable shampoo to organic chocolate.
During the high season we offer frequent rides to the nearest beach of San Juanillo or you can rent a car in Nosara for your stay.
Nosara is 25 minutes away, offering airport, banks, post office, restaurants and car rental.
Pacha Mama's restaurant "Food-A-Vida" offers 3 fresh vegetarian meals a day. There is no sugar nor dairy products or flour being used. In addition the "Wild Treats" raw-food bar is open all day long offering fresh juices, smoothies and a variety of delicious raw dessert goodies.
Often in the evenings there are activites e.g. movies, dance, singing or other special events.
PachaMama is located about 5 km from Playa Ostional, one of the most important nesting sites of the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Latin America: Hundreds of thousands of females arriving in huge "arribadas" during several nights, digging a hole in the black sand and laying their eggs ( 100 – 110 per animal) into this nest. The biggest arribadas normally occur from July to December. During these mass arrivals, thousands of nests of the animals having landed early are destroyed by the later arriving ones; for this reason the local people from the village are allowed to collect eggs during the first phase of each arribada. Turtle arribadas in Ostional are supervised by the national wildlife protection authorities. During the nesting time we sometimes organize tours to see this spectacular event.
Yes, the water in PachaMama is safe to drink from every faucet on the property. We filter our underground well waters.
All bathrooms are unisex. Toilets and showers are in separate buildings. In the shower area "downtown" there is a few private showers as well as one shared area. Toilets and showers are set in few locations around PachaMama and thus conveniently nearby.
None of the basic or upgraded Casitas are equipped with refrigerators. There is a small fridge in the Family double Casita and in all Houses. There is a communal fridge next to the restaurant.
None of our rooms or facilities have air conditioning or heating. The year round temperature is 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with mild nights.
The standard Casita is simple but comfortable. They can be arranged with two single beds or one king size bed. Each Casita is equipped with a mosquito net for the bed, a small table, a low chair and a reading lamp (in the Upgraded Casita).
All our Casitas have doors without a lock. We have a relatively safe property and have no problem with theft from Casitas. Additionally, we have a safe in our office in which you can store your valuables like cash, credit cards, passports, etc.
Children are welcome in PachaMama .PachaMama kindergarten serves the residents' children between the ages of 1 to 6 years. Visiting children can not join the full daily activies of the kindergarten but are welcome for the kindergarten open free activities, which are 3-4 times a week for one hour and include Yoga, Music, Horseback riding. For more details about the schedule open activities please write to the welcome center. Children older than 6 years will be invited for special events. A family that visits for three months or more can join the kindergarten fulltime. (The kindergarten operates five days a week between 9am to 1pm (Except the period of Silence Retreats and Festivals). Cost is $200 a month.
Yes, very. Even the area around PachaMama has been so far completely safe to walk around at any time of the day and night.
The most convenient way to make international calls is by purchasing the Costa Rican calling cards and using the public phone in San Juanillo. They can be purchased at most of the supermarkets and hotels in the area as well as here in PachaMama. For emergencies there is also a phone available on the property.
The winter season, December-April, is warm and dry with clear blue skies, with average temperatures ranging from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit (or 25 to 35 degrees Celsius). June thru November is our Green Season. The mornings from June through September are usually clear and sunny with light rains beginning in the late afternoon. October is the peak of the rainy season, when rains can last all day. If you arrive in San Jose, long pants and a sweater may be needed, as it is high in the mountains and cooler.
Encouraging people to dive deeper into the PachaMama experience, a minimum period of 2 weeks visit is highly recommended. Unless booking for a specific workshop, a minimum charge of a two weeks stay is required from all visitors.
Three times a year we hold Silence Retreats for one week. Pacha Mama is closed for new arrivals during these Silence Retreats. New arrivals are asked to come after the Retreat has ended (or before it starts).
During the Retreats PachaMama is in Silence. All public places in the commune are in Silence without any children activities. You have to organize a babysitter for your child if you want to participate in the Retreat.
Yes, there are many beautiful camping spots. Toilets and showers are nearby. You must bring your own camping equipment. See Price List for camping fees.
There are many options depending on your needs. You can buy a one-hour card or a one-year card and anything in between. A one-hour card costs $ 6. A 5-hour card costs $ 25. A one-week card is $ 25 and a one-month card costs $ 59. In general it gets cheaper the more you use it. It is also cheaper if a couple shares their card.
Yes, you can connect with your laptop in the Internet Café and it costs the same as if you would buy Internet cards.
No, you have to bring everything yourself or buy it in San Jose. That means tent, air mattress, sleeping bag, sheets, towels and mosquito nets.
As much as you are comfortable carrying around. There is no luggage carrying service in PachaMama.
Smoking in PachaMama is not permitted in any public places and smokers can not attend satsang.
The space of Satsang is a smoking free zone as habits are a sleeping pill and Satsang is a wake-up call. Clarification: Satsang is only available for people who completely let go of this habit.
