Your generous donation helps to save and change lives every day.
Your charitable investment will go toward ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need.
Overview
The Need
Costa Rica has a two-tiered healthcare system, however, there are still strong health disparities. The poor and lower class of Costa Rica greatly outnumber the middle and upper class. Consequently, this uneven distribution of wealth has made it difficult for many struggling families to access the healthcare they need. Costa Rica’s tropical weather attracts many tourists each year, but this climate also brings multiple mosquito- and water-borne illnesses.
One of the primary goals of clinic is to help the Costa Rican government’s ongoing effort to increase personal hygiene by educating residents about the importance of proper hand washing techniques. During clinic, you and the rest of the volunteer team will educate locals on how to stay healthy and how to care for their loved ones. You can expect to provide infectious wound care, nutrition information, and education on proper family care. Your patients will also require treatment for stomach issues, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory infections. One of the main focuses of this mission is dentistry. Community members from both Costa Rica and Nicaragua are encouraged to attend clinic, so the demand for dental care will be high.
Our Work
International Medical Relief began partnering with Costa Rica in 2019. IMR will continue our preventative efforts by providing medical relief and sustainable health services to the community that include community health training, medical treatments, medical supplies and equipment, and clinic operations. IMR strives to continue to help the Costa Rican government’s ongoing effort to increase personal hygiene by educating residents about the importance of proper hand washing techniques.
With diligent planning and preparation, IMR is dedicated to ensuring that specific goals are met on our missions, each in correlation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 17.
IMR works to elevate vulnerable populations through shoulder-to-shoulder care with our local partners, creating workforce density, and a cadre of future healthcare and public health leaders in association to UNSDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing.
In correlation with UNSDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our organization works in collaboration and at the request of local hosts where we are under their direct influence and affluence. IMR never goes into a country without a formal invitation where there is a great community need for medical or dental care, and health education.
This Mission
Costa Rica is home to 800 miles of expansive beaches, three volcanic mountain ranges, several rainforests, countless valleys, and vast wetlands. Nearly half of the country is covered by dense forest, and one-quarter of the country’s jungle is protected land. The forests here are inclusive of tropical rainforests, dry forests, and clouded forests. Together, they provide habitats for over 1,500 species of amphibians, birds, and mammals, which is almost 5% of the Earth’s biodiverse makeup. The charming and friendly people who inhabit the country have immigrant ancestors from countries including Spain, Jamaica, and China. As such, the nation’s rich culture has evolved from its Spanish European and indigenous histories.
Lodging/Transportation
You will stay in a safe and comfortable hotel with bottled water and excellent meals cooked to American standards provided by IMR throughout your stay. Transportation is provided for your team by professional drivers in safe vehicles. You will be a remote area of Costa Rica caring for patients with little or no access to care so be prepared for a little jungle time!
Highlights
Families will be the highlight of your clinic days. Multigenerational families will be the heart of every clinic. You will be able to provide care for the entire family, ensuring their health and well-being for years to come. There will be lots of opportunities to provide education around well-baby care, nutrition, and hygiene – which fits well with Costa Rica’s ongoing efforts to increase the effectiveness of handwashing.
Arrive early or extend your stay for some ziplining, jungle walks, bird watching, perfect beaches, waterfalls, adventure parks, volcanos, hot springs, surfing, horseback riding, monkeys, and more await your exploration in this beautiful and wild country. IMR can help you arrange the perfect add-on to your service trip!
Extend Your Stay
You’re journeying across the globe. Why not extend your stay in Costa Rica to experience some of its top tourist attractions? Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner, Worldwide Navigators!
Worldwide Navigators offers two opportunities to extend your time in Costa Rica to create an amazing vacation following your humanitarian work. Contact Worldwide Navigators to book one of these extensions or get more information.
Highlights:
- Explore La Fortuna, undoubtedly one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful destinations, teeming with colorful gardens and views of the mammoth Arenal Volcano. Adventures on this extension include an open-air gondola ride, tree-top zip line experience, and hanging bridge excursion.
- Experience the Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo and explore Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge to see a wide range of amazing wildlife indigenous to Costa Rica.
See the Extensions tab on this page for details on these amazing experiences!
Itinerary at a Glance
Arrivals & Optional Training Day
Clinic
Clinic
Departures
Please View Full Itinerary in the Next Tab
Sustainable Impact
Your Journey
Weather
-
Average Hourly Temperature in San Jose, Costa Rica ©WeatherSpark.com
-
Average High and Low Temperature in San Jose, Costa Rica ©WeatherSpark.com
Clinic Photos
Gallery
Full Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to change without notice.
You will need to arrange your flight destination to be Liberia International Airport (LIR) and arrive by 2pm. If you need assistance booking flights, please contact Worldwide Navigators, our preferred travel agency, at travel@worldwidenavigators.com. You may also choose to arrange transportation from the airport to your accommodation in Upala, which you may purchase from within your portal under Trip Add-Ons.
Arrivals & Optional Training Day
You will fly into Liberia International Airport and transfer to Upala, a small town close to the border of Nicaragua.
Arrive early if you’d like to participate in providing training for local healthcare providers to continue IMR’s long-term, sustainable education efforts. Education is as important as medical and dental care for our patients. Each clinic includes basic health education according to the specialties and skills of the IMR volunteers, as well as the needs of the local people. When communities become empowered to take health and wellness issues into their own hands, they become self-sufficient. IMR provides learning opportunities for the local communities through classes and hands-on learning to sustain their well-being beyond our visit.
That evening, you’ll meet up with the rest of the team and attend the team orientation. Your team leader will assign roles for clinic, address IMR’s clinic protocols, and discuss the communities you will be serving in Upala.
Clinic
You and the team will wake up to breakfast provided by your accommodation and gear up for a long day in clinic! Clinic sites will be close by and set up in community centers, schools, and churches. Hundreds of Nicaraguan families and children are crossing the border each day, so you will have an opportunity to help many people in great need.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Clinic
You and the rest of the volunteer team will have the opportunity to educate patients on how to stay healthy and how to care for their loved ones. You may share information on infectious wound care, nutrition, and proper family care.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Departures
Wake up and enjoy your last morning in Costa Rica with breakfast at your accommodation. You may depart for the airport at any time, or stay and continue to explore Costa Rica.
If you’re interested in extending your stay, our partner Worldwide Navigators offers exclusive trip extensions just for IMR volunteers! See the extensions tab on this page for details.
Meals: Breakfast,
Your Journey
Clinic Photos
Extension Photos
Extensions
You’re journeying across the globe. Why not extend your stay in Costa Rica to experience some of its top tourist attractions? Join us on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner Worldwide Navigators and some visit of the area’s highlights.
Worldwide Navigators offers two opportunities to extend your time in Costa Rica to create an amazing vacation following your humanitarian work. Contact Worldwide Navigators to book one of these extensions or get more information.
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Highlights:
- Explore La Fortuna, undoubtedly one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful destinations, teeming with colorful gardens and views of the mammoth Arenal Volcano.
- Experience a gondola ride and zip line at the Arenal Volcano.
- Walk the rainforest canopy on the Arenal hanging bridges and splash at La Fortuna Waterfall.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in San Jose | La Fortuna
After landing in the charming Costa Rican capital of San Jose, travel to the quaint town of La Fortuna. Just a few hours northwest of the capital, La Fortuna is undoubtedly one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful destinations, teeming with colorful gardens and views of the mammoth Arenal Volcano around every bend.
Spend the afternoon relaxing at your hotel before capping your night with dinner at a lively La Fortuna restaurant. From fine dining to ultra-casual eats, La Fortuna has an almost endless variety of dining options, with something for every taste and every budget.
Day 2: Arenal Volcano | Zip Lines & Gondola Panoramic Views
Spend the day taking part in two adventurous activities!
Your day will start riding an open-air gondola from the ground to the heights where you’ll be dropped off an at observation area for fantastic views. From this area, you will start riding down on a zip line track stretching across canyons and in between treetops. The exhilarating adventure of zip lining down the mountainside ultimately returns you to the starting point at the main building.
Day 3: Arenal Hanging Bridges | La Fortuna Waterfall
To maximize your limited time in the area, we have designed an alternative to show you the main attractions located around the volcano. There is no doubt that the forests are one of the highlights. Therefore, we will first visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges to walk through the forest along trails and bridges that allow you to see plants and animals from high above.
In the afternoon, you will arrive at the second place of interest, the La Fortuna Waterfall, famous for its height of 60 meters. There you can take a refreshing swim in its cool waters or take pictures of its beauty. At the end of the trail, you will enjoy a delicious fruit break to recharge your batteries.
Day 4: La Fortuna to San Jose | Departure Home
After your morning breakfast and checkout, say goodbye to this picture-perfect village and head to San Jose where you’ll catch your flight home.
What’s Included:
- 4-Day, 3-Night Tour
- Ground Transportation
- 2.5 to 3-Star Accommodations
- Daily Activities & Excursions
- 2 Meals Per Day
- Tours & Entrance Fees
- 24-Hour Emergency Service
You Will Need to Provide:
- Customary Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Souvenirs/Gifts
- Currency Exchange Fees
4-Day, 3-Night All-Inclusive Tour starts at $900. Contact Worldwide Navigators to book this extension or get more information.
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Highlights:
- Explore the unique town of Puerto Viejo, situated on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica
- Discover Cahuita National Park, home to the largest coral reef system in Costa Rica as well as many animals
- Walk along lush and lively rainforest trails of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Puerto Viejo
After landing in the charming Costa Rican capital of San Jose, travel to the beachside town of Puerto Viejo, about a 4-hour drive away. Situated on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica near the border of Panama, Puerto Viejo is much less crowded than tourist towns on the Pacific side, with a diverse array of visitors and locals. You won’t find fast food chains or high-rise hotels here, but you will see colorful homes, exquisite uncrowded beaches, and exotic wildlife. Take a deep breath of warm ocean air and spend your first day getting settled into Paradise.
Day 2: Jaguar Rescue Center | Chocolate House | Waterfall Tour
Discover the Jaguar Animal Rescue Center located near Playa Cocles. This center serves as a refuge and rehabilitation center for many local animals including members of the cat family, monkeys, snakes and more.
At the Chocolate House, learn the process in which indigenous chocolate is made by the people who know it best. Watch a demonstration of the process, from the growing of the Cacao plant to the making of chocolate. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a hike to a beautiful waterfall.
Day 3: Hike to Cahuita National Park
You’ll hike through the Cahuita National Park beginning in the community of Cahuita, along white beaches and up to Cahuita Point. Then you’ll have the chance to relax and swim in the calm water of the Caribbean Sea.
Day 4: Puerto Viejo to San Jose | Departure Home
After your morning breakfast and checkout, say goodbye to the sleepy seaside village and head to San Jose where you’ll catch your flight home. Promise yourself you’ll come back soon!
What’s Included:
- 4-Day, 3-Night Tour
- Ground Transportation
- 2.5 to 3-Star Accommodations
- Daily Activities & Excursions
- 2 Meals Per Day
- Tours & Entrance Fees
- 24-Hour Emergency Service
You Will Need to Provide:
- Customary Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Souvenirs/Gifts
- Currency Exchange Fees
4-Day, 3-Night All-Inclusive Tour Starts at $900. Contact Worldwide Navigators to book this extension or get more information.
Minimum Donation
Your generous donation of $950 will go toward the ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need. A small portion of your donation includes:
- Clinic supplies and medications for patients
- Clinic participation
- Transportation, accommodations, and meals as outlined in the itinerary
Donation Payment Deadlines
$850 due by October 31, 2024
$950 due by January 1, 2025
Early Bird Savings Opportunity
To be eligible, the participant must upload ALL your required documents and forms, sign their liability form and make your 50% donation including your $35 application fee by October 31, 2024. This savings opportunity does not apply to disaster relief missions.
Featured Enhancements
**To purchase any of the above Featured Enhancements for your mission, please contact our office at office@imrus.org or call at (970) 635-0110.
Your Donation to IMR for Your Mission Cost Includes:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Costs associated with the clinic
- Food
- Tips for services provided to the IMR team
- All logistics, including translation services and security as needed
Additional Costs That You Are Responsible For:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- International and Domestic flights to the country.
- Passport fees, visa fees, and transit fees, including baggage or overnight accommodations/meals while in transit
- Required or recommended insurance
- Vaccinations and medications common for travel
- Spending money for souvenirs and personal purchases
- Required or desired mission supplies, personal equipment, or small gifts for the special people you meet
- Any lodging, meals, and transportation outside of the scheduled team mission, payable at the time of service to the local vendor
- COVID-related fees such as testing, vaccinations, and quarantines as required by in-country arrival/departure or USA arrival/departure
- Each team member is responsible for carrying medical supplies for the deployment. All fees associated with transport are the responsibility of the volunteer.
Financial FAQs
Prepare to Go
A Walk Through Clinic
Download the Team Guide
