Frequently Asked Questions

The Las Nubes Expedition begins and ends in San José, the capital of Costa Rica, but mostly takes place in the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor (COBAS – Spanish acronym). COBAS is located at the foot of Chirripó Mountain, the highest peak in Costa Rica. This area contains the Las Nubes Biological Reserve as well as 7 communities spread around the Peñas Blancas river. It takes approximately 4 hours to drive from San José to COBAS by bus. Click Here to open the location in Google Maps.

Research projects rotate based on time of year and the schedule of visiting experts, but may include the following: - Wildlife monitoring: mammals, herpetofauna, benthic macroinvertebrates, birds, bats, insects - Forest structure: species richness, aboveground biomass - Environmental monitoring: precipitation, humidity, temperature

Expedition itineraries tie in with both high school and university curricula. Our lecture series can be tailored to meet specific learning requirements. We are happy to work with you and your school to make an expedition count towards your diploma.

You will be living with one or two other participants from the expedition, in the home of a local family. Homes may be rustic, but you will have all the basics, including internet. All participating homestay families have experience hosting people from abroad and are excited to share their customs with you.

All expeditions will be led in English, but your homestay family will likely only speak Spanish. We will teach you key phrases in Spanish at the beginning of the trip, but it may be useful to use a translator like Google Translate. It’s not a problem if you don’t speak Spanish as long as you are respectful and make an effort to communicate with your host family in other ways. It’s all part of the learning experience!

Each expedition includes a health and safety orientation, ensuring participants are aware of the hazards of the area. While out in the field, participants will always be accompanied by experienced guides trained in Wilderness First Aid. Mondo Eco-Expeditions takes every effort to prevent injury and illness, but accidents may still happen. For the Las Nubes Expedition, the nearest hospital is in the city San Isidro de El General, which is a 30 minute drive from the Las Nubes Reserve. Please let us know in advance if you have any allergies or other medical conditions that we should be aware of.

Yes we can! Mondo works with host families to ensure meal options are available for everyone. Please let us know your dietary restrictions in advance.

Cost varies depending on expedition length and if there are any special requests. Contact us for more information, including details on our incentive program for group organizers.

The cost of each expedition includes accommodation, food, transportation and activities for the length of the itinerary. It does not include airfare, insurance or anything you choose to do on your own before and after the expedition. Each participant must provide proof of emergency medical insurance for the duration of the expedition. Let us know if you or your group needs assistance in purchasing airfare and insurance.

We are currently only booking groups for expeditions, but if you're an individual please contact us to see how you can get involved.

Even if you can't join an expedition, we're always looking for researchers, experienced field guides and program ambassadors. Please contact us for more information.