Questions, answered

No. The race is open to amateurs and professionals, individuals and teams. The Adventure category (135 km) was designed precisely so that any committed trail runner can live the full experience — same camps, same finish line, shorter daily distances.

Expedition is the full 249 km: long days and big climbs, for experienced stage racers. Adventure covers 135 km over the same six days with shorter stages. If this is your first multi-stage race, Adventure is the smart start; if you race ultras regularly, Expedition is the true test.

Nearly everything from San José onward: transport from the host hotel to the start and back after the finish, an individual tent pitched and packed daily by staff, three cooked meals every race day, stocked aid stations, full medical coverage (U.S. and Costa Rican doctors, EMTs, on-call medical helicopters), the event shirt, finisher's medal and the awards dinner.

International flights, hotel nights before and after race week in San José, personal running gear, and insurance. The gearbox (your main bag) isn't provided — bring your own, though the organization can source one for a fee on request. Massages aren't included, and official race photography is available for purchase. Travel/event insurance and medical insurance — covering rescue, helicopter evacuation and repatriation — are mandatory for all participants.

In a tent at the race's traveling base camp, for all six nights. Tents come in 1-, 2- and 4-person sizes, assigned by availability — a solo racer may get a 2-person tent, two may share a 4-person, and companions can share a tent with their racer. Staff pitch it before you arrive and pack it after you leave — you just run. Bring a lightweight sleeping bag or blanket, a pad and a pillow.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are prepared daily by the race's nutritionist and catering team, plus afternoon coffee at camp. Aid stations on course carry fresh fruit, water, electrolyte drinks and snacks — and the race works hard to keep them as plastic-free as possible, so bring your own cup or soft flask. Most racers also bring personal snacks, gels and recovery shakes to supplement.

WeTravel is our official, secure payment provider. A deposit secures your slot — the amount differs by edition and is shown with that edition's price — and the balance is completed on the payment schedule set in the WeTravel checkout, with full payment due before November 15th of the year before the race. You can also pay in one step, or by Wise or direct bank transfer. Deposits are non-refundable, which is why insurance is mandatory: refund claims go through your insurer.

Qualified U.S. and Costa Rican doctors and EMTs travel with the race, and medical helicopters are on call throughout. Foot-care and blister stations at camp are part of the daily routine. The course is marked and swept, and stages may be adjusted for safety, tides and conditions.

February is dry season on Costa Rica's Pacific coast: hot days, high humidity, strong sun — and still the chance of tropical showers, especially in the rainforest sections. You'll cross several microclimates in a single stage. Heat training before you arrive pays off more than extra mileage.

Yes — and they live the whole journey, not a hotel room. The companion package includes all in-race transportation (buses and boats); companions sleep at the same camps — and can share a tent with their racer — and eat the same meals (companion rate, with a reduced rate for kids under 12). Many racers say it's the best shared vacation they've ever taken.

Fly into San José (SJO). Official registration and reception happen at the host hotel on the Saturday before the race, and the race start is Sunday — so plan to land Friday or Saturday at the latest. Transport from the host hotel to the start, and back after the finish, is included.

Camps have charging stations (a power bank is still smart — they get busy). Phone signal comes and goes: parts of the course are genuinely remote, which is rather the point. Bring some cash in colones for sodas and snacks from local vendors along the way.

Yes. All transportation during race week is included — the transfers from San José to the start and back after the finish, and every move between stages and camps, including the bus rides and the boat sections. The companion package includes all of this transportation too. (International flights and your San José hotel nights are separate.)