Book flights arriving and departing from Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica. There are several daily direct flights from major cities in the USA. Southwest also flies to Liberia.

Arrivals

Book flights for anytime on Saturday, January 15th, but keep in mind the welcome dinner starts at 6 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn which is across the street from the airport.

Departure

Book flights departing after 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 22nd. We’ll arrange return shuttles to the airport. If you book a flight earlier than 11:00 AM, you will need to shuttle to Liberia the night before and stay at the Hilton Garden Inn at your own expense.

Please email your flight info to info@recoveryelevator.com when you have it.

This retreat is for someone who wishes to connect & travel with others who have also ditched the booze. This trip is for those seeking to grow mentally, physically and spiritually in one of the most beautiful countries in the world – Costa Rica. The average sobriety time on this retreat is usually around 6-12 months. The retreat is not 12-step based, and we believe there is no right or wrong way to quit drinking, and remain alcohol-free.

If you are hoping to establish deeper connections with others, yourself, the planet, the birds, the ocean, stars and more, then we’ll see you there. 

If this event isn’t for you, check out our events page for other types of events.

**This retreat is not a replacement for treatment or other detoxing services.**

All of our travelers must have Emergency Medical Travel Insurance that will cover the dates of the tour. This policy must meet the following criteria: (1) Medical Expenses coverage, (2) includes an emergency evacuation benefit, and (3) includes repatriation to your home country. The medical expenses, evacuation, and repatriation benefits must, when combined together, cover for at least $200,000.00 USD per traveler.

Several travel insurance companies provide this service, and you may find a cheaper provider than the ones we recommend below. Please budget anywhere from $125-250 for this depending on your level of comfort.

BattleFace is the travel insurance company that most of our travelers use. This company is usually the most affordable and a policy can be obtained in less than 15 minutes.

John Hancock Ins. Agency offers three different plan types (Gold, Silver, Bronze) that meet our mandatory requirements and provides you with the best protection based on your budget. They offer toll-free, 24/7 multilingual emergency assistance services to help arrange any care you may need while away from home.

NOTE: The Cancel For Any Reason Option must be purchased with the Gold, Silver or Bronze Plan within 14 Days of confirming your tour to qualify for the change of mind benefits. The Cancel For Any Reason Option allows you to cancel your trip, no less than 2 days prior to the scheduled departure date, and get back 75% of the prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits for the covered trip arrangements. The Cancel for Any Reason option is not available in New York State.

Our previous trips to Costa Rica have been tours to different regions of the country where we stayed in hotels for 2-3 nights, then traveled to the next location. On this retreat, we’ll have one home base and take day trips to Venado Ranch, and to the pristine beaches of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast. This format lowers the cost of the trip and less time is spent in buses traveling. There is so much to see and do in Guanacaste!

We are visiting Guanacaste, Costa Rica in the dry season. It can still rain at any time, but there’s a good chance we’ll have daily sunshine with no rain. Temperatures are in the low 90’s during the day and in the 70’s at night. There is still humidity, but much less than in the rainy season. Bring plenty of sunscreen, but also pack a small rain poncho just in case.

We want to ensure that attendees are not detoxing from alcohol at the retreat. We also want to mention this retreat is not a substitute for in-patient or out-patient treatment.

Yes, at times during this retreat you will find yourself sweating in the hot sun of Costa Rica, which is very healthy for you. We will be doing some fitness challenges and group movement but you can always go at your own pace or sit an activity out. We give this trip a 3/5 on the difficulty scale. 

We’ll spend Night 1 (Saturday, January 15th) at the Hilton Garden Inn, then move to Latica Lodge in Playa Negra for the remaining six nights.

Latica Lodge has an amazing pool and spacious air-conditioned rooms. Recovery Elevator has reserved the entire property for our guests, so you can expect an intimate, close-knit experience.

Clothing/footwear/misc

• Sandals/flip-flops

• Shoes

• Shorts/skirts

• Sun hat/bandana

• Swimwear

• Reusable water bottle

• Shirts/t-shirts

• 2 long-sleeve shirts

• Small travel towel

• Headlamp

• Binoculars

• Plastic rain poncho (available for under $5 at most outdoor stores)

• Sunglasses

• Sunscreen

• 1 pair of pants

• Toiletries 

• Earplugs

• Small day pack bag

• Journal and pen

• Eye mask (optional for breathwork)

• Bug spray

• Extra spending money ($300-$500). Bring cash (US Dollars) and a debit card

Documents:

• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at customs)

• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)

• Passport (required) (With photocopies)

Recovery Elevator podcast host Paul Churchill is the retreat leader. He has been hosting retreats internationally since 2018 and feels the extra distance from home helps attendees “drop into” the full retreat experience. He strives to create an environment where people can be themselves without alcohol.

In addition, we are working with local Costa Rica guides for nature excursions, local surf instructors, local chefs, and local transportation companies.

It’s recommended that you bring US dollars — clean, unripped $20 bills work best. Most businesses accept $20 bills in good condition, but larger bills like $50s or $100s can be hard to use since businesses may not be able to make change.

We recommend budgeting an additional $300–$500 for meals not included, snacks, shopping, souvenirs, and other personal expenses.

Nearly all businesses in Costa Rica accept US dollars, so there’s no need to exchange money ahead of time. Since we’ll be traveling to remote areas, ATM access may not be possible, so please bring enough cash for the entire trip.

Most locations also accept major credit cards. Check with your bank beforehand to see if international fees apply, though this usually isn’t an issue.

Costa Rica is incredibly safe. We have been bringing guests to Costa Rica for several years and have not had any issues. The country has done a tremendous job building its tourism infrastructure and they place a high priority on the safety of tourists.

The water is safe to drink.  This is a HUGE bonus. Less nausea and less plastic.

Wildlife: Yes there are jaguars, black panthers, crocodiles, and pumas, but encounters with humans are extremely rare. The most venomous snakes in Costa Rica, the Bushmaster and Fer de Lance, are not in Guanacaste, so no worries there.

Costa Rica is overall a very safe country to visit, but you’ll still want to be smart and self aware.

It won’t hurt to know a couple of phrases like donde esta el baño, but if you don’t speak Spanish, no problemo. Guides speak to the group in English and can help you out if you need a translator. Plus, English is commonly spoken in Costa Rica.