No problemo! That’s why you are coming to Costa Rica. We’ll have more than one local Costa Rican Spanish instructor and a few different skill levels are offered such as beginner and intermediate.

This retreat is primarily about learning the ukulele and Spanish, but we will offer recovery workshops as well. Itinerary is subject to change, but you can expect to see the following. 

– Guided walking excursions on the nature trails at Venado Ranch. Learn to identify the birds that call Costa Rica home. 

– Meditation, journaling, and bird watching on raised platforms at Venado Ranch. 

– Group breath-work in nature

– Sound healing – Harmonize and sync your energy centers with music and vibration

– The Divine Connection – With your feet grounded in the sand, use the breath to connect with the stars, planets, and galaxies.

Connect, Connect, Connect: We feel the workshops are solid, but the most impactful part of the retreat are the connections that you’ll make. You’ll find yourself in structured small groups where you’ll build friendships that last a lifetime.

Like all Recovery Elevator retreats, laughter and fun are built into every aspect of the trip.

There is plenty of free time built into this trip, so you have time to relax, read, and hang out at the beach!

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

Please book flights that arrive no later than 7 PM on Saturday, October 17. The last shuttle will leave the airport at 8 pm. If you cannot find a flight that arrives before 7 PM, you can arrive on Friday the 16th and stay the night at the Hilton Garden Inn located across from the airport and the transport shuttle will pick you up there on the morning of Saturday the 17th around 11 am.

Departure

Book flights for anytime after 9:00 AM on Saturday, October 24. We will coordinate the return shuttles for you. If you’re flight is before 9 AM, you may have to take a shuttle the night before and stay at the Hilton Garden Inn near the airport.

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

This retreat is perfect for someone who wants to learn ukulele and Spanish while connecting and traveling with others who have also ditched the booze. Whether you’re a complete beginner or already know a few chords, this trip is for those seeking to grow mentally, physically, and spiritually through music, language, and community 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’re hoping to establish deeper connections with others, yourself, the planet, the birds, the ocean, stars, and more – all while strumming your way to new skills and maybe ordering your morning coffee in Spanish – then we’ll see you there!

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

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 in the small town of Venado, located about 55 minutes south of the tourist town of Tamarindo. And the big difference is this trip is specifically focused on learning the ukulele and Spanish! We’re excited to offer this new retreat.

We are visiting Guanacaste, Costa Rica in the rainy season. This doesn’t mean it rains all day every day, but there’s a good chance you’ll experience some rain storms, which are beautiful to watch. Most likely, we’ll be learning the ukulele indoors so the rain won’t affect our plans. Temperatures will be in the low 90’s during the day and in the 70’s at night. While it can still rain at any time, there’s a good chance we’ll have daily sunshine. There is still humidity, but much less than during peak rainy season. Bring sunscreen, but also pack a rain poncho 🙂

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.

Nope, not physically challenging, but we will be doing nature walks and the temperature and humidity can be intense at times. You can always sit activities out if needed.

We have 20 single rooms reserved at the Playa Lagarto Eco-Devolopment which is located 10 minutes from Venado, Ranch. These are two bedroom condos that have a shared kitchen and living area. There is a large pool, on site restaurant, and yoga platform.

Clothing/footwear/misc

•Ukulele of course!

• Sandals/flip-flops

• Shoes

• Rain Jacket

• Shorts/skirts

• Sun hat/bandana

• Swimwear

• Reusable water bottle

• Shirts/t-shirts

• 2 Long Sleeve Shirts

• Small travel towel

• Sunglasses

• 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)

• Bugspray

• 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)

Yes, you can rent a ukulele for $65 for the week. Supplies limited, so ask when you book. 

Recovery Elevator podcast host Paul Churchill is the retreat leader and is teaching ukulele as well. 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.

Expect additional ukulele instructors based on retreat registration. You can expect about 1 ukulele teacher or Spanish instructor for every 5-7 students.

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

It’s recommended you bring US American dollars. Bring clean (not ripped) $20 bills. All businesses accept $20 bills in good condition. It may be hard to use larger bills such as $50 or $100 bills since businesses may not be able to make change.

We recommend bringing an additional $150-$200 for meals not included. In addition, if you’d like to book optional excursions such as zip-lining, surfing, paddleboarding, horseback riding, or snorkeling, then budget $85 per activity.

All businesses in Costa Rica accept the US Dollar, so don’t worry about exchanging money.

Since we are traveling to remote areas, access to an ATM may not be possible so please bring enough spending money for the whole trip.

Almost all locations accept major credit cards. Check with your bank first to see if international fees apply, but usually this 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.

Is the water safe to drink? YES – 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 that is a wonderful thing.

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.