Costa Rica

Kashrut on Tours

Supervision

Local Rabbinate supervision, with a company mashgiach traveling with the group

Pat Yisrael

Not guaranteed at every destination

Chalav Yisrael

Not guaranteed at every destination

Kosher food is provided to our travelers on all our tours. We work with the local Rabbinate to provide Hashgacha for all local ingredients and fresh meat and poultry. In some cases, we fly in kosher food from Israel and other sources, depending on the destination of the tour. We do not guarantee Pat Israel and Chalav Israel for all destinations. In many destinations we have our own crockery and cutlery. Where we don’t, we provide disposables at the meals. When we cook in hotel kitchens, we ensure proper Kashering and we use our own kitchenware on kashered and covered surfaces. All this is done under the strict supervision of our trained staff/guides that function as our Mashgichim. Our travelers enjoy gourmet meals prepared by our team including fresh local fish, fruit, and vegetables. This is an integral part of Jewish travel. We make great efforts to assure that our travelers will experience local foods first-hand, while maintaining stringent observance of Kashrut laws on all occasions.

Important to Know

• The price of the trip is based on a minimum of 20 paying travelers
• The passenger is responsible for the final updates, all the many changes that are made in the final route after updating domestic flights and changes of travel agents abroad. Tour itineraries undergo changes according to the above, as well as due to serious climatic changes or hazards which require necessary changes. As travel agents, we do not have control over many changes that are required, which are made many months after the tour was originally planned. In the event that the passenger finds it necessary to cancel registration for the tour due to these changes in the itinerary, the passenger will be refunded all his/her money.
• The trip is subject to the conditions and responsibilities as they appear on the website
• Passports must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the return date from the tour
• There may be changes in the itinerary due to changes in internal flight times and other objective reasons

The meals

Breakfast is prepared using our utensils. We use local fresh fruits and vegetables, and we use milk products when they are permitted. We use kosher cereals, and bread. We usually serve hard boiled eggs and sometimes scrambled eggs or omelets. At breakfast, we prepare our lunches so that people have their choice as to what they eat for lunch. We bring food from Israel to supplement what is served in the hotel such as cheeses, peanut butter, tuna, etc. For dinners, we serve either fish or meat (usually chicken) as our main course. In areas where meat is not available nor readily acquired, we will have fish. When possible, we acquire the meat locally from Chabad or other reliable kosher source, and in some cases we fly the meat in from Israel. We try to provide as many meat meals as possible. The main course at dinner is preceded by soup and salad and accompanied by freshly prepared vegetables. Dessert typically consists of fresh fruits. We do not guarantee Pat Israel and Chalav Israel for all destinations. In many destinations we have our own dishes and silverware. Where we don’t, we provide disposables at the meals. When we cook in hotel kitchens, we use our own knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, cooking implements and disposable metal trays. All food preparation is done on covered surfaces under the strict supervision of our trained staff/guides who function as our mashgichim. We make great efforts to assure that our travelers will experience local foods first-hand, while maintaining stringent observance of Kashrut laws on all occasions. On most of our tours, you will be accompanied by two of our staff members- one a guide for the tour who is knowledgeable about the places you are visiting and will accompany you throughout the day and the second, a person who will deal with the logistics of the tour and provide kashrut supervision in the kitchen.

Hotels

It is our aim to provide the finest hotel possible in each area we visit. We require our hotels to allow us to work in the kitchen and to supervise the cooking and there are many hotels that are not willing to cooperate. They simply have no desire for us to be “meddling” in their cooking process nor are they happy about our bringing our equipment into their kitchens. We work very hard to find the best hotel in the area that will meet our requirements. Because we are not ready to compromise on kashrut, we may not always be able to use a five star hotel.

Cancellation Policy

• A $47 per-person administration fee applies to any cancellation after registration.
• 45–60 working days before departure: 30% of the tour price.
• 21–44 working days before departure: 50% of the tour price.
• 7–20 working days before departure: 75% of the tour price.
• Less than 7 working days before departure: 100% of the tour price.
• Working days exclude Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays.