Preparing for Your Trip to Soltara at Goddess Falls in the Diamante Valley, Costa Rica
Your pilgrimage begins, and we can’t wait to welcome you.
Welcome to your comprehensive travel preparation guide for Soltara Healing Center in Diamante Valley, Costa Rica. This step-by-step guide ensures you’re well-prepared for a seamless and stress-free arrival.
Essential Travel Documents & Requirements
- Traveler’s Medical Insurance: Mandatory coverage for your dates of travel. This must be international travel insurance—regular health insurance from your home country typically does not meet this requirement. You’re welcome to use a provider from your own country, or you may purchase coverage through Costa Rican providers such as INS or Sagicor.
- Proof of Onward Travel: Required within the 90-day tourist visa limit. Check your specific country’s requirements.
- Passport & Visa: Ensure your passport is valid for the duration of your stay. Depending on your country of origin, visa requirements may apply.
- Yellow Fever Vaccine: Required if traveling from certain countries such as Peru. See the list here.
- Arrival Form: Once you book your flights, complete your Soltara arrival form.
Airport Shuttle and Transfers
- Arrival: Book flights to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and plan to meet at the Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport at 11 am on Day 1 of your retreat, for an 11:30 am sharp departure with the group shuttle.
- We recommend arriving the day before, in case of any flight delays.
- If flying in on Day 1, your flight must land by 8 am to catch the shuttle.
- Ayahuasca-friendly lunch will be provided for you during travel.
- For any time-sensitive questions or travel updates surrounding your arrival and/or departure, you can contact our Retreat Director Ilan via WhatsApp at +1 (250)-751-5313
- Departure: Group shuttle will depart Soltara at Goddess Falls at 10:00 am on the last day, ensuring you’re back at the Fairfield by Marriott by 2:30 pm.
- We highly recommend departing at least 1 day after your retreat ends.
Independent Arrival
- Check-in is between 4:00 – 5:00 pm if you are coming from elsewhere in Costa Rica or do not wish to travel with the group. Please indicate this on your arrival form.
- Driving Instructions: Use Google Maps for accurate directions to Soltara at Goddess Falls (Hosted at Holos Retreat Center). We recommend saving these directions on your phone or printing a hard copy for easy accessibility during your travel, as there may be areas without phone service. Please review the driving directions to the venue for important details and safety information.
- For any time-sensitive questions or travel updates surrounding your arrival and/or departure, you can contact our Retreat Director Ilan via WhatsApp at +1 (250)-751-5313
- Taxi/Private Transport: For reliable transfers, consider booking with Montezuma Travels. Contact via:
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +506 8814-1370 with Stiven
- Signal: 8814-1370 with Stiven
Accommodation Recommendations
- In San Jose: We recommend staying at the Fairfield by Marriott where the shuttle will pick up on Day 1 of the retreat. They offer a discounted rate of $125 per night plus tax for Soltara guests (discounted rooms can accommodate 1 or 2 guests).
- For the Soltara discount, book 1 of 2 ways:
- Book online with our corporate code:
- Go to Marriott.com
- Under Destination, type/select “Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela”
- Under Rate dropdown list (below Destination), change from “Lowest Regular Rate” to “Corp/Promo Code”
- Type in Code “S5299“
- Select desired rooms, guest #, and stay dates
- Click “Find Hotels” and it will bring up the hotel room pricing for $125 per night/per room for single or double room
- Or, email [email protected] including:
- Full name
- Check-in/out dates
- Number of guests
- Request Soltara corporate rate (code S5299)
- Airport Shuttle is offered for free through Fairfield. Once outside the terminal, look for the shuttle with the hotel logos for Fairfield or Courtyard – you can use either as the hotels are right next to each other. Shuttles run every 30 minutes from 4 am until midnight.
Packing for the Tropics
*Please Note* For the integrity of your process and the safety of our healing container, all guests are required to remain onsite throughout the retreat. We’ll have one guided visit to a nearby waterfall as part of the program — otherwise, we kindly ask you not to plan any offsite activities during your stay.
The weather in Diamante Valley, Costa Rica is tropical but typically mild and pleasant due to its proximity to the Central Valley. Temperatures typically range from 15°C to 26°C (59°F to 79°F). While things can cool down after rain, the sun is very strong. You’ll want to wear light and breathable clothing. In addition to warm weather clothes, we recommend you bring some light loose, long-sleeved shirts and long pants to help protect against sun and occasional mosquitos. The following list covers everything to ensure your journey is as pleasurable as possible!
- Digital and printed copies of your travel insurance
- Sun hat/scarf/bandana to cover head: important for after last ceremony/arcana)
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- Red Flashlight(s): Important! LED RED LIGHT for ceremonies – see example here
- Reusable water bottle
- Lighter(s) (for Mapacho, a sacred jungle tobacco sometimes smoked in ceremony)
- Hand fan (fold out/manual)
- Sneakers/walking shoes
- Sandals or flip-flops
- 1-3 pairs swimming gear
- 1 pair loose fitting, breathable pants
- 1-2 loose fitting, breathable long-sleeved shirts
- Casual/active hot weather attire (enough for 7 days, laundry service available on request)
- 1 Warm sweatshirt (just in case)
- 1 Rain jacket or poncho (May through December – rainy season)
- Insect repellant (natural only, please – no DEET)
- Sunscreen (30+ SPF Recommended) – the sun is very strong here!
- Personal watch (so you don’t have to use your phone for the time)
- Small first-aid kit for scrapes, cuts and bug bites
- Toiletries
- Power adaptor if necessary (our plugs are the same as USA/Canada – Type A/B)
- Necessary medications that have been approved during intake process – please consult with a facilitator before taking any while on your retreat
- Notebook / Journal & pens
- Passport + 2 photocopies of passport
- Money belt/passport wallet
- Bank card with “Plus” or “Visa/MC/AMEX” logo
- Credit card with cash withdrawal option
- Travel/medical insurance information
- USD $300-$1000 (for souvenirs, Shipibo market, meals when not at Soltara, etc. – large Shipibo tapestries can cost $500+ USD depending on size and design)
- Notify financial institution of travel plans
Preparation Support
To help support you before and after your retreat, we are so excited to offer the Soltara Community Platform, hosted in collaboration with the incredible folks at Nectara! This private online space provides a wide variety of resources, virtual events, guided experiences (including themed breathwork, yoga, and meditation sessions), courses, a live feed to connect with other journeyers, and so much more—all expertly curated and organized to help you get the most out of your plant medicine experience.
As part of your retreat package, all approved Soltara guests receive one FREE year of all-access Soltara Plus membership in the Platform! This means you’ll get the best of what both Soltara and Nectara have to offer.
Once you are approved through our intake process, your retreat registration is confirmed (via an email from Soltara Healing Center with the subject line ‘Registration Confirmed’), and you are cleared to book your flights, you will receive the necessary information via email to activate your FREE year of Soltara Plus membership.
Once you’re inside, check out the Start Here page to get situated and learn about what the platform has to offer. We also host monthly Plant Medicine Preparation circles with one of Soltara’s therapists, Kalin Slate. These can help clarify intentions, address anxieties, and set the foundation for the work you will do here. Find out more and sign up for a prep circle under the Premium Events section after you’ve activated your free year of Plus Membership!
If you’d prefer to seek one-on-one support, the Soltara Network section of the Platform can connect you to a wide range of therapists and practitioners we deeply trust, across the spectrum of holistic healing. This includes psychotherapeutic services, compassionate inquiry, somatic and body-based work, and more. (Please note: one-on-one support is a separate service, with rates set by each individual practitioner. You will find more details and contact information within their Network Profiles!)
You can also start exploring the Soltara Community Platform early with a free account. Upon approval for your retreat, your Soltara Plus membership will be added to your existing account, if you have one—just follow the instructions and the access link you will receive from Nectara, shortly after your registration is confirmed. Check out our Integration page for more details!
For other questions, please see our FAQ page. For specific questions about the Soltara Community Platform, please reach out to [email protected]. You may also reach out to our Guest Experience Coordinator at [email protected].
