Day 1 San Jose Costa Rica
Day 2 Tortuguero (first day) The best natural expedition awaits you today. Your expert guide will meet you early at the hotel. You will start traveling northeast to the Caribbean lowlands. You will stop for breakfast at a local restaurant in Guapiles town. After breakfast, you will continue to La Pavona dock, there you will board the special boat that will take you to the Laguna Lodge.
This afternoon, you will have a guided tour to the Village of Tortuguero where you will visit the Turtle Museum and walk around the town to learn about the relaxed way of life in the Caribbean. Your guide will explain to you how this village developed and why they changed their minds about turtle conservation.
Day 3 Tortuguero National Park This morning, after breakfast, you have a boat tour on the Tortuguero National Park with the company of a local expert nature guide. The small boats go deep into the canals of the national park, further beyond where other boats can go. Due to the ability to explore further into the canals, you will have the opportunity to find rarer species of wildlife.
NOTE: The entrance fee to Tortuguero National Park is not included. It is $15 USD per person.
This afternoon, your guide will take you to a private nature trail where you have an exploring guided walk inside the jungle. The walk is relaxed and slow pace as this is a flat trail. The rest of the day is at your leisure; you can relax at the swimming pool, take a cocktail admiring the river lagoon or spend the afternoon on the beach.
Day 4 Caribbean lunch and on our way to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca Today after breakfast, the guide will meet you at the main dock of the hotel to return by boat to Pavona
Day 5 Caribbean Cooking Class (Chicken or Vegetarian) It is said that the best way to understand a culture is through food, so let ?s get cooking in beautiful Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica! You will learn new culinary skills that will leave you understanding the healthy and fresh ways that the native Afro Caribbean culture eats at home. Learn some recipes you can take home with you, a taste of the Caribbean. Using fruits and veggies typical to Coastal Talamanca learn to cook patacones (fried plantains), breadfruit, rice and beans in coconut milk, fruit smoothies, chicken in Caribbean Sauce and more! There is also a vegetarian option.
What to Bring:
Camera, comfortable clothes.
Day 6 Whitewater Rafting at Pacuare River You will be picked up from your Puerto Viejo area hotel to the operations center, located in Siquirres, where you
Day 7 Arenal Volcano Area - Combo: Hanging Bridges, Volcano Walk, La Fortuna Waterfall Start your day as you walk across the Arenal Hanging Bridges and see the jungle from high above the forest floor. These trails bring you as close as you would ever hope to see the rainforest and its inhabitants, as well as give you access to see stunning views of the rainforest and mountains. After your adventure on the hanging bridges, you will head to the Arenal Volcano National Park. The trails are generally flat and not very strenuous, perfect for a leisurely and informative guided walk. Enjoy a delicious lunch at this point. Then, you will finish the day at the stunning La Fortuna Waterfall. When you reach the entrance, you will have time to change into your bathing suit in case you want to cool off in the cool pools that flow from the waterfall. This is sure to be a good workout as there are 500 steps to get to the down to the waterfall, and 300 to get back up! When you reach the bottom, you'll have an opportunity to take lots of pictures and swim in the cool waters of one of the largest and most breathtaking waterfalls in Arenal!
What to Bring:
Bug repellent, closed-toe shoes like hiking or tennis shoes, rain gear, change of clothes, a hat, camera, binoculars, and a towel.
Day 8 Shared Transfer from Arenal to Monteverde, Lake Crossing The trip combines comfortable door to door minivan transfers with a fun and scenic cruise across the tranquil Lake Arenal, where you will experience beautiful views of the majestic volcano and the forested Tilaran Mountain Range. You will also have the chance to see a variety of wetland birds such as kingfishers, flycatchers, waders and other exotic species that abound on the lakeshore. You will be picked up from your hotel in Arenal and be driven to the Lake Arenal dam, where you will board a covered boat. This is where the scenic 45-minute cruise across the lake begins. Next, you will begin the impressive 1.5-hour journey up the mountainside on a steep road offering stunning views of the lush, green valley. You will be driven directly to your Monteverde area hotel. IMPORTANT: Passengers should expect to carry their bags/luggage to and from the boat. Drivers will do their best to help if you have any problems with carrying heavy bags. Just let them know in advance.
What to Bring:
Comfortable clothes and shoes, camera.
Day 9 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Guided Walking Tour The tour is essentially a natural history walk in which you will learn about the incredible diversity of flora and fauna and many of the unique relationships various cloud forest species have with each other. Guides are equipped with a spotting telescope as well as binoculars and several informational guidebooks. Be sure to bring your cameras, as you can take pictures through the guide's scope. This walk normally takes about 3 hours. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is where some of the best-kept cloud forests in all of Costa Rica can be found. It is a cloud forest, not a rainforest, due to its elevation of 4,724 feet (1,440 meters) above sea level.
What to Bring:
Comfortable clothing, hiking shoes, insect repellent, a camera, water, raincoat, binoculars.
Canopy Tour (zip line) The tour is located in a private reserve created in 1994. It starts with a short guided walk through the private 70-acre reserve of the cloud forest. The first part of the tour will take you through primary (old growth), and secondary (new growth) forest. You will fly through the treetops listening closely to the vast variety of birds that can be seen throughout the reserve. Then, just when you think you have become one with the canopy the tour ends with an exhilarating rappel down from the
Day 10 Transfer to Manuel Antonio Beach with Tarcoles Safari Boat This morning, you'll have a transfer to the Manuel Antonio area. On the way, you will have a safari boat tour at Tarcoles River. This is a great way to break up the long, 5-hour drive from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio Beach because you are bound to see a multitude of wildlife including the famous, huge, 20-ft American crocodiles that inhabit the Carara Biological Reserve area of the Tarcoles River. Keep your eyes peeled for a rare sighting of the Scarlet Macaw and over fifty other species of birds you can see there. Your guide will point out the often difficult-to-see wildlife along this two-hour boat tour of the Tarcoles River and into the Guacalillo Mangrove Estuary. A delicious lunch is included at the end of the boar tour.
From there you will continue your way to the amazing Manuel Antonio area.
What to Bring:
Comfortable clothes, hat, sunscreen, bug repellant, sunglasses, and binoculars.
Day 11 Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Walk The pace of this adventure is determined by the consensus of your group
Day 12 Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose Travel time: 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Day 13 Departure day Private Transfer out from Hotel to Airport
