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9-day Costa Rica Experience
Itinerary
DAY 1 DEPART
Departure from the US. Arrive in San José and transfer to your hotel. You can then relax over dinner and perhaps get to bed early to be ready for a flight to Tortuguero early the next morning
DAY 2 TORTUGUERO
Tortuguero National Park is a tropical primary rainforest and navigable network of lakes and channels. This allows for a great diversity of flora and fauna to be observed close at hand. Home to howler and spider monkeys, three-toed sloths, great green macaws, and 140-foot high trees, Tortuguero is one of the most remote locations in all of Costa Rica. In the morning you’ll explore the National Park and village, and in the afternoon you’ll board a private boat for an amazing tour of Tortuguero’s waterways.
DAY 3 ARENAL
Awaken early in the morning to the sounds of the howler monkeys. The rainforest is filled with lots of birds, such as the many species of hummingbirds, parrots, toucans and woodpeckers. After breakfast, take a 4-5 hour boat ride to Puerto Viejo, Sarapiqui. After lunch, continue by bus to La Fortuna, home of the mighty Arenal Volcano. There’s then time to relax before dinner at the hotel.
DAY 4 ARENAL
Today visit the tiny yet bustling town of La Fortuna to shop and explore. Next, your chartered bus will take you to the impressive 75m-high La Fortuna waterfall. Enjoy a dip in the natural pool at the base of the powerful waterfall. After lunch, you’ll hike along the El Silencio Trail to look for monkeys, sloths and other local wildlife. The hike ends with a stunning view of the boulders thrown from the amazing Arenal Volcano. After the hike, you’ll visit Tabacón Hot Springs for a luxuriously relaxing soak in the mineral-rich thermal pools, among the beautiful gardens lush with tropical vegetation and flowers. A delicious buffet dinner awaits you at Tabacón that evening
DAY 5 MONTEVERDE
Take a horseback ride to Monteverde, which translates as ”Green Mountain” and is known for its fairy-tale like reserve of trees laden with orchids, bromeliads, mosses and ferns. There’s then time to relax and enjoy your hotel’s amenities before dinner. If the weather permits, take an exciting optional night hike
DAY 6 MONTEVERDE
Today, you’ll visit Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a wildlife sanctuary that is home to over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and 1,200 species of reptiles and amphibians. During your hike through the forest, you will definitely hear, and probably see, many howler monkeys, as well as coati-mundis, and lots of birds. There is also a hummingbird gallery where more than 20 species of hummingbirds zip past you at lightning speed. After lunch, you’ll have an exciting zipline adventure through the treetops at Selvatura, before returning to your hotel for some time to relax.
DAY 7 SAN JOSÉ
Visit the small town of Santa Elena to explore and shop, before departing for San José. Along the way there’ll be stops at the Eloy Alfaro Taller, a small, hydro-powered oxcart factory in Sarchi, and at the unique all-metal Catholic Church in Grecia. Lunch will also be en route. Check in to the quaint Don Carlos Hotel in San José
DAY 8 SAN JOSÉ
There’s an early morning departure for Poas Volcano National Park. The volcano is still considered active and its crater is the second largest in the world. Afterwards, you will visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens for a tour of the largest Butterfly Garden in the world, an immense orchid display, a hummingbird observation deck, and a hike down four tropical waterfalls. There are also snake and poisonous tropical frog displays. Then a wonderful buffet lunch will be served. On the way back to San José, you’ll stop by Tres Generaciones (Doka) coffee house. Doka coffee was voted best coffee in the world by Sintercafé in 2000 and 2001. It is soooo good. Return to San José for shopping and/or relaxing at the hotel. You’ll take an evening stroll through one of San José’s oldest historic districts to get to Café Mundo, where you will have a scrumptious farewell dinner
DAY 9 HOME
Depart for the US.