Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving at San Jose Airport, usually in the evening, we meet a representative of our local agent and transfer to the group hotel in the city.
Day 2: Today, we will drive to Tres Equis to enjoy a day of wet and wild whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River. Disembarking at Siquirres, we transfer to our hotel in Guapiles.
Day 3: By boat to the wildlife rich Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast with an excursion to Tortuguero Village. We stay at the excellent Laguna Lodge.
Day 4: In the company of naturalist guides we take a morning jungle walk and an afternoon tour of the minor creeks and canals. We spend a second night at the Laguna Lodge.
Day 5: Transfer by boat and bus to La Pavona. Continue to the Sarapiqui region, arriving at our hotel in the afternoon.
Day 6: Morning visit a local high school to meet the students, before driving on to Arenal Lake, where the afternoon is free to explore the town and to visit the Ecotermales Hotsprings.
Day 7: A hike to the crater lake at the summit of Cerro Chato (1400m) provides an excellent viewpoint for the very active Mount Arenal. We spend a second night at our Arenal hotel.
Day 8: Drive to the biological preserve at Monteverde, a Quaker community founded in 1951. Overnight in a lodge.
Day 9: Today, we will explore the nature trails of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, home to over 100 species of mammals, more than 400 species of birds.
Day 10: Our next adventure is the Sky Trek, a system of trails, canopy platforms suspension bridge and zip-lines providing a unique forest tour.
Day 11: A short drive to the Rincon de la Vieja National Park, where we will hike on the slopes of the volcano, with old lava flows, dense forest and lots of animals and birds. Overnight in a hacienda.
Day 12: A shorter hike today, to La Cangreja Waterfall, through primary forest, open grassland and down into a canyon. After lunch, transfer to the resort town of Tamarindo on the Pacific Coast.
Day 13: We have a day at leisure, with options for a jungle boat safari, surfing, sport fishing or a night-time turtle watching tour. We spend a second night at our Tamarindo hotel.
Day 14: Transfer to San Jose Airport and check in for the homeward flight, which usually departs in the afternoon.
