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Experience Costa Rica's beaches, volcanoes, and national parks on this 14 day tour. The ultimate trip for nature lovers!
Itinerary
Day 1 to 1
Arrive San Jose
Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. The capital city of Costa Rica is nestled in a fertile valley among coffee and sugar-cane farms on a high plateau. There is not much left of the colonial era architecture due to the damage done by earthquakes but it is certainly worth seeing the National Theatre, built in 1897. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to catch a performance whilst you're here. The Gold, Jade and National Museums are also particularly recommended for a visit.
Day 2 to 8
La Fortuna - Santa Elena - Monteverde - Quepos -Manuel Antonio - San Jose
On day 2 we begin our journey travelling by bus to the small town of Fortuna. The main attraction is the nearby active Volcano Arenal, which has been constantly erupting since 1968. After settling into our hotel you'll have time for a leisurely lunch and to explore the town. An exciting optional night excursion is available where you are taken to a site near the volcano to listen to rumbles and sample the local alcoholic spirit (proceed with caution!). On a clear night you can see the amazing sight of glowing lava discharging from the volcano crater. After this you may want to visit the local hot springs for a well-earned dip. There is also free time to partake in several interesting optional excursions while in Fortuna; a visit to the waterfalls, caving, white water rafting, canoeing, kayaking, horse-riding, trekking, biking, and wild-life spotting. Then why not indulge in a massage, followed by a visit to another set of hot springs! Our next journey takes us up into the mountains by a combination of jeep/minivan and boat. The first leg takes about 30 minutes to the Lake Arenal. After transferring onto a boat, we continue through stunning scenery for approximately an hour to the other side of the lake where we are met by our transport taking us the remaining hour and a half to the small town of Santa Elena, established by American Quakers in the 1950's. From here we visit Monteverde Cloud Forest in search of the mysterious Quetzal, a very rare and timid bird with incredibly colourful plumage. There are several paths to explore in this privately owned reserve, one of which takes you to the continental divide. On a clear day; both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can be seen! We'll also stop at the Hummingbird Gallery (included), where these energetic birds buzz around sipping on nectar. Among other activities here, you'll have the option of flying through the trees on a series of cables strung out between giant trees, or for the not so courageous a sky walk along suspension bridges at the forest canopy level 42 metres above the ground. If even this is too much for you, you might prefer to visit one of the many nature farms in the area, and/or partake in a nature-spotting twilight walk. Descending down a steep mountain road, we will travel through very lush green countryside to the coast line and the old town of Quepos, once a very important port for the exportation of bananas. We continue our journey down another twisting road all the way to sea level in order to visit the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most popular parks in the country. This celebrated park is blessed with beautiful lagoons, palm fringed beaches, a vast array of animals and lush green rain forests. Many of the creatures that call Manuel Antonio home include sloths, pelicans, white-faced monkeys, anteaters and huge iguanas. It is also famous for its beaches- although almost deserted on weekdays, keep a sharp eye on your belongings, as the monkeys are seasoned thieves! Heading across the country to the Caribbean Coast we stop en route and spend the night in San José.
Day 9 to 13
Tortuguero - Cahuita -Puerto Viejo - San Jose
Leaving San José for the final time we travel by bus to Tortuguero National Park, located on the Atlantic/Caribbean coast. Our journey is by bus to the port of Limón, then taxis and a motorised boat along inland jungle canals into the park. With a wide variety of wildlife along its banks, we may possibly spot monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, turtles, many different birds and the ‘Jesus Lizard' so named because it can walk on water!! While in Tortuguero, with luck we will observe the Green Turtles who, between August and October, arrive at the beaches in their thousands to lay eggs in the sand. There is an interesting visitor's centre in the tiny village where you can watch videos and learn all about the turtles. During our excursions around Tortuguero we should also see the tiny but brightly coloured poison arrow frogs. We now move on to the magical Cahuita National Park, boasting very nice beaches with off-shore coral reef. You can go for a snorkel or take a glass-bottomed boat tour among the 500 species of fish in the area. There is also an old Spanish shipwreck within easy swimming distance from the shore. Along the beach is a great place to walk. You will be taken through tropical forest hosting a wide range of flora and fauna including howler monkeys, coatis, snakes, coloured frogs and hermit crabs. The actual town of Cahuita has a very impressive selection of restaurants where you may sample some fruits of the sea, and of course listen to reggae music blaring out to the delight of the local Rastafarians. From Cahuita you have the option of taking a short bus journey down the coast to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. This laid-back village has both black and white sandy beaches and some of the best surf in the country. Close by is the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge (option to visit) where they are studying ways to protect the giant leatherback turtle and the Talamanca Indian Reserve. We return to San José for the final night of this fantastic tour. Perhaps a group dinner and night on the town is in order!
Day 14 to 14
Depart San Jose
Our tour ends on day 14 in San José.
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