Itinerary
Arrival at Juan Santamaría
International Airport. Meet and greet service by your naturalist guide transfer
to your hotel.
This excursion will take
you to Limón, the Caribbean province of Costa Rica. On the way, you will cross
the Braulio Carrillo Cloud Forest
National Park. Appreciate the variations in climate, temperature, and
landscape. From Guápiles,
observe large banana plantations, until reaching the jetty. There,
you will take a boat to navigate
the exotic canals and admire the great diversity of flora and fauna:
sloths, monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, and others. In the afternoon, visit the small town.
Early sunrise boat tour through
the small natural canals of the Tortuguero Rainforest National Park. Admire its impressive flora and over 309 bird
species. With luck, you can observe fishing bats, toucans, anurans, some of the seven species
of turtles, manatees of the West Indies and crocodiles,
among others.
After breakfast, enjoy again the ride through
the canals on your way back to the disembarking point and on by road to Guápiles. After lunch, continue
to Tirimbina Biological Reserve to discover the secrets and wonders of chocolate. Walk through one longest
hanging bridges in Costa Rica and admire in this pristine forest many of the registered 420 species of birds, such
as parrots, tanagers and toucans.to the place where you will learn about the historical and cultural aspects
of cocoa, including everything related to its production: harvest, fermentation, drying and grinding. Savour different
chocolate samples produced with organic cocoa by the Amazilia Women’s Association of the region. After the tour,
transfer to La Fortuna, in the San Carlos lowlands on clear days, you will have the opportunity to see the Arenal Volcano
with its almost
perfect conic shape while enjoy
the hot springs in the area.
In the morning, visit the
trails of the Arenal 1968 Park. This walking tour at the foot of the Arenal
Volcano will allow you to see some of
the evidence that remains of the massive 1968 eruption. Along the way your
guide will point out the wildlife
that has persevered through the tumultuous mid-century period of volcanic
activity. The journey continues with
a visit to La Fortuna Waterfall. The 195-foot (60m) stunning waterfall creates
a natural fresh-water pool, which is
perfect for travellers who are up for swimming. The area is surrounded by lush rainforest and is extremely
scenic.
Departure to the Arenal Lake, the
largest and most important lake in Costa Rica. Enjoy the scenic boat ride across
the lake and continue by land through
a nonpaved road to Monteverde, that was founded
by a group of Quaker
farmers in the 1950’s and today
it is a charming little
town.
Afternoon visit to the butterfly garden. At
300ft long and 90ft wide, with a huge 50ft dome ceiling, the giant garden is host to 50 species of butterflies.
Accurate and sensitive temperature controlling enables the survival of species from a range of altitudes and climate conditions throughout Costa Rica. The guide will show you this fascinating
live exhibit where you will learn about the life cycle, special behaviours, and
evolution of these unique creatures.
Monteverde is always cold and humid thanks to the rain clouds coming from both oceans (Pacific
and Caribbean). Flora and
fauna are abundant and diverse. Observe many different species of trees,
orchids, and lichen. Among other bird species, you can find quetzals, hummingbirds, toucanets and more. Some mammals, such as howler monkeys,
agoutis, and coatis,
can also be observed. In the morning,
guided tour of the Skywalk.
It is a 1.5mi (2.5km) loop that traverses different levels of a wonderfully diverse ecosystem, using a combination of trails and a series of suspension bridges with wonderful
views of the forest canopy. The trails include some uneven surfaces and several
ascents and descents and results in an incomparable activity.
Optional: Sky Trek canopy tour - at the
same location as the hanging
bridges. (Not included)
Enjoy the adventure of the canopy
tour in these
magical forests. Ascend in an open-air gondola
from the ground
to the top of the mountain and admire the fantastic views of the
surrounding forests and the Gulf of Nicoya. From
this point, you will descend on a unique system of cables that crosses canyons
and mountains and goes into the treetops. You will
ride 7 cables that reach 330 ft (100m) in height and over have a mile in length.
Early afternoon, departure to reach the Pan
American Highway and continue later through the Mid Pacific Coastal
Road passing by the port of Caldera
and the city of Quepos to arrive in Manuel Antonio.
In the morning, guided visit to Manuel
Antonio National Park (closed on Mondays). This is a perfect combination for nature lovers. Discover the tropical forest and enjoy the
marvellous Manuel Antonio beaches. There are
some interesting features in this park: the “Tómbolo” on Cathedral Point
communicates the ancient Cathedral Island
to mainland and the blowhole at Escondido Port. Observe innumerable tiny fish
at low tide. There are many different habitats: 109 registered species of mammals
and 184 bird species.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the white sand
beaches and the exuberant nature of the forest or for optional activities in the area.
At the appropriate time, transfer to Juan Santamaría International Airport for your return
flight