Flavors of Costa Rica

 Day 1 - Arrive San Jose, Costa Rica Transfer to the airport and board your flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. Upon arrival in San Jose, we transfer to our hotel. Once settled, we get together for a welcome cocktail and dinner. (D)  Day 2 - San Jose - Tortuguero National Park Our Costa Rica adventure truly begins today. Enjoy some coffee and biscuits before departing to a remote area of Tortuguero. On the way, we will stop in Guapiles town for a hearty breakfast. After, we continue to a pier where our boat to Tortuguero awaits. Upon arrival, we check-in and enjoy lunch.  In the afternoon, we visit Tortuguero village and the Turtle Museum. Tortuguero, is one of the rainiest regions of the country, and it shelters the biggest biological variety of the nation; 11 habitats were identified so far in the park. The forest is the most important area of the coastline where coco palms are abundant. We return to our lodge for an evening of rainforest pleasure and dinner. (B,L,D)  Day 3 - Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica After breakfast, we enjoy a boat tour in the morning to the small canals for wildlife observation. Tortuguero National Park, with its 21,000 hectares of preserved tropical rain forest, provides one of the best opportunities to experience a wide range of tropical wildlife. We hope to spot a variety of monkeys, toucans, green macaws, and caimans, among others, while gliding through the vine laden canals with our naturalist guide. After, we return to lodge for lunch. Later, we enjoy a small hike on the lodge’s trails. (B,L,D)  Day 4 - Tortuguero National Park - Arenal This morning, we transfer by boat back to La Pavona pier and continue by bus to Guapiles where we will enjoy a delicious lunch. After lunch, we are lead over to la Fortuna de San Carlos where the impressive Arenal Volcano resides. La Fortuna de San Carlos is home to one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world. Cloud forests, a beautiful volcanic lake and an incredibly diverse population of wildlife is just part of what we will find in this amazing area of Costa Rica. Near the volcano, you will find the largest lake in Costa Rica, Lake Arenal. After, we check in at our hotel and enjoy a welcome drink. There will be time to relax and refresh before our wine and cheese cruise on Lake Arenal. We return to the hotel for dinner in these beautiful surroundings. (B,L,D)  Day 5 - Arenal Adventure awaits today! After breakfast, we visit the Sky Adventure facilities. Here, we will have the opportunity to observe the forest from a different perspective and have some fun! Sky Walk (Hanging bridges), Sky Trek (Zipline) & Sky Tram are all included; the choice is yours. The Sky Walk is an impressive series of bridges and paths. Here, we can experience spectacular views. Several bridges take us alongside the tree canopy, some of which have colonized the bridges. We may even spot birds and howler monkeys at their own level. The Sky Tram is a 20-minute aerial tram tour that reaches a wide observation deck at the highest point of the Arenal Reserve where we can observe the rain forest, Arenal volcano, and lake. Sky Trek is all about getting active above the treetops. It consists of a system of zip lines that allow us to observe the rainforest and its landscape from a different perspective. After we travel to Don Juan Chocolate for a chocolate and coffee tour. Here, we will get the chance to learn the importance and history of coffee to ‘Tico’ culture and Costa Rica’s development. Then, we continue with our chocolate tour – the perfect compliment to coffee! We  experience the aromas and history, and participate in the chocolate making process. Return to the hotel later this afternoon. Take some time to relax and use our hotel’s facilities and hot Springs. (B,D)   Day 6 - Arenal – Manuel Antonio This morning, we have breakfast at our hotel then head out for Manuel Antonio. On the way south, we will stop at the Tárcoles River to appreciate the Crocodiles as well as the Guacalillo mangrove. The river of Tárcoles offers us the opportunity to observe American Crocodiles with sizes over the four meters long, iguanas and basilisks in their natural environment. Specialized bilingual guides will accompany us offering wide educational information on the biology of the crocodiles and diverse aspects of the ecology of this natural refuge. During the tour we enter the Guacalillo Channel, an estuary where there are four different species of mangrove (black, red, white and buttonhole) that constitute an important refuge for the red macaw. After, we continue to Manuel Antonio. Upon arrival, we check-in to our hotel and have dinner. Manuel Antonio is a small oceanside village tucked into nature. Famous for its national park, this tiny yet bustling town is located off Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast and without a doubt, is one of the country’s most celebrated spots. (B,D)  Day 7 - Manuel Antonio Today, we journey to nearby Manuel Antonio National Park. Manuel Antonio National Park is 7,000 acres; however, it also has an additional 136,000 acres of a Marine Park Reserve. It is one of the smallest and most popular national parks in Costa Rica. The protected rainforests of Manuel Antonio National Park provide a home for 350 species of birds and 109 species of mammals. Among the birds native to the region, we may see scarlet macaws, toucans, motmots, parakeets, hawks and tanagers. Of course, the most popular animals are the various monkey species that call Manuel Antonio National Park home. White-faced capuchin, spider and mantled howler monkeys may greet us. Once inside the park, we may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the endangered red-backed squirrel monkey. Other commonly seen animals include both two- and three-toed sloths, coatimundis, peccaries, iguanas and armadillos, as well as a host of reptile and amphibian park dwellers. We return to our hotel for some time at leisure. Enjoy the pristine beaches, shop the local markets or relax by the pool. (B,D)  Day 8 - Depart Manuel Antonio After breakfast this morning, we transfer to the airport and board the flight home. The tour may be over, but the memories of all the beautiful places we have visited on this trip will stay with you. (B)