Costa Rica Eco Adventure with Guanacaste Beach Stay - 2016

1. ARRIVE SAN JOSE Welcome to San Jose where your journey begins with a warm greeting at the airport from a local host and a transfer to your hotel. At 6 p.m., gather at the hotel with your Travel Director and travelling companions for a Welcome Reception. Meal(s) Welcome Reception Hotel InterContinental Costa Rica 2. SAN JOSE – TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK (2 NIGHTS) After breakfast, head toward the small town of San Isidro de Heredia, where you are welcomed by master chocolatiers, Julio Fernandez and George Soriano, for a taste of gourmet chocolate, a Cultural Insight. Learn about the history of chocolate and how it is produced at this small workshop. Afterward, continue to Siquirres and embark on a river journey through the protected wetlands. Later, stroll the streets of Tortuguero Village and explore the fascinating Green Turtle Research Station. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Lunch Dinner Hotel Laguna Lodge Tortuguero 3. TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK SIGHTSEEING AND FREE TIME Glide through the canals and waterways of the park today as howler monkeys watch from the treetops, toucans and egrets fly through the air and crocodiles ply the cool waters. If you're here in July, take an optional trip to see the sea turtles laying eggs on the beach. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Lunch Dinner 4. TORTUGUERO – SARAPIQUI Board your boat and bid adios to the park. Enjoy lunch along the way. Then visit a Tico family's palm plantation to learn about and sample the delicate heart of palm a Cultural Insight. After a mid-afternoon arrival at your hotel, join your Travel Director on an easy hike looking for the exotic birds of this region. With a little luck, you may spot the endangered great green macaw. Your evening is free. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Lunch Hotel Sueño Azul Resort 5. SARAPIQUI – ARENAL For the early risers, there is time for an optional rafting trip. Or relax, sleep in and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area surrounding your lodge. Later, enjoy a special Be My Guest experience at an eco-friendly hacienda built by the Quintana family as a retirement project. Today, it is home to an organic farm, restaurant and related eco adventures. The family will welcome you with a delicious lunch and tell stories of how their retirement dreams have benefited the local community. Afterward, depart to the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos, home of the colossal Arenal Volcano. Late this afternoon spend time in the thermal pools of your resort as well as the gardens with beautiful birds. Tonight relish some of the best views of the volcano as you enjoy a leisurely dinner. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Be My Guest Dining Dinner Hotel Arenal Paraiso Resort and Spa 6. ARENAL – MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST (2 NIGHTS) Enjoy a free morning to sleep in or take an optional outing including a hike around Arenal, ziplining, participation in a reforestation project, a float trip or an ecological park and terrarium with over 200 species of reptiles, rare frogs and other amphibians as well as butterflies. Early this afternoon, head to Monteverde Cloud Forest, straddling the Continental Divide, home to luxuriant vegetation, abundant wildlife, coffee plantations and spectacular views. Tonight, you'll meet a native Quaker, and Local Specialist, who will share historical photos and stories of Old Town Monteverde. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Dinner Hotel El Establo Mountain Hotel 7. MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST SIGHTSEEING AND FREE TIME Join your guide for an excursion through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Covering 26,000 acres of tropical rainforest, the Reserve consists of 6 ecological zones and offers extremely high biodiversity, consisting of over 2,500 plant species (including the most orchid varieties), 100 species of mammals, 400 bird species, and 120 reptilian and amphibian species. Later ascend to the treetops for a bird's-eye view of the forest on the unforgettable Sky Walk, a chain of six suspension bridges at canopy level. Tonight, trade stories of your experiences at a festive Farewell Dinner. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Farewell Dinner 8. MONTEVERDE - LIBERIA - GUANACASTE (2 NIGHTS) Check into your seaside resort, the only hotel located on the white sand of the world-famous Tamarindo Beach. Relax and simply enjoy the beach and the amenities of your beautiful resort. With just a short stroll along the shore, you can spot howler monkeys, iguanas, parrots and a variety of wildlife. Meal(s) Full Breakfast Hotel Tamarindo Diria Beach and Golf Resort 9. GUANACASTE FREE TIME The day is yours to further relax at the beach, head into nearby Tamarindo village or choose from numerous options to continue your Costa Rica adventure as you please. Perhaps take a surfing lesson, snorkel or swim in the warm gentle waves. Meal(s) Full Breakfast 10. GUANACASTE - DEPART LIBERIA A transfer is provided to Liberia International Airport for your onward flight. Or, stay a while longer on the beach; you can reserve extra night accommodation if you wish to extend your stay. Meal(s) Full Breakfast