Poás Volcano, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloudforest:
Sta. Elena Cloudforest Reserve & Skywalk, Manuel Antonio National
Park & Beaches
Detailed description EX1 (Comfort+,
with english-speaking
naturalist guide)
Day 1
San José
Welcome! Upon your arrival at San José International
Airport our English-speaking representative will greet you
and escort you to your hotel. At this time you will be provided
a short briefing and an informative travel handout.
Overnight stay Grano de Oro - No meals
Day 2
Poás Volcano, Arenal Volcano, Hot Springs Early
morning offers the best chance for a clear, cloudless view
of the 14,000-acre nature reserve of Poás Volcano.
So we’re off to a very early start, to admire one of
the most spectacular volcanoes of Costa Rica: With a diameter
of 1.5 km, Poás Volcano is considered to be the world’s
second biggest geyser. The crater in the center of the park
shows almost permanent activity, with sulfuric fumes, active
fumaroles, and temperatures between 104° F and 158°
F; and the views of the sulfuric lake with ever-changing colors
(mostly turquoise, blue or yellow), at the bottom of the 300
meters deep crater, are just breathtaking!
You may then take a short hike to the National Park’s
second crater, the dormant “Laguna Botos” - a
beautiful, tranquil lake, surrounded by untouched, lush vegetation.
The 30 minute (one-way), well marked trail which leads to
Laguna Botos, winds its way through a habitat called dwarf
cloud forest, where curiously shaped trees grow in the volcanic
soil, full of bromeliads, lichens and mosses.
Continuing the drive you’ll see Catarata La Paz, Costa
Rica's most impressive waterfall, cascading down the east
slope of Poás Volcano, before continuing to La Fortuna
and Arenal Volcano.
In the late afternoon there is time to watch the sunset over
Arenal Lake before surrendering – if you wish - to an
evening at the hot springs of Tabacón, Ecotermales
or Baldi (optional), to enjoy a soothing bath of waterfalls
and natural pools against the backdrop of fresh nighttime
air and a starry sky, all within beautiful, tropical gardens.
Either way, keep a lookout for the possibility of exploding,
sparkling lava flows out the top and down the sides of Arenal
Volcano; hot showers of red, yellow and orange.
A visit of the thermal hot springs can be
pre-booked if desired:
- Tabacón Hot Springs incl. dinner: aprox. US$ 50 per
person (18:30 PM – 22:00 PM)
- Tabacón Hot Springs incl. dinner: aprox. US$ 70 per
person (12:00 md – 22:00 PM)
- Baldi Hot Springs incl. lunch OR dinner: aprox. US$ 40 per
person
- Ecotermales: aprox. US$ 21 per person (no meals included)
Overnight stay Arenal Springs Resort or similar - Breakfast
Day 3
Arenal Volcano - MonteverdeCloud Forest
Today you will explore. Hike with your guide through the secondary
forest of Arenal Volcano National Park and over the lava fields
at the foot of Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes
in the Americas. You might even feel the ground rumble.
Ride around Arenal Lake to Tilarán before taking on
35 km’s of adventurous gravel road, winding your way
to Sta. Elena in the Monteverde Cloud Forest region. Overnight stay Hotel Fonda Vela -Breakfast
Monteverde:
Southwest of Lake Arenal at an altitude of about 1800
m extends Costa Rica's most popular nature reserve: Monteverde,
which represents only a small part of the cloud forest, it
is the most visited and as consequence the animals living
in this ecosystem have slightly retracted. The visitor may
enjoy more the private nature reserve of Sta. Elena, which
borders the Monteverde Park; they both belong to the same
ecosystem, and this is evident by the manifold fauna and flora.
The 345 ha cloud forest nature reserve of Sta. Elena has well-marked
trails by which the visitor is carefully led through this
humid and dusky world. The high humidity supports the growth
of approx. 2500 different kinds of plants, among them many
orchids and bromeliads; up to day, about 100 different mammals
(i.e. the ocelot, jaguar and monkeys) have been sighted, however
they can hardly be seen due to the dense vegetation, but encountering
the various birds living here, is a unique experience: among
the 400 kinds of birds of this region, we may - with some
luck - also see the Quetzal, the most famous among the Central
American birds.
Day 4
Monteverde Cloud Forest Today’s
adventure is a "walk in the clouds" to immerse in
the sights and sounds of the cloud forest’s inhabitants
greeting the new day: Start with your feet on the ground,
hiking through lush forest toward the “Skywalk"
- suspended bridges, platforms and trails elevated deep within
the canopy of the cloud forest. From here you are allowed
a gentle, rare glimpse through the tops of giant trees into
the nether regions of this hidden world that would otherwise
remain a mystery to most of us.
Keep your binoculars or camera handy, since you might catch
a glimpse of the rare and famous bird of kings – the
Quetzal!
There are numerous other optional activities that you might
want to enjoy during the remainder of your afternoon, including
a visit to the Frog Pond, the Snake Farm, or the Orchid Garden.
Overnight stay Hotel Fonda Vela - Breakfast
Day 5
Manuel Antonio (optional: Carara National Park) After
breakfast we take a drive on the Interamericana South along
the coastline towards the town of Jacó. We’ll
stop at the bridge over Rio Tarcoles, a great place for spotting
large crocodiles, basking on the banks of the river. If you
wish, we’ll visit Carara National Park, one of the main
nesting sites of the Scarlet Macaw. (Optional, with an entrance
fee of approximately US $ 8 p.p) You’re welcome to hike
for a bit on the park trails before we continue our drive
further south to Manuel Antonio for an afternoon check-in
at your hotel.
Overnight stay Hotel Costa Verde - Breakfast
Day 6
Manuel Antonio National Park & Beaches
Are you ready for capuchin monkeys, sloth, iguanas, anteaters,
and multiple species of birds, all within easy walking distance
into the rainforest? A hike of about 1.5 hours on the park’s
trails will get you this and more, including fantastic beaches
within the park, where you are free to soak up some sun or
bathe in the refreshing Pacific Ocean. Overnight stay Hotel Costa Verde - Breakfast
Manuel Antonio: This park
with an extension of almost 1,800 acres attracts the visitor
with its gorgeous hiking trails through abundant, tropical
jungle bordering white sandy beaches and blue-green water.
The evergreen fascinating forest is the home of about 100
species of mammals and 180 kinds of birds. A hiking trail
through dense vegetation all around the cape enables you to
catch the beautiful sight of 12 smaller islands just in front
of it. This is a splendid combination of nature experience
and beach fun.
Day 7
San Jose
Ride back to San José. Once in San José, the
remainder of the day is yours to do as you wish. You might
visit one of the various galleries or museums (optional -
entrance fees not included) or just go on a sightseeing spree
with your guide who is with you until evening. Overnight stay Grano de Oro - Breakfast
Day 8
Breakfast
Transfer to the International Airport for your flight
back home.
NOTE:
This
tour is available in 3 different versions:
"Comfort+" Tour (with driver/guide
and private vehicle) - see description above
"Wheels
& Vouchers" self driving tour
"Budget+"
Tour (with seat-in transfers/INTERBUS from hotel
to hotel)
Early
morning offers the best chance for a clear, cloudless view
of the 14,000-acre nature reserve of Poás Volcano.
So we’re off to a very early start, to admire one of
the most spectacular volcanoes of Costa Rica: With a diameter
of 1.5 km, Poás Volcano is considered to be the world’s
second biggest geyser. The crater in the center of the park
shows almost permanent activity, with sulfuric fumes, active
fumaroles, and temperatures between 104° F and 158°
F; and the views of the sulfuric lake with ever-changing colors
(mostly turquoise, blue or yellow), at the bottom of the 300
meters deep crater, are just breathtaking!
Monteverde:
Southwest of Lake Arenal at an altitude of about 1800
m extends Costa Rica's most popular nature reserve: Monteverde,
which represents only a small part of the cloud forest, it
is the most visited and as consequence the animals living
in this ecosystem have slightly retracted. The visitor may
enjoy more the private nature reserve of Sta. Elena, which
borders the Monteverde Park; they both belong to the same
ecosystem, and this is evident by the manifold fauna and flora.
The 345 ha cloud forest nature reserve of Sta. Elena has well-marked
trails by which the visitor is carefully led through this
humid and dusky world. The high humidity supports the growth
of approx. 2500 different kinds of plants, among them many
orchids and bromeliads; up to day, about 100 different mammals
(i.e. the ocelot, jaguar and monkeys) have been sighted, however
they can hardly be seen due to the dense vegetation, but encountering
the various birds living here, is a unique experience: among
the 400 kinds of birds of this region, we may - with some
luck - also see the Quetzal, the most famous among the Central
American birds.
Today’s
adventure is a "walk in the clouds" to immerse in
the sights and sounds of the cloud forest’s inhabitants
greeting the new day: Start with your feet on the ground,
hiking through lush forest toward the “Skywalk"
- suspended bridges, platforms and trails elevated deep within
the canopy of the cloud forest. From here you are allowed
a gentle, rare glimpse through the tops of giant trees into
the nether regions of this hidden world that would otherwise
remain a mystery to most of us.
After
breakfast we take a drive on the Interamericana South along
the coastline towards the town of Jacó. We’ll
stop at the bridge over Rio Tarcoles, a great place for spotting
large crocodiles, basking on the banks of the river. If you
wish, we’ll visit Carara National Park, one of the main
nesting sites of the Scarlet Macaw. (Optional, with an entrance
fee of approximately US $ 8 p.p) You’re welcome to hike
for a bit on the park trails before we continue our drive
further south to Manuel Antonio for an afternoon check-in
at your hotel.
