Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde
Cloudforest: Sta. Elena Cloudforest Reserve & Skywalk, Manuel
Antonio National Park & Beaches
Detailed description EX2 (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
Tortuguero
National Park
Off to an early start from your hotel in San José,
you drive along a scenic route of lush pasturelands and banana
plantations, through the Braulio Carillo National Park. You’ll
stop for a typical Costa Rican breakfast before arriving at
the village of Caño Blanco or Matina. From there you
navigate by boat up the Tortuguero River, alongshore a small
peninsula bordered on the other side by the Caribbean Sea.
Upon arrival it’s time to check into our overnight accommodations
at the lodge.
Enjoy a hearty lunch before taking off with your local naturalist
guide on a walking tour of the bustling village of Tortuguero
and its immediate surroundings. After visiting the turtle
museum we meander, this time along the beach, back to the
lodge for dinner. During the months of March-April and July-October,
an optional guided night hike along the beach is offered,
to observe the nesting of the sea turtles. (Approximately
US $25 p.p.)
Overnight stay Laguna Lodge Tortuguero - Breakfast,
lunch, dinner
Day 3
Tortuguero
National Park
A full day of activities begins with the unforgettable sights
and sounds of an early morning tour to experience the awakening
of Tortuguero wildlife. Follow up a well-deserved breakfast
with a boat tour through the quiet backwater canals of the
national park, for up-close observation of the flora and fauna
so unique to this special part of the world. Head back for
lunch and an afternoon of free time; have a “siesta”,
relax by the pool, visit the open butterfly garden, take a
walk on the beach or another boat tour, explore the trails
around the Lodge on your own; you decide. Dinner is served. Overnight stay Laguna Lodge Tortuguero - Breakfast,
lunch, dinner
Day 4
Arenal
Volcano
After breakfast, embark by boat around 9 a.m. for Caño
Blanco or Matina. From there you will head off by bus to a
typical Costa Rican restaurant for a delicious home-cooked
lunch. Continue your journey to Arenal Volcano in a private
vehicle with your personal guide.
Optional: In the evening at the hot springs of Tabacón
(or Baldi Hot Springs, Ecotermales), you may want to relax
in a warm soothing bath of waterfalls and natural pools against
the backdrop of fresh nighttime air and a starry sky. Keep
a lookout in case that sky explodes with hot showers of red,
yellow and orange, the sparkling lava flows of Arenal Volcano.
A visit of the thermal hot springs can be pre-booked if desired:
- Tabacón Hot Springs incl. dinner: aprox. US$ 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,
Lunch
Day 5
Monteverde
Cloud Forest Region
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 6
Monteverde Cloudforest 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 7
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 8
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 9
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 10
Departure
Breakfast
Transfer to the International Airport for your flight back
home.
NOTE:
This
tour is available in 2 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)
Arenal
Volcano 
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.
