DAY 1 SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT · SAN JOSE

Welcome to Costa Rica!

Arrival to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO).  Our representative will meet and greet you at the exit of the Airport and afterwards you will be taken on a regular transfer to San Jose surroundings.

Accommodation: San Jose for 1 night

DAY 2 SAN JOSE · TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Early morning start from your hotel in San Jose, as we will head into the Tortuguero 3 days / 2 nights mini package.  You will be traveling first on a total ground transfer for the next three hours passing through (no stops) one of Costa Rica’s biggest National Parks , the Braulio Carrillo.  Breakfast will take place at a local restaurant on route.  Further on you will be traveling around a 1 ½ hour boat ride through waterways and canals until reaching the Tortuguero area, this journey will take you through the canals sheltered in the jungle of the rain forest and you will be able to admire the unique flora and fauna of this area.  In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity of exploring the tiny Caribbean Village of Tortuguero.  Lunch, dinner and overnight at selected Lodge. (B/L/D)

Accommodation: Tortuguero for 2 nights

DAY 3 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

In the morning, we will visit Tortuguero National Park secondary canals that will dazzle you with its enormous biodiversity. From the boat, you can feel a pure contact with nature in a paradise that offers visitors 2000 species of plants and 400 species of trees, just as you can observe some of the 405 bird species here is also presence of crocodiles, different species of turtles and freshwater fish. Tortuguero will definitely offer a unique and unforgettable experience. Much of the National Park extends along its unspoiled beaches that serve as refuge for spawning of the sea turtles, this event occurs between the months of July to September (extra cost visit). Rest of the day at leisure. (B/L/D)

DAY 4 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK · ARENAL VOLCANO

Breakfast at the lodge.  Mid-Morning boat transfer from Tortuguero to port of embarkment; from this point on continue on a ground transfer to local restaurant on route for lunch. In the area of Guapiles you will be provided with a 4×4 car rental, from this point on you will be driving on your own to the rest of the areas of the program. Today’s driving experience will be taken you to the Arenal volcano area. You will be staying the following two nights in the area. (B/L)

Accommodation: Arenal area for 2 nights

DAY 5 ARENAL VOLCANO

Breakfast at the Hotel.  Morning at leisure. For midafternoon, you will be taken to a regular half day tour of Arenal Volcano and surrounding Hot Springs.   A short hike in the surroundings of the Arenal Volcano will give you a chance to enjoy some of the surrounding forest and different views of past activity. Later on at the Tabacon Hot Springs Resort*, you will enjoy a healthy and relaxing soak in the Thermal waters produced by the volcano internal earth activity. Dinner will also take place at the hot springs resort. (B/D)

DAY 6 ARENAL VOLCANO · MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST

Breakfast at the hotel. Today in the morning with the car rental you will be making the drive to the Monteverde area. Area.  This is a very a scenic drive around the  12,400 hectares Arenal Lake specially toward the last portion of the journey you will enjoy beautiful mountain scenery (the trip takes around 3 ½ hours aprox.).  Monteverde is known for its diverse and rich tropical cloud forests.  Wind-sculptured elfin woodlands on the exposed ridges are spectacularly dwarfed, whereas protected cove Monteverde cloud forests have majestically tall trees festooned with orchids, bromeliads, ferns, vines, and mosses.  Alpine like weather will revive the rural experience of our country this beautiful area. Afternoon at leisure.  You will be staying one night at selected accommodation in Monteverde. (B)

Accommodation: Monteverde for 1 night

DAY 7 MONTEVERDE CLOUND FOREST · SAN JOSE

Breakfast at the Hotel.  Today in the morning you will be visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This is one of the most important private reserves in the country which has over 10,500 hectares. Located at an altitude between 1,200 and 1,600 m, this cloud forest gives you the chance of exploring a different type of forest, allowing you to make your very own comparison between the biodiversity found in a rainforest and a cloud forest, proving that Costa Rica is full of natural treasures.  This tour will show you all the different types of ecosystems to be found in the region, as you learn more about the unique wildlife, many of which is endemic to the area.

For the afternoon you will be making you way to San Jose, on route from the vehicle you will observe, the plains and even on a clear day, our pacific coastal side. Further on you will be driving through the mountainous range and into the central valley, right in the heart of Costa Rica. You will be staying the last night of the program at selected Hotel in the San Jose area. (B)

Accommodation:  San Jose for 1 night

DAY 8 SAN JOSE · SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Final day in our country. You will return the car rental at the (SJO) Juan Santamaria International Airport surroundings.  Please consider some spare time to return the car plus the recommendation by airport and airline authorities to be at the airport 3 hours in advance in order to do check in and Migration procedures. (B)