Country
Costa Rica
Duration
9 Days/8 Nights
Travel Type
Tour
 

An ideal option for first-time visitors to Costa Rica, this 8-night vacation features the country’s most interesting and popular highlights –allowing you to experience the beautiful scenery, fascinating culture, and warm and wonderful people! Your welcome to the Rainforest vacation will begin and end your stay with a night in San Jose, the country’s capital city and cultural hub, located in the Central Valley at a sea level that blesses it with spring like temperatures, all year-round. The second destination will be Tortuguero, which is only accessible by boat or small aircraft. A true ecotourism paradise in the middle of the tropical rainforest, Tortuguero will provide a panoramic view of the Caribbean side of the country, with its winding waterways and abundant flora and fauna. Your next stop will be the Arenal Volcano, one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world and a fascinating natural wonder, which regularly delights viewers with its spectacular conic shape. The journey continues to the Monteverde area, known for its spectacular scenery and diverse, rich tropical cloud forest. With its alpine-like weather, it has captured the attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists from around the world.

Inclusions

Regular transportation from Juan Santamaria Int’l Airport (SJO) to San Jose area
8 night accommodation
Regular package at Pachira Lodge, Tortuguero, Includes: Ground and boat transportation (San Jose – Tortuguero – Guapiles), lodging, daily meals, tour to the secondary Tortuguero canals and visit to the Tortuguero Village
Regular transportation from Guapiles to Arenal Volcano
Evening Visit to Tabacón Hot Springs, Includes: Transportation, entrance fee & dinner
Regular transportation from Arenal Volcano to Monteverde Cloud Forest, Crossing the Arenal Lake by boat
Regular half day Trapiche Cultural tour, Includes: Transportation, bilingual guide and entrance fee
Regular transfer from Monteverde Cloud Forest to San Jose area
Regular transfer from San José to Juan Santamaría Int’l Airport (SJO)
Meals : 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners

Exclusions

International airfare – Optional excursions – Beverages – Gratuities to hotel personnel & guides

1

DAY 1 SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - SAN JOSE

Arrive in San Jose; meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel in San Jose.

Accommodation : San Jose for 1 night

2

DAY 2 SAN JOSE - TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Today you will get an early start in heading towards the Northern Caribbean’s lowlands. In the first part of the trip you will admire beautiful evergreen mountains and beautiful landscapes of the Braulio Carrillo National Park.Once on the Caribbean side you will continue to the local dock area, where the boats are waiting for you to transfer you to the Tortuguero National Park. A scenic two and half hour boat ride will take you through the canals sheltered in the jungle of the rainforest, and from the boat, you will be able to admire the unique flora and fauna of this region. Upon arrival, you will receive a short briefing of your hotel and the surrounding area, followed by lunch. In the afternoon you will visit the village of Tortuguero, where you will learn the lifestyle o f local residents and the significant conservation efforts that some NGOs (non-governmental organizations) have developed to protect sea turtles that come to spawn each year along the 22 miles of protected coastline.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation : Tortuguero for 2 nights

3

DAY 3 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Today, 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).

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation : Overnight at Pachira Lodge.

4

DAY 4 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK - ARENAL VOLCANO

At mid-morning the journey continues with a boat transfer back to the local dock. Upon arrival, ground transportation will be provided to the area of Guapiles, where lunch will be served. Afterwards, continue on with a land transfer towards the northern lowlands, this route offers the experience to pass through different towns such as Puerto Viejo (Sarapiqui), San Miguel, Venecia and Aguas Zarcas. Also, along the way you will enjoy the beautiful scenery which includes amazing views of the mountains and one of the major sources of revenue in the area: the agriculture, so you will have the opportunity according with the season to observe the crops of pineapple, bananas and sugar cane. Arrive to La Fortuna Village late afternoon where the mighty Arenal Volcano will welcome you with its impressive perfect conic shape. This volcano has been active since 1969 and it has become one of the world’s most active volcanoes and one of Costa Rica’s main highlights. Check In at Arenal Manoa, where you will be staying two nights. During the evening you will visit the world famous Tabacón Hot Springs. These natural hot springs features a hot river that flows through a series of pools. From cascading falls to tropical gardens, the hot springs are the result of rainwater heated by magma in the Earth’s interior. Once heated, the waters rise to surface, taking with them minerals found in the earth’s rocky crust; this way, waters become very benefic to your body because of its temperature that helps to relax muscles, clean pores and rejuvenate the skin. Tabacón is a very unique location full of natural jewels that definitely you cannot miss staying at Arenal Volcano area.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation : Arenal area for 2 nights

5

DAY 5 ARENAL VOLCANO

This day is at your leisure to explore the area. We highly recommend the visit to Arenal Volcano National Park (extra cost) that protects an active perfect cone volcano with constant moderate explosions accompanied by roar, gases and ash emissions that raise high in the air. The attraction of this volcano has helped to develop the area as a prime destination in the country; from being a small town of cattle and agricultural farms, it has become one of the most tourist developed areas with hotels, tour attractions, adventure activities, hot springs and water sports. Additionally to the volcano, other attractions are: Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, Venado Caves, La Fortuna Waterfall, and many activities such as river floating, nature walks, hot springs, canopy, hanging bridges, Pure Trek Canyoning, rafting, hiking and horseback riding.

Meals : Breakfast

6

DAY 6 ARENAL VOLCANO - MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST

Morning departs from Arenal Volcano to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. This service is considered a transfer-tour, as you will be crossing by boat the Arenal Lake, which is the largest and the most important lake in Costa Rica. The first part of the trip is adorned with the beautiful scenery of the Arenal Lake. Then, will start the driving ascending through the Tilarán Mountain Range. The final portion of your journey is on gravel roads, giving you more time to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. Monteverde is a great destination to experience the culture and traditions of Costa Rica, so that for this afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit a family-run business and learn all about the traditional methods of production in a local farm. The tour begins with an interactive walk through the different plantations, including sugarcane, coffee, bananas, arracache (a local legume), avocado, macadamia nuts as well as other products. In each plantation, the guide will explain you the artisan process using typical artifacts that are involved in the production. Also you will visit a Tilapia fish project and a small-trapiche where you will see how the sugar cane is grinded and how, at the end of the process, delicious candy and brown sugar are obtained.

Meals : Breakfast

Accommodation : Monteverde for 2 nights

7

DAY 7 MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST

This day is at leisure to enjoy the optional sights and activities in the area. Perhaps pay a visit to the nearby town of Santa Elena, with its beautiful orchid garden, frog pond, serpentariums, butterfly gardens and art galleries. You could take a tour of the local cheese factory, coffee or sugar cane plantation, or take advantage of such local activities as horseback riding, birdwatching and/or canopy/zip-line tours.

Meals : Breakfast

8

DAY 8 MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST - SAN JOSE

Morning will be at leisure. In the afternoon, it’s programmed the transfer back to San Jose. Check-in at your hotel.

Meals : Breakfast

Accommodation : San Jose for 1 night

9

DAY 9 SAN JOSE

Your Costa Rican holiday concludes today. You will be met at the hotel and transferred back to the airport, for your return trip home.

Meals : Breakfast

Rates per person, in CA$, starting from, Double Occupancy

 Land package

Daily Departures 2022

 3.5* & 4 *

May 1 – December 8

2029
 

Single Supplement  

On request

Note: Seasonal surcharges may apply.

**Prices in this document are for information only; they were issued at press time, for the current year. Please note that due to exchange rates and temporary promotions, they can increase or decrease at any time. Contact your travel agent for the price and promotion of the moment The prices indicated exclude the contribution to the Customer Compensation Fund of $3.50 per $1,000 of tourism product or service purchased from a travel agent in Quebec