Exceptional tour

DETAILED PROGRAMME

D1: Arrival in San José 

With an altitude of 3300 feet (1000 meters), you are in the central valley. Private transportation will bring you to your San Jose hotel for one night.

D2: transfer to Tortuguero (4h)

We´ll be leaving San José´s Valley to cross the central volcanic chain. A concrete, then a dirt road leads us to the banks of the Suerte River. Here we embark in a large canoe decending the warm, tropical waters of the river and penetrating one of the wildest and most biologically intense areas of the country. This is Tortuguero. Enjoy the afternoon, visit the village located on a thin sand bank between the Caribbean Sea and the laguna. (Overnight in Tortuguero)

D3: Tours in the Tortuguero National Park and the Canals

As its name suggests in Tortuguero (which could be translated as “the turtle place”) there are turtles. Although they’re not present all year round, Tortuguero is the most important nesting site in the world for the green sea turtle. Night tours are organized by local guides to give you the opportunity to respectfully observe the spectacle of the egg-laying. The Tortuguero National Park is a maze of canals which facilitates the observation of nature. During the day, from small launches, you can observe troops of monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans, and many other animals. (Overnight in Tortuguero)

D4: · Transfer to La Fortuna (3h) 

We leave the coast, sailing up the Suerte River to our land transportation. After crossing Guapiles, head to the plains of San Carlos to reach La Fortuna, a small countryside town settled at the base of the Arenal Volcano. On the way we stop at Palmitour to discover one of the culinary specialties of the region: the heart of palm. Learn how the palm tree is grown, harvested and prepared. Then enjoy a delicious heart of palm ceviche followed by a hear of palm based meal. Once we’ve arrived at La Fortuna, discover the thermal hot springs of this area, all heated by the colossal volcano. Hot spring and a leisurely afternoon. (Overnight at La Fortuna)

D5: Day at Arenal

The day takes place around the volcano as climbing it is strictly prohibited. Visit the Arenal Volcano National Park which offers a superb walk between the volcano and Arenal lake, passing between the rainforest and an old lava flow. Then encounter La Fortuna´s waterfall, a spectacular cascade in the midst of the jungle. Have lunch in one of the restaurants in the area where we recommend that you try their beef; this is cattle country. Enjoy a private nature reserve combining viewpoint of the volcano from several platforms and wildlife watching. (Overnight at La Fortuna)

D6: Transfer to Monteverde (3.5 h)

We departure for Monteverde, passing through one of the most charming roads in the country. We will first drive around Lake Arenal, passing through many quiet and prosperous towns to arrive at Tilaran, a small city named after the mountain range on which the shrouded area of ​​Monteverde is perched. Welcome to the Cloud Forest. (Overnight in Monteverde)

D7: Monteverde

We will have a full day in which to realize the extent of Costa Rica’s biological wealth that Monteverde offers. Visiting Selvatura will take you into a magical universe where the cloud forest concentrates a level of endemism hardly equaled in the world. Multiple suspension bridges that flirt with the canopy offer you an experience that’s somewhere between a dream and a scientific investigation. You are in the epiphytes plant’s paradise : air plants, the best known of which are orchids. For adventurers looking for adrenaline, we offer zip lines in Selvatura Park. The second visit of the day will be to the Ecological Sanctuary. This space, once a grazing area and a coffee plantation, is an example of the eco-tourism transition. Within two generations, the same family has gone from farmers to nature conservationists. In this privileged space, wildlife observations are numerous. (Overnight in Monteverde)

D8: Early departure to Rio Céleste (1.5 h)

Visit the Tenorio Volcano National Park. Hike in an exuberant jungle, follow the turquoise waters of the river to the Teñideros: a meeting place between the crystalline waters that flow from the forest and the creek releasing the chemical elements that give to the water its sky-blue color. Three hours spent here will fly by. Then we head for our hotel at the base of the ‘Rincon de la Vieja’. (2.5 h)

D9: Rincon de la Vieja 

Departure from our hotel towards the Rincon de la Vieja National Park (45 min), Here, discover the geological phenomenon of this majestic park. During a three hour tour, we wind up in the middle of a forest of strangler figs trees. Marvel at the mini volcano, the lagoons of boiling mud and the creeks from which the sulfur vapors escape. Spend an afternoon of relaxation at the hotel’s thermal baths, enjoy the sauna, mud baths and hot water pools harmoniously built along a hot spring that flows from the volcano.

D10: Transfer to Manuel Antonio (4h)

As we make our way to the Pacific coast, we transition from the cool cloud forest of the mountains to the hot coastal lowlands. On our way, enjoy a relaxing ¨cruise¨ on the Tárcoles River. This is an essential stop for birdwatchers as the Tárcoles has a favorable ecosystem that hosts numerous colonies of birds. Here you will discover the mangroves, the shore, and the river mouth. And, it is impossible to miss the crocodiles so abundant in this river. After this smooth navigation we will take to the road again, heading to Manuel Antonio. (overnight in Manuel Antonio)

D11: Visit Manuel Antonio National Park. 

The Manuel Antonio area includes the town of Quepos, the public beaches of Manuel Antonio, and the National Park with its marvelous trails and protected beaches. The beaches are spacious enough for everyone to find space under the shade of  coconut and almond trees. Beyond the scenic beauty of the place, Manuel Antonio’s attraction comes from its abundant wildlife. The density and diversity of species in one square kilometer of the national park are among the highest in the world and justify a visit to one of the jewels of the Pacific coast. We will visit the national park during the day, have lunch in one of the restaurants in the area and go on a chocolate tour for dessert! And then, not to be missed, the Night Tour just outside of Quepos where we will be astonished at the variety of nocturnal fauna, including the famous red eyed tree frog of Costa Rica! (Overnight in Manuel Antonio or surroundings)

D12: The Osa peninsula. 

From Manuel Antonio we will head south along the coastal highway to the Osa Peninsula town of Sierpe(2h), but not before we stop in the central park of Palmar Sur to discover the pre-Columbian spheres of the Diquis culture. These spheres, symbols of the indigenous past of Costa Rica, are presented in the middle of a collection of tropical trees. The park itself  is the former botanical garden of the United Fruit company. ‘Banana Republic’ architecture is omnipresent with the church, homes and the old buildings of the company. Dive in many layers of history in this remote area of ​​the country. In Sierpe we will board a launch to Drake Bay (1h). Along the way we pass through the heart of the largest mangrove in the country, admire the mangroves from the boat, observe the fauna and finally pass through the mouth of the river into the Pacific Ocean. Get ready for a wet landing on Drake Bay Beach. Dinner and overnight in Drake Bay.

D13: Corcovado National Park. 

An early morning departure for Corcovado National Park from Drake’s Beach will ensure a day full of adventure. Depending on the availability of the park, we will visit one of the two park stations: Sirena or San Pedrillo. Visits to Corcovado National Park are limited and can only be done with a certified tour guide. We will land on one of the beaches of the Osa peninsula. Go for a fauna and flora observation hike (30 min by boat for San Pedrillo and 1 hour for Sirena, 4-hour hike). Corcovado National Park is the home of the four species of monkeys, a large population of pumas and tapirs, and even a few jaguars. It is a privilege for any naturalist to one day be able visit this treasure. Return to Drake and rest in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Drake.

D14: Departure to the Quetzals area (4 h)

We make our way back to Sierpe from Drake. Then, in less than four hours we will pass from the overwhelming heat of the mangroves to the fresh paramo of the Talamanca´s Cordillera Range at more than 9800 feet (3000 meters) above sea level. This is another of Costa Rica’s unique ecosystems. Composed of oak trees that colonized the slopes of these mountains since the Ice Age, we are here in the biome which concentrates the greatest number of endemic species, in particular the Resplendent Quetzal. This is the mythical bird with jade plumage that gave birth to many Maya legends. We will stop in the town of Siberia to taste the local dishes and visit a producer of Shiitake mushrooms. Then we leave for dinner and overnight in our hotel in the Cerro de la Muerte region.

D15:  Los Quetzales 

Our wake-up is at dawn for a departure with our guide to one of the quetzals’ feeding points. The quetzal, which is only observed in Costa Rica forests above 4000 feet, (1200 meters) of altitude, feeds very early in the morning on small avocados natural to this area. While the Quetzal is Guatemala’s national bird, it is much more common here in Costa Rica thanks to habitat protection and conservation efforts. With a little luck we will be able to observe the male and the female. An afternoon hike in the oak forest  will round out our time in this area. Dinner and overnight in our hotel in the Cerro de la Muerte region.

D16: The Orosi Valley(3h)

We leave for the charming valley of Orosi, the historical heart of the country’s colonial past and a place of high-quality coffee production. We will visit the adobe colonial church of the city. Built in 1743, it is the oldest church still in use in the country. Then to continue our historical visit we head to the ruins of Ujarras to discover one of the oldest buildings that stands in the heart of the city. To enjoy a superb panorama, we will head to the heights of the dam of Cachi to enjoy the breeze and the gastronomy of the region. Night in a hotel in Orosi

D17:  Irazu Volcano (3h)

Irazu is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. We leave the Cordillera de Talamanca for the central volcanic chain towards this active volcano. We will visit Irazu Volcano National Park which contains three volcanic craters. This volcano is, from a meteorological point of view, the least capricious of the country. Indeed, it tends to be clear almost every day of the year. On our relaxing walk along the crater, depending on the year, we may be able to enjoy the superb jade-colored lagoon of the main crater. We then descend to the city of Cartago, visit the Basilica of Cartago, lunch in a local restaurant, and depart for our hotel near the airport. (1.5h)

D18: Depending on the departure time of your international flight, this day may include a visit to Poas National Park which boasts the largest volcanic crater in Costa Rica, the La Paz Waterfall or a tour of the Dota Coffee Plantation.