-Day 1 Hola San José (groups flying from the west coast may be required to depart day 0)
Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Day 2 San José--Arenal
Details: Coffee Plantation visit
World-renowned Costa Rican coffee has grown to be an emblem of local culture. Join a local tour to learn how the country's elevation, eco-system and volcanic history have all contributed to its unique taste.
Details: Travel to Arenal
Arenal is famous for its volcano, an unavoidable presence while traveling within this part of the country. It is tall, imposing, perfectly symmetrical shape makes it instantly recognizable.
Details: Hot springs visit
Let the volcanoes take you away. At Arenal’s hot springs, bubbling lava fields heat the waters to make nature’s own jacuzzi.
Day 3 Arenal--Sarapiqui
Travel to Sarapiqui
Details: Organic pineapple tasting experience
Immerse yourself in the world of organic farming: Learn everything you want to know about growing pineapples in a sustainable way: from the indigenous roots to modern sustainable crops. At the end of the tour, relax in a lush tropical setting with a refreshing fruit smoothie or a slice of sweet, fresh pineapple.
Day 4 Sarapiqui
Sarapiqui river kayaking tour
Details: Yoga class in the Sarapiqui rainforest
Exercise your body and mind in the heart of the Sarapiqui rainforest. Whether you're new to yoga or a self proclaimed yogi, a teacher will guide you through different poses in a lush setting. Please dress for movement, yoga mats are provided.
Details: Tirimbina Bat Tour
Costa Rica is home to more than 100 bat species, several of which you’ll see on this tour. Start by viewing a multi-media presentation on the history and classification of bats, then follow a trained guide and observe the bats who are studied for research projects.
Day 5 Sarapiqui--Puerto Viejo
Travel to Puerto Viejo
Details: Bri Bri Indigenous reserve and chocolate tour
Guided by members of a local BriBri indigenous family, learn about the traditional BriBri way of life. The vegetation surrounding the area is put to good use: discover how chocolate and other plants are traditionally used for medicinal purposes and witness the traditional way of making chocolate.
Day 6 Puerto Viejo
Details: Sloth Rescue Center visit
Enjoy a fun, informative introduction to the world of sloths (and maybe meet our mascot, Tico, along the way!). Visit sloth enclosures in the Learning Center before boarding a fiberglass canoe to experience the animal’s natural habitat. Learn about the rescue, rehabilitation, research and release of Costa Rican sloths at this family-run sanctuary. *Though you will see sloths up close, only sanctuary staff can handle sloths.
Details: Caribbean flavours cooking class
Learn how to pair ingredients behind traditional Costa Rican cuisine from the Pacific coast. Work with the flavors of the local area to create diverse dishes that tie back to African, European and local indigenous roots. And after a lesson in slicing and dicing, you’ll educate the palate the old-fashioned way with a well-earned hearty dinner.
Day 7
Punta Uva beach time
Details: Cahuita National Park visit
Cahuita National Park encompasses both land and sea to offer visitors an up-close look into Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity. Situated on an undeveloped beach, Cahuita is home to a coral reef full of sea turtles, eels, sharks, and more than 30 species of coral — plus an 18th century shipwreck. On land, Cahuita’s rainforest jungle houses colorful birds, thousands of plants and a wide variety of mammals like howlers and sloths.
Details: Caribbean dance class
In the mid-1800s, fisherman from Jamaica and the West Indies began settling along Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. Today, this laidback Afro-Caribbean community influences the “other side” of Costa Rica with Trinidadian Calypso and Jamaican Reggae beats. Indulge in the Afro-Caribbean rhythm and get ready to move your feet to the fresh sound of the marimba, banjo and drums!
Day 8
Travel to San José via Cartago
Details: Cartago Tour director-led sightseeing tour
Visit Cartago, Costa Rica's first capital until 1823. The city has been hit by multiple volcanic eruptions including one in 1723 that nearly destroyed the whole city. Today the city thrives with life, history and culture.
Day 9 Flight home from San José
-Day 9 Start Manuel Antonio extension
Travel to Manuel Antonio
Butterfly Farm visit
Details: Canopy zip line tour
Harness yourself to cables that run between platforms high in the trees, then step into thin air and zip from tree to tree. Experience a true bird-eye view from your new aerial perspective.
Day 10 Manuel Antonio--San José
Travel to San José
Details: Manuel Antonio National Park visit
Combining white sandy beaches with lush tropical forest, Manuel Antonio is the perfect place to see a variety of Costa Rican wildlife, from white-faced monkeys and sleepy-faced sloths, to green turtles and orange-and-black-shelled land crabs.
Day 11 Flight home from San José
Tour Includes:
- Round-trip airfare
- 8 overnight stays (10 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
- Breakfast daily
- Lunch daily
- Dinner daily
- Full-time services of a professional tour director
- Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
- Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
- Tour Diary™
- Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
- Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
- Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
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