Learn the secrets of Pura Vida – Costa Rica’s inimitable zest for life that will linger throughout your effortlessly delivered encounter with a land that boasts no artificial ingredients. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow expeditioners for a Welcome Reception.
Journey to San Isidro de Heredia, where we’ll Dive into Culture with master chocolatiers, Julio Fernandez and George Soriano, to learn about the history of chocolate and how it is produced at this small workshop. Then, it’s on to Siquirres where we’ll embark on a river journey with a Local Specialist through protected wetlands to secluded Tortuguero where you will glide through canals, lagoons and lowland rainforest. Then we visit the Village of Tortuguero for a culturally enriching, MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to meet Tortuguero Village pioneers and learn about their way of life. Later, we enjoy dinner at our hotel this evening accompanied by the enchanting sounds of resident cicadas and tree frogs.
Cruise the canals and streams of the park today with a Local Specialist as howler monkeys watch from the treetops, toucans and egrets fly through the air and crocodiles ply the cool waters. Visit the Village of Tortuguero. If you are here between July and September, take an optional tour to see the sea turtles laying eggs on the beach.
Bid adiós to Tortuguero and head back to the mainland where we’ll enjoy lunch before meeting the Tico family for a Make Travel Matter experience at their palm plantation. There you'll learn about and sample the delicate heart of palm. Tonight you'll enjoy a Be My Guest experience with the owners of your hotel, Connect With Locals as they prepare a special BBQ meal just for you.
Rise with the sun to get up close and personal with Costa Rica's exquisite nature during a leisurely hike. Keep a lookout for the endangered great green macaw and connect with your beautiful natural surroundings. Embark on an optional rafting trip^ later this morning. We Connect With Locals this afternoon, enjoying a Be My Guest experience lunch at an eco-friendly hacienda built by the Quintana family as a retirement project. Today, it is home to an organic farm and related eco-adventures. Learn how your experience contributes to the local community. Our journey continues to Arenal Volcano, on whose slopes we spend the afternoon relaxing in our resort's beautifully landscaped thermal pools.
Our soul-stirring encounter with Costa Rica’s natural wonders continues after a morning at leisure. Straddle the Continental Divide and touch the sky in Monteverde Cloud Forest, where you’ll have an opportunity to explore this biodiverse sanctuary, renowned for its collection of orchid species – more than in any other single place. Tonight, you will Dive into Culture as you meet descendants of native Quaker, and Local Specialist, who will share stories of Old Town Monteverde and delve into the history of the American Quakers who settled in the area in the 1950s. This evening, relish some of the best views as you enjoy dinner.
This morning, join your Local Specialist guide for an excursion through the lush rainforests of Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. We ascend to the treetops high above the jungle floor below, treading lightly along the Sky Walk^ suspension bridges amongst the wildlife that find sanctuary in the boughs of the surrounding canopy. As our epic eco-adventure nears its end, we share stories with newfound friends at a Farewell Dinner.
Transfer to Liberia International Airport for travel on to Guanacaste Beach for those extending their stay. Airport arrival will be at approximately 11:00 am for Liberia airport, please be aware when booking your flights.
Check in to your seaside resort in the Guanacaste surfing town of Tamarindo Beach.
Settle in for a day at leisure. Relax on the beach, learn how to surf or go shopping in the nearby Tamarindo Village.
Transfer to Liberia International Airport for your flight or consider extending your stay to soak up the sun-kissed shores of Costa Rica.
Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing a twin room. To request a personalized travel quote, click "Request Quote" and a Travel Specialist will send your custom quote including airfare if requested.
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
This morning excursion on a class II and III river involves navigating nearly 8 miles on the Sarapiqui River. It's a great introduction for first-time paddlers and families interested in a fun, wet roller coaster ride. Total duration: approximately 4 hours. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $64
At this wonderful park, you will have the opportunity to experience Costa Rica’s wildlife up close and personal where beautiful frogs, birds, reptiles, and their natural habitats will have the starring role. This package includes a frog sanctuary, bird watching, a serpentarium (home to different species of snakes found in Costa Rica), a reptile lagoon (to observe crocodiles) and a heliconia garden. Total duration is approximately 2 hours. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $50
Ever since the 1500s, locals considered Arenal to be just a regular everyday mountain. However, everything changed on the morning of July 29, 1968, when the mountain erupted, spewing ash and lava over the region. Up until 2010, the volcano was still quite active but has settled down in recent years. Your guided hike will allow you to see the areas that were destroyed in the 1968 eruption up close. Hike through recent lava flows and see how Mother Nature has brought life back to the region. Total duration is approximately 4 hours. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $67
Arenal Lake is the largest in the country and home to a wide diversity of birds, both resident and migratory, such as flycatchers, kingfishers and great blue herons. Kayaking on Arenal Lake is a great way to take part in an outdoor activity while you enjoy the amazing, one-of-a-kind views of Arenal Volcano. Along the shoreline, watch for howler monkeys enjoying the good life high in the trees. Total duration is approximately 4 hours. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $65
The tour begins with a walk through the farm where you’ll view sugarcane, banana, orange and coffee plantations. Learn about the coffee-making process and how liquor is made out of sugarcane. The farm provides an exciting education to visitors about the various crops and farm life in Costa Rica. Total duration is approximately 3 hours. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $33
On your horseback excursion, enjoy sweeping views of the Nicoya Gulf and its islands as you ride your way through coffee and sugarcane plantations, tropical forest and open fields. Be on the lookout for wildlife including toucans, green parrots and white-faced monkeys. Total duration is about 2 ½ hours. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $75
Board a comfortable gondola and fly among the trees on the lookout for local wildlife. As you glide among the forest, see how the vegetation changes with the elevation level. At the end of the Sky Tram you will be faced with a choice: return to the starting point in the same way you came or you can enjoy the ultimate adrenaline rush on the Sky Trek. With this option, you will fly across the forest in a series of ten zip lines with heights ranging from 100 – 650 feet and with lengths of over 650 feet. All of these zip lines were built to give you a 360° perspective of the rainforest. Gratuity included. (Minimum 2 Guests)
Adult Price: $97