Tropical Costa Rica

What's Included

• Accommodation

  Stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari in San Jose, Mountain Paradise Resort & Spa in Arenal, El Establo Hotel in Monteverde, and Nammbu Beachfront Bungalows in Guanacaste.

• Guided Tours

  Enjoy guided tours including a visit to a local coffee plantation, a Cano Negro guided riverboat trip, and a nature walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

• Cultural Experiences

  Learn about local farming practices and make tortillas at Don Juan Finca Educativa.

• Leisure Activities

  Relax during a 2-night stay in Guanacaste and enjoy the resort's amenities.

• Transportation

  Transportation is included for various activities such as the Monteverde Hanging Bridges tour and the Canopy Adventure.

What's Not Included

• Meals

  Meals are not included on the first day of the tour.
  
  

• Optional Tours

  Optional tours such as the Monteverde Hanging Bridges and Canopy Adventure must be booked separately and are not included in the base package.
  
  

• Personal Expenses

  Personal expenses such as souvenirs, additional activities, and gratuities are not included.
  
  

• Travel Insurance

  Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
  
  

Experiences

Take your journey to new heights and explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest from the elevated treetop canopy.Put your feet up and relax during a 2-night stay in Guanacaste known for the country’s most beautiful beaches.

Options

Monteverde Cloud Forest: Monteverde Hanging Bridges Explore the cloud forest reserve in the heart of Monteverde from up above as you walk among the treetops with a local expert. Embark on a guided walking tour high above the forest floor on a leisurely paced “Hanging Bridges” tour and gain a different perspective of the cloud forest’s unique ecosystem, its mammals, birds, plants and flora. Admire the forest floor bursting with natural wonders, wildlife, and take in the amazing vistas. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to get up close to the indigenous wildlife in their natural habitat as your local expert shares stories of this incredible landscape and the ecology of the cloud forest. Duration approximately 2.5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 2 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.


The hanging bridges consist of 1.9 miles (approximately 3 kilometers) of trails that cross through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Guests with fear of heights should not participate in this option. It is recommended you bring light clothing, long pants, totally closed shoes or hiking shoes, camera, binoculars, sunscreen, insect repellent and a raincoat.

Monteverde Cloud Forest: Canopy Adventure Experience the unique sensation of flying through nature! For nature lovers, the greatest adventure of all is to take a Zip Line Canopy Adventure Tour. Selvatura Adventure Park and Canopy Tour is one of the best soft adventures in Costa Rica. Canopy Tour guides start by outfitting you with the appropriate equipment; then they take you through each of the 12 cables and 19 platforms and through the Tarzan Swing (optional). Selvatura Park is one of the longest Canopy Tours in Costa Rica, and is the only zip line canopy tour located inside the actual virgin cloud forest of Monteverde. Feel pure adrenaline and excitement of flying up to 35 miles per hour, viewing magnificent landscapes. Zip lines ranging from 120 to more than 2,000 feet in length and 60 to 400 feet in height let you experience the cloud forest from a whole new perspective. The tree top canopy tour not only offers a great adventure but also an opportunity to observe wildlife in its natural habitat. Trained personnel (accredited by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism) accompanies you throughout the tour. If you are looking for a fun adventure and amazing rides, this canopy tour is your best choice. Duration approximately 3 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 2 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

Please note: This option must be booked at least 30 days prior to departure and is non-refundable within 15 days of departure. This adventure is NOT recommended for clients who have high blood pressure, back or heart problems or women who are pregnant.
General conditions: All guides and equipment used is certified by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (ICT). For security, children under 8 years old cannot take the tour. Clients over 100 kilograms weight (217 pounds) must be evaluated by the technical staff (according to his/her height and physical condition) upon arrival. Staff will determine if those guests can participate in this tour. We recommend wearing long pants, hiking shoes, camera, binoculars, insect repellent, and a raincoat.

Guanacaste: Dolphin Watching & Snorkel Experience Get a different perspective of the Costa Rican wildlife when you venture into the natural habitat of a dolphin family. With a guide, get a firsthand look at these elegant creatures and watch as they play along the water’s surface. Home to an abundance of animals, keep an eye out for other creatures as well. If you’re lucky, you may even spot some whales or turtles! Afterwards, try your hand at fishing as you cast your line into the blue waters of the Pacific. You’ll also get a chance to swim and snorkel in the warm waves along the coast, getting a closer look at the sea life. Duration approximately 4 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 10 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. Activity is dependent on ocean and weather conditions. This tour often runs at the same time as the Mangrove Kayaking on the Ora River due to the tide schedule. Therefore, you can only book one of these options.
Suggestion: Bring sunblock, bathing suit, towel, and sunglasses.

Guanacaste: Mangrove Kayaking on the Ora River Branches reaching out into the swamp, creatures bustling through the undergrowth, and long-necked birds wading into the cloudy water. The mangroves of Costa Rica are not only essential to the larger ecosystem but also function as an ethereal waterway that will make you feel as if you’ve been transported to another world. Mangrove trees live in swamps where saltwater meets fresh water, creating a flourishing home for a wide variety of animals. On your kayak, discover an intimate look at the local wildlife as you gently paddle six miles down the Ora River. Keep an eye out for playful monkeys and explorative iguanas scurrying up the trees. Follow your guide as you coast along the water, making your way along the winding river and taking in the nature all around you. Duration approximately 3 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 10 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

Availability is based on river or sea conditions and cannot be guaranteed. This tour often runs at the same time as the Dolphin & Snorkel Adventure due to the tide schedule. Therefore, you can only book one of these optional tours, not both.
Suggestion: Bring a camera, sunblock, comfortable clothes, and sandals. In the event the Ora River does not have suitable conditions, guests will enjoy sea kayaking. Departure time is dependent upon high tide.

Culinaries

Discover the history of coffee in Costa Rica during your visit to a coffee plantation.Learn about local farming practices and learn to make tortillas while having lunch at Don Juan Finca Educativa.

Must See

Enjoy the breathtaking scenery surrounding Arenal Volcano.Spot indigenous wildlife while on a Cano Negro riverboat cruise.

Choice Highlights

San Jose San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica, and the largest city, with 290,000 in the city itself and 1.5 million in the metro area. It is named for Joseph of Nazareth, and has a very European feel and culture. It is located near the middle of the country, which has both Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Spanish colonists started to arrive shortly after Columbus, and many of these immigrants still returned to Europe to study and they created a city that was more European than colonial. Some of the important sights here are the neo-classical Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica, opened in 1897 with a performance of “Faust”, and the Plaza de la Cultura, an urban park where you can find marimba bands, jugglers, ice cream sellers and crowds of locals. San Jose installed its first street signs in 2012.

Coffee Plantation Coffee has always been one of Costa Rica’s top exports, grown in the central plateau since the mid 18th century with plants brought from Ethiopia. Costa Rican coffee is very high in caffeine and is considered among the best in the world. You will visit the coffee plants themselves and learn about the cultivation process and then how the beans are roasted and processed.

Arenal Volcano What an impressive sight – the imposing Arenal Volcano – 7,000 years in the making and reaching over 5,000 feet! This live volcano is currently dormant but was active as recent as 2010. Its most active period began in 1968 and it stayed active until July 2010. Smoke plumes and lava flows were common occurrences for decades. Now, although quiet, it is still just as breathtaking. Rising high over the shores of the peaceful Lake Arenal and surrounded by lush forests, it is simply majestic. The volcano’s underground geothermal activity creates nature’s gift - hot springs. Spend time soaking in the soothing waters while gazing at this extraordinary sight.

Cano Negro Refuge This is a wetland refuge in north central Costa Rica created in 1984. The only access to the 25,000 acre area is by boat. The boats are small and most are covered. The refuge is home to several endangered species, including cougars, jaguars, ocelots, tapirs and several kinds of monkey. The Rio Frio runs through the refuge and allows good wildlife viewing. In the dry season (November to April) millions of migratory birds from North and South America spend the winter here.

Lake Arenal Cruise Lake Arenal is the largest lake in Costa Rica, and was created as part of a hydroelectric project in 1979. The present town of Arenal on the lake is new – the original town is at the bottom of the lake after the enlargement in 1979. The lake is about 30 km long and 5 km wide and is 100 to 200 feet deep. From the lake, there are spectacular views of the volcano and the surrounding forest.

Farm Tour and Lunch

Monteverde Cloud Forest This is a nature reserve located on the central volcanic mountains in northern Costa Rica and contains 26,000 acres of cloud forest, 90% of it virgin forest. Cloud forest is defined as having constant or frequent low-level cloud cover that creates unique humid conditions. A group of Quaker farmers from Alabama bought land here in 1951, moving to Costa Rica to avoid the Korean War draft, and they named it Green Mountain (Monteverde) because it was green all year round. Scientists began to notice how special it was in species diversity in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the first bits were purchased as a reserve in 1973. There are over 160 kinds of amphibians living here including the golden toad, and many birds including the Resplendant Quetzal.

Choice on Tour You may chose between two options while in Monteverde: The hanging bridges walking tour consists of a series of walkways suspended near the tops of the trees in the cloud forest, giving you the ability to walk at treetop level in the clouds. They are anchored, but not fixed, so there is some movement, but they have handrails and are quite safe. You will also explore one of the world's largest butterfly gardens -OR- take the exhilirating zip line. Secured by a system of cables and platforms in the canopy of the rainforest, you will glide above the forest as you take in the breathtaking views.

Guanacaste This is a province in the northwest part of Costa Rica bordering the Pacific Ocean, and it gets its name from the national tree of Costa Rica, the Guanacaste tree (ear pod tree). Nicaragua, which borders Costa Rica, possessed the province in the 19th century and wants it back now. Guancaste has a very dry climate and is very hot during the North American winter season, so has become a very popular beach resort area. The rest of the local economy is based on cattle farming.

Mode of Transport

Transportation includes a guided riverboat trip in a covered canoe at Cano Negro, a cruise on Lake Arenal, and transfers between destinations such as San Jose, Arenal, Monteverde, and Guanacaste.

Accommodation

Stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari in San Jose, enjoy a 3-night stay at Mountain Paradise Resort & Spa overlooking Arenal Volcano, relax at El Establo Hotel in Monteverde, and unwind at Nammbu Beachfront Bungalows in Guanacaste.