Day 1 - Wednesday, 3/5/2025 Fly to San Jose
Fly south to Costa Rica, to the colorful capital city of San José. Upon arrival, Meet your Professional Naturalist Tour Manager and transfer to your hotel.
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Day 2 - Thursday, 3/6/2025 - Breakfast - Dinner Poas Volcano / To Arenal
This morning enjoy the scenery of the Central Valley, surrounded by soaring mountains, strawberry plantations, and flower farms. Visit a Coffee Plantation to sample fresh Costa Rican coffee and learn about the history and cultivation of the coffee bean. Later, travel past tropical landscapes to Poas Volcano National Park. View the dramatic mile wide crater from an overlook (altitude 9,000’). Stop at the Sarchi Artisan Village, an ideal place to shop for an oxcart, Costa Rica’s best known craft & souvenir. Stay in the Arenal Volcano National Park area (La Fortuna) for the next two evenings. Tonight enjoy a Welcome Dinner featuring local specialties.
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Day 3 - Friday, 3/7/2025 - Breakfast - Dinner La Fortuna Free Day
Today, enjoy your resort and spa hotel. The resort features a wonderful viewing angle of the Arenal Volcano and is surrounded by lush gardens, walking paths, excellent bird watching, swimming pools, and hot springs. Enjoy dinner at the resort.
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Day 4 - Saturday, 3/8/2025 - Breakfast - Dinner Arenal / To Monteverde
This morning, visit Arenal Volcano National Park, one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world. Its constant emissions of gases and lava will amaze you. Later, check into your hotel in the Monteverde Cloud Forest area for a two night stay and enjoy an included dinner tonight.
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Day 5 - Sunday, 3/9/2025 - Breakfast - Dinner Monteverde Cloud Forest
Today, visit the conservation project at Selvatura Park. Walk across Hanging Bridges & discover the natural beauty of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the largest and most enchanting wildlife sanctuaries in the Americas. Enjoy interesting visits to the Butterfly Garden, home to 50 different species, and the Hummingbird Gallery, home to many species from the forest.
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Day 6 - Monday, 3/10/2025 - Breakfast - Dinner To Jaco/Hermosa Beach
Travel to the Jaco/Hermosa Beach area and settle into your hotel for the next 2 nights. Watch the sun set over the Pacific alongside birds in every color of the rainbow. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure and dinner this evening.
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Day 7 - Tuesday, 3/11/2025 - Breakfast Manuel Antonio National Park
Travel to Manuel Antonio National Park, home to verdant rainforests and white sand beaches. Enjoy free time to traverse the trails where the wild things are, or go for a swim in the turquoise waters as wildlife rummages in the canopies. Later return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.
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Day 8 - Wednesday, 3/12/2025 - Breakfast - Dinner Crocodiles / To San José
Following breakfast this morning, travel to Tarcoles and see crocodiles among the mangroves of Tárcoles’ Rio Grande. Enjoy an exhilarating Jungle Crocodile Safari beneath the towering jungle. Look along the river banks for a glimpse of these incredible creatures. Then travel back to to San José.Toast to the pura vida of Costa Rica tonight over a Farewell Dinner.
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Day 9 - Thursday, 3/13/2025 - Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner Fly Home to USA or Optional Extension
Fly home full of wonderful memories of Costa Rica, or if you chose the optional extension, embark on an exciting soft-adventure jungle adventure to Tortuguero, the Amazon of Costa Rica.
On the extension, Depart San José early this morning and travel through Braulio Carrillo National Park with a stop enroute for breakfast. See many different products grow in this area along the way such as pineapples and bananas. Arrive to Cano Blanco/ Pavona pier, board your boat and cruise through the Tortuguero canals as this extraordinary exotic paradise enchants you. Arrive at your lodge and enjoy an included lunch and check-in for a two night stay. Later, embark on a guided visit to the quaint Tortuguero Village that stretches between guest houses, shops and restaurants. |
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Day 10 - Friday, 3/14/2025 - Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner Optional Extension: Tortuguero National Park
This morning enjoy a guided walking tour through the local trails with some free time before lunch. In the afternoon, visit Tortuguero National Park and experience the “Amazon of Costa Rica” aboard small open boats with an opportunity to see macaws, sloths, monkeys and other native species. While on this spectacular boat cruise through the various canals be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife including howler monkeys, sloths, toucans, aquatic birds, crocodiles, caimans and exotic flora. It protects over 350 species of birds and mammals as well. Free time before dinner to relax or explore on your own. |
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Day 11 - Saturday, 3/15/2025 - Breakfast - Lunch Optional Extension: San José
Return to San José for your last night in Costa Rica before your return home. |
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Day 12 - Sunday, 3/16/2025 - Breakfast Optional Extension: Fly Home
Today, transfer to the airport and fly home.
Notes: This tour involves high altitude.
Local airport departure tax of $30 (approx.) must be paid at the airport in local currency. |
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