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Corcovado
Manuel Antonio
Quetzal
Rincon de la Vieja
Arenal Activities
Tortuguero Wildlife
Puerto Viejo
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Day 1 Arrival at San José,
Costa Rica
Welcome to beautiful Costa
Rica! You will be picked up by a
friendly bilingual driver who will be waiting for you with a sign with your
name on it. Relax in the mini van with air conditioning while the driver
takes you to your hotel for the night.
Day 2 Corcovado, Osa
Peninsula
Today you will be picked up early at your hotel to catch your domestic
flight to Drake
Bay. After a 45
minutes flight* you’ll arrive at the local airstrip in Drake Bay, where a 4WD taxi will take you
to Playa Agujitas. Enjoy the safari drive through the wilderness of the
south. At Playa Agujitas you will mount a small boat that will take you to
the Lodge in about 15 minutes.
*Domestic flight: maximum luggage allowance is 25
lbs. per person including carry-on.
You will stay in a Rain Forest Lodge with a privately-owned nature reserve.
The Lodge’s breathtaking, exotic coastal location provides unlimited
opportunities for adventure, recreation, nature study and even some rest
and relaxation.
Because of its isolation, biological richness and its relatively
undisturbed forests, the Osa Peninsula Costa Rica is one of the most
important natural areas in Central America.
In the heart of the Peninsula boasts a large forested plateau, many rivers,
estuaries and wetlands, an extensive stretch of mangroves in the north and
a huge lagoon in the lowlands which are nearly surrounded by the mountains
of Corcovado National Park. Miles of unspoiled
beaches, rocky headlands and crystal-clean waterfalls create a visual
spectacle of extraordinary beauty. It’s in these forests, that the
nearly pristine northern part of the Corcovado National Park
and the Lodge’s Biological Reserve, are located.
Day 3 Corcovado, Osa
Peninsula (Corcovado National Park, San
Pedrillo Station)
Today you’ll visit the Corcovado
National Park. This
full day tour, accompanied by a naturalist guide, begins right after
breakfast. A short 25-minute boat trip from the Lodge takes you to San
Pedrillo Station, the most northern ranger station of the Corcovado National Park.
After disembarking, there is a walk of about 1 hour along the beach, to a
forest trail up the Rio Pargo. Once more the rain forest story unfolds
before you. The trees in this area are magnificent in height and support an
outstanding variety of epiphytic plants such as orchids, bromeliads,
ferns-even shrubs and small trees. Monkeys, agoutis, sloth and other
critters will entertain you. By noon, the tour returns to the beach to
enjoy the shade of a mango tree while watching the surf.
After lunch time, a short walk; the San Pedrillo river (time to get our
feet wet) brings you to a pristine rain forest waterfall. As always keep
your eyes open for beautiful birds and secretive wildlife. Kingfishers and
Jesus Christ lizards are residents of this river. In late afternoon, we
board the boat for return to the Lodge.
Day 4 Corcovado, Osa Peninsula
(Isla del Caño National Park)
Today you’ll visit the Isla del Caño National Park. This day you
should bring your beach towel and snorkeling gear along (available for
rent). After an hour boat trip we arrive at Caño Island
in the early morning.
Immediately upon arrival the guide leads a hike up to the site of the
Indian graves that are found all over the central plateau, where
archaeologists unearthed mysterious stone spheres and finely worked
artifacts, testimonies to a vanished culture. Along the way, notable
differences between the island and mainland forest will be pointed out.
Following lunch time, you are at your leisure to swim and soak up the sun,
you will be free to visit other parts of the island or snorkel among the
corals and brightly colored reef fish.
By late afternoon, it's time to return to the Lodge, a short distance by
boat, but an entirely different world. Watch out for the dolphins along the
way!
Day 5 San
José - Car rental
After a hardy breakfast the time has come to head back. We take the same
back to San José: a 15 minute boat ride to
Playa Agujitas, where a 4WD taxi takes us to the local airline strip in Drake Bay. After a 45 minutes flight over
mountains, rivers, the sea and the suburbs of San José, you’ll land
at the local airport in Pavas, where your transportation will be waiting to
take you to your hotel. At the hotel your 4x4 rental car will be dropped
of.
Day 6 Drive to Manuel Antonio
After breakfast at the hotel, head off to the beach: Manuel Antonio, on the
Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio is famous because of
its expensive white sand beaches backed by an evergreen forest. There is
quite a variety of fauna with 109 species of mammals and 184 species of
birds spotted right in the Park! The Park also includes 12 little isles just
off the coast; here dolphins and migrating whales have been observed.
Day 7 Manuel Antonio
After breakfast enjoy a tour in the area! Optional tours include: rafting,
canopy, Manuel Antonio National Park, hiking, bird watching, swimming),
kayak, canoe, mangrove tour, Damas Island boat coastal tour, sunset sailing
cruise, Carara National Park, river floating, ATV, horseback riding on the
beach or to the Nauyaca Waterfall, botanical garden tour or visit the town
of Quepos.
Day 8 Drive to Monteverde
After breakfast, you’ll head off to Monteverde. The Monteverde Cloud
Forest is a private non-profit reserve administered by the Tropical Science Center.
There are 6 distinct ecological zones in this reserve and the canopy is
extremely rich with birds, insects, butterflies and thousands of plants. A
must see, especially for nature lovers! You can enjoy a night walk in the
park as well.
Day 9 Enjoy Monteverde
After breakfast enjoy a tour in the area! Optional tours include: hiking in
the Monteverde of Santa Elena Reserve, canopy, hanging bridges, butterfly
garden, horseback riding, visit to local art and craft galleries, frog
pond…
Day 10 Drive to Rincon de la Vieja
After breakfast, continue the drive up the “General Cañas Highway” to
Rincón de la Vieja. Rincon de la Vieja is a volcano that rises 1916 meters
above sea level and spreads over 400 square kilometers. This Volcano
erupted last on February 16, 1998. The Volcano provides hot springs baths, mud baths and vapor
holes, great for cleansing and relaxing your body.
Day 11 Rincon de la Vieja
After breakfast enjoy a tour in the area! Optional tours include: horseback
riding to the Oropéndula waterfall, spa packages (mud baths, vapor sauna,
hot springs), hiking in the National Park, visit to Las Chorreras
Waterfall, river tubing, ATV, culture tours, farming tours (cattle
gathering, milking, and other farmyard activities), canopy, bird watching.
Day 12 Drive to Arenal
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Arenal. This is a beautiful drive along
Lake Arenal. Visit local craftsman and
enjoy the views of the lake. The Arenal Volcano is one of the most active
volcanoes is in the Americas.
You can feel the ground tremble and see the night sky explode with ash and
lava in a natural display of fireworks.
Visit the hot springs,
where you can relax in the soothing waters and be caressed by the cool
night air while observing the stars and the incredible night sky above the
volcano.
Day 13 Arenal
After breakfast enjoy a tour in the area! Optional tours include: volcano
hike, horseback riding to the waterfall, canopy, ATV, mountain bike, river
rafting or floating, Caño Negro wildlife refuge, sport fishing, Venado
caves, hot springs, Rio Celeste, Canyoning, visit to the Maleku Indians,
canoe safari, hike on Chato Mountain, bird watching, hanging bridges, hot
springs…
Day 14 Drive to Tortuguero
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll continue your journey to the
Caribbean Coast: to the world famous Tortuguero Canals. You’ll
connect with the tour to the take the boat through the first Tortuguero
Canals to your hotel.
After a refreshing welcome cocktail and check in, we’ll have a
typical Caribbean lunch. After some relaxing we’ll head of deep into
the Tortuguero Canals to journey through primary and secondary canals in
search of wildlife and peace of nature. We’ll also visit the local
village and school and learn about the way of life of the people living
along the river banks.
After happy hour and dinner there is an optional night tour: turtle
observation. Here we will learn first hand about the conservation of the
sea turtles. We’ll walk along the beach by night in search of turtles
coming ashore to lay their eggs…
Day 15 Tortuguero and drive to Puerto Viejo
After breakfast we’ll head out for an early morning visit to the
canals to observe the flora and fauna by daybreak. Breathe in the fresh air
as you prepare yourself for the morning hike in the National Reserve.
After lunch you'll head out to continue your trip in your 4x4 rental car to
the South Caribbean: the beautiful beaches of Puerto Viejo. Also visit
playa Cocles playa Uva and playa Manzanillo.
Day 16 Puerto Viejo de Limón
After breakfast enjoy a tour in the area! Optional tours include:
snorkeling, Cahuita National Park, dolphin tour, canopy, Indian reserve,
waterfalls, Manzanillo wildlife refuge, ATV, botanical gardens, horseback
riding, sport fishing…
Day 17 Puerto Viejo de Limón
After breakfast enjoy a tour in the area! Optional tours include:
snorkeling, Cahuita National Park, dolphin tour, canopy, Indian reserve,
waterfalls, Manzanillo wildlife refuge, ATV, botanical gardens, horseback
riding, sport fishing…
Day 18 Drive to San José
After your last hardy Costa Rican breakfast, it will be time to head back
to San José, so you can drop off your rental car in time to catch your
flight, or if you do not want to go home yet, ask for our extension
options!
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