Itinerary Details
Independent Costa Rica Wonders With Tortuguero & Guanacaste
Day 1 ARRIVE IN SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA Welcome to Costa Rica! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
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Day 2 SAN JOSÉ–TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
• Early this morning, travel east to the northern Caribbean’s lowlands. In the first part of the trip, admire beautiful evergreen mountains and beautiful landscapes of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Once on the Caribbean side, continue to the Caño Blanco Dock, where you will board a boat to take you to Tortuguero National Park.
• Take a boat ride through the canals sheltered in the jungle of the rainforest. From the boat you will be able to admire the unique flora and fauna of this area.
• Upon arrival at your hotel there will be a short briefing followed by lunch. In the afternoon, visit the village of Tortuguero, where you learn the lifestyle of local residents and the significant conservation efforts developed to protect the sea turtles that come to spawn each year along the 22 miles of nearby protected coastline.
(B,L,D)
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Day 3 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
• This morning, your guide accompanies you on a leisurely boat ride along remote, unspoiled sections of the park’s waterways, explaining the bountiful flora and fauna. The trained eyes of your guide and boatman help you spot freshwater turtles, caimans, herons, toucans, egrets, and monkeys.
• Later, enjoy a fascinating stroll through an accessible portion of the nearby rainforest. During the peak nesting season (mid-July to mid-October), you may be lucky enough to observe an endangered green turtle laying her eggs under the starlight.
• Later this afternoon, meet a local Naturalist for an informative presentation on the ecology of the area.
(B,L,D)
Today’s I-Time Tips
Between guided excursions, relax by the pool or take a siesta!
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Day 4 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK–ARENAL
• Today, transfer by boat and car to the lush town of Arenal, located in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. Settle in and experience the magic of your resort.
• This afternoon, visit the famous hot springs the area is known for and take a dip in the natural springs and pools of mineral waters surrounded by lush, tropical forest. Enjoy dinner at the hot springs.
(B,D)
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Day 5 ARENAL
• Today is at your leisure to explore on your own or perhaps take an optional excursion.
(B)
Today’s I-Time Tips
Perhaps visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges, a network of suspension bridges, platforms, and trails built in the cloud forest. From here, explore the forest canopy with a bird’s-eye view, giving you a different perspective of the forest’s wildlife. Alternatively, you may choose a rafting or horseback riding adventure.
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Day 6 ARENAL–MONTEVERDE
• This morning, your transfer begins with a short boat ride across Arenal Lake to admire different species of birds that visit and call the area home. Continue through incredible mountain scenery and the Monteverde Cloud Forest, home to over 3,000 plant species, approximately 120 mammal species, 400 bird species, and 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles.
• This evening, venture into Monteverde’s Cloud Forest just before nightfall with an expert Naturalist for a guided nature walk to search for the jungle’s nocturnal creatures, like sloths, foxes, agoutis, frogs, and many more!
(B)
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Day 7 MONTEVERDE
• Enjoy a day to do as you please today with options to choose from if you like.
(B)
Today’s I-Time Tips
Maybe wake up early and visit Santa Elena Cloud Forest to best experience the animals in their natural forest habitats. Discover this misty and surreal wildlife sanctuary full of mosses, ferns, flowers, and other indigenous plant life. Also, notice how the combination of climatic and geographic factors create temperature and humidity gradients, changing dramatically over just a short distance, or you could visit a local family’s farm to learn about sugar cane, coffee, and tilapia farming.
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Day 8 MONTEVERDE–GUANACASTE
• Journey to the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. This part of the North Pacific region of Coast Rica offers hundreds of unspoiled beaches lining the shores, but Guanacaste is surprisingly far from being a traditional beach destination.
(B)
Today’s I-Time Tips
During your time here, you may choose a rainforest canopy tour, river rafting or a float trip down the Corobici River. Consider horseback riding or fishing, or relax on the beach and snorkel in the Pacific Ocean.
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Day 9 GUANACASTE
• Enjoy a free day.
(B)
Today’s I-Time Tips
Perhaps opt for a guided visit to Rincon de la Vieja National Park, known as Costa Rica’s Yellowstone, to explore the steamy sulfur water ponds and pungent fumaroles that punctuate this jungle, home to toucans, monkeys, and many other animals. Or, take a leisurely boat cruise through Palo Verde National Park, composed of tropical dry forest and mangroves, and admire scores of birds, caimans, and iguanas along the way.
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Day 10 GUANACASTE
• Enjoy a free day.
(B)
Today’s I-Time Tips
Why not choose a total adrenaline rush for today’s adventure on a zip line tour?! The zip line system consists of a network of suspended cables up in the treetop canopy that go from one platform to another and that will let you zip from tree to tree.
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Day 11 GUANACASTE
• Your vacation ends after breakfast this morning.
(B)
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