Discover Costa Rica

The group flight usually arrives into San Jose this evening. Land Only
clients should aim to arrive at the hotel this afternoon/evening. Free
transfers are available for all clients. This evening is the perfect
opportunity to meet your guide and get to know your fellow travellers.

Our adventure begins early this morning, leaving San Jose behind as we travel
to the north-east of Costa Rica to Tortuguero National Park. Accessible only
by boat or light aircraft, Tortuguero's vast network of waterways, canals and
swamps is remarkably tranquil, unspoilt and devoid of noise pollution. On
reaching the pier we board a small motorboat for the one hour fifteen minute
journey to our lodge, which is nestled on a small strip of land between the
Caribbean Sea and the main lagoon. Our afternoon is spent in Tortuguero
village, where it’s possible to visit the Sea Turtle Museum (a donation
will be requested at the entrance). Tortuguero is probably most famous as a
nesting site for the endangered Green turtle, which can be seen arriving onto
the beach to lay eggs from late July to October (as part of an optional
excursion). Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Giant Leatherback turtles also nest in
this region, and during November to January baby turtles start to hatch and
make their way towards the ocean. Today's travel time will be in the region
of six hours including a break for breakfast.

An early morning boat trip enables us to discover the extraordinary flora and
fauna of Tortuguero, passing serenely along the waterways. At this time of
day wildlife is usually at its most active, and with the help of our expert
guide we are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butterflies and
many of the 300+ bird species recorded here. We return to the lodge for a
hearty breakfast by the river. The lodge is a tranquil spot to relax this
afternoon if you want to take some time out to enjoy the facilities, or
alternatively you can join a second boat trip or follow a short walking trail
through the forest.

We leave Tortuguero the same way we arrived by taking a small boat to the
pier. Our bus will be at the pier waiting to drive us to the region of
Arenal, passing huge banana, pineapple and sugar cane plantations on the way.
Arenal was Costa Rica's most active volcano until fairly recently when it
entered a resting phase, and can no longer be seen spitting ash, smoke or
lava. However there is still a lot of geothermal activity in the area and
you'll have the opportunity to visit one of the excellent hot springs this
evening. In clear weather there are great views of the volcano from our
overnight base in the nearby town of La Fortuna. Today's travelling time is
around five and a half hours including a lunch stop.

Waterfalls are abundant in the region of Arenal and this morning we visit La
Fortuna Waterfall, a 65 metre cascade of water plunging into an emerald pool
below. A short trail through the rainforest brings us to a relatively steep
set of steps that we must descend to reach the waterfall and then ascend to
the exit - the hike/climb takes around 20-30 minutes and is within the
capabilities of anyone with reasonable fitness. Reward your efforts with a
dip in one of the natural pools punctuating the foliage to cool off!
Alternatively you could visit the lookout point and wait for the group. After
lunch we take a short scenic hike within Arenal National Park, walking
through secondary rainforest and passing some of the lava fields from past
eruptions. The high vantage points on this walk allow great views overlooking
Lake Arenal, and the birdlife is plentiful.

From Arenal we travel to the Tilaran Mountain Range in the Central Highlands
for our first taste of a Costa Rican cloud forest. The journey provides
breathtaking views of the Gulf of Nicoya and the islands below as we ascend
the hills towards Monteverde, a forest-cloaked region whose name literally
means 'Green Mountain'. The high altitude supports a complex eco-system where
plants thrive, particularly orchids of which there are some 400+ different
varieties here. Today's drive is around four hours — the last 40km of road
is gravel and can be bumpy, particularly following heavy rain.

This morning we have a guided walk in Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, one
of the first community-managed reserves in Costa Rica and an area that is
world-famous for its biodiversity. To this day the reserve is managed by the
Santa Elena High School with funds channelled into protecting the reserve and
providing environmental education classes within the local community. Thanks
to its high elevation, Santa Elena is bathed in thick misty clouds which
support a huge range of flowers, ferns, mosses, vines and orchids. Birdlife
thrives in the cloud forest with over 425 species recorded here. Santa Elena
is also one of the best places to spot noisy Howler monkeys swinging through
the trees!
In the afternoon it's possible to join an optional coffee tour to learn about
the importance of this crop to the socio-economic development of the country,
or join a canopy tour to get a different view of the forest.

Our journey takes a south-easterly turn today as we follow the Pan-Am Highway
along the coastline to Manuel Antonio, passing African oil palm and teak
plantations on the way. Manuel Antonio National Park consists of a vast
marine reserve as well as 1,700 acres of mangrove swamp, primary and
secondary rainforest. The forest vegetation stretches as far as the high-tide
line and provides a stunning backdrop to the expansive sandy beaches,
forested islands and dramatic rocky headlands. Our drive to Manuel Antonio
takes around four hours. We spend the next two nights here, normally in a
hotel close to the beach and the entrance of the national park. Depending on
our time of arrival we should have some time to enjoy various optional
activities this afternoon or enjoy the hotels facilities.

A guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park this morning should enable us
to have some close wildlife encounters. White-faced Capuchin monkeys play in
the trees and are frequently sighted on the beaches, whilst noisy Howler
monkeys are usually heard moving through the trees and calling to each other
before they are seen. The endangered Titi monkey (Squirrel monkey) are fewer
in number but can sometimes be spotted in this area. Iguanas, agouti and two
and three toed sloths are also commonly sighted in the national park. Manuel
Antonio's beaches are considered to be some of the most beautiful in the
country and we have all afternoon to enjoy them or try one of the optional
activities available in this region.
Please note that Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Mondays. If your
visit falls on a Monday, the timing of this activity will be adjusted so that
you visit the park on the previous day, and today will be at leisure to enjoy
the many optional excursions of the region.

Travel four hours south towards Golfito, a relatively wild and undiscovered
region. The dense jungle here has hardly been explored or researched. The
next two nights are spent in the beautiful Esquinas Rainforest Lodge set in
the heart of primary rainforest and bordered by the newly created Piedras
Blancas National Park and Golfito Nature Reserve. The lodge was originally
financed by the government of Austria as a project combining forest research,
development aid and nature conservation. Most employees are local and profits
are used to help with projects in the nearby village. This afternoon we
discover our peaceful surroundings and search for the abundant bird and
insect life that resides here.

Hike through the rainforest this morning with your guide and experience all
of the sights and sounds of the jungle. During this activity we are likely to
see snakes, monkeys and maybe sloths. This hike can be quite slippery after
rainfall but is a real highlight and well worth the effort. This afternoon
has been left free for optional activities — delve deeper into the forest
on a 10 mile network of trails departing directly from the lodge, or simply
relax by the pool.

Our journey takes a north-westerly turn through San Isidro and up and over
the Cerro de la Muerte mountain range to our next destination, the Savegre
Valley, located around four and a half hours away from Golfito. The cloud
forest of Savegre is said to be one of the best places in the whole of Costa
Rica to see the beautiful, colourful and notoriously shy Resplendent Quetzal
and we have two nights here to discover the region. These endangered birds
rely on the cloud forest for their habitat — the males in particular are
striking with a green crest, red breast and tail feathers that can reach a
metre in length. A good pair of binoculars will be helpful for quetzal
spotting as these birds camouflage themselves well amongst the wet leaves of
the forest! After lunch we take a short walk from our lodge into the cloud
forest.

Today is free to relax and explore Savegre Valley. Bring your binoculars to
spot some of the 170 bird species, trek through the tropical cloud forest or
simply enjoy the incredible view from the lodge. Your leader will suggest
walks for today so that you can discover the tropical cloud forest and
sub-Andean vegetation of the area. 

Visit the village of Copey this morning to step momentarily into the
agricultural lives of those living in the highlands of the Central Mountain
Range. We take a short walk to the picturesque village where some snacks will
be prepared for us with a local family, which is sure to be a memorable touch
of Costa Rican hospitality! A two and a half hour journey takes us back to
San Jose, where there is time to explore the modern capital.

The trip comes to an end today after breakfast and it's time to bid Costa
Rica and the rest of the group goodbye. Free transfers to San Jose airport
are available to all clients today.
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