Costa Rica Rainforest Explorer

Upon your arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), you will pass through Immigration and customs before meeting your local guide, who will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. After checking into your comfortable accommodation, the remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax and acclimate to the tropical climate of Costa Rica's capital city. No guided activities are scheduled for this day, allowing you to rest after your international flight. Overnight stay at Hilton Garden Inn San Jose La Sabana.

After breakfast, you will meet your driver at the lobby of your hotel for a land transfer to the Caribbean coast. By midday, you will board a shared boat that will take you through the canals of the Tortuguero River to your lodge. Tortuguero is where you are likely to see lots of wildlife and experience the tropical rainforest in its full glory; this secluded and hard-to-access area will make you feel as though you have traveled to an ancient town. Many guests see three species of monkeys, sloths, river otters, caiman, iguanas, and river turtles. Later in the afternoon, you will visit the Tortuguero Village and the Caribbean Conservation Company to get a taste of the Afro-Caribbean culture and the preservation philosophy of Tortuguero. After returning to your lodge, you will enjoy a delicious dinner. Overnight stay at Manatus Hotel.

After breakfast, you will embark on a morning boat tour through the Tortuguero National Park, exploring the park's beauty and its great variety of water canals. Tortuguero is characterized by its stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity, with the canals offering excellent opportunities to spot wildlife in their natural habitat. You will return to the lodge for lunch before heading out again on an afternoon boat tour, which will take you through different areas of the river to give you more opportunities to see a wider variety of wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, birds, and reptiles. Both tours are shared and led by experienced local guides who will help you spot and identify the diverse flora and fauna that make this region so special. After a full day of exploration, you will return to your lodge and enjoy dinner. Overnight stay at Manatus Hotel.

After breakfast, your captain will take you to the local airstrip, and you will board a domestic flight to Arenal. Upon arrival, your local representative will be waiting to take you to your hotel. The Arenal Volcano National Park is located within the much larger Arenal Conservation Area, which protects more than 500,000 acres of rainforest, rivers, lakes, and old volcanic lava fields. This area contains a great wealth of geologic and biological complexity, and the volcano itself is approximately 5,500 feet high. The area is home to a remarkable biodiversity and variety of habitats, and Lake Arenal, which rests at the base of the volcano, supplies a high percentage of the country's hydroelectric energy. After checking into your hotel, the remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax and enjoy the volcano views. Overnight stay at Arenal Manoa Hot Springs Resort.

After breakfast, you will meet your guide and transportation for a half-day tour to explore the highlights of the Arenal Volcano area. You will drive to the Arenal Volcano National Park and take a hike to discover the old lava trail, enjoying the interesting flora and fauna sightseeing along the way. Arenal Volcano is well known for its almost perfect conic shape and activity in the recent past. Later, you will head to the La Fortuna Waterfall Reserve, where over 250 inches of precipitation a year give you the chance to enjoy this 210-foot-high waterfall. After a good number of steep steps, you can enjoy the pristine waters, take a dip in the swim hole, or explore the surroundings and nature. After your swim, you will return through the same series of steps up to enjoy an invigorating lunch at a designated site. This tour is of moderate difficulty, and the inclusions are a guide, transportation, entrance fees, water, and lunch. Overnight stay at Arenal Manoa Hot Springs Resort.

After breakfast, the driver and transportation will pick you up at your hotel in Arenal for a land-boat transfer to Monteverde. You will board the Lake Crossing Boat that will take you to Rio Chiquito, and while you cross, there are opportunities to observe birds like cormorants, herons, egrets, and more. When you arrive at Rio Chiquito, land transportation will meet you to drive you along rural roads to Monteverde. Please note that the road between Rio Chiquito and Monteverde is quite steep, bumpy, and muddy. The boats have a canopy, but rain can still get in occasionally, and there are no docks at the embarkation sites. Upon arrival, you will check into your hotel. Later in the evening, you will meet your Naturalist Guide at the night tour site after a short ride from your lodge. You will enter the trails, always assisted by your guide, to explore, discover, and spot wildlife. You may find sleeping birds, bats, spiders, reptiles, and amphibians, all within a short distance. Mammals like sloths, anteaters, porcupines, and more can be spotted occasionally. The tour includes a Naturalist Guide, transportation, entrance fees, and a special flashlight. Overnight stay at Poco a Poco Hotel.

After breakfast, you will meet your driver at the lobby of your hotel and drive to the Sky Park. You will start your adventure at a slow pace as the Sky Tram gondolas soar through the cloud forest, offering views during their ascent. You will be accompanied by a Naturalist Guide who will point out and explain more about the wild species found; the tram stops at some points on the way, allowing you to take photographs or spot native wildlife. The Sky Tram ends in a wide observatory which is also part of the Continental Divide in Costa Rica, where you can observe the Nicoya Gulf, the mountain range, and the cloud forest. Once at the visitor's center, you will continue with the Sky Walk experience, where your Naturalist Guide explains and interprets aspects of the cloud forest flora and fauna. During the walk, it is possible to observe species of birds like trogons, thrushes, wrens, and bush tanagers, among others. Occasionally, you might encounter a troop of White-throated Capuchins or Agoutis feeding along the trails. The tour includes Adventure and Naturalist Guides and all necessary gear for the experience. Please note that the maximum weight for adults is 300 pounds (136 kg). Lunch is included during the tour. Overnight stay at Poco a Poco Hotel.