Highlights of Costa Rica
Day 1
Arrival Costa Rica
After arrival at the airport you will be greeted by your guide, who will join you for your adventure in Costa Rica.
You will be transported in an A/C vehicle to Hotel San Gildar, where you will spend your first night.
Day 2
San José – Muelle de San Carlos
After breakfast you will visit Poás, a still active volcano with the second-largest crater in the world. It measures 1.5 kilometers in diameter and is 300 meters deep. You can walk all the way to the edge of the crater to admire the blue lagoon that lies inside.
After this exhilarating beauty, we will move on to Doka Coffee Estate, where the best coffee in the world can be tasted and the oldest, still working water-powered mill can be seen.
Next stop will be Hotel Tilajari for overnight.
Day 3
Muelle de San Carlos
After breakfast you will be taken on a boat tour through the Caño Negro Biological Reserve, where you will be surprised by the Flora and Fauna of the surroundings, especially by the rich variety of birdlife. Also crocodiles and a diversity of mammals can be discovered. In the afternoon it is time to relax in the hot springs of Ecotermales.
The waters are naturally heated by the volcano.
With some luck you will be able to see the lava flowing from the crater against the dark night sky.
Day 4
Muelle de San Carlos – Monteverde
After breakfast you will be transported to Montaña Monteverde Lodge, where you will spend the next two nights.
On our way we will be driving around Lake Arenal and through the town of Tilarán, which will provide interesting views.
Day 5
Monteverde
After breakfast a visit to the Monteverde Cloudforest Biological Reserve is planned. Encompassing eight distinct biological zones, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 10,522 hectares, and is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees, 100 species of mammals, over 400 species of birds, and roughly 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. When exploring the forest you will come across a variety of birds and animals, including bellbirds, guans, toucanets, jaguars, pumas and monkeys, as well as the golden toad, a toad species that is only known to exist here.Your guide will you on a walk through this beautiful protected area. Afternoon will be at leisure; there is a large number of optional activities, such as a Butterfly Garden, a Cheese Factory or Canopy Tour.
Day 6
Monteverde – Rincón de la Vieja
Today you will travel to the Guanacaste Province, further north to the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano area and stay at Hacienda Guachipelín, a working cattle and horse ranch with wonderful views and with the opportunity to learn first hand about the daily chores of a Guanacastecan ranch. On our way we will cross Liberia, the capital of the Guanecaste Province and beautiful ‘White City’. Here you will have the chance to take lunch (not included) and explore the town life.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the hotel’s surroundings.
You will stay the next two nights at Hacienda Guachipelín.
Day 7
Rincón de la Vieja
Rincón de la Vieja National Park is known for its fumaroles and boiling mud pools. Your guide will take you on a hike and show you the breathtaking flora and fauna. Tapirs and Pumas may be spotted, and you will certainly encounter Costa Rica’s National Flower, the purple orchid, the ‘guaria morada’, as it is called by Ticos.In the afternoon you will have time for one of the many optional activities on offer, such as horseback riding, visiting and swimming in waterfalls, or taking a mud bath.
Overnight once again at Hacienda Guachipelin.
Day 8
Rincón de la Vieja
After breakfast you will have the morning at leisure.
What to bring: rain coat / poncho; light clothing; light sweater; firm shoes; insect repellent; sun screen lotion; hat (against sun); bathing suit; camera.