Costa Rica: Nature's Richness Revealed

Walk – easy to moderate, on nature trails, 1-2 hours.

This morning we depart San José and drive east through the central mountains, descending through valleys of banana plantations on our way to the launch point for our rainforest adventure. Next, we board our private river boat and make our way through the twisting rivers of the Caribbean lowlands to our home for the next two nights – a comfortable jungle lodge bordering Tortuguero National Park. We arrive early afternoon in time for a delicious lunch, followed by a kayak tour of the spectacular Tortuguero canals.We set a leisurely pace as our naturalist guide, along with an expert local guide, introduce us to the mysteries of Tortuguero and its complex ecosystems.

Tortuguero National Park protects one of the last largeareas of tropical rainforest in Central America. Eleven habitats are found here, providing homes to three species of monkeys (spider, howler, andwhite-faced capuchin), three-toed sloths, and river otters. Caiman, iguanas,river turtles, basilisk lizards, and poison dart frogs inhabit the area aswell, along with more than 320 species of birds including kingfishers, toucans,eight species of parrots, and the uniquely named Slaty-tailed Trogon,White-collared Manakin, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, and White-fronted Nunbird.

Morning and evening exploration by boat, total of 4 hours.

This morning we board our boat for an exploration of hidden lagoons, where huge trees are home to a vast variety of avian and mammalian species. The wide-open canals make for great viewing – they are home to howler monkeys, Chestnut-mandibled Toucans, and dozens of other species.

For lunch, we have the special treat of visiting MissJunie’s Restaurant in the small village of Tortuguero. Miss Junie’s is a locallandmark, serving a variety of delicious traditional Costa Rican fare.

After lunch, we take a colorful walk through TortugueroVillage to the Caribbean Conservation Center where we learn about the area’smarine turtle conservation project. We may also enjoy a walk on the beach where thousands of turtles return each year between June and September to lay their eggs.

As afternoon draws to a close, we’ll venture again into the canals by boat, keeping our eyes and ears alert for forest creatures. Our guides have an amazing ability to spot wildlife that remains hidden to the untrained eye.

Walk – easy to moderate, on hiking trails and swing bridges,about 2 hours.

Early this morning we say goodbye to the rainforest as we board our plane at a nearby airstrip for our flight back to San José. The approximately one-hour flight is scenic and offers us a new perspective on this special part of Costa Rica, where waterfalls cascade from the mountains we flyover. Upon arrival in San José, we begin our overland drive to Monteverde(approximately 4 hours).

By mid-afternoon we arrive in Monteverde where we will stayfor the next two nights. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the richest and most diverse tropical cloud forests in the world, best known as home to the Resplendent Quetzal. It is also home to hundreds of other bird, mammal, andplant species as well.

Our first adventure is a visit to the Ecological Sanctuary,a 75-acre wildlife refuge with meandering trails through secondary forest. Oncea working farm, the Ecological Sanctuary now plants four to five thousand trees per year for reforestation. Here you may see coatimundis, sloths, white-facedmonkeys, and many other animal species.

After dinner in the village, we make ourselves comfortable at our hotel on the edge of the forest.

Walk – easy to moderate, on hiking trails, 4-5 hours.

After breakfast, we have the unique experience of seeing the wonders of the virgin cloud forest from a bird’s-eye view in the canopy, on suspension walkways high above the forest floor. Meandering through the trees at our own pace, we have the vantage point of eight different bridges ofvarious lengths spanning nearly two miles of lush forest. 

By midday we enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, perhaps sampling casado (rice and beans with meat) – a favorite of the locals. The abundant fresh fruit is also refreshing at this time of day.

This afternoon we hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where we experience first-hand the misty forest with its dense vegetation and majestic trees. Along the way, our naturalist guide explains the specific cycles of life in this unique and complex ecosystem. The tropical cloud forest is confined to mountain ridges where, due to frequent cloud cover,the mist moistens and fertilizes the land, resulting in the dense growth ofsmall plants (known as epiphytes) in the trees. From the forest floor to thecanopy, it is a place full of life. 

Our day ends where it began, as we enjoy one more evening atour hotel in Monteverde.

Scenic boat ride; walk – easy, 1-2 hours.

In the morning we say goodbye to the cloud forest and depart Monteverde for the small town of Rio Chiquito, where we board a boat for athirty-minute ride across Lake Arenal. As we travel across, our guide explains the history of this man-made lake and the original town of Arenal that now liesdeep under the surface.

On the other side of the lake, our van is waiting for ashort ride to the farm of Don Juan. Juan Bautista is a former teacher and principal now living in the town of La Fortuna, farming a small amount of land.A specialist in sustainable farming, Juan introduces us to his methods of growing cassava, lettuce, plantains, and more. For lunch, our new friends teachus to make tortillas, and we enjoy them with a fresh, home-cooked meal. Aftertime to chat with Juan and his family, we continue by van to reach our home forthe next two nights.

If we are lucky, over the next two days we will have regularshows from Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Fromour lodge, we have an impressive view of the volcanic giant amidst lush tropical rainforest.

Hike – easy to moderate, 2-3 hours. 

Arenal Volcano National Park encompasses thousands of acres of pristine rainforest and teems with tropical birds and wildlife – it is also our grounds for exploration today.

This morning a leisurely or heart-pounding adventure is instore – the choice is yours. We board gondolas, providing a smooth and peaceful ride through the rainforest with endless views on the way to the top. Once at the observation deck, we take some time to simply enjoy the magnificent viewsof the volcano’s south face.

From here, we have two options for returning to the base.The first option is to ride back down on the gondola, noticing along the wayhow the vegetation varies as the altitude changes once again. The other option is to zip your way to the bottom along a series of fast moving canopy zip lines– a great option for those seeking a rush of adrenaline!

This afternoon, we continue to explore the rainforest with ahike around the volcano learning about its fascinating history and currentactivity.

Early this evening, we enjoy the benefits of this geothermal area with a refreshing dip in the Ecotermales hot springs – one of the less-frequented but most scenic springs in the Arenal region. Here we have timeto relax before a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant. Depending on the weather conditions, we may even have the opportunity to witness one of Arenal’sfrequent eruptions.