Best Of Costa Rica Tour (133525),Holiday Packages to San Jose

Package Overview

This holiday explores the wildlife & key attractions of Costa Rica - including San Jose in the Central Valley, the waterways of Tortuguero National Park, spectacular Arenal Volcano with its hanging bridges, Monteverde Cloud Forest & the beaches and rainforest of Manual Antonio on the Pacific Coast. All transfers are by shuttle, with specified sightseeing included. Specialist birding guides on request (supplement payable).

HIGHLIGHTS
• San Jose • Central Valley • Volcan Poas National Park • La Paz Waterfall
• Tortuguero National Park • Birding • Arenal Volcano • Monteverde Cloud Forest
• Manuel Antonio • Pacific Coast

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Day wise Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrival

You will be met at San Jose Airport and transferred to this capital city in the Central Valley, surrounded by the Talamanca Mountains to the south and the volcanoes of Poas, Irazu and Turrialba.

Check into your hotel and relax in this modern city.
Day 2 : Central Valley

Today your driver will take you on a tour through the Central Valley.

We drive 1.5-hours through coffee plantations, strawberry fields and dairy farms to Poás Volcano National Park, with its magnificent blue crater lake. When the mist and clouds part you can see the sulphuric, bubbling lake at the bottom, surrounded by smoke and steam rising from fumaroles. Views of the crater are most likely between March and November, with the early morning offering the best opportunity. Trails lead through the cloud forest to Lake Botos, which fills an extinct crater and is home to nearly 80 species of cloud forest birds. Hummingbirds are easy to see and you may also spot an emerald toucanet, brown robin, black guan or masked woopecker. Coyotes, rabbits, frogs and toads are common and you will see many bromeliads, ferns and mistletoes.

We continue to the Doka Coffee Estate in the coffee capital of Sabanilla, to learn more about the production, harvesting, processing and roasting of the grain. The farm belongs to the Vargas Ruiz family, who have pioneered coffee production for more than 70 years. Here we enjoy an included lunch before returning to San Jose in the late afternoon.

Note: Wear good walking shoes today and take a windbreaker and rain jacket.
Day 3 : Tortuguero National Park

An early departure this morning, with 06.30 pick-up from your hotel for your shared 4-hour transfer to Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean Coast - known as the 'Amazon of Costa Rica'. This remote wetland system covers an area of over 300 square km. It support a wide range of threatened flora and fauna and is a RAMSAR birding site of international significance. It is renowned as a nesting place for green and leatherback turtles.

After travelling 2.5-hours by air-conditioned coach, we stop at Guapiles around 08.00 for a Costa Rican breakfast, before continuing to the docks at La Pavona or Cano Blanco. Here we board the boat for our 1.5-hour ride along the La Suerte River and the wider Tortuguero River, to your lodge in the heart of these lush waterways.

On arrival check into your lodge and enjoy a buffet lunch. In the afternoon there is the opportunity to visit the local village with a guide, to observe their way of life. We walk back to our lodge along the beach trail, with balance of afternoon at leisure.

Note: As turtle tours book out quickly, on arrival we recommend you immediately book your tour at reception, as this cannot be booked in advance (approx. $35 per person).
Day 4 : Tortuguero National Park

This morning is devoted to exploring the waterways of Tortuguero National Park by boat with a local guide.

At sunrise the rainforests comes alive with wildlife including sloths, monkeys, caimans and over half of all the bird species found in Costa Rica. From March to September you can see turtles laying their eggs on the beach and later in the year you can see the hatchlings emerge - an unforgettable sight. You may also see alligators, tapirs, anteaters, ocelots and peccaries.

With eleven different habitats - including rainforests, mangroves, swamps, beaches and lagoons - this park sustains a wide range of bio diversity and is teeming with bird and insect life. It is very hot and humid, and receives up to 250 inches (6,400 mm) of rain a year.

Return to your lodge for lunch, after which you can join a guided walk along the pathways of your hotel or simply relax by the swimming pool.

In the evening we recommend an optional Turtle Tour (must be booked locally). To ensure you do not disturb the turtles, you must wear dark clothing - blue, black or grey - and closed shoes. Cameras are strictly prohibited.

Note: Take rain gear and a windbreaker for your boat ride, as showers can always be expected in the rainforest.
Day 5 : Guapiles

Check out of your room early this morning (07.00) so that you are ready to depart after breakfast and travel 1.5-hours by boat to Guapiles, where we stop for an included lunch.

After lunch continue 1.5-hours by shared shuttle transfer to the lowland tropical rainforests of Sarapiqui. These lush green rainforests have a huge diversity of indigenous flora and fauna. This region is also know for its adventure activities, banana plantations and ‘turnos’ (outdoor festivals) -which include fairs, bull riding and cattle shows.
Day 6 : La Selva Biological

Today enjoy a half day visit to the La Selva Biological Station situated in a protected lowland tropical rainforest. Each year hundreds of scientists visit this internationally renowned research station bordering Braulio Carrillo National Park, to study its tropical ecology.

With over 435 species of birds, more than 1,900 species of plants and over 330 tree species, its diversity is spectacular. Toucans, hummingbirds, parrots and trogons are frequently seen - as well as sloths, monkeys, peccaries, agoutis and coatis. Also many species of rainforest butterflies and frogs.
Day 7 : Arenal Volcano

Today we leave Sarapiqui and travel 3-hours by shared shuttle to the Arenal Volcano - one of the most active in Central America.

Check into your hotel in La Fortuna and enjoy the surrounding national park and thermal hot springs.
Day 8 : Arenal National Park

This morning you will be transferred to the Hanging Bridges for a self-guided tour. This series of suspension bridges offers wonderful views of Lake Arenal and the volcano. The bridges form part of a 2-mile (3 km) interpretative trail, allowing you to enjoy the great diversity of flora and fauna inside this mountainous zone, as well as outstanding bird watching. Afterwards you will be transferred back to your hotel.

In the afternoon you will be collected from your hotel for a guided tour of Arenal National Park, with its volcano and hot springs. Arenal Volcano rises to 5,250 feet and towers over the village of La Fortuna. On the morning of 29 July 1968, after having been inactive for three thousand years, it erupted in the most spectacular way. The earth started shaking, clouds of ashes rose into the sky, women washing clothes by the river felt the water becoming hot, and lava started pouring down the side of the volcano.

Your tour of the volcano starts with a drive to its active northwestern side, followed by a guided walk along either the Toucan Trail through the rainforest and across a large lava flow, or along the El Silencio Mirador Trail (depending on weather conditions). Your guide will explain the great variety of plants, wildlife and lava rock formations found in this region. Once on top of the lava flow you will have a beautiful view of Lake Arenal. The hike ends at a viewing area where, weather permitting, you may be able to see red hot lava rolling down the side of the volcano.
Day 9 : Arenal National Park

At leisure to explore the magnificent surroundings of Arenal National Park, with its many natural hot springs for relaxation.

Optional activities include hiking, mountain biking, zip-lining, horse riding and a gentle cruise down the Penas Blanca River. If you are adventurous, you can try canyoning or thrilling white water rafting down the Rio Balsa (grade 2 & 3 rapids) or Rio Toro (grade 3 & 4 rapids).

Day tours are available to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge; the city of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui; the Rio Celeste with its turquoise waters; or across the border into Nicaragua to view the Penas Blancas Massif
Day 10 : Monteverde Cloud Forest

This morning depart from Arenal and travel 4-hours by shared shuttle to Monteverde Cloud Forest, founded by a small group of conservation-minded Quakers who were looking for a peaceful place to live.

Shrouded in mist for most of the year, this primary rainforest comprises six different ecological zones spread over 10,500 hectares (26,000 acres) at different elevations - 90% of which is virgin cloud forest. As a result, it has exceptionally great biodiversity and is one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the tropics.

Check into your lodge, relax and enjoy beautiful vews over the Gulf of Nicoya.
Day 11 : Monteverde Cloud Forest

Today explore with a naturalist guide the Monteverde Cloud Forest, set on Costa Rica's continental divide and a magnet for flora and fauna thanks to its high rainfall and constant veil of mist.

Woodlands give way to rainforests and tall trees – festooned with orchids, bromeliads, ferns, vines and mosses – rise high into the sky. In other parts you will find swamp forests and deep gorges with numerous streams creating waterfalls, rapids and pools. In this cloud forest you have an excellent chance of spotting an adorable sloth - a tree-dwelling animal that sleeps for over 15 hours a day, whilst hanging from the branches of trees. The two-fingered sloth is largely nocturnal, so you are more likely to see the three-fingered sloth, although both species have excellent camophlague so can be hard to spot. These cute creatures move so slowly that algae grows on their fur.

The high elevation Monteverde Cloud Forest offers miles of trails, with excellent opportunities for wildlife spotting & bird watching. It sustains over 2,500 different plant species (including the highest number of orchid species in the world), more than 100 mammals, over 400 birds, 120 reptiles and amphibians, as well as thousands of butterflies and other insects. Other wildlife you may see here include the jaguar, ocelot, tapir, white faced monkey, spider monkey, toucan, hummingbird, three-wattled bellbird and bare-necked umbrella bird. The resplendent quetzal is best seen in the dry months from January to July.

If you wish, you can walk 1.9 miles (3 km) along the Hanging Bridges of Selvatura, passing through the treetop canopy at heights ranging from 40 to 200 ft (12 to 60 m). There is also the option to take a ride in the Sky Tram, and experience a thrilling Sky Trek Zip Line across the forest canopy (pay for these three activities locally).
Day 12 : Manuel Antonio

Today enjoy your 4-hour shared shuttle transfer to the beach resort of Manuel Antonio, renowned for its beautiful white sandy beaches surrounded by jungle and many hiking trails.

Check into your hotel and relax on the Pacific Coast.
Day 13 : Manuel Antonio National Park

This morning enjoy a visit to the rainforests of Manuel Antonio National Park, the oldest and most popular national park in the country, accompanied by a naturalist guide.

Situated on the Pacific Coast, this sanctuary consists of four protected white sandy beaches bordered by verdant tropical jungle. Over 100 mammals can be found here, as well as over 350 different bird species. You can hope to see two and three-toed sloths, white-faced capuchin, cute squirrel monkeys and many colourful birds. You can also hear howler monkeys calling across the rainforest.

Afternoon is at leisure to relax on the beaches of Manuel Antonio.
Day 14 : Manuel Antonio

Today is free to relax on the emerald beaches of Manuel Antonio.

Many optional activities are available in the region - including catamaran trips with snorkelling, dolphin and whale watching boat rides, kayaking in the mangroves, excursions to Damas Island, deep sea fishing and surfing.

If you are adventurous you can participate in exciting zip-lining, or enjoy white river rafting down the Rio Naranjo (grade 3 & 4 rapids) or Rio Savegre (grade 2 & 3 rapids).
Day 15 : Departure

Transfer 4-hours by shared shuttle to San Jose Airport for your flight home.

Please note there is an airport tax of approx. $29 per person payable on departure.

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Inclusions

Hotel
Sightseeing

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Price & Rates

No of pax	Age Limit	Price per pax (Rs)
Adult	Above 12 years	$ 2647 / Adult

* Mentioned prices may vary depending upon date of travel, hotel availability, surge pricing and seasonal rush.

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Package Start From

San Jose, Costa Rica, South America

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Terms & Conditions

Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount
* Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount.
* Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.

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