8 Day Active Adventure Semi-Escorted Package
San Jose – Mountain Bike Tour – Turrialba Valley – Pacuare River White Water Rafting - Arenal Volcano – Canyoning Tour – Sky Trek (Canopy Experience) – Tabacon Hot Springs – Tamarindo Beach – Outrigger Canoe & Snorkeling - Palo Verde National Park Boat Safari – San Jose
Day 1
You are greeted outside of the San Jose airport and helped with your bags for the comfortable and short drive to your hotel in the area of San Jose, where you are welcome to unpack, unwind and settle in for your first night in our tropical paradise.
Situated on a shady street just off Paseo Colón, San José's main thoroughfare, Hotel Grano de Oro is a true oasis, a sanctuary in the heart of a bustling city. Converted from a Tropical Victorian mansion, the hotel maintains the warmth and comfort of a private home. The hotel's charming atrium terrace and corridors have sparkling fountains and lush tropical plantings, and rooftop deck offers soothing Jacuzzis and a spot for secluded sunbathing. The restaurant at the Grano de Oro is one of San José's finest, serving continental cuisine in a warm and intimate atmosphere. The gardens at Grano de Oro are both inside and out. A rooftop terrace offers relaxing Jacuzzis and a spot for secluded sunbathing and stargazing. Service is paramount and the perpetually smiling staff of the Grano de Oro welcomes guests home time and again.
Day 2
After breakfast you will start your adventure when you will be transferred to the South of the City of Cartago; there you will receive a briefing on the terrain and instructions about shifting and tips for a safe mountain bike ride. This original bike tour will make you experience the many beautiful sights that Costa Rica Central Valley has to offer its visitors. The long down hill and rolling hills are together fun and a slightly challenging bike route for its participants. You will arrive at Orosi Valley, rich in colonial history and its famous church. Built in 1743, this is one of Costa Rica's oldest churches still in use, having remarkably withstood earthquakes that have wiped out nearby villages. Defying tradition, the church is also reputed to be Costa Rica's only church that faces east instead of the customary westward orientation. The worn, whitewashed walls, red terra cotta-tiled roof, and ornately carved antique wooden altar confirm its colonial roots and make Sunday mass with upbeat Padre Carlos Alfaro a truly memorable experience. Adjoining the church, the Museo Franciscano houses a collection of Christian relics from the early 18th century, includes several wooden replicas of Christ, dusty gowns, and fancy candelabras. Here you will pause to have a boxed lunch and then keep going to the Tapanti National Park area in their beautiful valley through coffee plantations and forests. After your mountain bike experience, you will get back in the van and drive another hour to your gorgeous hotel site in the Turrialba Valley.
Casa Turire recalls the gracious charm of a colonial plantation home. In the heart of the verdant Turrialba agricultural region, the wild Reventazón River enfolds the beautiful estate with the imposing presence of the Turrialba Mountains forming a dramatic backdrop. Guests are drawn into an ambience of ultimate hospitality as they arrive, the relaxed refinement of a Caribbean Hacienda. Casa Turire's landscaped gardens abound with tropical plants; flowers and trees create an edenesque setting. You'll fall asleep to nature's lullaby in your elegant room and awaken to the song of exotic birds in the pure breath of morning.
Day 3
After a great Pinto (rice and beans mix for breakfast) with scramble eggs to charge you with energy, you will check out of your hotel and be driven for an hour to start the adventure of the day where you will white water raft at Pacuare River. This is one of the top five rafting rivers in the world for its scenery and rapids. This quintessential tropical river is a trip of pure magic, unsurpassed beauty, wildlife and exhilarating rapids. You will raft 16 miles deep in the heart of densely vegetated gorges, past gushing waterfalls, serene pools and pounding rapids in one of Costa Rica’s most impressive primary rainforest. After an adrenaline-packed day running rapids, you will go for a hearty and delicious lunch. There will be showers, optional drinks and a souvenir store available. After this unforgettable experience, you will make your way through the North lowlands where you will see pineapples, oranges, and ornamental plants among others. You will be driven through this area until reaching the Arenal Volcano area and check into the Arenal Paraiso Resort.
At the Arenal Paraíso Resort you can enjoy a peaceful and quiet atmosphere with the best view of the majestic Arenal Volcano. From a height of 1,633 meters above sea level, the volcano erupts rocks, fire and lava over its upper slopes. Here the natural beauty of the rain forest with its great variety of exotic plants, animals and birds of tremendous beauty, merges with the magnificence of one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Really the best place to enjoy the peace and nature!
Arenal Volcano is by far the most active volcano in Costa Rica and as well one of the most active in the world with daily eruptions. This makes the area of Arenal and La Fortuna a fascinating tourist destination that attracts foreigners as well as the residents of Costa Rica.
Day 4
Your day will begin with a delicious breakfast in view of the Arenal Volcano. Then your trip begins with a 30-minute 4x4 drive into a tropical Rainforest outside the town of La Fortuna. You will see many different indigenous plants and animals along the way. You then trek through the forest on magical trails that lead to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Costa Rica, a place very few people get to experience. Along the way you will have the chance to see monkeys, toucans; sloths, parrots and discover the secrets that lie hidden deep in the canyon. When you arrive at the waterfall, you will rappel from the top down into the beautiful pristine canyon below. After trekking through the canyon you will rappel down more waterfalls that will take you to the tranquil pools where you can enjoy some fresh tropical fruits and snacks, do some bird watching, or just relax in this unspoiled paradise. At the end of the tour you will enjoy lunch and you will be dropped at your hotel.
Then, get ready, as it will be time for the Sky Trek & Sky Tram! You will take a tram, which allows you to have a different way to observe the canopy of the Rain Forest, and after the 10-minute Sky Tram is completed it is time for a different kind of adrenalin rush. The Sky Trek! You and your safety harness to be hooked to several long cables where you will glide through the middle of the jungle, from tree to tree, just like the Toucans do. Our survey’s feedback is always filled with excitement about this tour.
Then around 6:15 p.m. you are off to Tabacon Resort and Hot Springs where you will experience one of the world's most amazing offerings. Here you will relax in Mother Nature's enormous hot tub. The hot springs are fed by an underground river heated naturally by the Arenal Volcano to the perfect temperature of 101 degrees. Our previous guests refer to this as their personal visit to the "Fountain of Youth." After relaxing for some time and maybe taking a Spa Service, you will have dinner and then head back to your hotel for a wonderful night of rest.
Near the base of the active Arenal Volcano on the north side of Costa Rica, world renowned Tabacon Resort provides you a relaxing and unparalleled experience with its natural hot springs and thermo mineral water pools, its tropical and exuberant surroundings and its famous Iskandria Spa. This extraordinary setting, combined with exceptional service, warm smiles and outstanding facilities, assures their guests an unforgettable time in Costa Rica.
Day 5
Today we will start your trip through countryside and the scenic Arenal Lake; you will be driven around the most of the lake and keep going to Tamarindo Beach on the Pacific slope. Tamarindo is great for surfing, there are little shops, surfing schools and rental equipment and all the facilities you may want with a touch of a countryside or small town. At this point, you will say good-bye to your guide for the past 4 days, as he heads back to San Jose.
Tamarindo Diria Beach & Golf Resort is truly the ideal place to forget everything. You will find yourself relaxing peacefully to the sounds of the ocean, wildlife, and nature that will certainly boost your outdoor adrenaline. Each sunset will definitely be unforgettable! Whether from the restaurant or the balcony of your room, you will be able to appreciate the incredible array of colors in the sky as the sun hides behind the sea. All of this of course, will be accompanied by the whisper of the ocean and the fresh sea breeze. All these experiences along with Costa Rican traditions will accompany you back home and await your next visit.
Day 6
After breakfast, you will be picked up to go for a 40 minute drive to Pan de Azucar Beach. There the centuries of refinement and the outrigger canoe remains basically unchanged. Historically carved from the trunk of a single tree, made seaworthy by a hydrodynamic float on one or each side, the outrigger canoe has been transporting people on oceans for hundreds of years. Now you will have the chance to share in the adventures spirit of the early explorers. Imagine yourself cruising silently past spectacular cliffs full of pelicans and frigate birds in a craft pioneered by the Polynesians and perfected for tourist in Costa Rica. There will be great chances of snorkeling and a lot of fun. You will be back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation in the afternoon. Tamarindo is a beautiful tropical paradise well known for its natural beauties and commitment to ecology.
Tamarindo is growing as the number one tourist destination in Costa Rica. It is internationally known for its excellent conditions for surf and it is in the center of many great surfing secret spots to include: Playa Grande, Playa Negra, and Playa Avellanas. Tamarindo Beach offers many other amenities to include: sport fishing, sailing, snorkeling, ATV tours, horse tours, golf, tennis, canopy tours, wildlife tours, and many night life activities.
Day 7
Early in the morning you will check out of your hotel and you will be picked up for a private transportation, driving about 2½ hours as you arrive at the Tempisque River and board your boat. The Palo Verde National Park experience will begin along the deep, slow-moving river, which crosses the dry Pacific savannas. Spot a fabulous array of wild birds and a myriad of creatures such as howler monkeys, green iguanas and coatis. You may also have the opportunity to find other exotic animals such as anteaters and crocodiles basking in the sunshine. Palo Verde National Park is dramatic in its diversity: mangroves, swamp forests, saltwater and freshwater lagoons. Then you will continue back to San Jose for a 3 hour drive for your last night in paradise. In San Jose explore the gastronomy offered in the city.
You will check back into Hotel Grano de Oro, which is where you stayed the first night. Their service is paramount and the perpetually smiling staff welcomes guests home time and again.
Day 8
After breakfast, you will be driven back to the airport at the appropriate time (approximate pickup time 3 hours prior to your flight) to catch your flight back home. It’s time to say goodbye to the new friends you have made in Costa Rica.
Pricing 2008:
Green Season 2008: US $ 1,920 per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement US $ 1,430
Valid from 05/01/08 thru 11/15/08
Pricing 2009:
High Season 2008: US $ 2,155 per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement US $ 1,635
Valid from 11/16/08 thru 04/30/09
Green Season 2009: US $ 2,140 per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement US $ 1,615
Valid from 05/01/09 thru 11/15/09
Notes:
- Price does not apply to New Year’s or Easter week and is subject to availability of hotels and tours.
- Depending on the hotels, July and August are considered High Season
Package includes:
- 2 nights of lodging at Hotel Grano de Oro (4 stars) in a Standard room.
- 1 night of lodging at Hotel Casa Turire (4 stars) in a Standard room.
- 2 nights of lodging at Arenal Paraiso Resort & Spa (3 stars) in a Superior room.
- 2 nights of lodging at Tamarindo Diria Resort (4 stars) in a Sunset Ocean View room.
- Lourdes-Navarro-Tapanti Mountain Bike Tour, including bicycles, guide, helmets, beverages, power food, boxed lunch and support vehicle.
- Pacuare River White Water Rafting Class III-IV, including equipment, lunch and guides.
- Canyoning Tour including lunch, equipment and guides.
- Sky Trek Tour (Canopy Experience), including equipment, entrance fee and Specialist Guides.
- Tabacon Hot Springs, including entrance fee and dinner. (Night shift from 6:30 p.m. thru 10.00 p.m.)
- Outrigger Canoe Tour, including transportation, equipment, bilingual guide and fruits.
- Palo Verde National Park Boat Safari, including lunch, boat, refreshments and Naturalist guide.
- Private transportation from Tamarindo Diria Resort to Palo Verde National Park and Hotel Grano de Oro in an A/C van.
- Meals (7 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 1 dinner).
- 4 days private transportation in an air-conditioned van with bilingual driver/guide.
- Meet and greet at San Jose airport with VIP service inside the terminal.
- All airport transfers.
- 24 hour travel assistance.
Not included:
- Airfare and Airport tax at your departure US $ 26 per person (cash only).
- Meals and other services not mentioned above.
- Gratuities for guides and providers based on quality of service.
