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Cloud Forests, Volcanoes & Caribbean South Coast

Price:: from USD 2,840/pp

Day 1 – San Jose

Arrive at San Jose International Airport, where you will be met by a representative from Aurora Expeditions and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight: Doubletree Cariari Hotel by Hilton

Day 2 – San Jose – Monteverde

After breakfast, commence your drive to Monteverde, a cool and verdant region in Costa Rica. Located on a high mountain ridge, its tiny village, Santa Elena, was founded in the 50s by a small group of conservation-minded Quakers who were looking for a peaceful place to live. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the most biodiverse tropical cloud forests in the New World and home to the resplendent Quetzal and the rare bell bird.

Enjoy time at leisure or get your heart racing on a ziplining excursion over the rainforest canopy at Selvatura Park, a nature and adventure ecological park located in Monteverde, with an area of over 850 acres of protected land.

Overnight: El Establo Hotel

Day 3 – Monteverde Reserve & Butterfly Gardens

In the morning, you will visit Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve accompanied by an expert local guide. This tour is a must for all visitors in Costa Rica! Founded in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is among the most famous reserves in the world for its biodiversity, conservation, contributions, and scientific researches. You will hike through the well-marked-trails, waterfalls, creek, and the observation area of the park. If you are lucky, you might spot a “Quetzal”, one of the most beautiful birds in the world. It has an extension of 3,500 hectares, and was chosen in 2007 as one of the Seven Wonders of Costa Rica.

Return to your hotel for lunch (own expense) and a rest. In the afternoon, visit Monteverde Butterfly Gardens to encounter colourful butterflies in greenhouses and walk amongst beautiful flower gardens. Your local guide will tell you about the many species of tropical butterflies that are native to Costa Rica.

Overnight: El Establo Hotel (B)

Day 4 – Monteverde – Arenal Volcano region

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart for Arenal, approximately 4 hours away. Transfer to Arenal Lake where you will board a boat to cross the Lake and enjoy the impressive views of the magnificent volcano. You will be met on the other side of the lake to continue to your journey by road to your hotel in La Fortuna de San Carlos. The region is home to cloud forests, a lake that is world-famous for windsurfing, and an incredibly diverse population of wildlife.

Overnight: Arenal Springs Resort & Spa (B)

Day 5 – Arenal

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and the morning at leisure.

Meet your guide at the hotel’s lobby for your excursion to Arenal Volcano National Park, where you can hike along the many trails and enjoy the incredible views of Arenal Volcano and Arenal Lake. Stop for lunch (own expense). Afterwards, visit the Ecotermales Hot Springs. These are natural hot springs in the middle of the wilderness. There are five pools with temperatures ranging between 99°-106° F (37° – 41° C) in addition to one freshwater waterfall and pool.

A buffet dinner is included at Ecotermales.

Overnight: Arenal Springs Resort & Spa (B/D)

Day 6 – Arenal – Tortuguero

Depart Arenal early for your 3.5 hour drive to Tortuguero pier; a box-breakfast provided by the hotel is included. Upon reaching Tortuguero pier, board your boat for your journey to Tortuguero. Arrive at your Pachira Lodge and enjoy a delicious lunch (included). Pachira Lodge is strategically located near the extraordinary Tortuguero National Park, and opposite the main “canal” facing town of Tortuguero town. After lunch and a rest, enjoy a visit to Tortuguero village and the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum. This evening, dinner is included at the hotel.

Overnight: Pachira Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 7 – Tortuguero National Park

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided walk through Pachira Lodge’s property trails.

In the afternoon, visit Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero National Park, with its 21,000 hectares of preserved tropical rain forest, provides one of the best opportunities to experience a wide range of tropical wildlife. You will spot a variety of monkeys, toucans, green macaws, and caimans, among others, while gliding through the steamy vine laden canals.

Overnight: Pachira Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 8 – Tortuguero – Puerto Viejo

After breakfast, transfer by boat transfer back to La Pavona pier before continuing to Guapiles town for a delicious local lunch. After lunch, transfer to the South Caribbean Coast, to Puerto Viejo of Talamanca. Check-in to your accommodation at Le Caméléon Hotel, located between the south Caribbean coast of Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, just a few steps away from the golden sands of Cocles Beach.

Overnight – Le Cameleon Hotel (B/L)

Day 9 – Cahuita National Park

After breakfast, embark on a hike between Punta Cahuita and Cahuita town. During the hike, you might encounter various snake species, sloths, white faced and howler monkeys, anteaters, armadillos, blue morpho butterflies, colourful birds and a plethora of plant life including medicinal plants, orchids, trees, ferns, and vertebrates, invertebrates, sea and earth shellfish. After lunch, enjoy the afternoon at leisure.

Overnight – Le Cameleon Hotel (B/L)