Description
10 days exploring Costa Rica through the renowned Tortuguero National Park its canopy walkways and Manuel Antonio National Park. In the travel world Costa Rica has a magical name conjuring up all sorts of colourful images, dripping rainforests and pristine beaches. This trip explores that realm of mystery as you venture into the renowned Tortuguero National Park in search of manatees, caiman and turtles.
Overview
10 days exploring Costa Rica through the renowned Tortuguero National Park its canopy walkways and Manuel Antonio National Park.
In the travel world Costa Rica has a magical name conjuring up all sorts of colourful images, dripping rainforests and pristine beaches. This trip explores that realm of mystery as you venture into the renowned Tortuguero National Park in search of manatees, caiman and turtles, breathe in the air of the forest canopy as you explore the luscious countryside and crisp air of the highlands, marvel at the primates of Manuel Antonio National Park or relax on the unhurried Pacific beaches.
WHAT MAKES THIS TRIP EXTRAORDINARY
- Explore tropical Tortuguero; home to tapirs, jaguars, monkeys, sloths and more.
- Witness four species of primate in Manuel Antonio National Park.
- Enjoy whale watching, jungle walks, canoe trips, horse riding and night excursions to spot nocturnal wildlife.
- Visit a butterfly farm, frog farm and iguana farm.
- See the nesting turtles between July and September.
Itinerary
On arrival in San Jose you will be met by our local representatives and transferred to your stylish hotel for your overnight stay, where you can relax, recuperate from your flight and look forward to your imminent adventures.
Overnight: Grano de Oro
After your early departure from San Jose, driving through the spectacular Braulio Carrillo National Park, you’ll stop in Rio Danta for a delicious typical breakfast. The bus ride continues through banana plantations to the pier. A two-hour boat ride through the canals will take you to Mawamba Lodge, just in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a guided visit of Tortuguero village to learn about the history of this little town and way of living of local residences. Return to the lodge via a walking trail by the famous beach. The rest of the day will be spent at your own leisure, perhaps relaxing in a hammock at the lodge.
Overnight: Mawamba Lodge(B, D
Tortuguero’s surrounding network of rainforest and canals are also home to manatees, crocodiles, tapirs, jaguars, monkeys and sloths – a true tropical wildlife haven. Before breakfast, you’ll enjoy a morning boat tour in Tortuguero canals. After a full breakfast, you’ll explore the Mawamba Park. This guided visit includes the butterfly farm, the frog farm and the iguana farm. After lunch you’ll explore another of Tortuguero’s rainforest canals by canoe, in search of wildlife. The rest of the afternoon and evening may be spent taking an optional night tour (from July to September) to observe the turtle nesting.
Overnight: Mawamba Lodge(B, L, D)
This morning you will transfer by boat to Tortuguero Airstrip to catch your internal flight back to San Jose and onward to your next picturesque spot in Costa Rica. San Gerardo de Dota is set on the western slopes of the Cerro de La Muerte and is most famous for being the primary habitat for the national emblem of Costa Rica and one of the most arresting birds in the world – the resplendent quetzal – seen most commonly between April and May. The crisp mountain air and unspoilt cloud forest at 2,100 metres above sea level contrast refreshingly to the other coastal areas of the itinerary. Approaching your lodge wonderful views of the Cartago Province and Valley appear before your eyes.
Overnight: Trogon Lodge(B)
San Gerardo de Dota is perfect for nature and bird lovers alike, where you can spot peccaries, tanagers, woodpeckers and hummingbirds. Your lodge is a tranquil and charming base for getting out into the countryside and spotting the majestic quetzal. With the Savegre River running through the grounds and a rainbow trout farm onsite it is a truly natural setting. The lodge has many optional activities for its residents to enjoy, such as bird watching and horse riding. The lodge also arranges its own canopy tour where you can get a birds eye perspective of the green landscape while zipping the lines (note that these tours are optional, therefore not included).
Overnight: Trogon Lodge(B)
After breakfast, you will begin the next exciting base of your itinerary and be transferred to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast. Check in and settle into your charming new rainforest resort, dramatically blending beach and nature and set within walking distance of the park, and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Arenas del Mar(B)
Spend the next two days exploring the region in and around Manuel Antonio National Park, which covers 1,700 acres of land and 135,906 acres of marine reserve. This is the only national park in Costa Rica where it is possible to see all four endemic species of primate, and is a great place to spot sloths in the wild, both inside and outside the perimeters of the park itself, as well as appreciating the pristine beaches and coastline. Some of the optional tours available locally include whale watching, horse riding and guided early bird watching.
Overnight: Arenas del Mar(B)
Today, after breakfast, you will be driven back to San Jose, a journey of approximately 3 hours 30 minutes, where you will be transferred to Grano de Oro, situated on a shady street just off the city’s main avenue Paseo Colon.
Overnight: Grano de Oro(B)
After a leisurely morning and breakfast, reflecting on your varied experiences in Costa Rica, you will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight back home.
Accommodation
- Grano De Oro
- Mawamba Lodge
- Trogon Lodge
- Arenas Del Mar
Cancellation Policy
Life is unpredictable and we understand that sometimes you have to cancel or change your trip dates and it is our endeavor to make it as easy as possible for you. However, please understand that we plan everything including guide fees, permits, accommodation and ration in advance. Therefore, any cancellation means inconvenience and certain losses to the people involved in various stages of the program. Keeping that in mind, our cancellation charges are as below,
- Cancellations prior to 30 days from the start of the event: Full refund as cash.
- Cancellations between 30 days and 15 days to the start of the event: 50 % refund as cash.
- Cancellations less than 15 days to the start of the event: No refund.
- Cancellations will be accepted only by email.
Note: We reserve the right to cancel a program before departure in the event of logistical problems arising due to natural calamities, strikes, wars or any other circumstances that make the event inadvisable. In this case, we will refund 50% of the event fees.
Gallery
