Nesting turtles and colourful toucans, mist shrouded forests and cone shaped volcanoes, tree top canopy walks and roaming jaguar, the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a ‘pura vida’ lifestyle. This can only be Costa Rica, a small but perfectly formed jewel, magnificently set between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Discover a natural wonderland on this spectacular tour.

• Travelling - 1
  

  Fly to San Jose. Meet with your Tour Guide and local Specialist Guide who will be on hand throughout the tour with handy tips on local restaurants, where to shop for the best handicrafts and special places to explore. Overnight San Jose.

• Volcanoes And Coffee Plantations - 2
  

  Vibrant San Jose sits amidst mountain peaks. An energy runs through the city driven by the hustle and bustle of daily life, and a surprising wealth of culture. After a brief introduction to the capital, drive out to the lush rural landscape of the central valley and onto Poas Volcano National Park. Ascend the slopes through swirling mist and continue to the summit of one of the largest geyser-type volcanoes in the world. It was the ‘golden bean’ of coffee that brought wealth and economic growth to Costa Rica in the 19th century. Spend the afternoon at the Doka Coffee Estate, located on the fertile slopes of the volcano. After lunch take a coffee journey ‘from the seed to the cup’. See the red coffee cherry before it is dried; your guide will explain about the harvesting and roasting process and the tour will culminate with a delicious cup of the local brew. Before returning to the city visit a butterfly farm for an introduction to the many beautiful species that inhabit Costa Rica. This evening, you are free to expore and sample the local dishes such as Olla de Carné a tasty stew of beef and maize. Overnight San Jose.

• A Trip To Tortuguero - 3
  

  Drive through banana plantations and lush forests to Tortuguero National Park. The park is not accessible by road and the last part of your journey, deep into the rainforest, will be made by boat. This afternoon your guide will introduce you to the area with a visit to Tortuguero village and the Turtle Museum. Sample some of the locally grown fruits; slices of juicy mango, pineapple and papaya are all delicious and a refreshing feast on a hot afternoon.

• Getting To Know The Turtle - 3
  

  Female turtles have an inherent nesting instinct that drives them back to the very beach where they were born. They live for up to 100 years and nest every two to four years, laying 600 -700 eggs each season. Loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback and green sea turtles all visit Tortuguero and the park provides an important nesting area for up to 30,000 of these captivating creatures. This evening join an optional tour with a local expert, and if you are lucky, witness the natural wonder of turtles staggering from the ocean to lay their eggs on the beach. Overnight Tortuguero.

• Wildlife Trails And Waterways - 4
  

  Although turtles are the main event, many other creatures inhabit the park. Tortuguero’s treasure trove of flora and fauna spills out onto the Caribbean Coast. Join your guide for a day of exploration. Start with a nature walk in the rainforest and look out for monkeys, sloths and manatees. Board a boat and gently float through jungle-sheltered canals. Your guide will point out cayman alligators, crocodiles and several species of land turtle. The shrieks and calls of birds break the silence of the forest and spoonbills, cormorants and herons drift from tree to tree. Make sure you have your binoculars and camera ready to capture the colourful beaks of the toucan. If you wish to visit the nesting turtles again there will be another opportunity this evening. Overnight Tortuguero.

• Ride On The Rain Forest Aerial Tram - 5
  

  Take a breathtaking ride on the Rain Forest Aerial Tram. Look out over the tree canopy and into primary rainforest where pumas and jaguars roam and eagles prey. Take in the sights and sounds of the magnificent forest which is home to an abundance of plants and wildlife. Continue to the Sarapiqui River, one of the last haven of the endangered green macaw. Overnight Sarapiqui.

• Spectacular Volcanoes - 6
  

  As you drive into the central highlands catch your first glimpse of spectacular Arenal Volcano. This perfect cone stands over 5,356 ft high and is considered to be one of the world’s ten most active volcanoes. You may witness its glowing lava, ash, steam and incandescent rock explosions. Have your camera at the ready just in case a display of pyrotechnics occurs. En-route to Arenal, we visit a cocao plantation and discover the wonders behind one of the worlds most tantalizing foods - chocolate. Overnight Arenal.

• Hanging Bridges And Hot Springs - 7
  

  Join a nature walk with a difference. Follow a trail along 14 fixed and hanging bridges; take advantage of the superb viewing opportunities into the jungle canopy and over to the volcano. Visit mineral rich thermal hot springs. As you bathe in the relaxing warm waters and gushing waterfalls, look and listen to Arenal as it rumbles in the distance. The volcano is best seen on a clear night when its red and orange hues contrast sharply against the dark sky. This evening take a drive to view its most active side which boasts spectacular views. Overnight Arenal.

• Misty, Magical Monteverde - 8
  

  Journey on scenic, local roads into the Tilaran Mountain Range. Continue by boat and coach to your destination; the natural wonder of Monteverde Cloud Forest. The journey alone is reward enough. On a clear day the views are quite magnificent and vary at every turn as natural habitats and eco systems change. You are now in one of the last pockets of cloud-forest in Central America. Overnight Monteverde.

• A Day In The Cloudforest - 9
  

  Join your Tour Guide for a morning walk. Magical shrouds of mist drape the trees and the secrets of the forest are revealed as you follow the trail. Humming birds hover and frogs and toads croak. Butterflies of all sizes and colour land on giant tropical leaves, almost posing for that perfect photograph. Brightly coloured quetzals, with their long tails, swoop to the ground looking for food. There is no better place to see the orchid, the national flower of Costa Rica. Over 400 species of this most delicate of plants grow here. In the afternoon we visit the bat jungle and enjoy the sight of live bats in a simulated jungle environment. Watch them eat, fly and even give birth. Overnight Monteverde.

• Travelling - 10 to 11
  

  En route we stop at the orchid gardens where you will see an incredible collection of orchids and also see a bat sanctuary. Depart for the UK, arriving on day 11.

Accommodation

• Hotel Alta, San Jose (3-Star) - 2 Nights
• Muwambu Lodge, Tortuguero (3-Star) - 2 Nights
• Selva Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui (3-Star) - 1 Night
• Arenal Springs, Arenal (3-Star) - 2 Nights
• Montana Monteverde Lodge, Monteverde (3-Star) - 2 Nights

• Flights are scheduled services of
• Flights depart at 12:00 am and return at 11:20 am

Includes

Not Included