HIGHLIGHTS:
-
Guided Walkways Tour in Monteverde Cloud Forest
-
View Arenal
Volcano, and enjoy Hot Mineral Springs
-
In Arenal, choice of ONE
activity: wildlife tour in Caño Negro National Refuge, Horseback Riding
to La Fortuna Waterfall, Canyoning, White Water Rafting
-
Visit to Las Pumas Refuge (Big Cats
-- jaguars, pumas, etc.)
-
Optional Turtle Nesting Tour in Las Baulas National Marine Park, Tamarindo
( Late December-January Only)
-
Optional Guided Nature Tour by boat through the Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge
DAY ONE:
You will arrive in the
early afternoon at Liberia (Guanacaste) International Airport. You will
have a private guided transfer to MONTEVERDE, a community founded by American
Friends (Quakers) in 1951. It has developed into a prosperous farming
community and tourist center known for nature and the arts. During February
or March, you may catch the annual Monteverde Music Festival.
DAY
TWO: You will enjoy a full day
at Selvatura Park where you have transportation and a guided Walkways
nature hike
through the cloud forest on a 1.5 mile trail over 8 different suspension
bridges.
The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy
optional activities available at the park: a Canopy Tour by zipline through
each of the 19 cables, 20 platforms and the Tarzan Swing (2.5 or 3 hours);
the Butterfly Garden, one of the world's largest, to
see 20 species of tropical butterflies; the Rain Forest
Exhibition which is the private lifetime collection of world-famous
entomologist, Dr. Richard Whitten.
DAY THREE:
Transfer
by van and boat, crossing Arenal Lake to ARENAL. You
may see lava coming down from
active Arenal Volcano,
and can enjoy hot springs with its thermo-mineral waters from the
volcano.
DAY FOUR:
Choose one of the
optional activities below. Passengers in your party may select
different activities.
1. Caño Negro National
Wildlife Refuge: The refuge is near the border of Nicaragua, and
is one of the hardest places in CR to get to independently. It is
considered the best place to see wildlife, including monkeys, iguanas,
sloths, crocodiles, and a vast assortment of resident and migratory
birds.
2. Horseback Riding to La
Fortuna Waterfall: You will ride
5.5 kilometers, then walk 500 yards into the forest to the waterfall.
The final descent to the falls is steep, but you will be rewarded.
You can swim in a mist-shrouded pool underneath the waterfall that
plunges over 100 feet.
3. Canyoning: Trek through the forest to spectacular waterfalls.
From the first waterfall, you will rappel down from the top into a
canyon below. There is a total of four rappels, then a short
trek out of the canyon. The tour is for anyone in moderate
physical condition and is kid friendly, no experience necessary.
4.
White Water Rafting:
This is a full-day rafting tour on the beautiful Sarapiqui River.
Depending on your experience, you will have Class II-IV rapids.
DAY FIVE: You have a private-guided transfer from Arenal to Tamarindo,
Costa Rica's most stunning beach. You will stop at Las Pumas Refuge
where they are nursing back to health jaguars, pumas and tropical birds
injured in the wild. In Tamarindo, the ocean is just a few steps from
your room. The hotel has two pools and tropical gardens. From the
hotel's outdoor lounge, you can watch the sun set over the ocean and the
horseback riders on the beach. During December and January, you
can take an optional Turtle Nesting Tour where in the evening you will see
giant
leatherback turtles at Las Baulas National Park.
DAY SIX:
FREE DAY. Relax at the hotel or
play golf (optional) nearby at the championship 18-hole course
designed by Robert Trent Jones II. In the afternoon, you can take a guided boat trip
(optional) through the mangrove estuary of the
Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge. Here you will see a variety
of water fowl and the boisterous howler monkeys.
DAY SEVEN: You will
have a regular (unescorted) transfer to the Liberia International Airport for your return
to the U.S. (B)
As soon as I stepped off the plane I
felt right at home. The warm temperatures and the "Mucho Gusto" greetings
of the airport officials welcomed me. Lack of a traveling companion should
not be a factor in traveling to Costa Rica. I felt quite comfortable traveling
alone as the guides and drivers made me feel like family. If I needed help
with anything my Destination Management Company was only a phone call away. I
highly recommend a private tour with Costa Rica Tours, Ltd.
Linda (Iowa)
COST:
The 7D/6N PACIFIC TRIANGLE TOUR is $1495 per person in double
occupancy.
The price includes 6 nights with breakfast at best-quality hotels at each
location; two private-guided transfers (Liberia Airport to Monteverde and Arenal to Tamarindo)
with your private naturalist guide; and 2 regular/unescorted transfers (Monteverde
to Arenal and Tamarindo Hotel to Liberia Airport); and included activities indicated in the itinerary.
