Suggested Itinerary
HIGHLIGHTS
- Venture into the cloud forest at night to spot nocturnal species
- Lose count of the kinds of wildlife found in the Children’s Eternal Rainforest
- Walk through a treetop canopy on a lofty path of suspension bridges
- Splash around in a natural pool, showered by a waterfall
- Get up-close with sloths in lush green Manual Antonio National Park
- Lend a helping hand at Kids Saving the Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary
- Relax and play in the waves of Costa Rica’s sandy beaches
Day 1: Arrive San Jose
Xandari Resort & Spa (Prima Villa)
Arrive into Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose (SJO) where you will be met by your guide/driver and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2: Monteverde Cloud Forest
Hotel Fonda Vela
After breakfast, you’ll drive to the North towards the Arenal Volcano area. En route, stop at a farmers’ market where you will learn about local fruits and vegetables.
Tonight you will have a spectacular night tour to learn about the natural history of some nocturnal species of the cloud forest. The guide will focus on insects, frogs and mammals amongst others, giving you a different perspective of the cloud forest.
Day 3: Monteverde Nature Experience
Hotel Fonda Vela
Take the full day to enjoy an immersive nature experience in The Children’s Eternal Rainforest (Bosque Eterno de los Niños, or BEN, in Spanish). During the tour, your guide will explain that in the BEN, you can find 6 out of the 12 life zones present in Costa Rica, as well as a diverse variety of habitats and ecosystems. The rainforest protects the habitat of the jaguar, the umbrella bird, the three-waddled bellbird, and many unique species of amphibians. The BEN also houses many plant species, including trees, orchids, and bromeliads, as well as other species of insects and reptiles of equal importance. The tapir, which is the largest terrestrial mammal in Costa Rica, is also found in the BEN.
Finish the day with a tree planting experience that will help to preserve the special species of this magnificent piece of Mother Nature.
Day 4: Monteverde Day of Adventure
Hotel Fonda Vela
After your breakfast, you’ll visit the Selvatura Park for a full day of adventure, having the opportunity to enjoy the canopy, walking on the hanging bridges over the forest and learning about the butterflies, humming birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Those preferring a more cultural experience, can visit Don Juan Coffee and learn about history and tradition in a real Costa Rican coffee plantation. There is also cacao and sugar cane in the farm, so there will also be an opportunity to taste artisanal chocolate and enjoy some natural caramel, hand-made all by yourself.
Day 5: Manual Antonio National Park
Hotel Arenas del Mar
After breakfast, depart to the Middle Pacific Coast, where Manuel Antonio National Park is located. This is the smallest park of the Costa Rican system but very famous because of its beaches and the spectacular variety of wildlife.
En route, enjoy a boat trip on the Estuary of Guacalillo and the Tarcoles River, which offer the opportunity to observe one of the largest populations of American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in America. Discover the biodiversity of the mangrove area which contains a large number of waterfowl and is one of the most important conservation areas of the scarlet macaw in the country.
Enjoy lunch as the tour continues towards Manuel Antonio, deeper and deeper into the rainforest.
Day 6: Santa Juana
Hotel Arenas del Mar
After an early breakfast you will experience the magic combination of nature with Costa Rica’s authentic rural heritage at Santa Juana village. You’ll hike along lush jungle-shrouded slopes where three rivers are born, then swim in one of the region’s most pristine natural pools beneath a mesmerizing waterfall, spot all kinds of fascinating wildlife, fish for tilapia, visit an authentic sugar mill powered by massive oxen, and horseback ride (optional).
Then step back in time to enjoy a traditional Campesino-style lunch while enjoying the panoramic view of Manuel Antonio National Park and the Pacific Ocean that fills the horizon. You’ll also become a vital participant in the Carbon Offset/Native Tree Reforestation Program, adopting your own tree as you help conserve watershed within Greentique’s Cloudmaker Nature Reserve.
Day 7: Manuel Antonio National Park
Hotel Arenas del Mar
After breakfast, enjoy a guided nature walk in the Manuel Antonio National Park, where you can observe sloths and spot one of the remaining endangered Mono Titi or squirrel monkeys, who only live in one location in the world: the Manuel Antonio National Park biological corridor. After the tour, you swim in the sky colored waters of the beaches inside the park. After lunch, visit the Kids Saving the Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary, located about 40 minutes from your hotel.
Kids Saving the Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary opened in 2010 to provide a home for animals that couldn’t be released back into the wild. It is dedicated to the rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation of the animals of the rainforest. Volunteers will learn the basics of zoo-keeping in a tropical environment with tropical native species. This may include maintenance of facilities as cleaning, repairing, building, and enriching cages and trails as well as diet preparation and more. Activities vary depending on what is needed.
Day 8: Manuel Antonio area
Hotel Arenas del Mar
A free days to relax and enjoy the beach. Your guide and transportation will be available to take you beach hopping, shopping and sightseeing. Surf lessons and other excursions and tours are also available at an additional cost.
Day 9: Depart for home
Today you depart from the beach directly to the Juan Santamaria Airport for your international flight. Please note that the drive takes three hours, and you must be check in at least three hours before your departure time.
Interested in booking this itinerary or customizing a trip to Costa Rica? Get in touch with a private travel designer!
