Rainforest, Cloudforest, and Volcanoes: Exploring Costa Rica
San Jose, Costa Rica
December 27, 2008 - January 5, 2009 (Saturday-Monday)

Start the New Year in one of the most beautiful countries in Central America! Costa Rica is known both for the diversity of its ecosystems and for the government’s efforts to protect those ecosystems in National Parks. In this country of rainforest and beaches, mountains and jungles, the flora and fauna is incredibly rich and even those who are inexperienced will find it easy to sight a variety of bird species. In this land of jewels, we have picked out the four best, the four places that you have to visit to begin to understand just how diverse this country is.

Itinerary

As is true on any adventure vacation, the final itinerary may be affected by weather, intervening events, local conditions etc.

December 27: Our trip begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday in San Jose, Costa Rica when we meet at our centrally located downtown hotel. If you arrive earlier, you are within walking distance of many places to shop and people watch, and San Jose is a safe city to walk around. We'll take time to meet each other, talk about the trip, and then share a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Information about how to get to the hotel will be included with final materials. (D)

December 28 - 29: The adventure begins with a trip to Tortuguero National Park, one of the most varied within the park system, with 11 diferent ecological habitats. We leave San Jose early this morning, passing through Braulio Carrillo National Park on our way out from the Central Valley. Along the way we will stop for breakfast and visit a banana plantation before reaching Caño Blanco. From Cano Blanco we change to a motorboat to reach the remote area of Tortuguero. Commonly seen birds include toucans, aricaris, oropendolas, swallow-tailed hawks, several species of herons, kingfishers, anhingas, parrots, and jacanas. The wide-open canals make viewing easier than at many other parks--superb for spotting crocodiles, giant iguanas, and basilisk lizards. After lunch at the lodge our local guide will explain the afternoon activities, including a visit to the Turtle Museum of the C.C.C. (Caribbean Conservation Corporation) and to the colorful Tortuguero town. Returning to the lodge we'll have some free time to enjoy the pool, the bar service, and our dinner. The next day there will be options for hiking some of the local trails and for visiting the National Park. Alterntatively you may just decide to stay at the lodge and enjoy the Natural Reserve created by the Hotel, where you can find monkeys, smoky frogs ("frogs with blue jeans"), slots, many birds species, and a great rain forest. day, if you have some energy to leave poolside, take a walk into town or on the beach. Other possibilities include relaxing at the poolside or taking a kayak to explore more of the canals – they are never ending! The gentle pace allows sufficient time to unwind and relax, and enjoy the surroundings while learning about the flora and fauna found in the area. (B,L,D)

December 30 - 31: Early in the morning there will be a tour to witness the awakening of the wildlife of Tortuguero. It's optional of course, and you might choose to sleep in.After breakfast we begin our trip back out of Tortuguero, reversing the boat ride and giving us one last chance to look for birds and monkeys. At Caño Blanco we meet our transport to begin two days of rafting through the jungle on the Pacuare River! We will run a total of 27 kilometers of Class III-IV rapids exploring the magnificent river valley. The first section is relatively quiet, allowing us time to get comfortable in our raft and to admire the striking scenery. The first afternoon we arrive at our comfortable riverside camp, “El Nido del Tigre.” If you don't want to raft, there is also the option to hike in and/or out of the camp, but the camp itself is not be missed. Nestled between the sounds of the rainforest and the hum of the river, we'll take time to explore the lush environment first hand, looking out for toucans overhead or simply relaxing in a hammock to the sounds of the river. (B,L,D).

January 1: Happy New Year! This morning after breakfast we drive to La Fortuna, the closest town to the Arenal Volcano. Arenal is Costa Rica’s most active with constant lava flows and eruptions. Although seeing an eruption depends on the day’s cloud cover, there is much else to see and do. We have the afternoon to explore the area and possibly choose an optional activity such as a Canopy Tour or a Waterfall Rappel. We'll Overnight La Fortuna (B, L, D)

January 2: Today we will go on an all day tour. Starting with a beautiful hike through the tropical rainforest, we'll walk for 2 hours on the Arenal hanging bridges (an ecotourism project that provides unparalleled access to a primary rain forest), with their outstanding panoramic views of Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. Following our walk on the bridges we'll walk to the breathtaking 60 meter Rio Fortuna waterfall with its abundant flora and fauna. A short steep descent to the base of the falls is rewarded by a refreshing bath for those who choose. We'll all be ready after this very active morning for a delicious Costa Rican lunch and a rest before we continue. In the afternoon a 1.5 hour guided hike through rainforest trails will take us to the main observation view point of the volcano. If the weather is good we can witness spectacular fireworks, molten lava, and gas eruptions. After this amazing experience, we can jump into relaxing mineral hot springs where we can soak away our cares of the previous year as well any muscle pain. A delicious buffet dinner rounds out the perfect start to 2009. (B,L,D)

January 3: This morning we go to Monteverde, home to 2 well-protected cloud forests, the resplendent quetzal, and an expat Quaker community. You have two choices for how to get there: either a minivan will pick up you up at your hotel and take you towards Lake Arenal. There a covered boat will take you across Lake Arenal to Rio Chiquito, and from there another private minivan will take you to Monteverde. Alternatively you can ride horses through the jungle and up the mountain to Monteverde. Regardless of which you chose it will take about four hours to arrive at a completely different ecosystem than any we have yet visited (B, L, D)

January 4: This morning we'll walk through Santa Elena Cloudforest Reserve, a lush green garden of mosses, ferns, flowers and epiphytes growing thickly on every tree. Clouds drift in and settle among the slopes, giving the continuous moisture required for such exuberant plant growth. Dangling roots and vines sweep across the trails. The air is rich with the sounds of birds and the occasional scurrying of small mammals on the forest floor.

Monteverde is a fascinating place and the afternoon is free to do as you choose. Possibilities include a visit to the Butterfly Farm, the cheese factory, or CASEM, an arts and crafts co-operative established by eight local women in 1982. Or maybe since this is your last vacation day, you'll even choose to relax! Rgardless, we will meet for our final farewell dinner that night at a local restaurant (B, D)

January 5: This morning we will transfer back to the airport, which takes about 5 hours, and you can leave anytime after 3:30 pm. If you prefer to spend time in San Jose, we will be glad to drive you into the city and make a hotel reservation for you.

E-mail: Travlgrrl@aol.com or Call 1-800-842-4753

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