<<Atrás>> <<Itinerary Caribbean Explorer 2005>>

Pure Caribbean Feeling with Reggae Music… This itinerary for the individual spirit will take you to one of the most unusual attractions of your life-time, because you will be able to observe the great hawksbill sea turtles nesting at the beach. You will go unbound with a rental car for some time and will experience the abundant nature and wildlife of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The trip will even give you time to relax at a beautiful tropical beach.

Day 01: SAN JOSÉ
Airport 'Meet & Greet' and transfer to hotel. Overnight in San Jose at Hotel Don Carlos or similar.

Day 02: TORTUGUERO
Morning pick up for your drive through Braulio Carillo National Park to the canals lining the Atlantic Coast where you board a boat for the trip to the Tortuguero Canals through 50 km of tropical rain forest. Please note that you have a luggage limit 0f 25 pounds per person. In case you have additional luggage you may leave this at the hotel and the rental car company will pick it up there and send it to you with your rental car on day 4. You will arrive at Tortuguero in the afternoon and will have the possibility to visit the village and marina museum in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at a Lodge in the Tortuguero area like Mawamba Lodge or similar. (BLD)

Day 03: TORTUGUERO
Enjoy a two to three hour boat ride touring the backwater canals of Tortuguero National Park with a local guide to observe the flora and fauna. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy optional activities and tours, a walk to the village or a visit to the museum. At night you will have the optional opportunity to take a night tour to see nesting leatherback turtles (US $ 15 per person, not included). Overnight Mawamba Lodge or similar. (BLD)

Day 04: SARAPIQUI
After breakfast, you will be taken to the local airstrip of Tortuguero and fly back to San José, where you will pick up your rental car at the airport and drive on towards Alajuela and follow the road to Poás Volcano. On a sunny day you might optional visit the Poás Volcano National Park and see the crater. Afterwards you will follow your way to the La Paz Waterfall, where you could make an optional stop and visit the Waterfall Gardens and have lunch. You will then continue your way towards Sarapiqui.

In the late afternoon you will drive to Tirimbina Biological Reserve. The Tirimbina Biological Reserve is one of the last remaining stands of mid-elevation, premontane rainforest in northeastern Costa Rica. Teeming with the diversity of botanical and zoological species characteristic of such ecosystems, the rugged Reserve inspires awe in the scientist or visitor.
Tirimbina has been the site of numerous biological research projects and serves as a living laboratory for study, as well as an accessible day trip. Here you will have a guided tour in the late afternoon that will take you into the darkness. Besides fascinating nature and wildlife you will have the possibility to see bats up close with a guide of the station. Overnight La Quinta de Sarapiqui or similar. (BD)

Day 05: PUERTO VIEJO/CARIBBEAN BEACH
In the morning you will drive towards Puerto Viejo passing Limon and following the Caribbean Coast south. There are many sights to see on the way and you will enjoy the lush vegetation of the tropical humids. When reaching the small town of Cahuita you might want to take a break and visit the beach and national park Cahuita is famous for. Those of you that are hungry may take the chance to eat something in the various restaurants of typical Caribbean kitchen that can be found in Cahuita (optional, not included). Those looking for refreshment are suggested to take a natural fruit punch while relaxing at the beach. Take your time! You are on vacation. When you are ready to continue, you will drive on to your destination: the Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo, where you will be staying at a nice typical hotel just outside town. In the evening you may visit the center of Puerto Viejo, where usually reggae music will be played at the beach in the afternoons. There are lots of restaurants and bars in Puerto Viejo, so boredom should not be an issue here. Overnight at Hotel Cariblue or similar. (B)

Day 06: PUERTO VIEJO/CARIBBEAN BEACH
Day at your own disposal to relax at the nice sandy beach of Puerto Viejo. The beach is couple of meters away from the hotel and it will only take you a couple of minutes walking to it. Please remember you are in the tropics and close to the equator, so enjoy the sun unprotected in Costa Rica. A high protection factor will allow you to tan more safely and avoid a nasty sunburn. There are lots of optional activities you may do today, too. From a visit to the Gandoca Manzanillo National Park to snorkeling or horseback riding... The possibilities are multiple. (B)

Day 07: PUERTO VIEJO/SAN JOSE
Today you will drive back to San José. If you want to take the opportunity to go shopping in San José you may already leave after breakfast, otherwise you may take it easy and leave around noon. The way back takes you along banana and fruit plantations and through the Braulio Carrillo National Park again. You will spend your last night at a beautiful small Italian style hotel with a view on the Central Valley. Overnight stay at hotel Posada Canal Grande or similar. In the evening you will drop off your rental car at the hotel. (B)

Day 08: DEPARTURE
After breakfast you will be picked up by one of our drivers and be taken to the airport for your departure flight. Since international airlines require you to be at the airport three hours in advance, you may enjoy some last minute shopping at one of the different souvenir shops or the duty free inside the airport. Please keep your airport/departure tax of US $ 26 per person handy that you will have to pay before check in. We wish you a pleasant flight home. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Rates per person
US $ 1225 per person in single rooms.
US $ 785 per person in double rooms.
US $ 645 per person in triple rooms.

Rates include activities as mentioned above except optional activities or activities not mentioned as included.