San Jose City
2 hours
Gently bathed in mist from low lying clouds, the Cocora Cloud Forest is a mountain rainforest whose trees are densely covered by small plants including mosses, lichens, ferns, bromeliads and orchids and are entire minature ecosytems in themselves. Cloud forests are rare types of rainforest found along mountain ridges that are frequently enveloped in clouds. The abundant mist not only imparts high humidity but actually fertilizes the foliage resulting in particularly lush growth. Tropical cloud forests host many bird and plant species that are only found in these unique habitats. Located in San Ramon just off the main route to Arenal Volcano and a little over an hour’s drive from the international airport outside the capital of San Jose, the… Continue reading →
12 hours
This is one of the most beautiful rafting destinations in Costa Rica! The Pacuare river travels through rural landscape and pristine forest reserves. Its class III-IV designation means plenty of gentle-to-exciting white water for advanced beginners and experienced rafters. Driving time from San José to the put in is about 3 1/2 hours. The tour includes transportation, rafting equipment and professionally-trained bilingual rafting guides. The time on river is approximately 5 hours. The minimum age is 12 years-old. Two and 3 day trips are also available.
7 hours
Poás Volcano / Sarchí – Duration
Today you will enjoy a scenic drive through rolling green countryside up to the top of Poás Volcano. At over 9,000 feet elevation, this area is often chilly so bring a jacket! The main crater overlook is accessible by road and the crater itself is one of the widest and deepest in the world! The crater contains a sometimes gray or turquoise-colored lake that is highly acidic. From a fenced viewing point overlooking the crater, you can observe the numerous steaming fumaroles (volcanic vents) above the lake on the crater’s walls. Bring binoculars for a closer look at the yellow sulphur deposits and volcanic layers from previous eruptions in the crater walls. Above and… Continue reading →
8 hours
Head southeast of San José past Cartago and on up the fertile farmlands to the top of Irazú Volcano. This volcano devastated the local landscape with millions of tons of dark gray ash between 1963 and 1965, only to end up enriching the soil with its ash that created nutrient-rich sandy loam! Today the volcano sits quietly, although steam vents and small subterranean tremors indicate the volcano is dormant, not extinct. The landscape at the volcano’s 11,000 ft peak is composed of dark sand and hardy vegetation adapted to the high elevation’s rugged conditions. After Irazu, you will continue on to the lovely Lankester Gardens. Lankester is operated by the University of Costa Rica to preserve examples of its native orchids. Additionally,… Continue reading →
3 hours
This tour could be billed as “everything you wanted to know about coffee-but were afraid to ask”! In an entertaining and amusing way this multimedia performance uses actors to describe coffee production from the farming of the bushes to final production of the beverage we all know. The tour begins in an actual coffee plantation and then proceeds to the theater performance which explains the history and processing of coffee. At the end of the tour there is a gift shop where one can purchase different types of coffee (of course!); as well as excellent candies made with different combinations of coffee, chocolate, macadamia nuts and other tasty ingredients; and plenty of other souvenirs. The tour includes round trip transportation… Continue reading →
7 hours
Just a few miles outside San José lies the vast wilderness forest and National Park of Braulio Carrillo. Your tour to the aerial tram will bring you through this magnificent wilderness before you arrive just past its lower edge at the 1000 acre private nature reserve of the Aerial Tram. You will have an introductory walk with your local guide in the rainforest on an easy, level trail before you board the 6-person “ski lift type” tram cars for the 1.3 km long aerial excursion. As more passengers board, your covered car will stop a number of times while your guide points out features of the forest at different heights from the ground level to over the treetops! The ride takes approximately… Continue reading →
