Exploring Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Santa Rosa and Rincon de la Vieja

Arrive in San Jose in the afternoon and transfer to Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica’s main port. In the evening, board the National Geographic Quest and begin your southbound journey through Central America.

Arrival Time: Arrive before 1:00 p.m. local time.

Anchor off the remote Papagayo Peninsula and spend the day enjoying the sun and beach. Swim among offshore islets teeming with tropical fish or walk a secluded forest trail with expert naturalists. After lunch onboard, continue exploring Bahia Huevos and Playa Celestia by Zodiac. If conditions allow, kayak or paddleboard through nearby mangroves for a closer look at the diverse coastal ecosystem.

Weather permitting, don a snorkel and fins to discover a rich underwater world or hike into the upper reaches of the Guanacaste Conservation Area for commanding views over the full length of this rarely-visited archipelago.

Back on board, sail toward the mainland while enjoying a delicious lunch. Depending on conditions, you may choose to explore Santa Elena Bay in Santa Rosa National Park, Junquillal Wildlife Refuge or Cuajiniquil Bay, all part of the extraordinarily biodiverse Guanacaste Conservation Area. While venturing out by Zodiac, immerse yourself in the tropical environment, alive with color. Yellow and black great kiskadees sally from exposed perches looking to capture a flying insect for an evening meal, and orange-fronted parakeets chatter overhead. Predators such as mangrove hawks may take wind, setting out on a late afternoon hunt, while ringed kingfishers, richly colored in brick red and deep blue, wait patiently, watching the shallows for a fish’s silvery flash.

Your adventure continues as you set off inland to explore Rincon de la Vieja National Park. This mountainous region is also a part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and encompasses more than 34,000 acres. The area, with its forests carpeting the sides of two active volcanoes, is alive with geothermal activity as gurgling, bubbling mud pots spout and steam rises above the canopy. Choose between several enticing options today, including a hike through the transition zone where tropical dry habitat meets the temperate cloud forest. Here, keep an eye out for exotic wildlife, with the possibility of encountering mantled howler monkeys and regionally special birds including the noisy and conspicuous white-throated magpie-jay. Alternatively, after a short hike into the forest, opt to swim below Las Chorreras Waterfall or soar through the canopy by zipline. Afterwards, enjoy a sumptuous lunch served poolside at Hacienda Guachipelin, including fresh ceviche.

Along the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, and in many ways demarcating the line between the wetter jungles of the south and Guanacaste’s drier environment, sits Curu National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica’s first private national wildlife reserve. Learn about the hundreds of species of birds, reptiles and mammals that inhabit this thriving ecosystem while exploring the park’s tracks and trails. Look for white-faced capuchin monkeys, turquoise-browed motmots and with luck, scarlet macaws. The northern tamandua resides here, and while often elusive and quiet, this primarily arboreal member of the anteater family may be spotted.

Later, as you enjoy lunch on board, you'll cruise to a cluster of offshore islets collectively called Isla Tortuga. Relax on the beach shaded by swaying palms and tropical vegetation, then celebrate the finale of your Guanacaste adventure with afternoon refreshments and hors d'oeuvres on the beach.

Disembark after breakfast in Puerto Caldera. Drive to the airport in San Jose for flights home.

Departure Time: Depart after 12:30 p.m. local time.