Costa Rica is the adventure and wildlife capital of Central America, and this 8-day tour has it all, including volcano hiking, turtle observation, and even whitewater rafting. Explore the nesting sites of green sea turtles at Tortuguero National Park, and go on a thrilling rafting excursion down the crystal clear waters of the Sarapiqui River. And before heading back to San Jose, you'll hike the slopes of the renowned Arenal Volcano.
Highlights
Learn about and observe the sea turtles that nest near Tortuguero
Hike in Tirimbina Biological Reserve at night looking for nocturnal animals
Raft the mellow whitewater of the Sarapiqui River
Experience the unique flora and fauna of the forests by Arenal Volcano
Moderately active but not overly strenuous. This level includes activities like casual cycling, yoga, or excursions/activities that typically last 3-5 hours total each day.
Early in the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel for the drive to the Caribbean coast, traveling through the lush tropical rainforest of Braulio Carrillo National Park, which is one of the largest in the country. Banana plantations line the highway en route to La Pavona, where you take a scenic boat ride on the La Suerte River, Tortuguero River, and through the Tortuguero Canals. The boat ride offers lovely views of the Costa Rica rainforest and mangrove swamps, which are teeming with such exotic wildlife as sloths, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, coatimundis, raccoons, crocodiles, egrets, parrots, and jaguars—just to name a few!
Arriving in the island village of Tortuguero, enjoy lunch at Laguna Lodge, and then a free afternoon to relax and explore on your own. Spend the next two nights at the lodge, which offers a refreshing pool and optional tours like kayak rentals and nightly turtle-watching tours.
Today is a free day to spend as you please – tour the town, visit museums, or walk through the jungle. You can explore the canals winding through the rainforest, home to exotic wildlife, from egrets to crocodiles to monkeys to butterflies. And keep your eyes open for turtles! Tortuguero has many highlights, but it is best known for the four species of sea turtles that nest in the region. Tortuguero's coastline is considered one of the Western Hemisphere's most important nesting sites for green sea turtles, which can be found by the thousands in the summer months. The baby turtles hatch from July through early November, emerging from their nests to scrabble across the sand to the waiting waters of the Caribbean.
Be sure to take advantage of the miles of beach and jungle trails in Tortuguero National Park, horseback riding, kayaking to a nearby lagoon, or fishing in the Tortuguero River for tarpon, snook, and mackerel.
Day 4: Tortuguero to Sarapiqui | Tirimbina Biological Reserve
Start the day off early with a boat ride back to Guapiles, where you will have lunch at the Rio Blanco Restaurant. After lunch, take ground transportation to Sarapiqui and spend the afternoon exploring your new surroundings.
This evening you will visit the Tirimbina Biological Reserve for a night walk. During this 2-hour walk, you will learn about the natural history of different rainforest species, with a focus on nocturnal species such as frogs, insects, spiders, sloths, kinkajous, porcupines, opossums, and others, revealing a completely different perspective of the rainforest (a Bat Tour is also an alternate option). Located within the rainforest and river environments of Costa Rica, this 750-acre tropical science center combines education, research, and stunning beauty to give visitors an outstanding encounter with nature. The Tirimbina Rainforest Center was founded primarily to preserve one of the last few remaining stands of intact, mid-elevation tropical forest in Central America. Through education, the Center has included the local communities in their conservation actions.
Tonight, enjoy dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Sarapiqui.
Rise and shine! This morning enjoy some classic river rafting on a seven-and-a-half-mile stretch of the clear waters of the Sarapiqui River. You begin in the small community of La Virgen and raft down some exciting class II and III rapids—Hueco Gringo, Confusion, Superman, Montana Rusa and Fuerza Aerea, among others. The rapids alternate with crystal clear, still-water pools, where you may get the chance to stop for a refreshing swim (if you're not wet enough already)! Your naturalist guides will help you fully enjoy the intricacies of the landscape. You will leave the river at Chilamate, another small community, and stop for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will transfer to the Arenal area, with the rest of the day free to relax. Enjoy dinner at your hotel, where you can take in the spectacular views of the volcano. Spend the evening swimming in the pool or relaxing in the Jacuzzi, and then head to your comfortably furnished bungalow for a good night's sleep.
Dormant for centuries, Arenal Volcano exploded in a massive eruption of molten lava and ash in 1968. Since that time, it has continued to belch great clouds of ash and occasional lava. It is now one of the world's most active volcanoes and volcanologists from all over the world come here to study this tropical volcano. Today you will visit Costa Rica's celebrated Arenal Volcano National Park. As you move through the forest, watch for howler monkeys and bright tropical toucans, and listen for the rumbling of the distant volcano. Your hike ends with a magnificent view of Arenal Volcano. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening free in the area. There are lots of optional excursions available: mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding, zip-lining, ride a rainforest tram, or even hike on the miles of trails in the area.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$2,030
Notes
Pricing is estimated and fluctuates by departure date. For the most current pricing and details, please request a quote from a Trip Planner.
Initial deposit is $400, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
I could not be happier with my Adventure Life experience, from beginning to end. I travel a lot, and I think your company and personnel do an outstanding job. I truly appreciate your professionalism, attentiveness, and flexibility. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your company and would be happy to serve as a reference.
Excellent service, great hotels and well organized excursions with expert guides! Highly recommended!
Shadi Dalili
2 months ago
We keep coming back to Adventure-Life for custom tailored, out of the ordinary, non-touristy trips and they deliver the best every time. The trip planners know how to put together just what we are looking for.
Judith P. NYC
3 months ago
We have been working with Adventure Life for 5 years now and it is very easy to plan out our trips. Our holidays include customization of activities and side trips along with the standard packages available on the Adventure Life website. Kevin, Jess, Mary Rose and their teams have many recommendations that have enhanced our travel.
Joe
3 months ago
We had a great experience- they were very helpful in trip planning and making sure we got to do all the activities and see the places we wanted. There were some things we couldn't do/see due to the time of year being the rainy/low season and they steered us away from those. We had never been to Costa Rica before and it gave us a good overview of this lovely country.
Jody Dice
5 months ago
Jess was terrific and patiently guided us to make what we feel will be a wonderful family adventure.