Costa Rica Quest

Arrive in San Jose and overnight.

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.

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.

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, return to San Jose, where the afternoon is free for resting, relaxing, or exploring.

Transfer to the airport for your international flight home.

Turtle season runs from June 15- October 30.