International flight from the UK into San José - upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel by our representative, the rest of the day will be at leisure.
Private Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfalls tour - Depart this morning for Poas Volcano. This crater volcano is one of Costa Rica’s four active volcanoes and is one of the most spectacular in the country, with its enormous crater measuring 1km in diameter and 314m deep. Feel amazed by the crystal blue sulfur pools and look out for the steam rising from the various volcanic vents. Your next stop of the day is to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Your personal tour guide will take you through the butterfly observatory, the hummingbird garden and the waterfall trails.
Your drive this morning will take you through the spectacular Braulio Carrillo National Park, along the way admire the biodiversity and keep an eye out for wildlife. Stop for breakfast en-route where you will be treated to a typical Costa Rican breakfast. On arrival at Caño Blanco Pier you will take a boat through the canals until you reach your Lodge.
In the afternoon, enjoy a shared excursion to Tortuguero Town and the Green Turtle Information Centre.
Tortuguero is a unique, beautiful village with a rich culture. Because there are no cars, you will walk worry free. Sandy trails and raised cement walkways wander through the town. You'll see a lot of typical Caribbean architecture and artwork, as well as get a glimpse into the lives of the local people. The Green Turtle Information Centre is located at the far north end of the village. Here you will find a small museum where you can learn about the nesting cycle of the turtles and about the other wildlife that calls this National Park their home. The staff are friendly and helpful and will answer any questions you have.
This morning you will explore Tortuguero on foot, a region rich in flora and fauna. Walking through the hotel trails, observe big trees like the almond mountain tree (macaws love the fruits), cativos, chilamates (giant trees) and plants like heliconias, rubiasas, peperasia and many more. Bird watching is fantastic here too with an abundance of toucans, woodpeckers and golden orioles. Endearing sloths, white faced capuchins and the raucous howling monkeys are also found here.
This afternoon you will get to explore the park's freshwater creeks and lagoons, which will be navigated in small open boats, giving you the chance to observe spectacled caimans and river turtles. The surrounding dense rainforest is also rich with wildlife, from monkeys to many bird species.
After breakfast at the lodge take a shared boat transfer to Caño Blanco pier where you disembark and take a road transfer to Guapiles and stop for lunch. After lunch, you will meet a private transfer to Arenal and your hotel.
Here you have an opportunity to enjoy the numerous optional tours and activities that can be arranged locally.
Arenal Volcano was dormant for more than 400 years until in 1968 it erupted into life. For the next 40 years it became the most active volcano in the world spewing lava out almost daily. Since 2010, however, it has returned to its dormant state although it has kept its iconic cone shape and fumarole on top. Today you can hike in it foothills on old lava trails, admiring the spectacular landscapes that surround you. Staff from Arenal Nayara will be more than happy to assist you in organising activities to make the most of your stay.
For those wishing to relax, why not sample all the on-site Spa has to offer or book an excursion to one of the many hot springs this area is famous for. If you prefer a faster pace, then try out the canopy tours where you can zip through the forest canopy and explore the tree tops along a network of bridges. Enjoy horse rides to waterfalls or go white water rafting. The area is perfect for nature lovers, the 29,692 acre Arenal National Park is home to over 850 species of birds including the endangered Resplendent Quetzal. Other animal species living within the park include white-faced capuchin monkeys, jaguar, deer, coati, and snakes like the fer-de-lance and parrot snake.
Private boat and road transfer to Monteverde including a boat excursion on Lake Arenal. This service, half tour, half transfer, is a picturesque and fast way to go to Monteverde from Arenal Volcano area. After a 30-minute ride to the dam, you will board a very comfortable and safe pontoon boat. Arenal Lake is the largest and the most important artificial lake in Costa Rica. It was man made in 1974 to provide hydroelectric energy for the country. It is also a place where you can find different kinds of resident and migratory birds; sometimes mammals such as monkeys and sloths can also be seen. In addition, in a clear day, there are great views of the Arenal Volcano. After crossing the lake, (a 30 to 40-minute boat ride), you will arrive to Río Chiquita, a little town at the other side. Once at Río Chiquito, a mini-van will take you to your hotel in Monteverde.
Today enjoy a shared full day of Selvatura Park including canopy, butterfly and hummingbird gardens & lunch.
Selvatura Park has its very own canopy tour adventure. This canopy tour is the only one built entirely inside the cloud forest. During this tour you will cross through the cloud forest attached to a high weight capacity cable using the best climbing gear. The tour starts up at the main dressing room where you will get geared up and will be taken to the instruction platform, for guidelines and instructions. Next you will be taken to the first platform where they will start the tour. You will cross through the forest canopy passing through three sections of cables. In between every section you will walk through the forest canopy. During one of these walks you will reach the Tarzan Swing, where those with an adventurous spirit will have an absolute blast. The Tarzan Swing is a side activity included in the tour where you get the option to swing through the forest while being attached to a high security rope. The tour consists of 15 cables with a total length of 2 miles, 18 platforms and one Tarzan Swing.
Selvatura’s treetop walkways provide the best way to safely admire the cloud forest. The treetop walkways tour consists of 1.9 miles of trails. The visitors will walk on eight bridges of various lengths, ranging between 170 and 560ft. Each bridge is 5ft wide and has a capacity of 80 people. The treetop walkways can be enjoyed by people of all ages and physical conditions as most of the trails are flat and covered with special walking blocks for better traction.
Selvatura Park also offers one of the largest butterfly gardens in America, with an area that is 300ft long, 90ft wide and 50ft tall. A great dome structure covered by a special photothermic Saran helps to control the temperature inside the garden. A perfect temperature is necessary to enable the garden to host more than 50 different species of butterflies from different altitudes and climates found throughout Costa Rica. Guides will provide an interesting tour and will answer all the questions regarding these beautiful creatures. You will learn about the life-cycle of butterflies and moths.
At the hummingbird garden you will observe more than 14 different species of hummingbirds, including a few species that are not commonly seen in other areas of Monteverde. The garden is a perfect setting for natural photography lovers. The hummingbird garden is also a perfect picnic area.
Private transfer to Playa Conchal and your hotel with the rest of the day at leisure.
Days at leisure.
Today you will take a private transfer back to San José airport to catch your over night international flight back to the UK.
