Itinerary

Day 1 San José

San José was founded in 1737 and is a pleasant mixture of traditional and modern Spanish architecture. Places of interest include the Teatro Nacional, the Legislative Assembly building, and the Parque Central, east of which is the Cathedral. The National Museum and the Museum of Gold are also worth a visit.

Upon arrival you will be met by our local representative who will help you locating your vehicle.

Airport transfer with private vehicle and professional driver. The total transfer time is approximately 1 hour (70km/43mi)

Xandari Resort & Spa is situated in Alajuela, Costa Rica, near San Jose, and is considered one of best value vacations in the world. The 21 villas are exceptionally well-kept, providing mindblowing views of San Jose while still keeping to the privacy and seclusion that makes this resort so appealing. The chefs are first class, preparing culinary surprises that just keep getting better and better with each morsel. Try hiking through the resort’s private trails, which is the sort of jungle that you could truly get lost in. Enjoy every second of it.

Overnight at Xandari Resort & Spa.

Day 2 San José

Enjoy a full day private tour including the Irazu Volcano, Lankaster Gardens and Orozi Valley. Spread out over 5,700 acres, the Irazú Volcano "Mountain of rumbling and trembling" is the highest peak of the Central Volcanic range and the largest volcano in Costa Rica. (Includes lunch and English speaking guide).

Overnight at Xandari Resort & Spa.

Day 3 Arenal

Arenal contains an active volcano, and also the only dwarf cloudforest inCosta Rica. The crater of the volcano is 1.5km (1mi.) wide and contains a hot-water lake that changes color from turquoise to green to gray. It is also a whitewater rafting center with routes on the Rio Toro and Rio Sarapiqui.

Private transfer between San Jose and Arenal. Stop at the La Fortuna Waterfall en-route (entrance included). Head to the entrance of the waterfall, where you will have spectacular views of the Volcano. Near the waterfall there is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the forest and wildlife while you swim in the crystalline waters of the river (not recommended for travellers with sensitive knees).

Entrance fee included to the La Fortuna Waterfall as part of your enroute visit to Arenal.

You will be picked up at your hotel and driven to the entrance of the micro rainforest near the Arenal Volcano. Enjoy a leisurely 1.5 hour hike through the rainforest while your English speaking guide offers the history of the Arenal Volcano. This park is located at the base of the Arenal Volcano and is filled with wildlife including monkeys, toucans, coati and a large variety of bird species. Observe lava flow at the end of the tour (lava and weather permitting). Return to the hotel in the evening. Duration: 3.5 Hours (Approximately) Pick up is usually at 3:45PM.

With a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano, natural hot and cold springs, four unique dining experiences, and an impressive full service Spa, The Springs Resort and Spa at Arenal promises to overwhelm you in every aspect of quality, service and design. The resort perches one thousand feet above the Arenal Valley on a mountain ridge just six kilometers north of the active volcano. Their higher altitude relative to other hotels in the area allows for not only incomparable views of the volcano, the lush valley and the surrounding towns that sparkle at night, but also access to the area’s famous prevailing breezes. In fact, the name Arenal is an indigenous word meaning “Window of the Wind”. With an average daytime high temperature of 80°F in the shade and nighttime lows averaging 70°F, you are sure to enjoy countless comfortable hours in your balcony hammock, al fresco dining, or sipping a frothy tropical cocktail in one of their spring pools.

Overnight at The Springs Resort & Spa.

Day 4 Arenal

The Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge and the Rio Frío are humid areas considered to be among the richest in biological diversity inCosta Rica. Here you can find a great variety of resident and migratory birds, plus iguanas, sloths, turtles, caimans and three different species of monkeys. The tour starts when we pick up all “Nature Lovers” from the hotel in a very comfortable bus for the 1-½ hour transfer to Los Chiles, a culturally mixed village only 4 km from the Nicaraguan border. Here your boat waits for your river adventure, a 2 ½ hour floating safari through tropical rain forest and pasture.  An experienced English - Spanish speaking guide leads the tour. Some birds are residents in the area and it is possible to see hundreds of them, especially during the dry season.  Watch for anhinga (also called snakebird), wood storks, roseate spoonbill (which can often be seen feeding at the river’s edge), the jabiru - the largest bird inCentral Americaand very endangered - and  the olivaceous cormorant, which makes its nest in the area. Along the river we can see howler monkeys, spider monkeys, white-faced monkeys, three-toed sloths, caimans, Jesus Christ lizards (named for its ability to run on water) and turtles.

This daytrip includes a typical Costa Rican lunch, regional fruit, natural juices and coffee, all served for your comfort at our new Restaurant Río Frío; canned drinks, natural juices, bottled water and cookies are also included during the boat tour. Departure: 7:30am. Approx. duration: 8 hours.

Recommendations: Bring light clothing, comfortable shoes, camera, binoculars, sun screen, insect repellent.

Overnight at The Springs Resort & Spa.

Day 5 Punta Islita

Punta Islita is located on the Nicoya Peninsula of Guanacaste, an area recently classified as one of the four longest life expectancy regions in the world. Surrounded by tiny villages and towns, Hotel Punta Islita’s neighbors offer a glimpse of Costa Rican rural life and traditions. Convenient to both Liberia and San José international airports, reaching Hotel Punta Islita takes under 40 minutes by air, about four hours by land.

Meet your driver for a private transfer to Punta Islita.

The Hotel Punta Islita is seated in the Nicoya Peninsula, in Guanacaste, a rich and unique Costa Rican cultural gem. It is a resort that truly embraces serenity and relaxation, in its quiet location. The 33 rooms are clean and accompanied by mouth-dropping views. One may lounge outside their room, in complete privacy, and absorb the surrounding waters, sky, and vegetation. Feast on everything from gourmet culinary creations to home-cooked meals and pub food at the hotel restaurants. Feel free to take a trip into town, if you have the time, and try out the local eating joints. Also plan a village trip to get an idea of the surrounding communities, or plan a zip lining trip and traverse the forest from above.

Overnight at Punta Islita Hotel.

Day 6 Punta Islita

Breakfast included daily at your hotel. Optional activities available in the Guanacaste area include snorkelling, scuba diving, spa treatments, nature exploring, bird watching, hiking, canopy tours and more!

Overnight at Punta Islita Hotel.
    
Day 7 Punta Islita

Breakfast included daily at your hotel. Optional activities available in the Guanacaste area include snorkelling, scuba diving, spa treatments, nature exploring, bird watching, hiking, canopy tours and more!

Overnight at Punta Islita Hotel.
    
Day 8 Liberia

Meet your driver for a private transfer to the Liberia Airport.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport) .

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