Itinerary

DAY 1 - ARRIVE TO SAN JOSE

Welcome reception at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose where we are warmly greeted and transferred to the Hotel Bougainvillea, our attractive three-story hotel set in tropical gardens just 20 minutes from the airport. Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea or similar.

DAY 2 - SELVA BANANITO - LA AMISTAD PARK

We depart with our guide over the highland cloud forests of the Central American isthmus to the slopes of the lowland Caribbean coast. After 3 hours we transfer to a 4 wheel drive vehicle traveling another 40 minutes over rugged roads deep into the protected tropical rainforests of La Amistad International Park.

We settle in at Selva Bananito Jungle Lodge where cozy eco-style cabins are built on stilts in traditional Caribbean style. In the afternoon we saddle up for a 2-3 hour horseback ride among local farms, through rivers and over hills with beautiful vistas. After a candlelight dinner (there is no electricity at the lodge, water gets heated by solar panels), relax in your hammock, enjoy the sounds of the jungle and take in the light show of fireflies. Overnight at Selva Bananito.

DAY 3 - WATERFALL RAPPELLING!

Grab your water sandals and hiking boots for a full day hike (5-7 hours) into the rainforest. We make over 60 river crossings, jumping in the plentiful river pools along the way, passing by a 600 year-old mahogany tree as we learn more about rainforest ecology. After rappelling down an 80-foot waterfall (optional) we enjoy a well-deserved hearty picnic lunch. This is a real, adrenaline-packed eco tour for true adventure seekers. It requires very good physical condition. Other fun and interesting optional activities are available for those who prefer a more mild outing. Overnight at Selva Bananito.

DAY 4 - ZIPLINE AND TREE PLANTING

After a short hike, you experience the canopy of the primary rainforest while gliding on a zip line 100-feet above the forest floor! This afternoon we take part in Selva Bananito's ongoing reforestation project. By creating forested corridors we help provide better habitat for wildlife.

Our saplings will one day become part of the tropical rainforest, contributing to the conservation of endemic and endangered species. We are contributing to the work of the Fundacion Cuencas de Limon, a nonprofit foundation that has become a regional leader in watershed protection and environmental educational. In the evening one of the Stein family members or your guide will talk about the foundation and the watershed restoration project. Overnight Selva Bananito Lodge.

DAY 5 - COCLES BEACH

We leave Selva Bananito for the drive to Cocles Beach (1 hr). After checking in we hop on our local style banana bikes for a short ride to the town of Puerto Viejo. With one of Puerto Viejo's matriarch cooks, we learn to cook Caribbean-style and then enjoy a delicious lunch including patacones (fried plantains), coconut rice, fish or chicken, with Caribbean style-sauce, and fresh fruit shakes.

In the afternoon we have an opportunity to see some Soca, Salsa, Merengue, Hip Hop, Calypso, and African music, and learn to dance from an instructor with more than 20 years motivating Caribbean youth to take pride in their culture and heritage. Proceeds from our visit go to benefit the local youth dance group Olaba. Dinner is served at a local restaurant. Overnight at Hotel Cariblue or similar.

DAY 6 - TALAMANCA - BRIBRI NATIVE WOMEN'S GROUP

We spend today at Yorkin, a small town located in the Talamanca-Bribri indigenous territory, only accessible by a 1-1/2 hour motorized dug-out canoe on the spectacular Rio Yorkin. There is plenty of wildlife to view along the way so keep your binoculars handy. This is also one of the best places to see organic cacao and banana plantations, learn about medicinal plants, and interact with indigenous people of the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica.

Through personal interaction with the Bribri Indians they share their culture, local customs, typical food, mythology and history. We sit down for a typical Bribri style lunch at the Casa de las Mujeres, part of an association of indigenous women dedicated to developing new sources of income to preserve their culture. Our visit helps send their children to school. Save room for dessert because the women share their secrets of chocolate making! After a fun-filled day we head back to Bamb and overnight in Cocles at Hotel Cariblue or similar.

DAY 7 - TURTLE WATCHING IN GANDOCA

We head south for an adventure on the reefs off Manzanillo Beach. After basic instructions, we paddle out on sit-on-top kayaks with snorkeling gear to a beach at the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, part of a 10,000 acre protected reserve with miles of coral reef along the coast. We leave our kayaks and snorkel over underwater coral gardens. Lunch is served at Maxi's a local restaurant with a real Rasta vibe!

Late afternoon (March through June) we head to the beach at Gandoca to look for leatherback sea turtles nesting in the sand at night to lay their eggs. You will actually be standing a few feet away from a massive 1,000 pound leatherback turtle while she lays 80-100 eggs, covers up her nest, tosses sand to throw off predators, and finally returns to the sea after more than an hour.

DAY 8 - SLOTHS & RETURN TO SAN JOSE

We are off to visit Aviarios del Caribe, a sloth refuge where we learn about these shy and amazing creatures and the research, educational and conservation program designed to protect them. Return to San Jose. Farewell dinner and overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea Santo Domingo or similar.

DAY 9 - DEPARTURE

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