Max group size: 20

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Costa Rica (No meals.)
Arrive at San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport. After passing through Immigration you will be met by a Costa Rica Expeditions’ representative who will give you a sticker to facilitate clearing customs. When you are exiting the building, look for a Costa Rica Expeditions’ guide in an orange shirt, holding a sign with your name. He or she will take you to your hotel. Overnight at the Gran Hotel Costa Rica (superior room).

Day 2: San Jose / Tortuguero (B,L,D)
Morning pickup by a guide and driver for the drive to the Atlantic lowlands near Limon. You will pass through Braulio Carrillo National Park on the way (about 3-1/2 hours). Around midday, arrive at Cano Blanco dock and board a boat for the two-hour trip to Tortuguero.
Originally intended to protect a major nesting beach of the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle, Tortuguero National Park now protects 51,870 acres, one of the last large areas of tropical rainforest in Central America. Eleven habitats are found in the park. Three species of monkeys (Spider, Howler and White-faced), Three-toed sloths, and river otters are frequently seen along the natural inland waterways and creeks. Caiman, iguanas, River Turtles, Basilisk Lizards and Poison Dart Frogs (Dendrobates) inhabit the area, along with more than 320 species of birds, including all six species of kingfishers found in the new world, three species of toucans, eight species of parrots, and other neotropical species such as the Slaty-tailed Trogon, White-collared Manakin, Purple-throated Fruit Crow, and White-fronted Nun Bird. Arrive at Tortuga Lodge & Gardens mid-to-late afternoon for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Tortuguero / Community Service / Boat Tour (B,L,D)
After breakfast the Tortuga Lodge manager will give a brief orientation about Tortuguero and its history. He will also explain the kind of community work to be done. Projects will be carried out in nearby Tortuguero or San Francisco de Asis villages. After the briefing, a local guide will take you to the town and introduce you to the people you will be working with and the project begins. You will be provided with a box lunch after a few hours of work. Continue in the afternoon then return to Tortuga Lodge. If you are up for it, explore Tortuguero National Park by motor boat with a local guide and boat captain. Discover the rich wildlife found in and around Tortuguero's rivers and creeks and learn interesting aspects of the area's history and culture.Tortuguero Village (pop. 1,000): This village has gone through many changes since colonial times, but most people living here are descendants of the Zambo-Miskitos and Afro-Americans mainly from Jamaica. When lumber cutting ended in the 1970s, most outsiders left. Those that remained were principally descendents of the old families that were established here before logging came to the area. Today, the principal industry is tourism. The village has one primary and one high school. San Francisco de Asis Village (pop. 400): Originally an illegal squatter’s community that invaded part of the National Park, this village is now about 10 years old. The National Park system tried moving the original squatters on three different occasions and, the last time, the village was totally burned down. The Government finally gave up and allowed the community to develop. Now there is a school, a community development association, a church, a soccer field, and two commissaries. Although there is electricity, the town still awaits a potable water system.

Day 4: Tortuguero (B,L,D)
For those that are early risers, a guide will lead an early bird watching walk in the gardens. For those that want to sleep in a little longer, breakfast will be served at 6:30 a.m. At 7:00 a.m. a motorboat will take to the village where your project is being carried out. After a box lunch and another couple of hours at the project, return to the Lodge. Free afternoon to rest or participate in optional tours (at additional cost), including kayaking, fishing or a visit to the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle Museum. Overnight at Tortuga Lodge.

Day 5: Tortuguero (B,L,D)
After an early breakfast return to the village to continue the community service project. After a box lunch, and a couple more hours of work, return to the Lodge. Spend the remainder of the day in the Lodge's award-winning pool or exploring the trails on the property. Overnight at Tortuga Lodge.

Day 6: Tortuguero / Turtle Nesting (June-oct. only) (B,L,D)
After today’s community service work a guide will take you to lunch at a local house in the village. A trip to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast would not be complete without trying authentic Caribbean dishes. The menu today will likely be rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, blackened chicken, patacones (fried plantain) and natural fruit juice. After finishing work in the afternoon, return to the Lodge.
From June to October visitors in Tortuguero may observe one of nature's most moving sights, Atlantic Green Sea Turtle nesting. This is an optional tour (at additional cost) that takes place at night. You will actually stand a few feet from a 300-lb Sea Turtle while she lays 80 to 100 eggs, covers up her nest, perhaps even digs a false nest to throw off predators, and finally, after more then an hour, heads back to the sea. Overnight at Tortuga Lodge.

Day 7: Tortuguero / Guided Boat Tour (B,L,D)
After an early breakfast continue with the last day of community service. It will be a rewarding day because after the work is done a farewell activity is planned with children and others from the village. Afterward, return to the Lodge. In the afternoon you will have the opportunity to explore Tortuguero National Park by motorboat with a local guide and boat captain. Overnight at Tortuga Lodge.

Day 8: Tortuguero / San Jose (B)
Mid morning departure in boat from Tortugua Lodge to Caño Blanco to meet the van for the drive back to San Jose. Arrive and check-in at the Gran Hotel Costa Rica (superior room).

Day 9: Departure (B)
Transfer to the international airport, arriving 2-3 hours before your flight's scheduled departure time.
*Pricing can vary considerably depending on the number of people in your group and travel dates. Please contact us for an accurate quote on this or any other trip on our web site.

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