Itinerary

Day 1: Depart for San Jose, Costa Rica We arrive in the Costa Rican capital and transfer to the suburb of Heredia and our hotel, set amidst a 12-acre country garden. This afternoon and evening are at leisure.

Day 2: San Jose After meeting our Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director and fellow travelers at this morning’s breakfast briefing, we embark on an excur­sion through the Central Valley to Poas Volcano National Park. Here we view the world’s largest crater, a steaming, bubbling caldron; and also take a guided walk along park trails. We continue on to the Doka Coffee Estate, located on the fertile slopes of Poas Volcano, where we learn about coffee-making and Costa Rica’s coffee industry, one of its largest exports. After lunch at the Doka Estate, we return to our hotel late afternoon. Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel. B,L,D

Day 3: San Jose/Arenal We leave San Jose this morning bound for the Arenal region, passing picturesque villages along the way. En route we stop in La Garita at the Botanical Orchid Garden, which features tropical trails, exhibits, nurseries, and gardens all dedicated to the wondrous orchid plant and its many varieties. After time to explore here, we travel on to Arenal and our hotel, which offers magnificent views of Arenal Volcano and where we dine tonight. B,L,D

Day 4: Arenal Region/Luna Nueva Rain Forest This morning we visit a local elementary school to enjoy a cultural exchange with the children and learn about Costa Rica’s vaunted educational ­system – the country boasts a literacy rate of more than 95%. Then on this afternoon’s excursion to the Luna ­Nueva private rain forest reserve, we take to the walking trail to wit­ness the bio-diversity up close: residents here include monkeys, poison dart frogs, and many bird species. At the Sacred Seed ­Sanctuary here we learn about the connections between medicinal plants, survival of the rain forest, and cultural knowledge. Then there’s time for more volcano viewing before and after dinner from a comfortable perch at our hotel. B,L,D

Day 5: Arenal Region/Monteverde Cloud ­Forest We travel today to the “green cathedral” of Monteverde. Mid-day we check in at our hotel, with time for lunch on our own and to relax before this after­noon’s excursion to the CASEM handicrafts cooperative, a non-profit organization helping local women artisans. We dine tonight at our hotel. B,D

Day 6: Monteverde This morning we embark on a guided walk through Monteverde’s biological reserve, learning about the amazing bio-diversity in this relatively small area. Next we tour the Hummingbird Gallery, where feeders attract seven different species of the delicate hummingbird. After lunch together we visit the Monteverde Bat Jungle to learn about Costa Rica’s diverse – and important – bat population. Late this afternoon we return to our hotel for time at leisure and dinner on our own. B,L

Day 7: Monteverde Early today we visit the ­hang­ing bridges Sky Walk, where we have the opportunity to experience this natural preserve from the canopy level, high above the rain forest floor. Our naturalist guide will point out some of the 100 ­species of mammals, 400 species of birds (including 30 kinds of hummingbirds), and 2,500 species of plants (including 420 kinds of orchids) that thrive in this unique setting. This afternoon is at leisure; the hotel facilities include a water-purified heated pool. B,D

Day 8: Monteverde/Guanacaste We depart by coach this morning for Guanacaste, Costa Rica’s stunning northwest Pacific coastal region lined with beaches and home to several national parks. Bef­ore departing Monteverde, we visit the delightful Butterfly Garden, with more than 50 species – including the stunning Blue Morpho; the unique Calico butterfly which produces sound; and the virtually transparent Glass-Wings butterfly. We stop for lunch along the way, reaching our beachfront resort hotel mid-afternoon. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. B,L,D

Day 9: Guanacaste A float safari on the Tempisque River highlights this morning’s excursion to the Palo Verde region, which is both an extraordinary wetland and also one of the world’s last tropical dry forests. We’ll see abundant bird- and wildlife, including monkeys, iguanas, sloths, and crocodiles, in this unique eco­system. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant then return to our hotel mid-afternoon. The remainder of the day is at leisure along one of Costa Rica’s most pristine dark sand beaches. Dinner tonight is on our own. B,L

Day 10: Guanacaste Today is at leisure to enjoy the beautiful beach and other amenities of our hotel, including an outdoor pool. Optional activities include snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, and diving. We dine tonight at our hotel. B,D

Day 11: Guanacaste/San Jose Today we leave Guanacaste, traveling back to San Jose. We reach our hotel in Heredia early this afternoon, and have time to relax and refresh before tonight’s farewell dinner at the hotel. B,D

Day 12: Depart for U.S. We transfer to the airport this morning for our return flights to the U.S. B

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