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 that will facilitate you clearing customs. When you leave the building, look for a sign that says, "Costa Rica Expeditions" with your name on it. A Costa Rica Expeditions guide wearing an orange shirt is holding the sign. He or she will take you to your hotel. Overnight at Grano de Oro Hotel.

Day 2: San Jose City Tour (No meals.)
Morning city tour. You will visit the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and the National Theater, a classic 19th Century opera house, The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum includes a collection of gold objects that reflect the world-view, social structure and gold working techniques of the Pre-Columbian people of Costa Rica. The exhibition showcases the use and function of the pieces, the technology of their fabrication, as well as their relationship to the natural world and the daily lives of these societies. The collection consists of 1,600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work that date from 500 to 1500 AD. You will also visit the University of Costa Rica, the city of Moravia (known for leather souvenirs), Metropolitan Park, Legislative Assembly, and other places of general interest. Overnight at Grano de Oro.

Day 3: San Jose / Arenal Volcano** (No meals.)
Morning pick up in your hotel lobby by a Costa Rica Expeditions van and Spanish-speaking driver for departure to Arenal (approx. 3-1/2 hours). Afternoon free. Overnight at Arenal Manoa Hotel.

Day 4: Arenal Hanging Bridges Trails (B,D)
Full day in Arenal. Morning visit to Arenal Hanging Bridges, a project that consists of eight fixed bridges, ranging in length between 8 and 22 meters, and six hanging bridges, built with the latest techniques and designed with an eye for both beauty and safety. The bridges and trails, which cover a distance of almost two miles (3 kms.), were designed to blend with the natural environment, leaving the forest virtually intact. As you walk, you will be able to appreciate the great diversity of flowers and wildlife that are typical of the rainforest, along with the imposing views (weather permitting) of Arenal Volcano.

Afternoon visit to the Hidalgo Family Hot Springs, the ideal alternative to the overcrowded hot springs in the Arenal area. When we first met the Hidalgo family in 2000, they were reluctant to open up their family farm to visitors. Finally they agreed to try it by appointment only on a trial basis. They found, perhaps to their surprise, that they enjoyed having foreign guests on this basis and have now put in changing rooms and a restaurant. The springs consist of five free-flowing pools set in a natural river gorge. Water temperature ranges from 100ºF (38ºC) to 109ºF (43ºC) depending on the pool. A Costa Rican home-style meal in the restaurant, modeled after the first house that Don Manuel and Dona Hortemida Hidalgo built when they settled on the farm in 1940, is included. Overnight at Arenal Manoa.

Day 5: Arenal / Monteverde (B,L,D)
Meet your driver in the hotel lobby for the drive to Arenal Lake. Here you will board a boat for the 30-min. ride to Rio Chiquito, where land transportation will be waiting to take you to Monteverde (2-1/2 hour drive). Monteverde is a peaceful community made up of dairy farmers, naturalists and tourism service providers who have joined together to create a model for sustainable development and protection of the environment that is becoming known throughout the world. Founded in 1954 by a group of Quakers searching for a peaceful place to live, it is the home of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Children's Eternal Rain Forest, and the Santa Elena Reserve. Rest of the day free. Overnight at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens.

Day 6: Monteverde Cloud Forest / Sunset Horseback Ride (B,L,D)
Join morning excursion (of up to 10 people) to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve accompanied by a Monteverde Guide from the Reserve. Originally just 4,000 acres, the Monteverde Reserve now protects an area of approximately 25,000 acres, comprising six different life zones. So many habitats in such a small area, along with extensive trail improvements, allow visitors to enjoy a rich diversity of flora and fauna with relatively little and easy walking. Return to your hotel at mid-day. Sunset horseback ride in the evening, accompanied by a Spanish-speaking guide. Ride through coffee and banana plantations and end up with a view of the Gulf of Nicoya and the sunset. Overnight at Monteverde Lodge.

Day 7: Monteverde / Tamarindo Beach (B)
After breakfast depart for Tamarindo Beach (5 hours). Afternoon free. Overnight at Capitan Suizo Hotel.

Days 8-9: Tamarindo (B)
Two days at Tamarindo Beach. Activites and optional tours (at additional cost) include: sport fishing, surfing, golf, ATV tours, turtle watching, diving, horseback riding, canopy tours, boat rides and spa treatments. Overnight at Capitan Suizo Hotel.

Day 10: Tamarindo / San Jose (B)
You will be met in the hotel lobby by your Costa Rica Expeditions Spanish-speaking driver, who will take you back to San Jose (about 5 hours). Overnight at Grano de Oro Hotel.

Day 11: Departure (No meals.)
Transfer to the international airport, arriving at least 2-3 hours prior to your flight's scheduled departure.

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