Evergreen Costa Rica
8 Nights – 9 Days
DAY 1
San Jose, Costa Rica (20 minutes transfer approx. — 16.9 KM)
Welcome to San Jose, Costa Rica!
Reception at the Juan Santamaria International Airport and transfer to your hotel in San Jose.
The capital city of San Jose, considered to be one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America, is located in the middle of the Central Valley in the center of the country. The city features popular tourist attractions, such as historical buildings, museums, theaters, artisan markets, beautiful parks, shopping centers, and a varied gastronomic scene.
Accommodation is in the hotel of your choice.
DAY 2
San Jose – Arenal Volcano (3 Hrs Approx. – 135 Km)
Breakfast in the hotel.
In the morning, your 4×4 rental car will be delivered to you at the hotel. Or, you will transfer by shared transport to the Arenal Volcano in the Northern Plains region. Majestic in its grand stature, the volcano is one of the country’s natural wonders. While the volcano is quiet these days and there are no lava eruptions, you can still see clouds of smoke or ash emanating from the top of the cinder cone. As well, you can enjoy the plentiful hot springs in the area. Along your journey to the town of La Fortuna, at the base of the volcano, you will see agricultural plantations, large ornamental plant nurseries, and cattle farms.
Accommodation is in the hotel of your choice.
DAY 3
Arenal Volcano
Breakfast in the hotel.
This morning you will visit the Arenal 1968 Mirador Park, where you can explore the trails (self-guided) and observe abundant flora and fauna. During your hike, you can see and follow the old lava flows of 1968 that lead to a viewpoint. With some luck, you will have the imposing and majestic Arenal Volcano in front of you.
Accommodation is in the hotel of your choice.
DAY 4
Arenal Volcano – Puerto Viejo de Limón (5 Hrs Approx. – 280 Km)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to Puerto Viejo de Limón.
This morning you will depart to the southern Caribbean coastal town of Puerto Viejo de Limón. The Caribbean region is characterized by its rich cultural mix of Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples. Together with a host of residents from many other countries, they form a unique cultural community in Costa Rica.
Accommodation is in the hotel of your choice.
DAY 5
Puerto Viejo de Limón
Breakfast in the hotel.
In the morning, visit a local rescue center for injured, sick and orphaned animals where they are given 24-hour care until they can be rehabilitated and released back into the rainforest.
You have the afternoon free to discover the area’s beautiful beaches, fringed with lush tropical vegetation and clear warm ocean. There are a variety of adventure activities, cultural tours, and gastronomic delights to enjoy, in addition to lively Caribbean music.
Accommodation is in the hotel of your choice.
DAY 6
Puerto Viejo
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you are free to enjoy the area’s beautiful beaches that are fringed with lush tropical vegetation and feature multicolored sand (from black to yellow and gray), clear warm ocean, and spectacular coral reefs. There are a variety of adventure activities, cultural tours, and gastronomic delights to enjoy, in addition to lively Caribbean music.
Accommodation is in the hotel of your choice.
DAY 7
Puerto Viejo – Ecolirios (3hrs Aprox – 156km)
Breakfast in the hotel.
In the morning, you’ll transfer to Ecolirios, an exclusive paradise surrounded by dense Caribbean jungle with an incredible diversity of wildlife.
Accommodation in Ecolirios.
DAY 8
Ecolirios
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today, you’ll go on a horseback riding adventure. You will ride from the hotel with your guide for about an hour and 20 minutes on an off-road trail through beautiful rainforest and across shallow rivers.
When you get to the big river, you’ll leave the horses and walk for 15 minutes to a canyon. There, you’ll go down the river using ropes and swimming until you reach natural pools with a beautiful rocky formation where you can swim, jump into the pool from a cliff, or relax and enjoy the setting. After a delicious box lunch, you’ll return to the hotel with the horses.
Accommodation in Ecolirios.
DAY 9
Ecolirios – San José (2.20hrs Aprox – 95km)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you depart early in the morning to the Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose. If you have a rental car, you will need to return it to the agency before your flight.
Happy return trip! We hope to have you visit us again.
NOTES
Included | Not included
Included
- Airport transfers
- Ground transfers between destinations or car rental from Day 2, for 7 days with basic insurance included
- 8 nights’ accommodation with breakfast included
- Regular excursion: Hike in Arenal 1968
- Regular excursion: Visit to the Jaguar Rescue Center
- Regular excursion: Tour 5 + 1 with Canyoning at Ecolirios
- Value added tax
- Infants from 0 to 2 years do not pay
- Children’s rate applies for ages 3 to 11 years. Maximum 2 children sharing a room with their parents
Not included
- Activities not indicated in the program
- Meals not indicated in the program
- Tips for bellhops
- Tips for housekeeping
- Full protection insurance for the rental car
- Mandatory dinners during Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Requirement for the rental car
- The driver must have a valid driver’s license from their country of origin. Foreign licenses are valid in Costa Rica for 90 days starting from the date of entry into the country
- Minimum age of the driver is 23 years
- The driver must present a valid passport
- The driver must present a credit card in their name (AMEX, VISA, MASTERCARD) that has an available balance of approximately $750.00 USD for the security deposit
What to Bring?
- Passport with no less than 6 months of validity
- Travel alarm clock (some hotels have them, others do not; so, it’s a good idea to bring one)
- Sun block and insect repellent
- Shirts: cotton or light synthetic, long and short sleeves
- Pants: lightweight cotton or synthetic pants. Bring at least 2 sets of clothes that dry quickly (jeans are not recommended; too slow to dry)
- Footwear: lightweight waterproof hiking boots, river sandals (Teva type sandals), tennis shoes
- Running shoes / sneakers. If you are not wearing hiking boots, be sure to bring TWO pairs of tennis shoes. As soon as a pair gets wet, wear them when your feet are likely to get wet. Make every effort to keep the other pair dry!
- Socks: bring extra pairs in case your feet get wet
- Swimsuit
- Rainwear: poncho, raincoat, and umbrella
- Hat(s) with a brim for protection against rain and sun
- Reusable water bottle for walks
- Also, extra batteries, mobile device charger and plenty of memory
- Cell phone – you can purchase a local phone service chip upon arrival. Be sure also to bring your cell phone charger
- Plastic resealable bags for spillable toiletries and plastic trash bags for wet items
- Prescription glasses and prescription medications (if applicable)
- Small backpack or fanny pack for hiking
- Foldable luggage in case you need to store additional items