Today you will meet your drive and guide outside the San Jose airport (SJO) where you will make the short drive to the Grano de Oro Hotel. This is one of San Jose's finest hotels and you will get a short history lesson on what makes San Jose a great city which not too many people understand. (Meals: None)
Today we will leave after breakfast and make our way south to the tallest volcano in all of Costa Rica. You will get a view of the beautiful landscape of Costa Rica as we drive and hike to the top of the Irazu Volcano. Here you get a chance to look into the crater of the volcano. We'll then head down to the Turrialba area where you will be staying at Casa Turire Hotel with excellent views of nearby Turrialba Volcano. Casa Turire is one of our favorite hotels in all of Costa Rica. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
After breakfast at Casa Turire we'll drive to the Pejibaye River where your adventure will be running the river in a small raft for just two people. The second person in the duckie will be your guide, making it a perfect adventure for younger children as everyone gets a guide. The thrill of rafting down the Pejibaye keeps everyone wet and excited for all two hours on the river. After our river run we will stop at a local village where you'll enjoy an excellent Tico meal and a local dance performance in a rural mountain setting. In the evening you will have time to relax back at Casa Turire. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
Day 4 ------ Enter Pacuare River (Pacuare Lodge)
Life is good in Pacuare
National Geographic has the Pacuare River listed as one of the top five scenic rivers on the planet and everyone we take down seems to agree. With our Costa Rican Resource River Operations you will enjoy a day on the upper part of the Pacuare River with your own private tour. Here we will get the chance to hike to different waterfalls and have a unique river lunch prepared for you right on the river. Our final destination will be the Pacuare Lodge which is one of the most picturesque settings you can imagine, here luxury meets the jungle. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
The second day of rafting on Pacuare is the best. Not only is the scenery breath-taking from start to finish but you also get to experience the larger rapids. Most months out of the year we can still run this section with little kids and can assure you safety is first and our guides are some of the finest you will find on Earth. Well, they did place 6th last year in the world rafting championship. Costa Rican Resource was a proud sponsor of the Costa Rican Team. After we make our way through this beautiful canyon, we will then drive to the Caribbean where you'll be staying in another luxurious setting surrounded by nature at Almonds & Corals Ecolodge. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)
The clear blue water and white sand of the Caribbean is something you will not find on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. It is also the best area for snorkeling with 35 different species of coral and 500 different species of fish. We'll be walking right off the shore and snorkeling in some of Costa Rica's most biodiverse jungles but these just happen to be underwater. After we snorkel we can go to the nearby towns where you and the kids can do some trinket shopping for local crafts. A second option for this afternoon would be to rappel one of the nearby waterfalls. Your CRR guide can set you up for an amazing adventure of rappeling a 70 ft waterfall. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)
Costa Rican Resource Sponsor of National Team of Rafting
If you are a fan of chocolate you will be a fan of today as we learn the secrets of the Cacao fruit and where it has come from and the process of making it to the sweet tasting candy we all know and love. This tour is done by the local indigenous tribe and very educational for everyone. After the chocolate tour we'll hit the beach where it will be time to take on some waves and enjoy a surf class with the locals. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)
Day 8 ------ Fly Home!
Today we drive back to the San Jose Airport and an afternoon flight would work best as it is a three hour drive from the Caribbean to San Jose (SJO)
Eating Termites on Nature Hike
Costa Rican Resource Call Today 1-855-CRR-TOUR info@crrtravel.com www.crrtours.com
Day 1 ---------- Arrive and Drive to La Condesa (La Condesa)
Raft Pacuare River
Your private adventure guide will meet you at the airport where you will make the short drive to the first hotel which is located in the mountains of Heredia on the slopes of the Barva Volcano. Here you will have chance to enjoy the relaxing grounds of the hotel and get some rest before the big adventures of the week. (Meals: None)
We leave the hotel after breakfast today and make the drive to Costa Rica's tallest volcano. This is an amazing hike that will literally put you at the top of the country and give you a bird's eye view of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Irazu Volcano is at around 11,000ft. Here we will make a short hike to the crater. After the Irazu visit we will drive to Casa Turire Hotel which everyone really enjoys. (Meals: Breakfast)
Without a doubt the next adventure is my favorite thing to do in the off-seasons and chances are it will be your favorite part of the trip. The Pacuare River is one of National Geographic's top rivers on the planet and it is filled with waterfall and beautiful canyons. We will be on the river for around three hours and after the river we will take you to the Arenal Volcano which is Costa Rica's perfectly cone-shaped volcano and one of the ten most active volcanos on the planet. You will have a beautiful view of the volcano from your hotel. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)
If the rafting was not enough adventure then the 700ft high cable above the primary rainforest should do the trick. Here you will get the chance to enjoy the best zipline in all of Costa Rica. Out of all the ziplines in the country this is the best. Not only is it high and fast but the views of the volcano on a clear day and of the lake are just unmatched by other ziplines and makes you feel like you are something out of Jurrassic Park (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 5 ---------- Drive to Manuel Antonio (Beach Hotel)
Today I am going to drive you to Manuel Antonio and I will make some stops on the way to keep it interesting. This is a beautiful drive and the final destination is one of Costa Rica's most beautiful beaches. Actually I would have to say it is Costa Rica's most beautiful beach. The monkeys still out populate the tourist in this area. (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 6 ---------- Visit National Park (Beach Hotel)
Manuel Antonio National Park
Today is your day to visit the National Park. This is a walk through the National Park and you will be on your own but it is very close to the hotel and simple hiking to the nearby trails that are filled with wildlife. (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 7 ---------- Beach Day to Relax (Beach Hotel)
Today is your day to relax. There are a number of optional tours in the area to choose from or you can just enjoy the public beach that is just infront of the hotel. The waves are perfect and there is always the option of going back into the park to visit the beautiful beaches of the National Park. (Meals: Breakfast)
Today I will pick you up from the beach hotel and drive you back to the San Jose Airport area. This is a short drive of just around 2 hours on Costa Rica's new highway. (Meals: Breakfast)
Cost: $825/person (Based on Group of 4)
Includes: All private transportation with driver/guide, all meals listed, all lodging, all tours and adventur
Take a look at an amazing and affordable private adventure to Costa Rica. We are running tours as low as possible so entire families can have a chance to experience the best adventures in Costa Rica.
Day 1 --------- Arrive and Drive to La Condesa Hotel (La Condesa)
Waterfall Rappel
One of the nicer hotels in the mountains of Heredia is La Condesa. You will be met at the airport with your private guide and driver. Today is a long travel day and we will get you to the first hotel with time to relax in the pool. (Meals: None)
Today the adventure will begin and all we ask you to do is walk off a 200ft waterfall. Your guide will be taking you to one of the more beautiful waterfalls in all of Costa Rica and a chance to rappel down. This is an amazing adventure and a chance to get wet and get the adventure trip started. After the day of rappeling you will have some time back at La Condesa hotel. (Meals: Breakfast)
We will leave early in the morning and visit Costa Rica's tallest volcano. This is a chance to see both coast at the same time and get a cloud's view of the entire country of Costa Rica. After we make the short hike to look down into the crater which will have us at an elevation of around 11,000ft., we will end up at Casa Turire Hotel. Over the years Casa Tirire has become one of my favorite hotels in all of Costa Rica. It is small and the setting is absolutely perfect. (Meals: Breakfast)
Today you will raft the Pacuare River which is listed by a magazine named National Geographic as one of the top five rivers in the world. I have been rafting this river for almost 10 years now and it is still to this day my favorite part about Costa Rica. Don't worry I will do my best to keep the family in the raft. We will be on the river for around three hours and we will even have some pictures of you from a kayak that you can take home as a souvenir. After the river rafting we will head to the Arenal Volcano where you will see one of the ten most active volcanos on the planet. From your room at the hotel of Casa Luna you will have an amazing view of the volcano and a perfect spot to relax until the next adventure. (Meals: Breakfast and Lunch)
If you have not had enough adventure on the waterfall rappel or rafting then maybe zipping across the rainforest at 700ft. will do the trick. I remember when I first moved to Costa Rica in 1998 there were just a few ziplines and now they are everywhere. The one we plan to go to on this itinerary is without a doubt my favorite. It is a beautiful view of the voclano and the lake below and primary rainforest. After the zipline we will take a hike through some more rainforest and visit one of the most beautiful waterfalls in all of the Americas. In the evening back to the hotel to relax in the pool with the volcano watching! (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 6 ------------ Drive to Manuel Antonio (Beach Hotel)
Manuel Antonio National Park
This is a travel day and you will get dropped off at the beach hotel of Espadilla which is a very nice hotel close to Costa Rica's most beautiful National Park of Manuel Antonio. Here you will have the chance to see more monkeys than you can handle and even the endemic squirrel monkey passes through everyday at around 4:30pm. (Meals: Breakfast)
Day 7 ------------- Beach Day (Beach Hotel)
Today is your day to relax and enjoy the ocean. You have the option of going to visit the National Park or Manuel Antonio or you can just enjoy the pool at the hotel. Either way you look at it it will be just another day in paradise. (Meals: Breakfast)
Today your driver and guide will pick you up at the hotel and drive you back to the San Jose airport. This is not a bad drive as they have built a new highway that makes it very smooth and quick to get back to the San Jose airport from the Central Pacific. (Meals: Breakfast)
Cost: $895/person
Includes: All private transportation with driver and guide, all meals listed, all adventures and tours listed, all lodging.
