Pacuare Lodge, Nayara Resort, Punta Islita Hotel

Hacienda Tayutic

Day 1 - Pick up at the airport and drive to Turrialba (Hacienda Tayutic)


Today you will be met at the airport by your private CRR driver and guide. You will make your way through the capital city and have a pleasant drive through the rural mountain ranges of Central Costa Rica. Your final destination will be the Hacienda Tayutic which is a perfect mix of simple Farm Hacienda living modified to the upmost perfection of luxury during your stay. The views are amazing from the Hacienda and you will be able to see the smoking Turrialba volcano. This is around a 2 hour drive from the San Jose area and arriving on early in the day flight works best for this itinerary. (Meals: None)



Day 2 -  Enter Pacuare Lodge by Rafting (Pacuare Lodge)

Pacuare Lodge

You will wake up to the sound of nature and the sun rising over the mountain range lighting up the valley below. You will enjoy some of the finest coffee in Costa Rica as the Hacienda is know for their coffee and sugar-cane production. After a nice filling breakfast we will make our way on a short 30 minute drive where we will drive off road for a little and arrive to the banks of one of the most scenic rives on the planet. National Geographic has it in their top 3 for scenery. At the river bank your CRR river guides will have your private raft and guides waiting for you ready to enjoy your first day of rafting. We will raft for around 2 hours and then stop for a river lunch. Here your CRR guides will prepare for you a lunch where you and the kids can just enjoy being in nature and relaxing on the river bank. After lunch we will row for another 30 minutes and arrive to the Pacuare Lodge. If you want to be surrounded by nature with a nice dose of luxury yet eco-friendly living then this is the spot for you. We will get you checked in to the lodge which sits right on the banks of the river and viewing areas from all around. Dinner will be in the main dining area as you enjoy some of the finest foods you will find in the rainfores. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)



Day 3 - Activities at the Lodge (Pacuare Lodge)


Today you will wake up and be in no rush because you will be spending the day at the lodge. After having breakfast and watching the rainforest night creatures begin to rest and the day creatures come to life we will then get ready for some day activities. Today will involve some ziplining and a hike to a beautiful nearby waterfall. In the evening it is relaxing in your bungalow or maybe taking a hike with the kids to find some critters that come out during the evening. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)



Day 4 -  Rafting out the river and drive to the Arenal area (Nayara Hotel)


Today we will make our way down the rest of the famous Pacuare River. This is a beautiful run and the most scenic part of the river. You can enjoy your breakfast and the last moments of being in the lodge. The rafting today involves the Pacuare Canyon which is home to some rapids that will get the entire family wet and also beautiful canyons and waterfalls. Your private raft will be guided by your CRR guide and you will finish your run where we will change, eat lunch, and start the 3 1/2 hour drive to the Arenal Volcano. When we arrive to the Arenal Volcano you will be staying at the Nayara Hotel. This is one of the most sought after hotels in all of Costa Rica and we have never seen anyone not like it. It is a real treat to find availability in this hotel and well worth the visit. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)



Day 5  -  Zip Line and Canyoneering. (Nayara Hotel)

Ziplining is one of the events in Costa Rica that everyone wants to do. With over 77 different ziplines in the country this is still our favorite. In recent years there is another activity called Canyoneering and many people love Canyoneering just as much as ziplining now. With this said today of your trip will be the ultimate combo of adventure and fun. Your ziplining adventure will take you on cables that hang 700ft above the rainforest floor while you canyoneering adventure has waterfall that measure 120ft that you will have to rappel down. This is a day of memories that will last a lifetime and add on the Pacuare river that you did on day 3 makes you an adventure expert now! In the evening you will have time to just enjoy the Nayara Hotel and relax in the pool area. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 6  -  Drive to the Pacific (Punta Islita Hotel)


Costa Rica has become a destination of popularity in recent years and places like Punta Islita are a real delicacy now it seems. This hotel is an authentic symbol of Costa Rican culture mixed with tropical high end ammenities and marvelous views of the Pacific. What more could you ask for coming from such a great country to end your trip. The Punta Islita hotel is the perfect spot to end your trip after a number of days of adventure and fun. Here we will drive from the Arenal area and arrive around lunch where you can enjoy relaxing while the kids play in the pool. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Punta Islita

Day 7  -  Beach day (Punta Islita Hotel)


Today is your day to relax and enjoy your final hours of your CRR itinerary. We will be nearby if you need anything but the idea is a day of relaxation. The kids can enjoy some hikes or hanging out in the pool. (Meals: Breakast, Lunch, & Dinner)

What an Adventure is Costa Rica!

Day 8  -  Drive to the airport and fly home


Today we will make the drive to the San Jose Airport where you will catch your flight home and start planning your return trip to Costa Rica with CRR!

Mike Tyler Costa Rica 2012

Sunset Diamante Falls

Day 1 ------- Arrive and Drive to Pacific (Cuna del Angel)

Today your guide and driver will meet you outside the airport. This will be the same driver and guide you will have for the entire week. We take pride in our service and our personale and being a small company allows us to keep it that way. You will make the drive to the Pacific coast where you will stay at the beautiful Cuna del Angel which is a small boutique hotel with one of the best restaurants in the country. (Meals: None)

Day 2 ------- Surf Lessons or Deep Sea Fishing (Cuna del Angel)

Today you will get a chance to enjoy the warm waters of the Pacific. You will have the option to do a half day of fishing and then some surf lessons in the afternoon or you can just surf all day and enjoy the waves.  If you are really in the mood for fishing then you can fish all day it is up to you. In the evening it is back to the hotel to relax and get ready for day 3's adventure. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 3 ------- Enter Cave & Rappel (Sleep Behind Waterfall)

One of the best adventures you will find in Costa Rica. Here we will make a hike to a very scenic area where you will be sleeping behind a waterfall. This is not roughing it as there are bathrooms, beds, and showers. It is like having the ultimate dream machine for the night. When we arrive we will get geared up and rappel down a 100 ft waterfall. After we rappel we will make the short hike to the top of Costa Rica's tallest waterfall where we will watch the sunset at Diamante falls. In the evening we can sit around the camp fire and listen to the sound of the rushing waterfalls. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4 ------- Leave Cave & Travel to Turrialba (Casa Turire)

Today we hike out of the waterfall and make the drive over Costa Rica's tallest mountain range. We will get to an elevation of 11,000ft and a chance to see the Pacific and Caribbean from the same spot. Our final destination will be the beautiful Casa Turire Hotel which will be quite the luxury after a night of sleeping behind the watefall (although many people miss the waterfall experience after leaving). We will arrive to Casa Turire Hotel and you can relax in the pool and hot-tub and enjoy a great meal. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 5 ------- Enter Pacuare River (Pacuare River Lodge)

National Geographic has this listed as one of the top rivers on the planet and the Pacuare River lives up to all the hype. We like it so much we tell our clients it is worth spending two days on the river. We will start our rafting adventure in the morning and your Costa Rican Resource river guides are some of the best in the country (which is why our members placed 9th in the world championship and was the selected team to represent Costa Rica: not bragging Mike we are just proud!). We will prepare lunch for you on the river and then make our way to the Pacuare River Logde. Here we can hike to a waterfall and you will have the chance to just relax in hammocks with breath-taking views of the Pacuare River. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Pacuare River Lodge

Day 6 ------- Leave River and Drive to Arenal (Casa Luna Lodge)

Waking up to the sound of the river is the best and coming out early in the morning and watching the rainforest come to life is an experience everyone should have. We will be in the lush virgin rainforest and we will enjoy breakfast at the lodge and then make our way down the famous Pacuare Canyon where you will have the chance to run some of the best rapids and enjoy the most scenic part of the river. After we get out of the river we will drive to the famous Arenal Volcano where you will have dinner waiting for you at the Casa Luna Lodge and rooms with excellent views of the Volcano. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 7 ------- Zipline & Hotsprings (Casa Luna Lodge)

Today you will be doing the zipline adventure and with over 77 different ziplines in the country this is by far our favorite. If your not up for the zipline you can enjoy the tram through the canopy. After the zipline it is time to just relax and soak in this amazing adventure. The evening activity will be the hotsprings where they say it takes 30 years off your appearance. I am actually 92 and I look like I am 30 and I give all the credit to the Hotsprings! You will also enjoy a 5-Star meal to end this trip at the hotpsrings. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 8 ------- Fly Home!

Costa Rica Sample Itin 2012

I will see you when you leave San Jose!

Day 1 ------- Arrive (Grano de Oro)

Today because you get in at 7pm we will make the short drive to the Grano de Oro Hotel. You will be met outside the airport by your driver and guide who will be with you the entire trip. This will get you a good night's rest and the hotel is on the right side of San Jose to make the morning trip to the Caribbean. The Grano de Oro Hotel is a small boutique hotel and one of our favorites for arrivals and departures and no question our favorite in San Jose. (Meals: None)

Day 2 ------- Drive to Caribbean Coast (Almonds & Corals)

Today your driver and guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and get you on your way to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. You will be staying at Costa Rica's top ecolodge which is surrounded by rainforest and plenty of opportunity to take pictures of wildlife. The rooms are luxurious with a low impact on the environment. Some might call this extremely luxurious camping but most don't seem to mind the trade-offs of staying in an ecolodge and knowing you will see much more wildlife. We will arrive after lunch time and have the chance to enjoy the beach and take some walks around the lodge. In the evening dinner will be at the lodge and the food is excellent as you eat in a dining area surrounded by jungle with an occasional monkey making a visit. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)

Day 3 ------- Snorkel & Nature Hike (Almonds & Corals)

The best snorkeling in the country is located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. With over 35 different species of coral and March being the best time it makes for the perfect visit to this area. The day will be a short boat ride out to a remote island where you will snorkel and then have lunch on a point that jets out into the sea. After lunch you'll take a nature hike through the famous Cahuita National Park. This park is similar to the Manuel Antonio National Park but much less touristy. In the evening it is back to the Almonds & Corals to shower up and get ready for another great dinner. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4 ------- Travel to Tortuguero (Tortuguero Lodge)

Hola Alec!

Today we'll drive north and then take a boat ride through the canals. This area has been called the Venice of the rainforest and is a great chance to feel like your off the beaten path, headed deep into the jungle. When you arrive there are some nice lodges that will allow you a bit of luxury amist the wild jungle surroundings. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 5 ------- Wildlife Boat Float & Kayak in Canals (Tortuguero Lodge)

Tortuguero Canals

This is a full day of nature and mild adventure.  First, you'll take an early morning boat ride through the canals with your naturalist guide as you search for wildlife. In the afternoon after lunch you can do the kayaks through some of the more narrow canals which is a nice little float and a chance to see some more animals close up and navigate you way through the canals with your guide. In the evening you'll take a night-hike on the beach where the Leatherback sea-turtles are nesting their eggs. This is a hit or miss type of excursion and sighting is not 100% guaranteed but well worth the chance as you venture out onto 22 miles of protected beachfront in one of the most important nesting sites in all of the Americas.

Day 6 ------- Fly to San Jose and Drive to MonteVerde (El Establo Monteverde Hotel)

Quetzal
  

The and most efficient way to get to our next stop, Monteverde, is to take a 30 minute flight to San Jose and then drive to Monteverde. This really will not be that bad a day of traveling. You can look at the flight as your first tour of the day as you will get a great view of the layout of the country which is only on average around 55 miles wide. Flying over the top offers amazing views. After you land in San Jose your guide will be met by your driver and take you to the Monteverde area where you will be staying in El Establo which has excellent views of the Pacific slopes and the cloudforest. (Meals: Breakfast)


Day 7 ------- Visit Monteverde Reserve (El Establo Monteverde Hotel)

One of the places that made Costa Rica famous was the Monteverde cloudforest which was settled by the Quakers and later discovered by scientists and is now one of the most renown protected areas on the planet. This is a great place to see the famous Resplentant Quetzal bird along with many different species of humming birds. If you wanted to include a zipline tour today we could fit it in, no problem. Another option and interesting activity in the area are the night hikes where you get to learn that just as much is going on in the rainforest at night as there is going on during the day. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 8 ------- Travel to San Jose (Airport Hotel)

Today is a travel day to San Jose where you will be staying in an airport hotel or the same Grano de Oro would be a nice option and way to end the trip. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 9 ------- Fly Home!

Laura Wolf Costa Rica Adventure 2012

Rafiki Sunset

Day 1 --------- Arrive & Drive to Rafiki Lodge (Rafiki Lodge)

Today we will meet you outside of the airport. Your guide and driver will take you to the first lodge which is the Rafiki Lodge. This family is known for helping with the corridor of the Baird's Tapir and is a beautiful place surrounded by nature. (Meals: Dinner)

Day 2 --------- Raft Savegre & Drive to La Cusinga (La Cusinga Ecolodge)

Today you will enjoy the beautiful Savegre River. This is a river that is filled with views of the virgin rainforest and even an amazing waterfall we can stop at during the ride. You will get to run some class III rapids and everyone usually stays in the boat on this river as it is not too wild but surely superb scenery from start to finish. After a nice lunch on the river we will make the 1 hour drive to La Cusinga Ecolodge. This is one of the pioneers in sustainable tourism and ecolodges. The views of the Pacific are incredible and you can relax after a day of rafting. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 3 --------- Zipline & Horseback Ride (La Cusinga Ecolodge)

We will leave after breakfast and make the 30 minute drive into the mountains where you will get a chance to do a zipline tour that is through the canopy of the rainforest. You will see much rainforest during your trip but this will be the one chance to see the canopy. The zipline adventure has great views of the Pacific and is through complete virgin jungle. After the zipline we will have time to visit the beach, go back to La Cusinga and take a hike or relax. In the evening we will make our way to the beach where we will do some horseback riding on La Merced wildlife refugee. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4 --------- Enter Cave & Waterfall Rappel (Sleep Behind Waterfall)

Sunset Diamante Falls

With all the adventure up until now it will be tough to top this next adventure. We will be sleeping behind a waterfall. The hike to the waterfall is quite the hike and it takes almost 1 1/2 hours. It is not very long but it is on large stairs that are somewhat uneven. We ask that our guest be in half decent shape and are ready to make the trek. We have taken kids of 7 years old just to give you an idea. I like to think everyone can make it if they just take it slow but we do feel we need to inform everyone that it is not a walk in the park to get to amazing place. When you get there though you seem to forget about the walk and are just awed for the moment. We will then make a rappel that is around 100 ft down one of the waterfalls. After the rappel we will hike just 10 minutes to the top of the Diamante falls which is the tallest falls in all of Costa Rica. In the evening it will be like sleeping with the ultimate dream machine. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Finca Maresia

Day 5 --------- Leave Cave & Travel to Corcovado (Finca Maresia)

Today we will hike out of paradise and make our way to the next paradise. We will drive for 2 hours and take a boat trip to Drake Bay. The location of this place is perfect it is filled with wildlife. This is not infront of the beach. There are places such as the Corcovado Adventure Tent Camp which is a bit more rustic and more of the roughing it camping vibe if you would like that infront of the ocean. The tents are all set up above ground and life is good although some don't want to deal with the norms of tent camps which would make Finca Maresia a great option especially if you want to end the trip with a little luxury and a lot of wildlife. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 6 --------- Corcovado Nature Hikes (Finca Maresia)

Finca Maresia

Today is your day to spend at the beach. You do have to hike from Finca Maresia to get to the beach as you are located more inland but only a 20 minute walk through one of the most biodiverse places on the planet (not too bad of a walk). You can spend the time doing nature hikes or maybe sea-kayak. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 7 --------- Corcovado Activities (Finca Maresia)

Another day at the beach or Nature Hike. Maybe a visit to Cano Island which is a great day trip with some snorkeling. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 8 --------- Fly Home!

Today you will catch a charter flight to fly home.