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!

Costa Rica Adventure

Rappel Nuayca Falls

Day 1 ----------- Arrive and Drive to Pacific Beach (Casa Belmar)


Costa Rica House Rental Casa Belmar

Today we will meet you at the airport and drive you down to the Casa Belmar. This is an amazinz place surrounded by jungle with great views of the Pacific.

Day 2 ----------- Zipline & Tarzan Swing (Casa Belmar)

Today we will take you to an amazing zipline which has cables high up in the canopy and a chance to do a tarzan swing off a ridge that is 1,000ft high. This is an thrilling ride and everyone will love it.

Day 3 ----------- Rappel Nauyaca Falls (Casa Belmar)

River Lunch

Today we will rappel one of the most beautiful waterfalls in all of Costa Rica. The Nauyaca Falls is a double decker 300ft fall that is absolutely the perfect place to do the rappel and the perfect place to swim at the bottom. (Meals: Lunch)

Day 4 ----------- Raft Savegre River (Casa Belmar)

Today we will raft the savegre river. This is a great river to raft and it will be filled with rapids that will keep everyone soaked. The river goes through a canyon and we will do lunch on the river and just a great day in the sun with some great rapids. (Meals: Lunch)

Nauyaca Falls

Day 5 ----------- Snorkel at Whale National Park (Casa Belmar)

Today is your day to snorkel. We will actually be staying close to shore and when the tide goes down there is a National Park nearby that is perfect for some snorkeling. The rest of the day you can relax at the beach.

Day 6 ----------- Visit Manuel Antonio National Park (Casa Belmar)


Today we will go visit the very crowded park of Manuel Antonio. I still think there is more monkeys than tourist though so we plan on making it a nice nature hike and visiting the beaches while we are there.

Day 7 ----------- Drive to Poas Volcano Crater (Airport Hotel)

Manuel Antonio

Rafting Savegre

Today we will get an early start and make our way to the Poas Volcano Crater which will give you a chance to visit the 9,000ft crater that is located in the central valley. After visiting the crater we will make our way to the best place in the country for lunch. After lunch it is down through the coffee plantations to the airport hotel where we will be nice and close for the next day departure. (Meals: Lunch)

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


Today we do the transfer from your hotel to the airport. (Meals: Breakfast)