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Costa Rica Tours and Travel

Coast to Coast / Adventure / Costa Rica Verde / Tropical Adventure / Honeymoon / Wonders / Highlights
South Costa Rica / Family Adventures / Highlights Self-Drive / Up & Down Self-Drive
Costa Rica-Panama Cruise / Experience / Eco-Exclusive / Kayak / Multisport / Comfort / Birds Trail

Costa Rica Experience Tour 7 days / 6 nights

We know that the concept of sustainability involves a great amount of responsibility and hard work, aside from the business related issues. Camino Travel encourages sustainable business in tourism; not only by reducing the impact on the environment; but also with consideration to the social, cultural, and economic dimensions of sustainability. By booking this program you will support business of local families and of people that have the same ideals.

Day 1 - Arrival in San José. Meet and greet at the airport and transfer to the Buena Vista hotel. Hotel Buena Vista is a two-story Spanish Colonial style inn, nestled in a picturesque mountain setting. It is conveniently located in Pilas de Alajuela, only 15 minutes from San José International Airport, and 40 minutes from San José downtown. The hotel is situated at an altitude of 4,185 feet above the noise and distractions of the city. It is the only one in the area to feature a 360-degree panoramic view featuring Poás, Barva and lrazú volcanoes as well as the central valley.

This inn-like hotel has 25 rooms: 11 standard, 9 deluxe balcony, 4 junior suites and 1 Sun Deck room; all equipped with color T.V, private bath, hot water, hair dryers, ceiling fan, and 2 queen size beds. Hotel facilities include the Quetzal Room Restaurant for fine dining, bar, an outdoor pool with scenic views of the central valley and surrounding coffee plantations, gift shop, parking, laundry service, Internet access and transportation.

Day 2 - (B,L) After breakfast at the hotel, your private guide-driver will meet you in order to visit the Poás Volcano National Park, where you will enjoy a guided walk. Afterwards you will continue to the Doka Coffee Estate, where you will learn about the coffee process. Doka Estate is a family owned sustainable certified coffee plantation and mill located in the skirts of the Poás Volcano located at an altitude of 4.550 FT above sea level. Lunch will be served at the Doka Restaurant. Arrival in Arenal during the afternoon, rest of the day at leisure. Catarata Ecolodge

Day 3 - (B) Morning at leisure to enjoy the lodge facilities or explore the surroundings.
Early afternoon you will be picked up for the Arenal Volcano National Park & Ecotermales Hot Springs. The tour begins with a hike along the Las Coladas Trail, where it is possible to observe a variety of flora and fauna. You will have exceptional views of the volcano, Lake Arenal, and the surrounding forest. After this guided walk, the tour continues to the Ecotermales Hot Springs where you will have time to relax! Dinner will be served at a local restaurant in La Fortuna Town. Catarata Ecolodge. Catarata Lodge is located out the risk zone of the arenal volcano, we offer a spectacular view of the volcano from a safe view point. We offer a nice and safe family atmosphere away fro the noise of the city, surround by spectacular gardens and forest Catarata Lodge is the perfect place to join and spend your vacations at the arenal volcano area, la Fortuna have much to offer let us help you plan your trip, baldi hot spring, horse back riding to la Fortuna waterfall and much more.

Day 4 - (B) After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Monteverde by minibus and boat, crossing the Arenal Lake. Arrival in Monteverde and rest of the day at leisure. Belmar Hotel. The hotel has 28 rooms that include 2 queen beds; private bathroom w/hot water, phone and most rooms have a private balcony with spectacular views of the Gulf of Nicoya or the rainforest. The hotel features a bar and restaurant, Jacuzzi, a private trail to the forest, laundry service, room service, meeting room, parking area, beautiful gardens, Internet access near the reception desk, and a pool table.

In appreciation of Costa Rica’s natural heritage, the meals from the restaurant are homemade (bread, granola, marmalade) with ingredients produced locally (dairy products, coffee, fruits, and vegetables). Some of the activities offered are: tours to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, horseback tours, tours inside CASEM, coffee tours, cheese factory tours, amphibian and reptile tours, canopy tours, walkways, butterfly garden tour, hummingbird garden tours, and natural history walks.

Day 5 - (B) This morning you will be picked up for the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Tour. A well-developed system of trails of varying levels of difficulty leads visitors throughout primary cloud forest for a close encounter with nature. After this guided walk transfer back to the hotel.

Early afternoon you will enjoy the Trapiche Tour. This is a Costa Rican Family project, trapiche means: sugarcane mill machine. On this tour you will take a walk on the farm where you will learn about the production of sugarcane, coffee, and the traditional ways of cultivating bananas, arracache (a local legume), avocado, macadamia nuts as well as other products. Also, on the farm there are oxen with a traditional cart waiting to transport visitors to the sugarcane mill where they will demonstrate the process of making brown sugar and the other types of products made from sugarcane. You will also enjoy a representation of the extraction of guaro, a Costa Rican alcohol made from sugarcane. To end this eventful you will enjoy “picadillo de arracache”, a traditional vegetable hash, accompanied by a cup of coffee or lemonade. Transfer back to the hotel after the tour. Belmar

Day 6 - (B,L) After an early breakfast at the hotel, you will depart from Monteverde to Costa de Pájaros, located in the Nicoya Gulf. This day you will get to know Costa Rica's authentic culture by going off the beaten track and learn about the rural parts of the country. In Costa de Pájaros you will meet your local guide and aboard the boat to Chira Island. During this tour you will enjoy a trip along an impressive mangrove forest which holds 5 of the 7 mangrove species in Costa Rica! You will also discover the traditional fishing culture of Chira Island and learn about a courageous group of women who share the stories of the island and their lives. A delicious sea food lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

During the afternoon, boat transfer back to Costa de Pájaros in order to continue to San José. On the way back you can coordinate with your driver a stop for some last minute souvenir shopping. Buena Vista

Day 7 - (B) Transfer to the San José International Airport.

Rates per person based on double occupancy in US$ dollars:

The program includes:
• Meet & greet upon arrival
• Accommodation in small hotels
• Ground transfers or rental car
• Guided tours as specified above
• Meals as specified each day: B, L or D
• Map and information kit
• All taxes
• Does not include optional activities

* Private Transfers Alternative: A private driver will pick up the clients directly at the hotel and will take them to the next destination. The schedules can be flexible (unless they have to connect with other transfers or be in a certain place at a specific moment) and they do not have to wait for other clients, since this is a private service.

**Shared Transportation Alternative: This service works on routes and pre-established schedules. A driver picks up the clients in different hotels and goes directly (without stopping) to the destination. Once there, the driver goes to the different hotels to leave the passengers. This is called door-to-door Ground operation. An individual client usually travels with other tourists that he/she does not know.

***Rental Car Alternative: Renting a car is a convenient way to move around the country as it gives you the freedom to explore at will. Our preferred car rental companies offer a complete list of services, including a modern fleet of vehicles and pick-up and drop-off services in San José as well as in the main tourist destinations. We would recommend a 4WD whenever possible and depending on the places you wish to visit, as they are more robust vehicles and a more reliable option for difficult roads. The rate provided does not include the Mandatory Insurance (USD 18.00 per day of rent). Clients will pick up the vehicle (Daihatsu Bego 4x4) on Day 02 and return it on Day 07.