Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano & Monteverde Cloudforest
8 days / 7 nights
From $1,795 per person, double occupancy for 2009

Day 1: San Jose
Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Overnight accommodations at a selected San Jose hotel (Hotel Don Carlos or similar), breakfast included.

Day 2: San Jose - Tortuguero National Park
You will be picked-up at your hotel this morning and transferred through Braulio Carillo National Park to the Atlantic coast near Limon, stopping for breakfast along the way. There you will board a boat for the two-hour cruise through the Tortuguero canals to your Tortuguero lodge (Mawamba Lodge or similar, all meals included). Tortuguero National Park is a must for nature lovers. Along the network of brackish and freshwater lakes and channels are a variety of forests and marshlands. As you cruise these waters in a small boats, you'll have the chance to see up-close a fabulous array of wildlife. NOTE: A $6 per person fee is charged to enter the refuge area, and must be paid locally. The 18,946 hectare park is also home to fresh-water turtles, crocodiles, sloths, howler, spider and colorado monkeys, tropical river otters, morpho butterflies, tapir, ocelot, jaguar, fishing bulldog bat and the dart frog, whose skin is poisonous to the touch. The region is also the largest nesting area in the Caribbean for the green turtle, from which it takes its name. The turtles mate offshore and the females crawl onto the beach to lay their eggs from June-September each year. The nesting areas are found along the beach from July - September and are frequently observed by visitors. Other species of sea turtles that nest along the park's long stretch of beach are the leatherback and hawksbill. One of the rainiest regions in the country (over 200 inches a year), Tortuguero also offers the greatest biological diversity within a single park. To date, 11 habitats have been identified, including littoral woodland, high rainforest and slope forest. In the herbaceous marsh communities the water hyacinths grow so thickly in places that they can make it impossible for a boat to get through. Among the 309 species of birds that are protected by the park are the New World kingfishers, 3 species of toucan, 8 species of parrot, as well as great the green macaw, great curassow, turkey vulture, common black hawk, white necked jacobin and violaceous trogon. During certain times of the year, spectacular migrations of birds that nest in North America can be seen from the coast. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Tortuguero National Park
Today you will explore the area on morning and afternoon guided excursions. You may also wish to hire a boat for additional exploration, or just hike along the beach or visit the village of Tortuguero. Overnight at your Tortuguero lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tortuguero - San Jose - Arenal Volcano
After breakfast, transfer to the Tortuguero airstrip for a 30-minute flight to San Jose. You will be met at the San Jose Airport by your English-speaking guide and depart for a scenic drive to Arenal Volcano. stopping en route at the Rainforest Aerial Tram where you may chose to ride on the 90-minute tram ride through the Canopy or for the more adventurous, the Canopy zip line tour. After lunch continue to Arenal. At the volcano, stop to explore the west flank prior to continuing on up to the Arenal Observatory Lodge. The Arenal Volcano (elevation over 5350 feet and still growing) erupted for the first time this century on July 29, 1968 with a tremendous explosion. Having released pressure that had built up for more than 450 years, Arenal today continues to erupt but on a smaller and much safer scale. Due to its continuous activity Arenal is considered one of the world's most active volcanoes - there are only 5 or 6 volcanoes worldwide that are perpetually active. Arenal is the only volcano in Costa Rica producing continuous lava flows. The eruptions are variable and range in frequency from several times daily to a few times per month. When these eruptions occur on a cloudless night, visitors are awed by the natural fireworks display of the ejected red-hot rocks and thunderous booms that accompany them which can be heard over 10 miles away. Seismologists from the Smithsonian Institute and the National University of Costa Rica have been intensely monitoring Arenal for 25 years. Overnight at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, daily breakfast and dinner included. The Arenal Observatory Lodge was established in 1987 to study the volcano on a site chosen by these scientists for its proximity and safety. The Observatory is 1.6 miles south of the volcano and faces it on a ridge crest at an elevation of 2428 feet. From this mid-level vantage you'll have an impressive view of the volcano as well as a spectacular view of nearby Lake Arenal. Surrounding the Observatory Lodge is the Arenal Forest Preserve encompassing thousands of acres of pristine rainforest and teems with tropical birds and wildlife. A visit to Arenal is truly a spectacular natural history experience. From the Observatory, which is situated only 1.6 miles south of the volcano, visitors have an impressive view of this "giant which rumbles" and erupts with spectacular displays of vapor and lava. The Observatory is the only lodge situated within the Arenal Volcano National Park, which encompasses thousands of acres containing pristine rainforest, teeming with tropical birds and wildlife. Time permitting; you will visit the Kioro or El Silencio lookouts. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Arenal
This morning you will hike with your guide further exploring the area near Arenal Volcano on a trail where you will have the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife. While viewing the volcano from a safe vantage point, your guide will reveal this volcano's fascinating history and explain the various types of the volcano's current activity. For lunch you will visit a local farm or local family where you will be served a typical Costa Rican dish. In the afternoon visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges, entrance fees included. The Hanging Bridges are a complex of 6 hanging suspension bridges rising above the jungle canopy, and almost 2 miles of brick and concrete trails through the lush Rain Forest. The bridges provide an excellent vantage point to observe the flora and fauna from the ground level to the top of the trees. Walk the trails where you will learn about the complexity and beauty of the Rain Forest. Dinner and overnight at Arenal Observatory Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Arenal - Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
This morning enjoy a hike with your guide inside the Arenal National Park through rainforest where monkeys, toucans and parrots are frequently seen. Continue over a cold blocky lava flow from Arenal Volcano that formed in 1992 and provides panoramic vistas of the volcano, forests, mountains and Arenal Lake. Afterward, depart with your guide for an approximate 2-hour transfer to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the most diverse and richest tropical cloud forests in the New World. It is best known as home to the Resplendent Quetzal but has hundreds of other birds, mammals and plant species. Overnight accommodations are at a typical lodge located close to the entrance to the reserve (Hotel Fonda Vela or similar), daily breakfast and dinner included. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is the richest and most complex tropical cloud forest in the New World, and home to the beautiful Resplendent Quetzal. There are at least 400 other bird species, including the three-wattled bellbird, not easily seen but frequently heard, over 100 species of mammals and an estimated 2500 species of plants. For the most part you will experience a misty forest with dense vegetation and majestic trees. Here you will find many wild relatives of familiar tropical houseplants including philodendrons, ficus trees, bromeliads and ferns. Orchids abound with over 300 species occurring here, however many are tiny and inconspicuous while others thrive among the lush vegetation of the canopy 125 feet above the forest floor. This diversity of flora and fauna throughout the eight distinct ecological communities at Monteverde makes it a paradise for the nature lover. The reserve encompasses approximately 10,200 hectares and one can enjoy an extremely rich variety of species with relatively little walking on well-maintained trails. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the most beautiful forests in Costa Rica and is a naturalist's dream come true.

Day 7: Monteverde
In the morning visit a private Reserve to explore a set of natural trails and canopy walkways amidst the Cloud Forest. The treetop walkways are suitable for people of all ages and physical condition, duration of the tour is usually between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. You will enjoy lunch in the Monteverde area at a local restaurant before the afternoon hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. View the misty forest with its dense vegetation and majestic trees. Overnight at your Monteverde hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Monteverde - San Jose
Depart this morning San Jose, afternoon arrival. Overnight at a selected San Jose hotel (Hotel Don Carlos, or similar), breakfast included. (B)

Day 9: Int'l departure
You will be transferred to the international airport for your departure. Pay Costa Rica's departure tax ($26, cash only) and check in to depart. (B)