From ziplining through the lush rainforest and crossing the hanging bridges of Arenal to floating down the Sarapiquí River among the rich wildlife, you and your family are sure to experience the best of Costa Rica with this 10-day itinerary.
Our itineraries are for your inspiration. Please contact a travel advisor to customize this itinerary to fit your needs.
A Costa Rica Expeditions representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel, Finca Rosa Blanca, where you can relax for the remainder of the day.
Finca Rosa Blanca is a high-country inn overlooking a landscape of rolling fields, coffee plantations and orchards, 20 minutes from the airport. Fourteen guest suites and villas are housed within a whitewashed hacienda. Experience the hillside infinity pool with a 12-foot cascading waterfall, hot tub and El Targuá Spa.
Depart from the Tobías Bolaños Regional Airport in Pavas, just outside San José, for your 35-minute flight to the Islita Regional Airstrip.
You have two full days at leisure to enjoy the many amenities offered by Hotel Punta Islita, a secluded paradise with magnificent ocean views, amiable luxury and exhilarating activities. The spacious accommodations offer a unique architectural style, warm ambiance, and privacy. There is a cascade swimming pool, outdoor activities, a restaurant and a spa.
Take a canopy tour with eight ziplines that crisscross a tree-lined canyon. The tour starts at 11:30 a.m., beginning with a thorough preparation session where you learn about the mechanics of the experience with the help of a test cable. This adventure takes an average of one and a half hours to complete and depends on how many people take the tour.
A hotel representative returns you to the airstrip for the 35-minute private light-aircraft charter flight departing in the morning to San José. On arrival meet your private naturalist guide, who will be with you for the next six days.
El Silencio Lodge & Spa is set in Costa Rica’s central volcanic valley. Its 500 acres of private tropical forest reserve are flanked by the Juan Castro Blanco National Park and the Poás Volcano National Park. This unique retreat provides a seamless natural immersion experience that reflects elements of Costa Rica’s traditional rural farms and countryside homes.
Today your guide takes you on a trip to the Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens, the latter with five waterfalls, cloud forest, rainforest and safe hiking trails. There is hummingbird hand feeding in the mornings and afternoons; a snake exhibit; and wildlife including jaguar, pumas, ocelots, jaguarundi and margays. Other exhibits include frogs, orchids, heliconia and bromeliad.
Join your guide for a Sarapiquí River rafting adventure. It starts at the community of La Virgen de Sarapiquí, one of the most important in the area, and runs through impressive rainforest that towers over the banks of the river. There are exhilarating sections of Class II-III whitewater and clear pools of water among a range of flora and fauna. The section is excellent for people who want to participate in rafting for the first time but with exciting and challenging rapids, as well as for people with previous experience in rafting.
Please bring river shoes or sandals with straps, sun block, swimsuit and light clothes that can get wet, towel and dry clothes to change into.
Depart with your driver and guide for the three-hour drive to the Arenal Volcano area. En route visit the Nectandra Cloud Forest Garden, the centerpiece of 257 acres of primary and secondary forest.
Arenal Volcano, with its almost perfect cone, soars 5,358 feet above sea level and has a crater 460 feet deep. The frequency of activity varies greatly from day to day. The main attraction in this region is the volcano, but there are activities including boat tours on the lake, a canopy walkway, hot springs, horseback riding, canyoning, sustainable farming and biking.
Begin today’s sightseeing with a visit to the Arenal hanging bridges. Consisting of eight fixed bridges of 26 to 72 feet long and six hanging bridges, it was designed with an eye for beauty as well as safety.
A hot springs owned and run by the local Hidalgo family, native settlers and entrepreneurs of La Fortuna is the ideal alternative to the overcrowded hot springs in the Arenal area. Bring a bathing suit, sandals, camera, sunglasses and bug repellent.
Join your guide this morning for a two- to three-hour relaxed float down the Peñas Blancas River. There is a wide variety of wildlife in the area, so the chance of seeing monkeys, sloths and a variety of birds is quite high. Bring light clothes, waterproof shoes or sandals, bottled water, insect repellent, sunblock, binoculars, camera and a hat.
After the tour and lunch, drive to El Tanque airport in La Fortuna to meet your 30-minute private Costa Rica Expeditions charter flight, departing at 3 p.m. to San José. Arrive, meet the guide and transfer back to your hotel.
A Costa Rica Expeditions representative transfers you to the airport to fly home.
Contact a travel advisor to book your custom itinerary. Fill out the form or call (630) 734-4610.
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