Costa Rica's Garden of Eden

Fly from London direct to San José and transfer to the Park Inn Hotel for a two-night stay.

A tour this morning visits the National Theatre and the Gold and Jade museums. Afternoon at leisure for independent exploration.
(B)

Drive, via the rainforest landscapes of Braulio Carrillo National Park, to the Caribbean coast, where Tortuguero is truly off the beaten track. There is no road to this watery wonderland where marshes meet the ocean, so we continue by boat to Tortuguero for a welcome drink and lunch. Enjoy an afternoon visit to the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum, to learn about the habitats and different turtle species which nest on local beaches. Spend two nights at Evergreen Lodge.
(B, L, D)

Morning walk through the tropical forest. Afternoon at leisure in Tortuguero National Park. Enjoy a Unique Experience evening cocktail.
(B, L, D)

Transfer by boat to Caño Blanco or La Pavona and continue by road to Sarapiqui. Enjoy a cookery class and an evening talk by your naturalist guide. Two nights at La Quinta de Sarapiqui. 
(B, L)

Morning naturalist guide walk, in La Selva Biological Station Reserve, home to almost half of Costa Rica’s 850 species of birds, and howler monkeys to Mexican porcupines, tree frogs, sloths, little agoutis, and white-nosed coatis. Afternoon at leisure
(B)

Drive to Arenal Volcano, the soaring symmetrical cone currently ‘resting’, after forty years of fiery
emissions finally petered out in 2010; and bathe in the hot springs of Ecotermales La Fortuna. Overnight at Volcano Lodge or similar.
(B, D)

Travel (3 hrs) traversing the scenic Tilarán Mountains to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Miles of trails are excellent birdwatching opportunities for collared redstarts, silver-throated tanagers. Enjoy an afternoon tour of walkways bridges built high in the tree canopy. Two nights at the Poco a Poco Hotel. 
(B)

Explore Monteverde’s trails on a guided walk and enjoy some time at leisure before a night walk in the grounds of the lower altitude Bosque Eterno de Los Niños (Children’s Eternal Rainforest).
(B)

Travel to the Carara area, its unique ecosystems providing the habitats for armadillos and amphibians,
parakeets, kingfishers and keel-billed toucans, and huge numbers of scarlet macaws. Overnight in the unspoilt hills of Turrubares, at Macaw Lodge or similar. 
(B)

Transfer to San José for the return overnight flight to London.
(B)

Morning arrival at London.

Fly from London Gatwick direct to San José and transfer to the Aurola Holiday Inn Hotel for a two-night stay.

A tour this morning visits the National Theatre and the Gold and Jade museums. Afternoon at leisure for independent exploration.
(B)

Drive, via the rainforest landscapes of Braulio Carrillo National Park, to the Caribbean coast, where Tortuguero is truly off the beaten track. There is no road to this watery wonderland where marshes meet the ocean, so we continue by boat to Evergreen Lodge, for a two-night stay; and enjoy an afternoon boat tour.
(B, L, D)

Morning walk through the tropical forest, enjoy an afternoon visit to the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum, to learn about the habitats and different turtle species which nest on local beaches; and enjoy an a Special Event cocktail.
(B, L, D)

Transfer by boat to Caño Blanco or La Pavona and continue by road to Sarapiqui. Enjoy a cookery class and an evening talk by your naturalist guide. Two nights at Selva Verde Lodge in Sarapiqui.
(B, L)

Morning naturalist guide walk, in La Selva Biological Station reserve, home to almost half of Costa Rica’s 850 species of birds, and howler monkeys to Mexican porcupines, tree frogs, sloths, little agoutis, and white-nosed coatis. Afternoon at leisure.
(B)

Drive to Arenal Volcano and bathe in the hot springs of Ecotermales La Fortuna. Two nights at Volcano Lodge or similar.
(B, D)

At leisure or enjoy an optional guided walk of the lava flow trails of the Arenal Volcano’s 1968 eruption (£65).
(B)

Travel (3 hrs) traversing the scenic Tilarán Mountains to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Miles of trails are excellent birdwatching opportunities for collared redstarts, silver-throated tanagers. Afternoon tour of walkways bridges built high in the tree canopy. Two nights at the Poco a Poco Hotel.
(B)

Explore Monteverde’s trails on a guided walk and enjoy some time at leisure before a night walk in the grounds of the lower altitude Bosque Eterno de Los Niños (Children’s Eternal Rainforest).
(B)

Travel to the Carara area, its unique ecosystems providing the habitats for armadillos and amphibians, parakeets, kingfishers and keel-billed toucans, and huge numbers of scarlet macaws. Overnight in the unspoilt hills of Turrubares, at Macaw Lodge or similar.
(B)

Transfer to San José for the return overnight flight.
(B)

Morning arrival at London Gatwick.