GRAND COSTA RICA EXPEDITION
15 DAYS/ 14 NIGHTS

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VISITING: San Jose, Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfalls Gardens, Britt Coffee Plantation, Cartago, Tortuguero, Rio Celeste, Monteverde, Tamarindo Beach

LETTER CODES: (B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner.

Day by Day Itinerary.

Day 1. WELCOME TO COSTA RICA.  Arrival to the International Airport Juan Santamaria. Upon arrival at the San Jose airport, you will be met by one of our representatives who will explain your itinerary, answer any questions and provide you with a package of vouchers and information about your trip. Transfer to hotel Radisson and free time at leisure.

Day 2. SAN JOSE TOUR. POAS VOLCANO & LA PAZ WATERFALLS GARDENS (B, L). This is a great tour that you can take from our capital City San Jose Costa Rica. Come with us and enjoy our exclusive and unique tour with a professional naturalist tour guide. Your breath-taking, adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel and a relaxing private drive through the wonderful Costa Rican countryside on an air-conditioned transportation and recent model deluxe vehicle or Van.

On the way, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the countryside with multiple Dairy Farms, Tropical Flowers Nurseries, Strawberries Plantations, Cheese Factories, picturesque souvenir stores and small local vendors. Taste the local flavors and give yourself a chance to try a Prestiño, a very traditional tin pastry cover with a special typical syrup made in the sugar mills. Once at the National Park, the visit to the crater will be in small groups accompanied with a park ranger and for only 30 minutes per group for security reasons. Poas is an active volcano, that has erupted 40 times since 1828. It has an elevation of 2.708 meter above sea level (8.885 feet). There are two crater lakes near the summit. The northern lake is known as the Laguna Caliente (“hot lagoon”) and is located at a height of 2,300 m in a crater approximately 1.7 km wide and 290–300 m deep. It is one of the world’s most acidic lakes and possible the largest crater in the world. Lake Botos, the southern lake, fills an inactive crater, which last erupted in 7500 BC. It is cold and clear and is surrounded by a cloud forest within the National Park boundaries.

Poas Volcano National Park is the most visited one by locals and international tourist from all over the world.

Following the visit to the volcano we will continue to La Paz Waterfalls Gardens. La Paz Waterfall Gardens is the #1 Most Visited Privately Owned Ecological Attraction in Costa Rica featuring the best hiking near San José, the most famous waterfalls in Costa Rica, rescued wildlife preserve with over 100 species of animals, and an environmental education program.

With the fine attention and explanations of our naturalist tour guide, enjoy: Five waterfalls, cloud forest and rain forest, safe hiking trails, aviary with numerous species of birds, toucan feeding, insect exhibit, butterfly observatory, capuchin (white-faced) monkeys, black-handed spider monkeys, hummingbird garden with 26 documented species, hummingbird hand feeding in the mornings and afternoons, serpentarium (snake exhibit), jaguars, pumas, ocelots, margays, traditional typical  house with petting zoo and ox cart, ranarium (frog exhibit), orchid exhibit, heliconia exhibit.  All these offered at one place, makes us the best eco park in Costa Rica.

Our tour includes a delicious Buffet Lunch. It includes multiple selections of Traditional Costa Rican Dishes, Full Salad Bar, Pizza, Garlic Bread, French Fries, Fresh Fruits, Rice Pudding and unlimited Fresh Fruit Juice, Coffee and Tea.

After finishing all these unique Eco Attractions, and by the middle of the afternoon, return to your hotel in San Jose.

Day 3. SAN JOSE TOUR. BRITT COFFEE TOUR. (B, L)

Your coffee lovers adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel and a relaxing private drive through the wonderful Costa Rican countryside on an air-conditioned transportation and recent model deluxe vehicle or minibus.

Experience the original Costa Rican coffee tour at our farm located in Barva de Heredia. Since 1991, over 500,000 guests from around the world have visited our plantation to learn about and share our passion for Costa Rican coffee.

On our Classic Coffee Tour, our experts guide you through the lifecycle of gourmet coffee. Begin in our nursery and follow the beans starting with their growing cycle through careful collection and selection of the finest beans. Learn how Costa Rica’s unique climate and diverse landscapes provide perfect growing conditions for gourmet coffee beans.

Next you will be enchanted by the aromas of our roastery where you will discover how different roasting techniques affect the beans and the brew. We’ll reveal our roasting and packing secrets that enable us to deliver the best coffee from our Costa Rican plantation to your cup – anywhere in the world.

Learn how experts “break the cup” by using techniques to taste or “cup” coffee to identify and grade the characteristics that qualify a gourmet coffee.

Finally, surrounded by our outdoor tropical paradise and while listening to traditional music, you have an option of savoring a buffet lunch featuring local ingredients at our Don Prospero Restaurant. Visit our coffee bar, order, and enjoy the coffee beverage of your dreams. Browse our factory store and gift shop and allow us to ship some souvenirs and fresh coffee back to your home where they will remind you of your Costa Rican tropical adventure.

Day 4. SAN JOSE TOUR. CARTAGO HIGHLIGHTS & HOT SPRINGS. (B, L)

This popular tour star with the pickup at your hotel. After it, one-hour transfer will take you to the summit of this beautiful volcano.

Irazú Volcano National Park is a National Park in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area of Costa Rica.  The volcano is still active although the last major eruptions were between 1963 and 1965, with occasional minor eruptions and some small lava flows since that time.

The Crater Principal Lake has an unusual greenish yellow coloring caused by rainfall dissolving the minerals along the craters walls. It has also been known to change color to rust-red depending on the minerals present.

The name could come from either the combination of “ara” (point) and “tzu” (thunder) or a corruption of Iztarú, which was the name of an indigenous village on the flanks of the volcano. In Costa Rica, it is known by the name of “El Coloso” (The Colossus) due to the catastrophes that it has provoked in the past.

The volcano’s summit has several craters, one of which contains Diego de la Haya, a green crater lake of variable depth. At 11,260 feet (3,432 m), the Irazú Volcano is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica. It is easily visited from San José, with a road leading right up to the summit craters. From the top, it is possible to see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on a clear day. However, such clear days are rare, and the volcano’s summit is usually cloud-covered.

After the visit to the volcano, you will enjoy the beauty of the Orosi Valley and Town. Orosi Church is an Iconic place. This small town puts travelers in an ideal spot to view some of the country’s most historic landmarks, including the San Jose de Orosi Churh, which was built in 1743 and is the oldest church in the country still in use today. The church’s whitewashed walls and classic Spanish-colonial architecture are a testament to the long hours and artistic dedication that went into this church’s design. Nearby this town, we will continue our journey to Rio Perlas, a beautiful Hotel and Hot Springs complex where you will be able to have a great lunch and enjoy the thermal pool, gardens and rainforest.

By 3:00 PM, departure to San Jose, arriving to your hotel by 5:00 PM.

Day 5. TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK. (B, L, D) If you come to Costa Rica expecting to have a real ecological and adventure experience, you can´t miss visit Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero was declared a National Park on September 24, 1970 and its boundaries have been modified three times (1980, 1995 and 1998) with the aim of incorporating more territory. Its extension has increased from 64,701.45 to 76,937 hectares. Of these 50,284 are marine and 26,653 are terrestrial. In the case of the land area, 99% is used for the absolute protection of resources and 1% as a site of visitation. The marine area is 100% dedicated to absolute conservation.

Named after the Spanish tortuga, meaning turtle, the main attraction in Tortuguero, Costa Rica is the endangered green sea turtles, who come to nest in the black volcanic sands of the park’s 11 miles of protected beach from July to September each year. Seeing the hundreds of behemoth mothers, who can weigh up 700 pounds, haul themselves ashore to dig nests and lay eggs is an experience probably only surpassed by the sight of countless inch-long baby turtles clumsily making their way to the sea two months later.

The Tortuguero National Park is located northeast of the Costa Rican territory and is one of the main tourist icons of Costa Rica because it is internationally recognized for protecting the most important green turtle nesting beach in the Western Hemisphere.

Far from the city and made up of an extensive network of rivers and canals, access is possible only through small boats: this is the Tortuguero National Park, a place different from any other; where the small communities that surround the Protected Wildlife Area, such as Barra del Tortuguero and San Francisco, still preserve their traditions and also enjoy the benefit of having the bicycle as their only means of transport, making the trip a true encounter with the Caribbean culture.

The Tortuguero National Park is a paradise for research and ecotourism, the ecosystems of the area are so complex and diverse that the visitor can expect anything in the tours, going from tranquillity to meet any of the flora and fauna species characteristics of the Costa Rican Caribbean.

Our exclusive journey to Tortuguero from San Jose is an amazing experience where you will enjoy a pleasant bus transfer to Guapiles Town. Along the way, admire the pristine rainforest of the Braulio Carrillo National Park and Biosphere Reserve declared by UNESCO in 1988. Crystal clear rivers and beautiful waterfalls will be part of the landscape that you can enjoy during this short transfer. Once in Guapiles Town, a stop will be made to enjoy a delicious typical breakfast. Continuing the journey through the lower parts of the Costa Rican Caribbean, crossing extensive plantations of bananas, pineapple, cocoa and other agricultural products common in the area, we will reach Caño Blanco, an area of rivers and lagoons where a boat awaits us and will take us to deeper in the jungle and our final destination Tortuguero.

The boat trip will take about 90 minutes and it will be a one-in-a lifetime experience surrounded by a great variety of flora and fauna. Upon arrival to Pachira Lodge, enjoy a refreshing cocktail and a delicious Lunch. After you get your room, get comfortable for explore the area and visit the museum, the beach area and the small and picturesque town of Tortuguero. A delightful dinner will be served upon arrival to the lodge.

Day 6. TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK. (B, L, D) Discover Costa Rican flavors as you enjoy breakfast at PACHIRA LODGE.  Get ready to hike Tortuguero Hill or travel along the well-known Tortuguero Canals and have the experience of your life in this unique paradise of magnificent flora and fauna. After the tour, Enjoy a delicious lunch at the lodge. During the afternoon, take your time to enjoy our private trails, ride a boat through the canals or just relax. Dinner at the hotel. OPTIONAL NIGHT TOUR: Walk on the beach and admire the green turtles nesting (July through September).

Day 7. TORTUGUERO TO RIO CELESTE (B, L) Breakfast at the lodge and departure to your next destination by boat and bus. On the middle of the way, have lunch in Guapiles Town. After lunch, our private van and driver will be waiting for you. Transfer to Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel near Rio Celeste National Park. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel Río Celeste Hideaway is a small resort-style and ecologically-conscious hotel that provides a truly unique experience. Our beautiful hotel in Costa Rica is located just an hour’s drive from the Arenal Volcano area and 90 minutes from the Liberia International airport (LIR), next to the Tenorio Volcano National Park, where the amazing Rio Celeste gains its sky-blue color and close to the Miravalles Volcano. We offer spacious comfort, a wonderful restaurant and amenities, surrounded by a natural paradise. Be prepared to experience a lush tropical rainforest and spot exotic animals during your stay!

Our location provides an ideal place to enjoy all kinds of outdoor adventures such as horseback riding along the river, white water rafting only 40 minutes away, tubing in the Celeste river and Arenal’s attractions less than an hour away. Each one of our 26 spacious casitas, or bungalows, provides an exclusive retreat so you, our dear guests, can relax amidst the breathtaking views. Free time for enjoy the place.

Day 8. HIKING TOUR TO RIO CELESTE & TENORIO VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK (B) A legend tells that after God was done painting the sky, he washed his brushes in the river that now bears the name of Río Celeste (Light Blue River).

We meet at the front desk at 8am and head towards the park. Once we´ve registered at the entrance, we start the hike through this humid forest ecosystem, with the chance to observe various animal species and exuberant flora surrounding us. Along the walk we will discover the magnificent Río Celeste waterfall, as well as the section of the river where it dyes itself into that amazing light blue coloration.

Afternoon free time for enjoy the hotel facilities.

Day 9.  RIO CELESTE TO MONTEVERDE (B) After breakfast, you will start the trip to the next destination: Monteverde. The van and boat trip is not a usual tour but feels like one. It is an alternative transportation method if you want to quickly travel from Arenal to Monteverde or backwards. This trip starts in La Fortuna and after a short van trajectory you will get to the Arenal Lake where a boat will take you to Chiquito River. From the boat, you will be able to admire beautiful scenarios including the impressive view of the Arenal Volcano. In Chiquito River, our driver be waiting and will take you to Monteverde. This transportation service saves time and it is very pleasant. Once at Monteverde, drop off at El Establo Hotel and free time.

Day 10.  MONTEVERDE TOUR SKY TRAM & SKY WALK (B) Discover the beauty of Costa Rican forests on the first hanging bridges of the country, Sky Walk. This is a guided experience on natural trails and amazing hanging bridges through the dense forests of Monteverde or Arenal. You will go on a hike to have a one on one experience with the flora and fauna at every level of these magical tropical forests. On Sky Walk you can admire natural beauties from the ground on our natural trails or discover unique life systems from the forest canopy. Crossing our hanging bridges is a unique experience where you will have complete views of the forest canopy and access to a completely different ecosystem that can only be discovered at the highest points of trees. While on our Sky Walk tour, a naturalist guide will point out intriguing plant and animal life, so you won’t miss out on amazing details these forests offer. Trails includes some uneven surfaces and several ascents and descents.

Day 11.  MONTEVERDE TO TAMARINDO BEACH (B) After breakfast, private land transfer to Tamarindo Beach. Upon arrival, check in at the beach front hotel Tamarindo Diria.  Featuring three outdoor swimming pools overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort has a beautiful setting on Tamarindo Beach. This large resort has 4 restaurants, 4 bars, a spa and a casino.

The attractive rooms at Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort offer garden, pool or ocean views. All accommodation has a seating area, a minibar and a flat-screen TV.

Set overlooking the ocean, Diriá Restaurant offers an a la carte breakfast and dinner, while Matapalo serves Costa Rican dishes, steak and seafood on its terrace. There is also a pizzeria, a beach bar, a cocktail lounge and a café.

Day 12- 13.  TAMARINDO FREE DAYS (B) Enjoy Tamarindo at your pace. These couple of days are free of activities for explore the area on your own.

Day 14.  MONTEVERDE TO SAN JOSE (B). During the morning, more free time for a last chance to enjoy the beach or swimming pool. After lunch, private land transfer to San Jose. Upon arrival, check in at Hotel Intercontinental.

Day 15.  TRANSFER TO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (B). Transfer to the International Airport accordingly with your scheduled flight and Good bye.

WHATS TO BRING: Hiking Shoes, Bathing Suit, Binoculars, Camera, Beach Sandals, Suntan Lotion, Hat, Mosquito Repellent.

INCLUDE: 14 nights lodging in high quality Hotels, all land transportation within Costa Rica, all airport/ hotel transfers on scheduled arrival/ departures dates only, specified meals, specified tours and taxes.

NOT INCLUDED: International air fare, airport departure taxes, meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras in hotels (laundry, phone calls, and room service), gratuities, or costs associated with changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control.

DEPARTURE DATES: All our options are available all year around and we just need your travel dates in order to check the hotel’s availability and arrange it.

HOW BIG THE GROUPS ARE: Our vacations are operated in an independent basis and you will not travel as part of a group unless you are part of a group. However, during the transfers and Daily Tours you will travel with other tourist we might have for that particular activity or service.

HOW TO RESERVE THIS PACKAGE: Please send an email to info@greenwaytours.com with as much as information you can about your desired vacation, number of participants, arrival dates, name of the package you are interested on and any other special requirements. Once you receive our confirmation form, a 20% deposit is due. Full payment due 60 days prior to departure.

CAN I CUSTOMIZE A PACKAGE: Yes, you can use our packages as a base and make any change on it. We are very flexible. If these packages do not fit on your desired vacation, just send an email to us and we can prepare a new option for you.

AIRFARE IS NOT INCLUDED: All our options includes the Land Portion only. Airfare must be on your own and indicate your arrival and departure dates to us in order to arrange the hotel’s bookings.

HOTEL CATEGORIES: All the hotels used by Greenway Tours had been selected considering the best standards of quality and service. Our Hotels are between 3 and 5 stars. All inspected by our company’s owners and managers in order to guarantee an excellent service. At least 50% of our lodging contractors had been certified as Green Companies by the Costa Rican Tourist Board (Certification in Sustainable Tourism CST).

AIRPORT TRANSFERS: All our packages include Airport – Hotel – Airport Transfers with a professional bilingual tour guide upon your flight arrival.

VOUCHERS & WECOME KIT: During the transfer service to your hotel, our tour guide will provide general information about your tour and give you a welcome kit with all the vouchers and documents you will need for your trip.

Short Description: Enjoy the best of Costa Rica with this special multiday vacation package visiting San Jose, Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfalls Gardens, Britt Coffee Plantation, Cartago, Tortuguero, Rio Celeste, Monteverde, Tamarindo Beach. This includes a great mix of nature and adventure tours, high quality hotels, deluxe transportation services and professional tours guides.

Day by Day itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival to Costa Rica Airport. Transfer to Hotel.
Day 2. Private tour to Poas Volcano & La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Day 3. Private Britt Coffee Tour
Day 4. Private tour to Cartago Highlights & Hot Springs
Day 5. Tortuguero National Park with Pachira Lodge
Day 6. Tortuguero National Park with Pachira Lodge
Day 7. Tortuguero to Rio Celeste. Overnight at Rio Celeste Hideaway
Day 8. Hiking tour to Tenorio Volcano National Park & Rio Celeste
Day 9. Transfer from Rio Celeste to Monteverde Cloud Forest
Day 10. Monteverde Tour: Sky tram and nature walk
Day 11. Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo Beach
Day 12. Tamarindo Beach Free Day
Day 13. Tamarindo Beach Free Day
Day 14. Transfer from Tamarindo Beach to San Jose
Day 15. Transfer to the international Airport and goodbye.

Minimum number of guests: 2

Maximum number of guests: 100

Days of the week this activity operates: Every day / all year

Private or public: Private & public

Pickup Location: San Jose International Airport or San Jose Hotels.

Cancellation Policy: If cancellation is made 30 days or more prior to the scheduled trip, the deposit will be refunded. If cancellation is made 30-16 days, the entire 50% deposit is forfeited. If cancellation is made 14-1 days before scheduled trip, total deposit is forfeited.

Booking cutoff: 1 week

Additional comments:

Information requested: Passenger name, email, nationality, Arrival Date, Departure Date, Flight details: Airline, Flight number, Arrival Time, Departure Time.