|
TRIP ITINERARY
TO SAN JOSE, MONTEVERDE, AND PUNTA LEONA
Day 1
Depart for your flight to
Costa Rica. A local representative will greet you and transfer you to the
Los Yoses Aparthotel. The vibrant capital city of San Jose is located in
Costa Rica's Central Valley, enjoying daily temperatures that rarely dip
below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Following check-in, you will have the remainder
of the day at leisure. Overnight in San Jose.
|
|
Day 2
Today, after breakfast,
you will tour the Alajuela Butterfly Farm with your guide. Comprised of
a study center set within a series of gardens, the area is planted with
flora chosen to attract many stunning butterflies, including the Blue Morpho.
You will be briefed on their source of food and will have the opportunity
to observe their different stages of life, from caterpillars to cocoons,
and finally to the brilliant butterfly! The remainder of the day is for
class. Overnight in San Jose.
B
|
|
Day 3
Today, you may choose to
spend time in San Jose or to visit the Rainforest Aerial Tram. The aerial
tram is a unique ecotourism and research facility located on a private
1,000-acre nature reserve on the northern border of Braulio Carrillo National
Park. (See optional tours.) Overnight in San Jose.
B
|
|
Day 4
Today, you will transfer
with your guide to El Establo, located near the Monteverde Cloud Forest
Reserve. The hotel is set on a private 120-acre farm adjacent to the reserve,
and just a half-mile outside the town of Santa Elena. The balance of the
day will be at leisure. Some sights of interest while visiting Monteverde
include the Women's Artist Co-op, the Butterfly Garden, Stella's Bakery,
and the Cheese Factory producing some of the tastiest
|
Have you ever seen a Blue Morpho? A visit to the Alajuela Butterfly Farm, Garden and Study Center will be a thrill |
|
cheeses in Costa
Rica. Optional activities offered by the lodge at additional cost include
horseback riding and guided nature walks. Or, you might wish to tour Monteverde
Cloud Forest on the Sky Walk, an opportunity to view the cloud forest from
130 feet above the ground. (See optional tours.) Overnight in Monteverde.
|
|
Day 5
This morning, you will explore
the cloud forest realm of Monteverde with your guide. Receiving over three
meters of rain annually, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, consistently
cool and wet, is home to over 2500 species of plants, including 300 orchid
species and over 200 species of ferns! Cloud forests occur near mountain
peaks, where rains turn into a continual mist that sustains life. From
the lush ferns and mosses that cover the ground to the dark canopy formed
by the tallest trees from which hanging vines and web-like moss swing slowly
in the breeze, this unequaled Central American region is a treasure land
of natural phenomena. Hiking to the summit of the cloud forest is sure
to be one of the highlights of your trip to Costa Rica. Overnight in Monteverde.
|
|
Day 6
After breakfast, you will
be on your own to enjoy one more day in this beautiful area, hiking, observing,
and listening. Overnight in Monteverde.
Day 7
Today, you will transfer
with your guide to the Punta Leona Hotel, set on the Pacific coast where
virgin forest and ocean meet. With 750 acres of virgin forest, including
four miles of white sand beaches, Punta Leona is a tropical paradise. After
checking-in, the remainder of the day is at leisure. You may want to take
part in the various water sports offered by the hotel at an additional
cost, such as fishing, surfing, diving, and cruising around the bay. Overnight
in Punta Leona.
Day 8
Today, you will depart for
a guided excursion to the Cararra Biological Reserve. With habitats ranging
from swamps to gallery forests, the 11, 600 acre refuge for endangered
species preserves what remains of the central Pacific coast's once abundant
forests. Situated in a transition zone between a drier northern and a humid
southern region, Cararra has an incredible variety of life. The reserve
stands out in the dry season like a fresh, green oasis, with different
habitats like swamps, a lagoon covered with aquatic plants, and primary,
secondary, and gallery forests where some trees grow to spectacular dimensions.
Overnight in Punta Leona.
Day 9
Today, you will have the
option to explore the area with your guide or experience the Canopy Tour.
The Canopy Tour is a unique and exciting way to see the forest from a different
point of view. (See optional tour.) Overnight in Punta Leona.
|
|
Day
10
Today, you and your guide
will transfer back to San Jose, where you will be at leisure for the rest
of the day to go sightseeing, shopping, and simply relax. Sights of interest
within the city include the National Museum of Costa Rica and the Jade
Museum, both of which display pre-Columbian artifacts; the Gold Museum,
which features over 20, 000 troy ounces of golden artifacts; the National
Gallery of Contemporary Art; and the city's largest central park, Parque
Nacional. Overnight in San Jose.
B |
|
TRIP INCLUDES:
-
Roundtrip international airfare
-
6 Nights in San Jose with breakfast
-
3 Nights in Monteverde with
meals as specified
-
3 Nights in Punta Leona with
meals as specified
-
Roundtrip airport/hotel transfers
-
Private vehicle for excursions
and transfers
-
Entrance fees and guided hikes
in Monteverde Cloud Forest and Cararra Biological Reserve.
-
Entrance fees and guided tours
of Alajuela Butterfly Farm, Poas Volcano and Sarchi.
|
|
Day 11
Day at leisure. You may
want to visit some of the sights listed other days on the itinerary. Or,
inquire about visiting the University of Costa Rica or the Costa Rican
North American Cultural Center. Ask the front desk for details. Overnight
in San Jose.
Day 12Today, you and your guide
will have the opportunity to visit Poas Volcano and the town of Sarchi.
Poas Volcano has the largest geyser in the world and its main crater is
a mile wide and 985 feet deep. On a clear day its explosive eruptions can
be safely viewed at marked locations. A 20-minute uphill hike takes you
to a lookout over jewel-like Botos Lake, which fills an inactive crater.
From this height, you can view sugar cane and coffee plantations, and huge
dairy farms. Poas Volcano National Park is one of the most developed in
the parks' system, with well-maintained nature trails and an auditorium
with slide shows of the volcano and park. Later, you will stop for a visit
to the town of Sarchi, one of the best places to do your souvenir shopping
and purchase the locally made crafts. Sarchi is an artisan center where
even the trashcans and bus stops are decorated with colorful paintings!
Its most famous product is the painted car…or oxcart, which carried coffee
from the highlands down to the Pacific for export. These carts, painted
and unpainted, are still used to transport produce. Overnight in San Jose.
Day 13
Transfer to the airport
for your flight home.
B
|
|
The cost does not include tips
to guides or drivers, $26.00 departure tax, or optional tours. A student
ID is very desirable and necessary to obtain student rates on the optional
tours. A passport is also required.
|
|
|
OPTIONAL TOURS:
Rainforest Aerial Tram
The aerial tram is a unique
ecotourism and research facility located on a private 1,000-acre nature
reserve on the northern border of Braulo Carrillo National Park. Enjoy
a 90-minute excursion on the tram as it passes through the rainforest canopy,
a little-known world of beauty and biological diversity. Rainforests occur
in regions without marked seasonal variations and commonly receive more
than 70 inches of rain annually. Seen from the air, the canopy appears
uneven because of the variety of tree species and differences in developmental
stages. Life in Costa Rican rain forests is highly stratified in vertical
layers. In the upper canopy live primarily herbaceous animals with prehensile
tails and rarely descend to Earth. The next layer is littered with branches,
twigs, and foliage. Most animals here live on insects and fruit, but some
are carnivorous. Contrary to public opinion, the ground cover is thick
only where sunlight penetrates sufficiently; secondary forest growth is
generally much more impenetrable.
Sky Walk / Sky Trek
A new opportunity awaits
you at the Monteverde Cloud Forest -- the Sky Walk/Sky
Trek. Offering a chance
to view the cloud forest from 130 feet above the ground, the Sky Walk is
a complex of seven suspended bridges, of which the longest is 656 feet,
affording a spectacular view of the flora and fauna of the cloud forest
canopy.
Canopy Tour
The tour begins with a climb
up into the canopy through an enormous strangler fig tree. There, you will
swing, glide, and rappel from platform to platform, 20 to 30 feet above
the forest floor. Don't worry, you need not have any climbing experience
to enjoy this excursion through the treetops.
|
|
