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. 

B/D

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. 

B/L/D

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. 

B/L/D

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. 

B/D

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. 

B/L/D

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.

B/L/D

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. 

B

Day 12
Today, 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.

B

Day 13
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.                                 B

 

 
The cost does not include tips to guides or drivers, $17.00 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.