A cooking class, yoga on the beach, and a painting lesson in the artists' community of CASEM are just a few things you'll experience on this 9-day tour of Costa Rica. As Central America's most popular destination, the varied regions of Costa Rica make traveling there beyond ordinary.
In the company of other like-minded women, you'll tour the world's largest butterfly garden, explore the parks of Arenal and Manuel Antonio, hike the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and experience the rainforest canopy from a system of suspended bridges.
See for yourself the majestic and inspiring landscape, colorful wildlife, and vibrant culture of Costa Rica.
DAY 1, Saturday - Depart USA
Arrive in San Jose and transfer to your hotel. The Alta Hotel is conveniently located in the mountains of the exclusive Alto De Las Palomas district, and all guest rooms have spectacular views of the Valley of the Sun and the distant city. This evening, join the group for a welcome dinner of Costa Rican cuisine at the hotel's restaurant
Overnight: San Jose
Meals: Dinner
DAY 2, Sunday - La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Following breakfast, depart for La Paz Waterfall Gardens. En route, stop briefly at La Casita del Cafe and enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the nearby coffee plantations. Continue onward to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens, one of Central Costa Rica's most popular attractions. Explore the luxuriant gardens and learn about the surprisingly complex life of the butterfly in the world’s largest butterfly garden. We’ll be able to observe many different species of butterfly in their natural habitats, including the striking morpho, with its vivid coloration. Next, visit the Hummingbird Gallery, where you'll be serenaded by the gentle hum and resplendent beauty of the planet's smallest birds. We then embark on a short walk, leaving the hummingbirds and civilization behind as we enter the dense rainforest to view the magical waterfalls of La Paz. The park's unique trail design covers nearly two miles of paved trails with viewing platforms, allowing you to experience and photograph the forest and waterfalls from various perspectives
Overnight: Arenal
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 3, Monday - Arenal National Park, Cooking Class and Tabacon Hot Springs
This morning, enjoy a tour of Arenal National Park, home to the Arenal Volcano. Few sites in Costa Rica are as inspiring than the Arenal Volcano, one of the world's ten most active volcanoes. Molten lava and ash can often be seen flowing from its interior and, if Mother Nature permits, you will have the pleasure of seeing a spectacular eruption. During the day, however, the peak is often covered in clouds. This afternoon, visit a local restaurant for a Tico cooking class, where you will learn the traditional Costa Rican art of cooking with exotic flowers and tropical vegetables. A local chef will teach you how to prepare a typical Costa Rican dish. In addition, you can admire the on-site vegetable and medicinal plants garden. In the evening you may want to relax in the Hot Springs after dinner at your hotel (included in price). The Tabacon Hot Springs flow from the veins of the active Arenal Volcano and are a truly soothing experience
Overnight: Arenal
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4, Tuesday - Lake Crossing on Lake Arenal and Trapiche Tour
This morning, depart for Monteverde. This tour/transfer is a scenic and fun way to experience the landscape of La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano Area) and Monteverde. We depart from the hotel by bus and drive to the Arenal Lake Dam. On arrival, we board a pontoon boat for a relaxing boat ride on Lake Arenal to the shores of Rio Chiquito, a small little town at the far side of the lake. Once ashore, a ground transfer will be waiting to escort us to Monteverde, one of the most enchanting regions in Costa Rica. This afternoon, visit a local farm for a Trapiche Sugar Mill tour. Begin with a guided walk through the farm where we will learn about the production of sugarcane, coffee, and the traditional ways of cultivating bananas, arracache (a local legume), avocado, and macadamia nuts. Here we may also observe the tilapia fish farming project and a small-forested area, where it is possible to see various flora and fauna of the Monteverde zone. During the tour of the farm, we'll have the opportunity to collect coffee, transport it to the grinding machines, and see how the delicious Monteverde coffee is produced. At the end of the tour, you are invited to take a ride in a traditional oxcart, hauled directly from the fields to the Trapiche. Witness first-hand how sugar cane juice is extracted from the stalk and produced into brown sugar. We will also enjoy a presentation of the extraction of guaro, a Costa Rican alcohol made from sugar cane
Overnight: Monteverde
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5, Wednesday - Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Painting Lesson at CASEM and Folklore Presentation
Today begins with a visit to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the largest and most enchanting animal sanctuaries in the Americas. It is one of the most famous conservation areas in Central America, and the best area in Costa Rica for bird-watching, canopy tours, and guided hikes through the highland forests. As the warm northeasterly trade winds blow in from the Atlantic and sweep up the Continental Divide, they cool and condense to form clouds, bathing the forest in a constant mist. The reserve is home to rare and unusual wildlife, such as jaguars and pumas, and over 450 species of birds, including the world's largest population of quetzals. This afternoon, visit the nearby artists' community of CASEM and enjoy a painting lesson from a local artisan. Since 1982, CASEM has flourished from its 8-women founding to a commune of 140 artisans, 10 of whom are men. Many of the artisans live in the communities surrounding Monteverde. After dinner this evening, return to your hotel for a folkloric presentation as performed by the local children of the community. Proceeds are organized to help fund the children's local school
Overnight: Monteverde
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6, Thursday - Hanging Bridges Tour
After breakfast, depart for Manuel Antonio. En route, enjoy a brief stop at the Villa Lapas Hanging Bridges and Santa Lucia village. Experience the natural beauty of the rainforest canopy on a SkyWay Hanging Bridges tour. Strolling amid the canopy on a system of suspended bridges, observe a vast variety of plant and animal species that can only be seen from these elevated heights, all from a safe and comfortable point of view. The SkyWay offers an opportunity to explore the forest canopy in a safe and easy manner. The tour begins with a walk on the forest floor and then continues up into the treetops via the scenic hanging bridges. In addition, enjoy the Santa Lucia Village representation, where we will also enjoy lunch before continuing to the hotel for check-in
Overnight: Manuel Antonio
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 7, Friday - Manuel Antonio National Park and Yoga Class on the beach
This morning, visit Manuel Antonio National Park, southern Costa Rica's most fascinating reserve. An easy hike through nature trails takes us into the heart of the forest to observe a variety of flora and fauna, including white-faced capuchin monkeys, raccoons, and countless tropical birds. We will also have time to take a dip in the warm waters of the Pacific. Afterwards, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant, followed by free time to explore the surrounding area. In the late afternoon, we'll travel to a nearby beach for a yoga session. Here, the tropical paradise of Manuel Antonio and the Pacific open before us as we rejuvenate our bodies and minds. Evening at leisure
Overnight: Manuel Antonio
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 8, Saturday - Gold Museum and National Theater in San Jose
After breakfast, bid farewell to the coast and transfer to San Jose. Upon arrival, enjoy a panoramic tour of the city that includes a visit to the Gold Museum. Later this afternoon, visit the National Theater of Costa Rica and enjoy a reception with coffee and hors d'oeuvres. Take time for shopping before your farewell dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight: San Jose
Meals: Breakfast, Reception, Dinner
DAY 9, Sunday - Depart for the USA
Transfer to the airport in San Jose for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Inclusions
2 nights at the Alta Hotel in San Jose
2 nights at the Tabacon Hot Springs Resort & Hotel in Arenal
2 nights at the El Establo Hotel in Monteverde
2 nights at the Hotel Parador Boutique Resort & Spa in Manuel Antonio
8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, 1 reception
Tour Manager throughout
Highlights
Small Groups
Visit La Paz Waterfalls Gardens
Explore the National Parks of Arenal and Manuel Antonio
Learn to paint your own handicrafts with local artisans
Cross Lake Arenal to Monteverde
Attend a Costa Rican cooking class
Tour Hanging Bridges & visit Santa Lucia Village
Participate in a sunset yoga session on the beach
Visit the Gold Museum and Costa Rica's National Theater
