Tauck Costa Rica - Pura Vida

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – On-tour film vignettes custom-made for Tauck by BBC Earth natural history experts.

• Privately guided exploration within Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
•  “Sky walk” on suspension bridges through the cloud forest canopy
•  Exotic wildlife viewing on a float trip along the Peñas Blancas River
•  Presentation by one of Monteverde Reserve’s original Quaker settlers
•  Guided tour and lunch at Don Juan coffee plantation
•  Visits to the private home of a local farmer and Monteverde Reserve’s Butterfly Garden
•  Farewell reception and dinner at an artisan chocolatier in San José
•  Two-night stays at acclaimed “eco-resorts” in Costa Rica’s rainforests and cloud forests, including an award-winning thermal hot springs resort
•  Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
•  20 meals; gratuities to local guides, taxes, service charges, admission fees and porterage

Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica

A transfer is included from San José’s Juan Santamaria International Airport to Hotel Grano de Oro in Costa Rica’s capital city, San José. Meet your fellow eco-adventurers at this evening’s welcome reception followed by dinner at your hotel.

Day 2: Glittering gold, toucans & on to Arenal

Kick off your Costa Rica travel today with a visit to San José’s Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), home to a priceless collection of thousands of gold artifacts and artworks from the pre-Columbian period. Then head to the Toucan Rescue Center, where you’ll tour the facilities and meet some of the toucans, sloths, monkeys and other wildlife the center’s staff cares for. Return to your hotel for lunch before departing San José and traveling to the Arenal region for a two-night stay at Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort, where you’ll enjoy Orchid Rooms.

Day 3: River float trip & thermal resort leisure

Your Costa Rica travel adventure continues in the jungle today with a float trip* down the scenic Peñas Blancas River aboard a raft; your bilingual guide helps you look for wildlife ranging from sloths to crocodiles to giant iguanas along the shore. Visit a farming family who have lived on the river all their lives, like their ancestors before them, without modern technologies. Return to your thermal resort in the heart of one of Costa Rica’s most richly diverse ecosystems for lunch, followed by a free afternoon to enjoy the resort’s hot springs and other amenities. Join us for dinner tonight at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Zip lining at Arenal & on to Monteverde

Today starts off with an extraordinary bird’s-eye view of cone-shaped Arenal Volcano, an actively “restless” volcano, on a thrilling zip-line ride* at Sky Trek Adventure Park – one of the world’s most highly regarded zip line operations – where you’ll soar over and through the canopy of rainforest treetops! (Those not into zip lining can take a nature walk instead.) After lunch at a local restaurant, travel to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where you’ll spend the next three nights in the heart of the cloud forest at Monteverde Lodge.

Day 5: A walk through the canopy, butterflies & more

An exciting day of biodiversity awaits in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. First, join two of Costa Rica’s foremost naturalists for a memorable walk through the cloud forest canopy at the Selvatura Hanging Bridges, as they provide an incredible overview of the cloud forest ecosystem. After lunch and some free time back at your resort, see more than 50 of over an estimated 1,000 native Costa Rican butterfly species, including the stunning blue morpho, at the reserve’s enclosed Butterfly Garden; the naturalists pass along their expert insights on the butterflies’ complex life cycles. Continue on to Sofia, an acclaimed local restaurant featuring eclectic Costa Rican and fusion cuisine in a lovely tropical setting, for a private lecture by one of the Monteverde Reserve’s pioneering naturalists, followed by dinner. Tonight, relax amidst the orchid-filled gardens of your eco-lodge, where your room boasts bay windows looking out on the cloud forest!

Day 6: King Coffee & free time at your resort

Rise early and head to Monteverde Reserve for a guided walk through the reserve with a naturalist. Then… there’s nothing like fine Costa Rican gourmet coffee… and today you’ll get to see how it’s produced, from the seed to the cup, with your local guide on a private tour of the Don Juan Coffee Plantation; learn about the various stages of coffee cultivation and production and its importance to Costa Rican history, and have lunch. Following an afternoon spent relaxing or enjoying free time as you please back at Monteverde Lodge, you may want to join us for an optional nighttime nature walk; because most of the cloud forest’s animals are nocturnal, it’s a wonderful opportunity to view wildlife that are typically asleep during the day. Have dinner at the lodge tonight.

Day 7: Return to San José & celebrate chocolate

Depart Monteverde today and return to the capital city of San José, arriving in time for lunch at a local restaurant. After checking in and spending some free time at your hotel in the heart of the city, head over to Sibu, a noted artisan chocolatier, where you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about chocolate! Observe the natural process of transforming the cacao fruit into chocolate during a demonstration (with a little tasting, of course), and say goodbye to your memorable Costa Rica trip at a farewell reception followed by dinner.

Day 8: Journey Home

A transfer is included from the InterContinental Costa Rica to San José’s Juan Santamaria International Airport. Allow 3 hours for flight check-in.

Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort

Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort offers the unique combination of the energy of the Arenal Volcano, the heat of the Tabacon Hot Springs and the purity of the surrounding rainforest, blended into what many have described as “paradise” or “the eighth wonder of the world”. The four elements of nature are present in this unique luxury hotel and resort, featuring the heat of the volcano, the flowing waters of the hot springs, the pure air of the rainforest and the fertile earth of the of the Fortuna de San Carlos Region. Located at the base of the Arenal Volcano, this luxury resort is recognized as a member of The Leading Hotels and The Leading Spas of the World. It is a Signature Travel Group preferred hotel, and has been recognized and named to numerous travel publications and the recipient of many accolades.

Monteverde Lodge

Located at the edge of the famous Monteverde Cloud Forest, this secluded lodge offers a high degree of comfort as well as a delightful experience for nature lovers. Both its rustic setting and imaginative design never fail to impress its guests. The lovely gardens are particularly noteworthy.

Please note, prices listed are guide prices only and are based on 2 people sharing and don’t include any additional supplements. Holiday prices are fluid and dynamic and may be changed at a moment’s notice, prior to booking, at which point they are confirmed. Please call the team free on 0800 707 6229 for more departure dates available and a quote.