Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets

The group flight usually arrives into San Jose this evening. Land Only

clients should aim to arrive at the hotel this afternoon/evening. Free

transfers are available for all clients. This evening is the perfect

opportunity to meet your guide and get to know your fellow travellers.

Our adventure begins early this morning, leaving San Jose behind as we travel

to the north-east of Costa Rica to Tortuguero National Park. Accessible only

by boat or light aircraft, Tortuguero's vast network of waterways, canals and

swamps are remarkably tranquil, unspoilt and devoid of noise pollution. On

reaching the pier we board a small motorboat for the one hour fifteen minute

journey to our lodge, which is nestled on a small strip of land between the

Caribbean Sea and the main lagoon. Our afternoon is spent in Tortuguero

village, where it’s possible to visit the Sea Turtle Museum (a donation

will be requested at the entrance). Tortuguero is probably most famous as a

nesting site for the endangered Green turtle, which can be seen arriving onto

the beach to lay eggs from late July to October (as part of an optional

excursion). Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Giant Leatherback turtles also nest in

this region, and during November to January baby turtles start to hatch and

make their way towards the ocean. Today's travel time will be in the region

of six hours including a break for breakfast.

Just after sunrise we board a small boat, enabling us to discover the

extraordinary flora and fauna of Tortuguero as we pass serenely along the

waterways. At this time of day wildlife is usually at its most active and

with the help of our expert guide we are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman,

iguanas, butterflies and many of the 300+ bird species recorded here. We

return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast near the river. The lodge is a

tranquil spot to relax this afternoon if you want to take some time out to

enjoy the facilities, or alternatively you can join a second boat trip

(included).

We leave Tortuguero the same way we arrived, by taking a small boat to

Siquirres pier. Our bus will be at the pier waiting to drive us to the region

of Cahuita on the Caribbean coast, where we check into our hotel. Caribbean

culture pervades this part of Costa Rica and is reflected in the music, food

and laid-back lifestyle. Cahuita’s famous white-sand beach is fringed by

tall palms, behind which the dense, wet tropical forest of Cahuita National

Park can be found.

Cahuita National Park has 2711 acres of land and an impressive 600 acres of

coral reef, forming Costa Rica's largest reef system. Today we visit the

national park, taking a 7km walk from the southern entrance of the park which

follows the coastline, leads through rainforest and passes impressive

Caribbean beaches. Although a fairly small park in terms of size, there is

plenty of diversity here. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the

beach, join an optional snorkelling excursion to discover the underwater

world or simply relax.

Today is free to relax into the Caribbean pace of life and enjoy some free

time around Cahuita. It is possible to join an optional excursion to the

indigenous communities of Kekoldi & Bri Bri Reserve, where you'll learn

about the properties and uses of native plants, as well as the process of

making artisan chocolate. Chocolate is very important in Bri Bri culture and

used for purification rituals, food and medicine. 

Our next destination is Turrialba Valley, a rich agricultural region located

in the Central Highlands. On the way to Turrialba we visit La Marta Wildlife

Refuge, an area of both primary and secondary forest within La Amistad

Biosphere (recognised as a UNESCO World Patrimony of Humanity). The

topography of this region is mountainous, with waterfalls, rivers and caves -

the varied elevation supports a wide range of plants (such as orchids,

bromeliads, lichens and mosses) and animals (such as anteaters, ocelots and

tapirs).

After breakfast we depart towards San Gerado de Dota and Savegre Cloud

Forest. This is said to be one of the best places in the whole of Costa Rica

to see the beautiful, colourful and notoriously shy Resplendant Quetzal and

we have two nights here to discover the region. These endangered birds rely

on the cloud forest for their habitat - the males in particular are striking

with a green crest, red breast and tail feathers that can reach a metre in

length. A good pair of binoculars will be helpful for quetzal spotting as

these birds camouflage themselves well amongst the wet leaves of the forest!

After lunch we take a short walk into the cloud forest.

Today is free to relax and explore Savegre Valley. Bring your binoculars to

spot some of the 170 bird species, trek through the tropical cloud forest or

simply enjoy the incredible view from the lodge. Your leader will suggest

walks for today so that you can discover the tropical cloud forest and

sub-Alpine vegetation of the area. Birds that may be seen in this area

include hummingbirds, colibri, tanagers and trogons, whilst tapirs and

Squirrel monkeys may also be seen

Our journey continues towards the small town of Sierpe, where we board a

small motorboat to Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula. Passing the huge mangrove

swamps that line the Sierpe River, our boat crosses the ocean before arriving

into Drake Bay. This region is very remote and with extremely limited road

access, which means the majority of supplies, as well as visitors and locals,

must arrive by boat. Originally discovered by Francis Drake, getting here is

part of the adventure! The bay is spectacular, with just a handful of lodges

scattering the horizon and the rest thick verdant forest and rocky coves as

far as the eye can see. Our next three nights will be spent at the Drake Bay

Wilderness Resort, a family run property positioned close to the 'town' of

Drake Bay and with ocean views from every corner.

Board a small boat to Caño Island, located 12 nautical miles from Drake Bay.

During this 45 minute boat ride there may be opportunities to spot migrating

whales or playful dolphins in the surrounding waters (Orca whales might be

seen between approx. December to April and Humpback whales might be seen

between approx. July to November). The interior of the island is thought to

have been a burial ground for the indigenous Daquis tribe during

pre-Columbian times, and many perfectly spherical man-made stones have been

found here. But it's the marine life that is the biggest highlight of Caño

Island, with Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles, Manta rays and White-tipped

reef sharks being just some of the likely encounters on today's snorkelling

excursion. This area has been rated as having the best snorkelling in the

whole of Costa Rica, with excellent water visibility and a huge marine

diversity awaiting beneath the waves in the protected reef. Enjoy a picnic

lunch on nearby San Josecito beach, where Capuchin monkeys, Coatimundi and

lively Scarlet macaws may make an appearance.

When National Geographic describes an area as ‘the most biologically

intense place on earth’ it has to be worthy of investigation! This morning

we board a small boat for a 30 minute journey to San Pedrillo Ranger Station,

our entrance point to Corcovado National Park. This is undoubtedly Costa

Rica's most secluded and tranquil region. Protecting around one third of the

Osa Peninsula (some 164 square miles), Corcovado is Costa Rica's largest

national park and encompasses 13 major ecosystems across various elevations,

with montane forest, cloud forest, freshwater and mangrove swamps being just

some of these. Scientists have recorded half of all of the species in Costa

Rica on this peninsula alone. On today's hike along the parks trails we may

see all four of Costa Rica's monkey species (Squirrel, Howler, White-faced

Capuchin and Spider monkeys), tamandua (anteater), two and three-toed sloths,

peccary, tapirs (including the endangered Baird's tapir) and of course many

reptiles, insects and amphibians. Puma and jaguar are known in this area but

very difficult to see. With over 500 tree species, the bird count stands at

an impressive 365 and the park protects the largest population of Scarlet

macaws in the country, which can frequently be seen and heard flying

overhead.

After breakfast, we board another boat to depart from Drake Bay and return to

Sierpe town. On the way our boat will take a short tour of the huge mangrove

forest that lines the Sierpe River. Delving into the network of tributary

rivers and streams is fascinating and a chance to learn more about the role

of mangroves in the eco-system and the numerous creatures that depend on

them, such as fish, crabs, birds, molluscs and shell fish. In Sierpe town we

transfer to our private minibus and commence our journey to San Jose.

Today begins with a trip to the Irazu Volcano National Park in the Cartago

province of Costa Rica, located within the Central Mountain Range around a

1.5 hour journey from San Jose. Passing different types of vegetation from

coffee plantations to ferns, we'll drive towards the summit and then follow a

path that leads to a wonderful view across the huge crater, overlooking the

mystical green lagoon and jagged rocks. Irazu is one of Costa Rica's most

active volcanoes, though it has recently entered a dormant phase which has

brought great relief to the farmers and property owners who make their living

on its fertile slopes. On a clear day, both the Caribbean and Pacific

coastlines can be seen from the summit. Remember to bring a jacket as it can

be windy and cold at the viewpoint of this elevation (Irazu summit is

3,432m).  



Following this we continue to the city of Cartago with its famous Basilica,

and the Orosi Valley, an area of natural beauty. After lunch in one of the

many traditional restaurants, we join the Orosi Coffee tour to learn about

the ancient techniques used to produce some of the best coffee in the world!

This involves understanding the cultivation, harvesting and roasting of

coffee beans, before you have a chance to savour the end product yourself.

Afterwards we return to San Jose for our last night of the holiday. 

Our adventure comes to an end today after breakfast and it's time to bid

Costa Rica and the rest of the group goodbye. Free transfers to San Jose

airport are available to all clients today.

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