dossier

Costa Rica Wildlife Walk

Day 1: Arrive in San José

We meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel (20 mins) just outside of San José.

Day 2: Coffee Plantations of Alajuela (7km/4mi/3hr )
Descending through meadows bordered with pink hydrangeas, the Central Valley and San José are below us as we wind through pasturelands to a coffee plantation. We visit the benificio (mill) and savour the aroma of fresh beans drying on the sun baked patio, returning to the hotel in time for a swim before dinner.

Day 3: Monteverde Cloud Forest (12km/7 1 / 2 mi/3hr )
On to Monteverde, where we follow a forest trail through soaring ridge oak decked with bright orange clusia, in search of the resplendent quetzal. Onwards through the emerald forest canopy to the Continental Divide where the Caribbean and the Pacific meet. We end our walk with an optional stretch along a wooden bridge affording a rare view over the canopy. Our next 2 nights are spent in Monteverde.

Day 4: Canitas and Cebadillas (15km/9mi/4hr )
Gently climbing through lush pastures we reach the hamlet of Canitas. Warblers flit through oak and cedar trees as we approach Cebadillas mountain village. We picnic here with balcony views over curving Nicoya peninsula. Before dinner, we take a fascinating evening stroll through the rain forest spotting tree frogs and hummingbirds.

Day 5: To Volcano Arenal (18km/11mi/8hr )
We wind through small farmsteads bright with blue flowered St Lucia trees overlooking Lake Arenal. We’ll picnic by bamboo groves and maybe paddle in the limpid waters of the lake before continuing along the shore, spotting scarlet tanagers flitting through the reeds, to finish our walk in the shadow of Arenal volcano.

Day 6: Cano Negro Boat Tour

Todays' tour takes us first by road to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge close to the Nicaraguan border.  It's a bird watchers paradise as well as home to a number of endangered mammals and reptile species, including crocodiles, turtles and tapirs.  In order to fully appreciate the wildlfie, we take a boat ride down the Rio River before returning to our hotel mid-afternoon.

Day 7: Rincón de la Vieja National Park (6km/4mi/3hr )
Onwards to Rincón de la Vieja, beginning our walk through rainwood and Spanish cedar. Onwards through forest, maybe spotting turkey vultures flitting above us, we reach Victoria Falls, a 35m high torrent thundering through a verdant gorge. Time for a paddle here before going on to our hotel for dinner. We spend 3 nights here.

Day 8: Rincón de la Vieja Crater (14km/9mi/5hr )
Spider monkeys swing through the trees and dappled sunlight is replaced by swirling mist as we reach the feathery tree ferns of the cloud forest, alive to the chatter of tree frogs. We emerge below the volcanic crater, to picnic with balcony views over the lava flows. Then past verdant gorges, to return through the forest.

Day 9: Blue Lagoon and Thermal Springs (10km/6mi/5hr )
We may spot toucans and white fronted amazons, as we descend to La Cangreja waterfall. Its blue lagoon is so inviting we have to take a dip before our picnic. Then through woodland, where violet guaria morada (Costa Rica’s national flower) grows, to Las Pailas – an eerie landscape of bubbling mud and geysers.

Day 10: Santa Rosa National Park (14km/9mi/5hr )
Today we walk through Central America’s largest protected dry forest. We may spot coatis, tapirs and iguanas as we descend to continue along the Indio Desnudo Trail - superb photo opportunities. Then to Playa Ocotal where our final 2 nights are spent overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Day 11: Free Day
Ocotal with its romantic cliff top setting, private beach, swimming pool and spa is the perfect end to our tour. Our hotel is an accredited diving centre and also runs snorkelling trips. Or, Playa del Coco fishing village is a 5 minute taxi away if you fancy a stroll before our final dinner watching the sun set over the islands in the bay.

Day 12: Leave Costa Rica
We take you to Liberia aiport (20 min) for your return flight.

Extra nights: We recommend Ocotal or Alajuela. Prices starting from $66 B&B per person, per night based on 2 people sharing a double room.

Room upgrade: Hotel Ocotal, Ocotal Bungalow rooms (more space, more comfort and privacy) add $79 pppn. Hotel Buenavista, Alajuela Deluxe room $15pppn, Junior Suite $33 pppn.