Day 1 – San José, Costa Rica
Welcome to the “rich coast,” friendly land of democracy and rare natural beauty. With naturalist guides, see exotic birds and wildlife, hike in jungle rainforests, view volcanoes, soak in hot springs and cruise through biological reserves. Relax on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Provides transfers from the San José airport to your hotel for a two night stay.

Day 2 – Poás Volcano, San José City Tour
After breakfast, see the statue of the drummer boy, Costa Rica’s hero. Next, weather permitting, visit Poás Volcano, dormant since 1991. You can safely view this dramatic mile-wide crater from an overlook. Enjoy lunch. Next, see San José’s Plaza de la Cultura, Central Park and the National Theatre. Visit the National Museum (on Mondays, visit the Gold Museum instead). Enjoy dinner.

Day 3 – Butterfly Garden, Tortuguero Park
Scenic morning drive through Braulio Carrillo Park. Look for cascading waterfalls. Then, a thrilling adventure into the heart of the rainforest. Glide through the jungle canopy on the world famous rainforest aerial tram, rated one of Costa Rica’s top tourist attractions. Next, with a naturalist guide, enjoy a short rainforest hike on level terrain. Enjoy lunch. Visit a butterfly garden. Then, cruise through rivers and canals to the 47,000 acre Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero is home to more than 300 species of birds. Look for toucans, parrots, kingfishers and the rare green macaw. Enjoy a two night stay at your lodge. After dinner in Tortuguero, a naturalist talks about the rainforest.

Day 4 – Tortuguero Park, Canal Cruise
Cruise this morning with naturalist guides along canals lined by raffia palm, habitat of howler and white-faced monkeys, green iguanas and tropical birds. Look for white and snowy egrets and the amazing nests of the montezuma oropendola. Then, enter the mysterious reflecting waters of Caño Palma wildlife reserve. Next, visit the Green Turtle Research Station. Learn about efforts to protect the turtle’s nesting habitat, eggs and young hatchlings. Walk along the Atlantic turtle nesting beaches with a naturalist guide. Next, to Tortuguero village. Meet Costa Rican school children on your visit to a local school (when in session). Return to your lodge for lunch. Free time to enjoy your lodge’s swimming pool and tropical flower gardens. Enjoy an afternoon boat excursion into Tortuguero Park. Look for otters, turtles and manatees. Enjoy Dinner.

Day 5 – Pineapple Tour, Fortuna
Morning cruise on Tortuguero River. See a banana plantation. Lunch, then a brief stop at Selva Verde Rainforest Reserve. Here you can walk the nearly 300 foot long suspension bridge over a jungle river. Next, through scenic countryside to the San Carlos Valley for a two night stay in Fortuna. Enjoy Dinner.

Day 6 – Caño Negro, Hot Springs, Arenal
Head north this morning, passing through sugar cane, teak and orange plantations. Then, cruise on the Rio Frio which runs through the world famous Caño Negro wildlife refuge, home to many migratory birds found nowhere else in Costa Rica. Look for whistling ducks, roseate spoonbills, cormorants, anhingas, blue heron, and northern jacanas. Watch for caimans, crocodiles, spider monkeys and web-footed, water-walking lizards. Lunch. Return to Fortuna. Free time to explore this charming village. Then, enjoy a relaxing soak in the volcanic hot springs. Weather permitting, see nearby Arenal Volcano’s softly glowing lava flow. Enjoy Dinner.

Day 7 – Hanging Bridges, Guanacaste
This morning, drive by the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, part of the Monteverde cloud forest region. The Children’s Rainforest was purchased with donations from school children around the world to be preserved forever. Next, enter a cloud forest reserve, home to epiphytes, orchids, ferns and tropical birds, for a guided walk. Cloud forests are like rainforests, but with less rain and more humidity. Look for many species of hummingbirds in the feeding gallery. Lunch at a cloud forest restaurant. Then, to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast for a two night stay. Dinner is at your resort.

Day 8 – Pacific Coast, Guanacaste
This morning drive to the nearby Natural Trail of Hacienda Pinilla. This tropical bird and wildlife sanctuary is home to the playful howler monkey. Lunch. Enjoy a carefree leisurely afternoon. Time to beachcomb or swim the pristine beaches of your resort. Dinner. BLD

Day 9 – Tarcoles Cruise, San José
Morning drive through the cattle ranches of Guanacaste. Lunch. Next, enjoy a bird and crocodile spotting cruise on the Tarcoles River, adjacent to the Carara Biological Reserve. Cruise through a mangrove reserve. This tropical bird and wildlife sanctuary is a nesting site for the scarlet macaw. Return to San José. Farewell dinner.

Day 10 – San José
Your tour ends after breakfast this morning at your hotel. Caravan provides transfers throughout the day to the San José airport. Thanks for vacationing with Caravan. ¡Hasta la vista!