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Great Value, Book Early—
Caravan's strong buying power in Latin America gives you great
vacations at prices much lower than you can find anywhere.
Last year many of our tours sold out quickly. Book early for
the date you prefer and the best air fare.
Rooms—
Accommodations in the hotels and lodges are rooms with two
beds and private bath or shower. A limited number of single
rooms are available. Triple rooms are usually two beds, sometimes
with a cot or rollaway
Hotel Descriptions
Days 1,2 &
9 - San Jose
Barcelo Palacio
Located in a quiet residential area, close to the "Braulio
Carrillo" National Park and 2km from the center of downtown
San Jose. This full service hotel features 2 Restaurants -
the á la carte Ambar Restaurant and the Anforo Buffet
Restaurant. 2 Bars - the Rancho Bar & Grill and the El
Bosque Bar. Coffee Shop, a casino, swimming pool, spa with
Jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna, tennis and squash courts, massage
therapists, hairdresser, jewelery and leather shops.
Days 3, 4 - Tortuguero
Park
Laguna Lodge
The Laguna Lodge is located on Costa Rica's Northeastern Caribbean
coast. This small and cozy lodge offers you easy access to
natural marvels of Tortuguero Lagoon and Tortuguero National
Park. Laguna lodge stands on Tortuguero Beach which is home
to the foremost nesting site for the green turtle in the western
half of the Caribbean. Laguna Lodge is surrounded by more
than 12 acres of lush tropical rainforests and Tortuguero's
network of lakes and navigable channels. The lodge offers
you a dock on the canals, a restaurant, two bars, a swimming
pool with outdoor Jacuzzi, and an open butterfly garden.
Days 5,6 - Fortuna
Las Cabañitas
Surrounded by a breathtaking scenario of lush nature, crowned
by the Arenal Volcano, only 20 minutes away, Las Cabanitas
Resort is the right place to stay at if you wish to appreciate
one of the Costa Rica’s most outstanding jewels of nature.The
ideal spot to enjoy the sunrise each morning, and the magnificent
natural fireworks of the Arenal Volcano at night. The Hotel
offers comfortable and cozy "chalets" with private
bathroom and hot water, ceiling fans and balcony. An international
restaurant specialized in Costa Rican food; two swimming pools;
pool-side snack bar; an information center and a souvenir
shop.
Days 7,8 - Jaco
Barcelo Amapola
The Barcelo Amapola Hotel is located on the Pacific Coast
side of Costa Rica, near Jaco and the Carara Biological Reserve.
The hotel has a private Pacific Ocean beach, which is reached
by a ten minute walk or the hotel shuttle bus. The Amapola
has a swimming pool, two jacuzzis, a swim-up bar, discotheque
and casino. The hotel grounds have extensive gardens. Bicycles
are available for guest use.
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Tour Price Includes:
All Meals, All Activities, All Hotels, All internal Transportation
and Excursions. Tour Director accompanies you for entire tour. Save
50% over price of traveling independently, travel securely and enjoyably
1st day–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. Caravan provides transfers from the
San José airport to the Barcelo Palacio Hotel. Rooms are available
for check in after 3:00 p.m. Dine at your hotel, then join Caravan
for an 8:00 p.m. welcome briefing. D
2nd day–Poás Volcano
After breakfast, see the statue of the drummer boy, Costa Rica’s
hero. Next, weather permitting, visit Poas Volcano, dormant since
1991. You can safely view this dramatic milewide crater from an
overlook. Enjoy lunch. See San José’s Plaza de la Cultura,
Central Park and the National Theatre. Visit the National Museum.
See pre-Columbian granite spheres and dazzling displays of gold
and jade. Enjoy dinner. BLD
3rd day–Rainforest Hike, Tortuguero
Scenic morning drive through Braulio Carrillo Park. Look for cascading
waterfalls. With a naturalist guide, enjoy a short rainforest hike
on level terrain. Lunch, then cruise through rivers and canals to
the 47,000 acre Tortuguero Park. Tortuguero is home to more than
300 species of birds. Look for toucans, kingfishers, parrots and
the rare green macaw. Enjoy a two night stay at your lodge. After
dinner in Tortuguero, a naturalist talks about the rainforest. BLD
4th day–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.
Visit a butterfly garden. See colorful butterflies. Enjoy an afternoon
boat excursion into Tortuguero Park. Look for otters, turtles and
manatees. Dinner. BLD
5th day–San Carlos Valley, Fortuna
Morning cruise on Tortuguero River. See banana plantation. Lunch,
then a brief stop at Selva Verde Rainforest Reserve. Here you can
walk the nearly 300 foot long suspension bridge through jungle canopy
and over the Sarapapiqui River. Next, through scenic countryside
to the San Carlos Valley for a two night stay in Fortuna. Dinner.
BLD
6th day–Caño Negro, Hot Springs, Arenal
Head north this morning, passing through sugar cane, teak and orange
plantations. Then, cruise on the Rio Frio through the world famous
Caño Negro wildlife refuge, home to many migratory birds
found nowhere else in Costa Rica. Look for whistling ducks, cormorants,
anhingas, blue heron. Watch for caimans, spider monkeys and web-footed
water-walking lizards. Box lunch. Return to Fortuna. Free time to
explore the charming village of Fortuna. Then enjoy a relaxing soak
in the volcanic hot springs. Weather permitting, see nearby Arenal
Volcano’s softly glowing lava flow. Dinner at Las Cabañitas.
BLD
7th day–Cloud Forest Hike, Jaco
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 lodge. Then, to Jaco on the Pacific Ocean
for a two night stay. Dinner is at your resort. This evening you
may wish to explore the shops along Jaco’s lively main street.
BLD
8th day–Manuel Antonio, Tarcoles Cruise
Visit Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica’s most beautiful park, this
morning. Time to beachcomb or swim at the three pristine beaches,
rated among the top ten in the world. Easy hiking trails wind through
the jungle, home to one of the last natural habitats of the playful
rare squirrel monkey. Lunch at your resort. Next drive by the Carara
Biological Reserve. Carara is an Indian word meaning “river
of crocodiles.” Enjoy a bird and crocodile spotting cruise
on the Rio Tarcoles this afternoon. Cruise through a mangrove reserve.
Look for roseate spoonbills, northern jacanas and boat billed herons,
toucans, trogons, sloths and monkeys. This tropical bird and wildlife
sanctuary is one of the world’s few nesting places for the
scarlet macaw. Your cruise time depends on tidal fluctuations and
may take place in the morning, with a visit to Manuel Antonio National
Park in the afternoon. Dinner in Jaco. BLD
9th day–Sarch, Coffee Plantation
Morning visit to Sarchi, see the painted ox carts and colorful handicrafts.
Lunch. Next, see the metallic church of Grecia. Then, visit a coffee
plantation. Pick a few beans when in season. Sample fresh Costa
Rican coffee and enjoy a musical comedy devoted to the coffee bean.
Next, return to San José. Tonight, celebrate your Costa Rica
adventure at Caravan’s farewell dinner. BLD
10th day–San José
Your tour ends after breakfast this morning at the San José
Palacio. Caravan provides transfers throughout the day to the San
José airport. Thanks for vacationing with Caravan. ¡Hasta
la vista! B
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