Caribbean Culture & Volcano

Day 1

Arrive to Costa Rica’s International Airport (SJO) where you will be picked up by our naturalist guides. You leave the city far behind as you enter Braulio Carrillo National Park with its elephant ear plants and cascading roadside waterfalls. You drive past miles of banana plantations and through the port city of Limon on your way towards the Southern Caribbean coast. Arrive in time to catch a sunset from a cream sand beach in front of your hotel in the funky Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo. Dinner tonight is at one of Puerto Viejo’s most flavorful restaurants.

Overnight: Caribbean area

Day 2

Today you hike through the great Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife refuge. Along the way, you travel from the beach path into the jungle, where the diversity of flora and fauna is beautiful and abundant. A local guide from the neighboring village of Manzanillo will lead you through the trail and show you the wonders of his ‘backyard,’ while explaining the medicinal, culinary, and other uses of many of the trees, fruits and plants along the way. After the hike you enjoy a swim at the beach in Manzanillo. In the evening you head to yet another wonderful restaurant in Puerto Viejo.

Overnight: Caribbean area

Day 3

After breakfast you head to the Jaguar Rescue Center whose mission is not to be a zoo, but rather a rescue and education center with the end goal of releasing the animals back into the wild. From there you head to the KekoLdi Indigenous Reserve. A native lunch is served with many ingredients harvested from their understory gardens. You visit to the Iguana Farm that has reintroduced over 12,000 green iguanas back into the surrounding forest over the past thirteen years.

Overnight: Caribbean area

Day 4

Community Service project. We do many hands on projects on the Caribbean coast. Services include gardening, painting, minor construction, mural painting, reforestation projects, and beach clean-ups. You have countless options for your group to offer a helping hand to communities and schools. Community service is another way for you to directly step into the culture of the country you are visiting and leave a lasting positive impact. We usually work from 9am to 3pm with a break for lunch. In the afternoon you cool off at a local beach called Punta Uva where the coastal rainforest literally falls into the sea.

Overnight: Caribbean area

Day 5

Early this morning you head straight to the banks of the Pacuare River for an unforgettable day of white water rafting. This most scenic river slices through primary rainforest and plunges through mountain gorges. The most beautiful waterfalls drop into the river right alongside your raft. You stop along the river to enjoy waterfalls and a delicious lunch. Once out of the river you head to La Fortuna, home to Costa Rica’s most active volcano, Arenal. In the evening you relax in Eco-Termales Hot Springs and enjoy a delicious dinner afterwards.

Overnight: La Fortuna area

Day 6

Today you learn from Don Juan, as you take his farm tour and learn about organic farming, sustainability, planting, harvesting, working with Talapia, making sugarcane juice and milking cows. You also have the chance to help harvest and make lunch with Don Juan’s family. This afternoon, you experience a lava hike through the Arenal National Park. In the evening, you search for a spot where you can view lava!

Overnight: La Fortuna area

Day 7

Today you fly!  Take a zip-line tour through the rainforest canopy. Guides will take you on a thrilling tree adventure in the tropical lowland forests of La Fortuna. Afterwards, you return to San José for your farewell dinner.

Overnight: San José area

Day 8

Fly home with memories to last a lifetime from your Costa Rican Adventure!

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