Highlights Learn about the Sarapiqui rainforest and Monteverde cloudforest with local naturalists, demonstrations by experts on how chocolate and coffee get from the forest to your table, share lunch and a cooking demonstration in a local family's home

Classic Costa Rica


Classic Costa Rica - CRCRD

Last Updated: May 7, 2012
9 days: Costa Rica
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What's Included

Arrival transfer - Welcome gift - 1 hour group Spanish lesson - Tour and rainforest walk at La Selva Biological Station - Chocolate tour and demonstration at La Tirimbina Rainforest Center - Visit the Danaus Ecocenter - Visit the Hot Springs of Arenal Volcano - Tortilla making and a typical lunch with a local family - Tour of the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve - Coffee farm demonstration, tasting and tour

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and G Adventures. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

Validity: Valid for all trips departing January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.


Trip Style

Discovery Adventures: Bring to life the awe-inspiring destinations featured on the Discovery Channel. Engage colourful cultures, wildlife and landscapes through exhilarating, educational and immersive activities and arrive at a greater understanding of our incredible planet.

Service Level

Comfort:


  • All the adventure with a softer landing
  • Upgraded transportation (private vehicles, trains and planes)
  • More inclusions (transfers, more meals and activities are generally included)
  • Hand-picked accommodations with additional amenities and services

Physical Grading

2: Light walking and hiking that is suitable for most fitness levels.

Itinerary

Route map for Classic Costa Rica (CRCRD)

Day 1 San José

Arrive in San José at any time and transfer to the hotel. There are no planned activities so check in and enjoy the city. In the late afternoon meet our fellow group members to go over the details of the trip, check the notice board (or ask reception) to see the exact time and location of this group meeting.

If there is time, it is recommended to travel into the city to visit a museum, shop or people-watch in the main plaza. A mime, juggler, marimba band, magician, or storyteller may be performing and artisan booths are common, creating a regular arts and crafts fair atmosphere.

With numerous museums to choose from, here are a few we suggest: The National Theater, inaugurated in 1897, was paid for by coffee growers through a voluntary tax on every bag of coffee exported. The National Museum, housed in the Bellavista Fortress, offers exhibits on pre-Columbian art, colonial art, and furniture and religious art within a 19th century building that was converted from a military fortress after the army was abolished. The Museum of Costa Rican Art, located in La Sabana Park, was at one time the international airport and this museum is in the old terminal building. The Jade Museum is on the 11th floor of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros building and in addition to the collection of jade objects, there are pre-Columbian ceramic and stone works. The Gold Museum is located underneath the Plaza de la Cultura, its spectacular collection of indigenous gold art belongs to the Central Bank of Costa Rica.

The best, and least expensive places to buy souvenirs are at the San José markets at the Plaza de la Cultura, an outdoor open market; and the Central Market, where handicrafts are sold along with boots, fish, flour, herbal remedies, shirts and anything else you can imagine. Always watch your belongings and be ready for crowds.

Like most cities, San José has its good and bad sides. It is the center of government, theater, and art and has beautiful parks and museums, but also has a few beggars on the streets. It is big and often noisy, but even from its crowded downtown streets, you’ll often enjoy a view of the surrounding lush mountains.

Probably the hardest thing you will do in San José, other than get safely across busy streets, is keep the street numbering systems straight. Street and avenue numbers are posted on buildings at the corners of some intersections. Keep looking as you walk, and you will eventually find one.

Located in the central highlands, San José enjoys a moderate climate. The heat and humidity of the coast and lowland areas may affect some with a general sense of lethargy and/or loss of appetite. This is no cause for alarm, it is simply a reaction to the heat. Be sure to drink plenty of water (cold bottled water is available everywhere) and do not attempt too much on any given day.

Day 2 Sarapiqui (B)

After breakfast we depart for Sarapiqui, which is surrounded by lush, humid green forests, and banana and pineapple plantations.

While here, a naturalist guide leads us on a hike through the rainforest and a visit to OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies), where we will visit the La Selva Biological Station.

OTS was founded to provide leadership in education, research and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. To address this mission, OTS conducts graduate and undergraduate education, facilitates research, participates in tropical forest conservation, maintains three biological stations in Costa Rica and conducts environmental education programs. La Selva Biological Station is located in the Caribbean lowland at the northern base of Braulio Carrillo National Park and recognized internationally as one of the premier facilities for rain forest research.

Enjoy a one-hour group Spanish lesson so that you will better be able to communicate the basics while you travel through Costa Rica.

Estimated Travel Time: 2.5 hours
Approximate Distance: 44 miles (70 km)

Day 3 Sarapiqui (B)

Today we discover the wonders behind one of the world’s most tantalizing foods — chocolate. The tour begins at TRC (Tirimbina Rainforest Center), a unique adventure and learning destination in Costa Rica. With our local expert, we cross TRC's popular suspension bridge to a former cacao-tree plantation. Here we will see first hand the chocolate making process with an opportunity to taste organic rainforest chocolate. We also learn about how chocolate making has led to a fantastic sustainable tourism effort in protecting the native Cacao trees and to support the local women (Asociación de Mujeres Amazilia del Caribe ), in their efforts to improve their family's lives by making chocolate.

Day 4 La Fortuna (B,L.D)

We depart to La Fortuna, at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. For lunch, experience an authentic cultural exchange with a local family at Doña Mara's home. Dona Mara will welcome us with a tropical drink at her rancho (gazebo) where she will prepare a delicious lunch on her rustic wood-fired stove. We have the opportunity to try making tortillas out of fresh ground corn masa, Doña Mara will show us how to flatten the dough into perfect circles ready for cooking. The tortillas will then be served with lunch.

This evening, we visit a local hot springs resort where we enjoy dinner and take a relaxing soak in the lush, cascading waters of the hot springs. Soak under the shade of the surrounding canopy in one of the natural thermal baths, fed by rivers of volcanically-heated water running down from the volcano.

Set on the northern plains of Costa Rica, Arenal Volcano sits on the southeast shore of artificial Lake Arenal. Separating the mountain ranges of Guanacaste and Tilarán, the lake was created by a hydroelectric dam. Winds sweep down the lake at speeds that reach 30 to 45 mph (48 to 72 km/hr), and the far end of the lake is one of the world’s top windsurfing locations.

Up until early 2010, the volcano was quite active with occasional eruptions, but it has been more calm since then. Even during the day, its reflection on Lake Arenal is truly enchanting. Note that due to normal weather patterns around Arenal, the top of the volcano is often covered in clouds, hopefully we are lucky enough to see the volcano on a clear day. Like much of Costa Rica, this entire area is a birders’ paradise, with over 600 species as permanent residents. Time permitting, optional activities can include: hiking the area’s nature trails, swimming in chilly La Fortuna waterfall, canyoneering (rappelling down rivers and waterfalls), mountain biking, caving and horseback riding.

Estimated Travel Time: 3 hours
Approximate Distance: 50 miles (80 km)

Day 5 La Fortuna (B,L)

Today we visit the Danaus Ecocenter for an interpretive walk. You also have time to explore La Fortuna, the hotspot for adventure travel in Costa Rica. There are numerous optional activities in this region, some of the most popular being: river rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, caving, horseback riding and hiking.

The Ecocentro Danaus is the headquarters of the Asociación Conservacionista OJOCHE who develop activities of environmental education. There are various programs here with an environmental focus including: observing a variety of endemic plants (orchids, bromelias, palms, bushes, ferns, heliconias, etc), more than 150 species of birds, bats, caymans, iguanas, basilisks, snakes, frogs and butterflies. There is also a tree nursery of native species in danger of extinction as ojoche, Yellow almond Tree, among others.

If you have pre-booked the Costa Rica Adrenaline Theme Pack, your rafting and canyoneering adventures will be today.

Day 6 Monteverde (B)

Arriving in Monteverde this afternoon, we have some free time to relax at the hotel pool or take in some optional activities such as; Selvatura Park butterfly, reptile and Amphibian Exhibition or the tree-top Sky tram. We can also take a walk around this quaint town to visit local shops and cafes.

If you have pre-booked the Costa Rica Adrenaline Theme Pack, your ziplining experience will be on either today or Day 7.

Monteverde or Green Mountain, is what one would expect to find at the end of the long, rutted dirt road through the mountains. The surrounding pastures were once covered with dense forest, but today only a small piece of it remains. That piece of forest has been preserved as the Reserva Biologica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Cloud forest is much like a rainforest, but most of the moisture comes not from falling rain but from the condensation left by the nearly constant cloud cover that blankets the tops of mountains in many parts of the tropics. Monteverde Reserve is home to a great variety of wildlife including more than 2000 species of plants, 320 bird species and 100 different species of mammals. The Santa Elena Reserve, another park connecting with Monteverde, is less well known but equally inspiring and proceeds from this park profit the local community.

Quakers from the United States founded the village of Monteverde in the 1950s. Looking to leave behind the constant fear of war and objecting to being forced to support continued militarism through their taxes, the Quakers chose Costa Rica because of its commitment to a non-militaristic economic path (Costa Rica’s army was dissolved in the 1940s). Since its founding, Monteverde has grown slowly as others who shared the original Quaker founders’ ideals moved to the area. Although the Quakers came here to farm the land, they recognized the need to preserve the rare cloud forest that covers the mountain slopes above their fields. The community is very different from those on the coast, and offers several souvenir shops and the Quaker cheese factory, which is definitely worth a visit.

Estimated Travel Time: 4 hours
Approximate Distance: 38 miles (60 km)

Day 7 Monteverde (B)

Led by a local Naturalist, we visit the Santa Elena Reserve which comprises an area of 310 hectare or 765 acres, located high on the Caribbean slopes of the Cordillera de Tilarán (5, 000 feet, 1,500 m), the Continental Divide of Costa Rica. The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the first community managed reserves in the country, who's philosophy is unique in that long term sustainability is not only a concern of the reserve, but of the community as a whole. Next, we learn about one of Costa Rica's most important exports through a unique tour of a coffee farm. Expert coffee guides will take us through the various aspects of coffee production, its growing, harvest and processing. The guides will highlight the importance of the golden bean or grano de oro and its impact in the social, cultural and economic development of Costa Rica. We also get to sample some of the end results.

Day 8 San José (B)

After breakfast we make our way back to Costa Rica's capital to enjoy some free time for last minute souvenir shopping and one last night out on the town.

Estimated Travel Time: 5 hours
Approximate Distance: 170 km (105 miles)

Day 9 Depart San José (B)

Depart San José at any time.


Important Notes

1. Discovery Adventures is operated in conjunction with G Adventures, the world leader in sustainable adventure travel. An award winning company with over 800 employees and 17 operational offices worldwide, G Adventures has 20 years experience in creating culturally interactive travel experiences. G Adventures advocates a triple bottom line business philosophy where equal attention is given to the environmental, social and economic impact of tourism to achieve long-term environmentally responsible growth whilst protecting destinations & cultural heritage for future generations.

2. Be prepared for rain and lower temperatures during the winter season (June-November), especially in Costa Rica's central valley.

Accommodation

Comfort hotels (8 nts).

About Accommodation

The accommodation level for most Discovery Adventure tours are comfortable, in mid-range hotels, motels, lodges, guest houses, etc. You'll often enjoy air-conditioned rooms, complete with en suite bathrooms and some amenities. Accommodation and amenities can vary by Country and region and please remember that standards can be different from what you are used to in your home country, which is part of the appeal of adventure travel. Some trips may include camping, permanent tented camps or more rustic lodges, depending on the remoteness of where you are visiting. Please see your trip details for more information, specific to your tour. Porterage is not included, but can be arranged directly at most hotels.

My Own Room

Please note that if you have booked the "My Own Room" option for this tour, you will receive your own single room for all night stops on tour.

Transport

Private van, boat, walking.

Group Size Notes

Max 15, avg 10.

Local Flights

There are no flights included in this tour.

Meals Included

8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner.

Meals

Travelling with Discovery Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful foods and flavors that are available in the world. Some meals are included in the trip price in more remote regions or as a highlight where we can share a local specialty or cultural experience. In many places where there is a choice of eating options, we like to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each others company, but there is no obligation to do this. Your group leader will be able to suggest favorite restaurants during your trip. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.

Group Leader Description

All Discovery Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our expert group tour leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. Group leaders are experts in their region with a broad, general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local expert guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it's the best of both worlds.

Joining Hotel

Tryp San Jose Sabana (formerly Days Hotel and Centro Colon)
Next to Centro Colon building, 3rd Ave, 38 St. & 40 St.
San Jose, Costa Rica
Tel. (506) 2257-2580

Joining Instructions

An arrival transfer is included in the cost of your tour and our driver will be waiting for you with a Discovery Adventures Sign with your name on it.

Please note that Day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned, so you may arrive at any time. Similarly the last day is a departure day in which no activities are planned. Your Tour Leader will organize a short meeting soon after arrival, during which you will meet other tour participants and receive information about general and specific aspects of the trip. Your Tour Leader will contact you at the hotel on Day 1 and make sure you are settled comfortably. If you arrive late, s/he will leave you a message detailing what time and where you should meet the next morning.

Arrival Complications

We don't expect any problems, and nor should you, but if for any reason you are unable to commence your trip as scheduled, as soon as possible please contact your starting point hotel, requesting that you speak to or leave a message for your trip leader (if you are not on a group tour please refer to the emergency contact details provided in this dossier). If you are unable to get in touch with your leader, please refer to our emergency contact details. If you have pre-booked an airport transfer and have not made contact with our representative within 30 minutes of clearing customs and immigration, we recommend that you make your own way to the starting point hotel, following the Joining Instructions. Please apply to your travel agent on your return for a refund of the transfer cost if this occurs.

What to Take

We recommend the use of a medium sized soft suitcase, duffel bag or backpack (whichever you find easiest to carry). A good size daypack is also essential.

Emergency Contact

Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call our local office in San José, Costa Rica. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so that we may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.

G Adventures San José, Costa Rica,
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm local time (GMT –6).
Tel: Int. Dialing Code +506 2224-5560.

Costa Rica Emergency Cell Phone: +506 8322 9140 (after office hours).

If you are unable for any reason to contact our local office in Costa Rica, we have a toll-free line within North America (or our regular direct line), which will connect you directly with our Toronto office.

Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from UK: 0844 272 0000
Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618 
Outside North America, Australia and the UK: +1 416 260 0999

Checklist

Documents:
•Passport (with photocopies)
•Travel insurance (with photocopies)
•Airline tickets (with photocopies)
•Cash and traveler's cheques
•Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
•Discovery Adventures vouchers, pre-departure information and trip details
•Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required

Suggested Items:
•Camera and extra memory card/film
•Extra batteries (recommended)
•Electricity Plug Adapter
•Flashlight or Headlamp (with extra batteries and bulbs)
•Binoculars
•Cover for backpacks
•Concealable money belt
•Fleece top
•Windproof/waterproof jacket
•Small towel and swim wear
•6 shirts/t-shirts
•Sun hat
•2 pair of shorts
•2 pairs of long trousers
•1 pair hiking pants/track pants
•hand sanitizers/ antibacterial wipes
•Hiking boots/ sturdy walking shoes, and 3 pairs of socks
•Sport sandals (suitable for water if you are planning on rafting and/or waterfall rappelling/abseiling)
•Rain poncho/umbrella
•Sunblock
•Sunglasses
•Toiletries
•Watch or alarm clock
•Water bottle
•Insect Repellent
•Pocketknife
•First-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking).

Optional Items: reading/writing material, Maps, guidebooks

Laundry

Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry so we suggest you bring non-polluting/biodegradable soap.

Visas

All countries require a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity). Contact your local embassy, or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE CORRECT TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION.

Money Exchange

Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances. Visa cards are the most widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available, there are no guarantees that your credit or debit cards will actually work in Latin America. Check with your bank. You should be aware that to purchase products or services on a credit card a fee of 5%-10% usually applies. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of US dollars cash and cards with travellers cheques as backup is best. Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds.

Please be advised that it may be difficult to exchange travellers' cheques during the first week, as the group will be travelling in remote locations. Bringing enough cash is recommended.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE TIP: Please be advised that slightly torn notes, notes that have been heavily marked or are faded may be difficult to exchange. It is best to bring notes in fairly good condition, in denominations lower than $100 USD (or equivalent).

As currency exchange rates can fluctuate often we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Tipping

It is customary in Latin America to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Please note that in Costa Rica, a 23% charge is added on to almost every meal (13% tax, 10% tip). Further tipping for wait staff is appropriate in the case of excellent service. Tipping is an expected - though not compulsory - component of your tour program and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from $5-10 USD per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your tour leader for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture.

Also at the end of each trip if you felt your Discovery Adventures Tour Leader did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline $20-25 USD per person, per week can be used.

Optional Activities

CUSTOMIZE YOUR ADVENTURE
Our trip designers work very hard to assemble the life-altering experiences that fill this brochure. That said, our travellers are a diverse group driven by all sorts of different tastes, motivations and interests. What’s a trip designer to do? The solution? Theme Packs! Specially designed for travellers with unique interests, theme packs are optional add-ons to your G adventures trip that make your adventure more you-centric. Theme Packs must be booked prior to departure.

Theme Packs available on this trip:
COSTA RICA ADRENALINE THEME PACK

Loaded with high-adrenaline pursuits like waterfall-rappelling, rainforest-ziplining, canyon-trekking, river-rafting and other so-amazing-they-need-a-hypen activities, the adrenaline pack pushes Costa Rica to the limit and beyond.

CANYONEERING Arenal, Half-day Rappel, down-climb, river-trace and descend huge waterfalls in the rugged mountains and lush rainforests around Costa Rica’s arenal volcano.

RAFTING Rio Balsa, Half-day Paddle through rolling rapids, then splash about in tranquil river pools in an isolated rainforest river canyon with the help of experienced river guides.

ZIPLINING Monteverde, Half-day Get a true bird’s-eye view of the rainforest canopy as you soar through the trees on a tarzan swing, a giant rappel and a 450-foot-high zipline.


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OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES ON TOUR
All prices are per person, in USD amounts and are subject to change as services are provided by third party operators.

Sarapiqui
Half-day Horseback riding $45
Nocturnal bat tour $30
Pineapple tour $24

La Fortuna/ Arenal:
Rafting Class III and IV (Full day – 7 hours) $75 (includes fruit on the river and lunch)
Rafting Class II and III (half day – 4.5 hours) $65 (includes fruit on the river and lunch)
Canyoning/Rappelling tour $75 (includes breakfast or lunch depending on tour time – 4 hours)
Mambo Combo (Rafting II and III with Canyoning) $139.50 (8 hours)
Venado Cave Spelunking $55 (4 hours)
Stand up Paddle $65 (4 hours)
Mountain biking $59 (4 hours)
Caño Negro Reserve $55 (8 hours)
Volcano walk/viewpoint/dinner and entrance to hot springs $45 (incl. transportation)
Viewpoint/dinner/entrance to hot springs $36 (incl. transportation)
Cerro Chato Extreme Hike (6 hours) $59
Safari float $45 (4 hours)
Horse trip to waterfall $42 (4 hours)
Bike Rental $15/day
Volunteer Program at Proyecto Asis (feeding animals, playing with animals, baby monkey, and some physical work, includes snack) $59 (4 hours)

Monteverde:
Ziplining $45
Hanging bridges $25
Horseback riding ($25 for 1 ½ hours, $30 for 2 hours, $45 for 3 hours)
Butterfly garden $12
Frog Pond $12
Serpentarium $10
ATV $50 for a single, $75 for a double
Night Walk $22
Orchid Garden $10
Cheese Factory $10
Bat Jungle $10

San José:
Irazu, Orosi and Lankaster Garden tour $55 USD (with lunch)
Grecia & Sarchi $40 USD (oxcart & handicrafts)
City tour $24 USD
Poas Volcano $51 USD
Rafting (Pacuare) $90 USD
Rafting (Sarapiqui) $75 USD
Braulio Carrillo Reserve $50-$65 USD
Café Britt tour $20-$30 USD
Butterfly Farm $20-$25 USD

Health

Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure.

As of November 1st, 2007, the Costa Rica government, requires those entering Costa Rica from certain countries in South America and Sub-Sahara Africa, to have an International Certificate of Vaccination against Yellow Fever. Those affected countries are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, French Guiana and Venezuela.

You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitizers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that quite often we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please refer to the Physical and Culture Shock ratings for trip specific information.

Trip Specific Safety

Please note: Like any city where tourism is on the increase, crime also tends to increase and while San José is not a noticeably dangerous city, there are certain precautions you should take. Make sure that you are aware of your things at all times and don't go out carrying expensive gear or jewellery.