Captivating Costa Rica

Day 1: UK to San Jose

Depart London on your scheduled flight to San Jose via Newark, USA. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel on the outskirts of the city.

Day 2: San Jose to Tortuguero

This morning you will leave San Jose and start your journey to the mystical town of Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast. A brief stop for breakfast will be made in a restaurant in the town of Guapiles for your first taste of the traditional gallo pinto (black beans and rice). Continuing your journey to the port you will travel through small villages as well as banana plantations. A gentle boat ride through the enchanting jungle canals will follow to arrive at your lodge in Tortuguero, one of the most remote places in Costa Rica. Enjoy lunch at your lodge and then a visit to Tortuguero town. With no cars or streets, the town is sandwiched between a Caribbean beach on one side and rivers and waterways on the other. Spend some time exploring this charming town where you may even be lucky enough to spot some turtles nesting on the beach if you are travelling between July and October. The rest of the late afternoon will be free to relax with dinner at your lodge.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Tortuguero

Following an early breakfast, start your day with a fascinating hike through the trails of Tortuguero National Park, one of Costa Rica's most visited parks. Your guide will point out a diverse range of flora and fauna, from mantled howler monkeys swinging speedily through the trees to great green macaws singing to their mates, each visitor will spot something different to the next. Following lunch back at the lodge, the tour will return to the park to travel by boat through the maze of canals for the best chance to see all types of wildlife from the rainforest. Tortuguero literally means 'region of turtles' and it is no surprise that it is home to seven species of turtles as well as being the most important nesting site for the green sea turtle. The area also contains a great diversity of crustaceans and many species of freshwater fish.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Tortuguero to La Fortuna

Leaving your lodge this morning, you will travel back through the canals to the port where our ground transportation will meet you to start your trip to the impressive Arenal area. Stop en route at Guapiles to enjoy a typical Costa Rican lunch before continuing on to visit the town of Sarapiqui to learn how the pineapple industry has developed in Costa Rica - you may never choose a pineapple in the same way again! A final stop is then made at El Muelle with the chance to see giant green iguanas before arriving at the Arenal Volcano area to check-in to your hotel which is strategically located to fully appreciate the true splendour of the towering volcano above.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: La Fortuna

Following breakfast, start your day of spectacular experiences with a visit to La Fortuna Waterfall whose waters emerge from the dense jungle before plummeting into the emerald waters below. Your guide will lead you down the steps of the trail to the cool waters for a swim or a chance to relax in the shade and take in the tranquil surroundings before returning to the top. After lunch in a typical local restaurant there is a little time to explore the charming town of Fortuna which became the central town in the region after the 1968 eruption wiped out the surrounding settlements. In the afternoon you will be led along a private 4.5 kilometre path around the base of the volcano, passing through old lava trails from past eruptions and a chance to spot a wide variety of flora and fauna including sloths, monkeys, toucans, wild turkeys and other birds. Ascend to a lookout point to experience a fantastic view of the Arenal Volcano with its perfectly symmetrical shape making it a sightseer's dream. However tempting, don't take any lava blocks from the trail as it is considered to be bad luck! Once back at your hotel there is the option to relax in the Tabacon Hot Springs which is chargeable locally, or alternatively simply take some time to relax before your evening meal.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: La Fortuna to Monteverde

After breakfast, your tour will continue to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a small community located at the top of the Tilaran Mountain Range and an important ecotourism destination in Costa Rica. Montervede is a world above the coastal towns at high altitude (1440m above sea level) allowing it to receive the steady supply of clouds and the life-giving moisture they contain. On the journey, take in the beautiful landscape of Lake Arenal and pass through some typical country villages. Your lunch stop will be at a wonderful local ranch, where you will be served a traditional local meal along with a folklore dance presentation by school children, plus the chance to visit the coffee plantations on the grounds. Before arriving at your hotel, you will be taken for an introduction to the town of Santa Elena, famous for one of South America's most resplendent birds, the Quetzal.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Monteverde

Today's itinerary takes you high above the clouds to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Here the eerie clouds hover above the canopy of the forest before condensing on leaves creating an extremely humid and moisture-rich environment perfect for an abundance of biodiversity to thrive in. These unique climates and specialized ecosystems create habitats found nowhere else on earth. With the help of your guide, you will be able to spot some of nature's most splendid creations, from wildly colourful butterflies, to low-lying lizards and fearless primates, this forest is said to be home to over 3,000 known species. The morning will be spent in Selvatura Park and explored via the 1.9 mile long treetop walkways taking you close to the cloud-forest canopy and allowing you excellent vistas of the forest below. Lunch today will be at a family run kitchen at an ecological sanctuary. Your food will be prepared in front of you whilst you learn about the traditional recipes and dishes along with the opportunity to join in, perhaps becoming an expert in tortilla making by the end of the meal! The afternoon will continue at ground level as a gentle hike will allow you to closely examine some of the 500 species of orchids growing amongst the 3,000 varieties of plants on the moist forest floor.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Monteverde to San Jose

After breakfast begin the journey back to San Jose. On arrival you will commence a city tour to visit some of the residential and embassy areas before driving through the city past historical buildings and stopping in the downtown area for lunch at a local restaurant. Following some time for pictures around the national theatre you can enjoy a walk along the pedestrian avenue and take a local bus to visit some ancient houses. Finally the tour will finish at a souvenir centre where you can see a range of wood and leather craft markets. Here your tour finishes, your final dinner being taken at a local restaurant with your fellow group members with whom you can share and reminisce over the highlights of this spectacular trip.

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: San Jose to the UK

After breakfast you will be transferred to San Jose Airport for your return flight to the UK via Newark.

• Breakfast