February 18 – 26, 2012

Costa Rica represents less than one percent of the world’s land mass, yet it contains 5 percent of the Earth’s biodiversity. And more than 25 percent of the country is composed of protected forests and reserves, making it a wildlife enthusiast’s dream. On this tour, explore Costa Rica’s interior, a lush tangle of rain forest, mist-veiled mountains and active volcanoes.

• Visit three of Costa Rica’s most famous destinations: Tortuguero National Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Arenal Volcano.
• Stay at secluded lodges nestled in the rain forest.
• Look for a variety of wildlife, including three-toed sloths, monkeys, iguanas and the stunning quetzal.
• Travel in a small group of just 10 participants.

Trip Itinerary

The dates below do not include travel time to and from the destination. Please consult our tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, to discuss your best flight options.

Saturday, February 18, 2012: San José, Costa Rica
Arrive in San José and transfer to your hotel. Gather later for an orientation dinner with your expedition leader. San Jose Marriott (D)

Sunday, February 19 & Monday, February 20: Tortuguero National Park
Travel through some of the richest rain forests on Earth at Braulio Carillo National Park. Continue on to Limón, where you'll board a boat for Tortuguero, considered by many the best place to view wildlife in Costa Rica. Your private boat travels along canals that wind through the dense rain forest and may reveal spider, howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys; sloths; caimans; and a spectrum of colorful birds. Here in the tropics, steady sunlight, constant rain and warm temperatures create an intense incubator for a profusion of species. Evergreen Lodge (B,L,D)

Tuesday, February 21 & Wednesday, February 22: Monteverde
Fly back to San José and drive to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve in the cool high country. Monteverde means “green mountain,” though moisture comes not so much in the form of rain but in the constant mists that envelope the mountaintops. More than 400 species of birds flourish here, including the rare quetzal. One hundred mammal species live in the cloud forest, as well as an estimated 2,500 species of plants (including 300 different orchids). Look for wild relatives of many familiar houseplants, such as philodendrons, bromeliads, ficus trees and ferns. A walk over a network of suspension bridges and platforms lifts you into the lacy forest canopy. A tour of nearby Santuario Ecológico offers excellent wildlife viewing. Hotel Fonda Vela (B,L,D)

Thursday, February 23 & Friday, February 24: Arenal Volcano
Journeying by road and crossing Lake Arenal by boat, reach Costa Rica’s most dramatic landmark, Arenal Volcano. Costa Rica lies on the edge of two tetonic plates, one of the most dynamic such junctures on the planet. When the volcano is active, molten rock, created by the friction of the plates, emerges as fiery magma. Enjoy excellent views of the volcano from Arenal Observatory Lodge, where seismologists monitor its activity.

On Friday, explore the rain forest on a morning walk over trails and hanging bridges with the volcano looming in the background. After lunch, visit Danaus Eco Center for a close-up look at Costa Rica’s famed red poison dart frogs and other wildlife as you walk among the conservation project’s 300 species of tropical plants. Where there is volcanic activity, there is usually geothermal activity too, which you can experience with a soak in natural hot springs this afternoon. Arena Observatory Lodge (B,L,D)

Saturday, February 25: Arenal / San José
After breakfast in the shadow of the volcano, return to San José, stopping en route for a farewell lunch. Your final destination is a resort situated on a coffee plantation overlooking the broad Central Valley. It includes swimming pools, tropical fruit orchards and trails leading to waterfalls, which you will have time to enjoy at your leisure. Xandari Plantation Resort & Spa (B,L,D)

Sunday, February 26: San José / Home
Transfer to the airport this morning for flights home. (B)