Day 1
La Paz Waterfall
Pick up at your hotel in San Jose (we can arrange your hotel for you) or San Jose Airport and travel for about 1 hour to La Paz Waterfall, near Poas Volcano, where you will walk through trails and see 5 different waterfalls, visit their butterfly observatory, humming bird garden, serpentarium, frog exhibit, trout lake, and end your day with a buffet lunch in the middle of the forest.
Night at Arenal Hotel. Relax at your hotel which has its own hot springs!
(the price is based on Arenal Volcano Lodge & Springs but we can work with many other hotels in Arenal such as Hotel Manoa, Los Lagos, Arenal Springs Resort etc).
Day 2
Arenal Volcano
Today you will do 2 different tours and see great waterfalls in Arenal Volcano.
Wake up early and try out our Canyoneering Tour!
Rappel down great tropical waterfalls and hike in an isolated canyon near the Arenal Volcano. The tour starts with a 15 minute fun 4x4 off road adventure on Costa Rica’s famous bumpy backroads. When you arrive our friendly guides will give you a thorough safety talk about important rappelling & down-climbing techniques. You’ll use high-quality technical climbing gear such as a harness, helmet and gloves. To begin with, you’ll practice your first descent on a small, 10-ft waterfall and as you go on the canyon waterfalls get gradually bigger & BIGGER! We finish this tour with an all you can eat delicious home cooked lunch.
In the afternoon we will do a guided hike to La Fortuna Waterfall
Get spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano as you travel to the 140-foot Río Fortuna waterfall. When we arrive at the parking area we will down climb to see the famous La Fortuna Waterfall. Although swimming is no longer permitted in this pool you can swim in the river a bit further along. At the base you will find huge rocks where you can sit and watch the falls and just relax or have a picnic.
Day 3
Arenal Volcano + Rio Celeste
Today we will visit the stunning Rio Celeste Waterfall. Our journey begins with an early morning scenic drive for about 1.5 hours through rural Costa Rica. We’ll stop for a break for at a supermarket where you can buy a snack to take along the way and continue to Volcano Tenorio. When we arrive to Rio Celeste National Park we use the facilities and get ready for a 3 mile intermediate hike.
Our first stop will be at "Los Teñíderos" where two rivers come together to form the celestial, turquoise blue water color that gives the waterfall its name "Celeste."
Our next stop will be at "Ollas” and those who want can relax in the natural hot springs.
Finally we arrive to Rio Celeste and take some great pictures. People are not allowed to swim because of the minerals in the water. We end out visit with a typical lunch and drive back to your hotel.
Day 4
Monteverde Cloud Forest
We now start the day we one of our Adventure Connections. The fastest and best view possible of the Arenal Lake towards Monteverde by Taxi-Boat-Taxi. The pick-up time is about 8.45am. The transport includes 25 minutes land transport from your hotel to Lake, 30 minutes by boat to cross the Lake and 1.5 hours from Arenal Lake by land transfer to your hotel in Monteverde. About 3-4 hours with stops, in total.
When you arrive to Monteverde you will leave your luggage at the reception area (check in time is at 2.00pm but if your room is ready they might let you check in early). You will have time to have lunch at their restaurant or others nearby, before your pick up to take for an exciting Canopy Tour or Hanging Bridges in the Cloud Forests.
Night at Hotel Ficus (the price is based on this hotel but we can work with many hotels in Monteverde such as Hotel Rustic Lodge, Hotel Belmar, Fonda Vela etc).
Day 5
EARLY am Guided Hike in the Cloud Forests of Monteverde (we use a private cloud forest reserve called the Curi Cancha Reserve which is far less crowded and you often see more birds, especially the famous Quetzal, in season). You'll be picked up at your hotel and taken to the private reserve entrance where your bilingual guide will be waiting. The guides have a wealth of knowledge about the cloud forests in Monteverde, including fauna and flora, the history, and the growth of Monteverde. There will also be a chance to visit the new maze at Curi Cancha. The hike will be about three hours around this wonderful forest.
There is an option to change this to the main Monteverde Reserve for an extra cost.
Transfer to Samara Beach (approx 3 hours)
Samara Costa Rica (Playa Samara) is in Guanacaste. This gem of a tropical paradise is on the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean. It has been designated as a Blue Flag beach which signifies its unique cleanliness and beauty. Samara is a small coastal town that retains its Costa Rican charm. The beach is known for its white sands and its picturesque setting and the pretty coral island located in the bay. Samara is still a working coastal community but has a good choice of amenities for tourists, such as fun tour options and restaurants.
Night at a Samara Hotel (the price is based on Hotel Giada but we can work with many hotels in Samara so we help pick the best one for you!
Day 6
Samara Beach
Your last full day on the beach! Here you can just relax or try one of our adventures and wildlife tours.
This is a list with some of the tours we can help book for you;
- Ocean Safari 3x1
- Ocean Kayal & Snorkel to Chora Island
- Dolphin Tour
- Wildlife and Birding Kayak tour
- Palo Verde Boat Tour
- Camaronal or Ostional Turtle Observation Tour
- Inshore Sport Fishing
- Samara Trails Hike Tour
- Stand Up Paddling Lesson & Tour
- Surf Lessons
Day 7
Samara Beach
Breakfast included.
Early morning shuttle transport will be provided from Samara Beach to San Jose International Airport.This transport takes about 4 1/5 hours total plus there will be a quick stop along the way to use the bathroom, buy something to eat or just stretch your legs. The transport time can take a little longer depending on the amount of people traveling, which hotel they are heading to and traffic
Tour Details
Minimum 2 people (Double occupancy): Price FROM $1199 per person (Please inquire for prices for your specific date and adjusted for any modifications you would like)
* PRICES MAY INCREASE DURING EASTER WEEK, CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
* SUGGESTIONS FOR HOTELS UPGRADES, SEE BELOW THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:
- VOLCANO LODGE & SPRINGS
- IN MONTEVERDE TO FICUS HOTEL
- IN SAMARA/PUERTO CARRILLO TO NAMMBU HOTEL
* YOU CAN ALSO UPGRADE FROM SHARED TO PRIVATE TRANSPORT BACK TO SAN JOSE FOR AN EXTRA COST
Dates of trip: We can schedule dates by request.
Included on Trip: All accommodation, all transport, all tours in the itinerary, all meals where stated (using the hotels shown in outlined package) B= Breafast, L= Lunch, D=Dinner
Not Included: Flights to Costa Rica, optional tours or transportation to other places not included in the schedule
What to Bring: T-shirts, shorts, long pants for riding, sweater or light jacket, sandals, light hiking boots, rain jacket, sun screen, insect repellant, any personal medication, swimming wear, towel, traveler's insurance recommended, full passport, and credit cards (VISA, Mastercard best - other cards can be more difficult to use in Costa Rica).
NOTE: Adventure tours such as whitewater rafting, horse riding, kayaking, canyoneering and hiking require physical effort. Clients should be in good condition. For client safety and enjoyment, Monteverde Tours reserves the right to offer a substitution, postpone, change or cancel any tour due to unfavorable conditions. Full refund is given if (on rare occasion) a tour is cancelled by the operator. Monteverde Tours and its affiliates are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.
Summary
Day 1
10.00am La Paz Waterfall Guided Tour with lunch included
4.30pm Private transport from La Paz Waterfall to Arenal Volcano (3 hours)
Night at Hotel Volcano Lodge & Springs (Superior Double Room)
Day 2
Buffet breakfast
7.30am Lost Canyon Adventures Canyoneering with lunch included
2.00pm Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall
Night at Hotel Volcano Lodge & Springs (Superior Double Room)
Day 3
Buffet breakfast
7.30am Rio Celeste Guided Hike with lunch included
Night at Hotel Volcano Lodge & Springs (Superior Double Room)
Day 4
am Buffet breakfast
8.45am Taxi-Boat-Taxi from Arenal to Monteverde
1.45pm Canopy Tour or Hanging Bridges
Night at Hotel Ficus Sunset Suites (Deluxe Double Room)
Day 5
am Breakfast
7.10am Guided Walk in Monteverde Cloud Forest
1.00pm Transfer to Samara Beach
Dinner at Hotel Giada
Night at Hotel Giada (Double Room)
Day 6
Breakfast at Hotel Giada
Free Day at the beach!
Lunch & Dinner at Hotel Giada
Night at Hotel Giada (Double Room)
Day 7
Breakfast at Hotel Giada
Shared Shuttle from Samara Beach to San Jose