Tour Dates:
January 13-21, 2024
Escape your dreary winter weather and ring in the New Year in sunny, gorgeous Costa Rica. Here you will bask on beautiful beaches, visit tropical rain forests, and have many opportunities to view exotic animals birds and butterflies. With the Caribbean Sea on one coast, the Pacific Ocean on the other and mountains with waterfalls in between, you will love every minute of your vacation!
Costa Rica is a remarkable little country about the size of West Virginia. It is a land of contrasts: rain forests and arid peninsulas; cool mountains and hot beaches. There are 2,000 species of trees, twice as many as in the Continental U.S. Seven hundred plus species of birds call this country their home, including 50 species of hummingbirds – a variety hard to imagine. There are 1,000 types of orchids and 800 species of ferns. Its national park system, in conjunction with buffer zones and private reserves contains a greater percent of area to total landmass than almost any other country, approximately 27%! Costa Rica has one of the few truly democratic governments in the world with an 85% voter turnout. The country is safe for travelers and the people are amazingly amiable with foreigners.
Day 1: January 13 Depart US, Arrive in San Jose
We make a brief, overnight stop here in the capital and largest city of Costa Rica – we know it as San José, but it’s “Chepe,” to locals. Transfer to Buena Vista Hotel, a hotel outside San Jose with a breathtaking view of the city and surrounding mountains.
Settle in, enjoy some delicious traditional Costa Rican food, and perhaps partake in one of the local drinks:
Overnight at Hotel
Breakfast Included
Day 2: January 14 – Quepos & Manuel Antonio
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer by car to Quepos and the Manuel Antonio region. Quepos is located on the central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and is the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park. Check into the hotel and relax.
Overnight at Hotel
Breakfast Included
Day 3: January 15 – Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio Park covers 683 hectares and has varied and beautiful landscapes from rainforests to pristine beaches. You will catch sight of capuchin monkeys; sloths; coatis; raccoons; iguanas; many species of birds; and the endangered squirrel monkey, which is endemic to Manuel Antonio and has only 1,500 individuals left in the wild.
It also has excellent beaches: Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio and Puerto Escondido. There is also a 14 hectare lagoon and several mangroves. Cathedral point connecting Manuel Antonio and Espadilla Sur beaches is a place of great natural beauty. Bring your bathing suit and sunscreen!
Return to the hotel
Don’t go to bed too late – we have an early morning transfer to The Osa Peninsula, which National Geographic calls, “One of the most biologically intense places on earth.”
Overnight at Hotel
Breakfast Included
Day 4: January 16 – Transfer to the Osa Peninsula
We will transfer to the Quepos airstrip to Drake Airport for our flight to La Hacienda, the reception center in Sierpe, where we will board the boat for an hour-and-half ride down the Sierpe River, taking in the mangrove wetlands and all the astounding nature this tropical wonderland has to offer. We will be welcomed with a delicious cocktail upon our arrival at our all-inclusive, luxurious jungle lodge which will be our home in this lush paradise for the next four days. The afternoon is free to explore the nature trails and pristine beach, and begin to discover the magic of the Osa.
Overnight at Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included
In his book, “Osa: Where the Rainforest Meets the Sea,” Dr. Trond Larsen describes it like this: “In a remote and lush corner of southern Costa Rica lies a realm of giant trees, potbellied spider monkeys, harpy eagles, prowling jaguars and herds of white-lipped peccary. This is the Osa Peninsula and there is no place in the world like it.”
Day 5: January 17 – Osa Peninsula + Corcovado National Park
We have an early morning call in order to enjoy our full-day excursion in Corcovado National Park. This exotic and lush park is home to 13 major ecosystems. Our private naturist guides will help to make this experience an unforgettable one, as the protected wildlife in this park abounds, including over 140 different mammal species, 400 bird species, and 116 amphibian and reptile species. We will enjoy a picnic lunch, and hope for sightings of the poison arrow frog, indigenous wild cats, crocodiles, pumas, jaguars, and sea turtles.
Overnight at Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included
Day 6: January 18 – Caño Island
After breakfast, we will meet our guides and be transported 40-minutes away to Caño Island, known for some of the best snorkeling in the world – but it’s also a perfect place to just relax and absorb the beauty of virgin blue water, frolicking dolphins and colorful marine birds. Back at the lodge, we will enjoy a picnic lunch and afternoon at leisure. Take time to enjoy the many facilities at this exceptional lodge.
Carefully designed and built by an American naturalist, Casa Corcovado offers accommodations constructed with the highest concern for conservation, in harmony with the landscape and the environment. Two unique swimming pools are offered: the main pool, El Solar, uses only solar energy to recycle the water, and a spring-fed pool is hidden away in the forest. Further options are a birdwatching tour, El Bosque bar and spa services.
Overnight at Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included
Day 7: January 19 – Osa Peninsula
Enjoy the day at leisure and take advantage of one of the many options at the Lodge like kayaking, horseback riding, bird tours, hiking, or just sitting by the pool! Inform the guide of any optional tours you wish to do the day before.
Overnight at Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included
Day 8: January 20 – Osa Peninsula to San Jose
Transfer to the Drake airport for our charter back to San Jose.
Arrive in San Jose, transfer to hotel
Overnight at Hotel
Breakfast Included
Day 9: January 21 – San Jose to USA
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the San Jose International Airport for your flight back to the US.
Breakfast Included
¡Hasta Luego!
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