Tours in Central Valley

Departures 8:00 am Morning pick-ups at San José hotels / 1:00 pm Afternoon pick-ups at San José hotels
Duration 4 hrs. aprox.
Frequency: daily, except Mondays
Recommended Camera, comfortable shoes, and light clothing
Includes: entrance fee to National Theater and National Museum, transportation and tour guide.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens:
Located one hour from San Jose near the Poas Volcano, the visit includes five magnificent waterfalls, largest enclosed butterfly observatory in the world, four kilometers of paved trails with viewing platforms, hummingbird garden, an orchid garden.
The butterfly observatory is the largest in the world. The enclosed structure allows butterflies to soar freely while guests walk amid the natural habitat. An on-site laboratory is a breeding ground for the countless fluttering species. It offers an interesting perspective into the stages of development of the most colorful species in Costa Rica. The hummingbird garden attracts more species than any other in Costa Rica. Over 16 different species of hummingbirds call Waterfall Gardens home. Watching the interaction among the various birds, whether they are fighting or playing, is truly a treat. A number of the birds have become very tame and will even land on a feeder while someone is holding it. During the early morning and late afternoon so many hummingbirds converge on the feeder area it sounds and feels like they are swarming. While you are watching the birds you can relax under an umbrella at one of our mosaic tile tables and listen to the sound of our garden water feature. Each guest will have the opportunity to release a newly emerged butterfly.

Departures opens at 8:30 am and closes at 4:00 pm. The entrance closes at 3:15 pm. 7:00 - 8:00a.m. Morning pick-ups at San José hotels. (Varies according to hotel location). 12:30- 1:30 p.m. Arrival at San José hotels (varies according to hotel location).
Duration 6 hours
Frequency Everyday
Facilities Gift Shop and restaurant
Recommended Comfortable shoes, raincoat, jacket, camera
Includes guided transportation, entrance fee and lunch

Café Britt Coffee Tour:
Imagine following the journey of a coffee bean on the plantation - from the plant to a cup of gourmet coffee. When you take the Coffee Tour at Café Britt you'll do exactly that! The professional acting troupe, dressed in traditional garb, will escort you through a multi-media, interactive tour through the history of coffee. On a finca, as the plantation is called in Spanish, your day starts on six-acres of coffee fields, tropical gardens and coffee processing facilities. When you arrive, you are greeted by a breathtaking view from the lookout point with two of Costa Rica's most famous volcanoes on one side and a spectacular panoramic view of the Central Valley on the other. You will learn all about coffee cultivation - and not just by giving you the facts - feel free to pick a few ripe cherries to taste their sweetness or take a few of the dried beans home to grow a plant of your own!
From the fields, you will be taken into the roasting and packaging facilities where you'll soak in the aroma of roasting coffee and learn all about this magical process that turns a red coffee cherry into a delicious cup of java. Then, in the theater, sit back and watch a multi-media play and presentation of coffee's place in world history. Learn about how deeply coffee culture is woven into the history and people of Costa Rica - and be prepared to have a few good laughs while you're at it.

Departures The CoffeeTour at Café Britt runs year-round, seven days a week. From December 15 to April 30, tours run at 11:00AM and 3:00 PM during the rest of the year tours run at 11:00AM only.
Duration 6 hours
Frequency Daily
Facilities Gift Shop and restaurant
Recommended Comfortable shoes, raincoat, jacket, camera
Includes guided transportation and entrance fee
Bring: Camera and comfortable shoes

Butterfly Farm: The tour begins with a 25-minute film that gives an introduction as to what will be seen and discussed with the guide. From the film room, visitors proceed with a knowledgeable guide to the export office. After an explanation on the exportation of butterflies, the tour proceeds to The Butterfly Garden. In an enclosed tropical garden where perhaps over a thousand butterflies live their lives, feeding, mating and laying eggs.

Guides may identify the most beautiful of Costa Rica's butterflies, point out the females ovipositing their eggs on host plants and feeding on flowers. The tour then proceeds to view the amazing metamorphosis of the caterpillar forming the pupae where their bodies change from a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. The entire cycle of the metamorphosis is shown and the early morning tours may even see the butterflies emerging from their chrysalides and taking off for their maiden flight.

Departures Open schedule every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guided tours commence at: 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m, 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m.
Duration 5 hours
Frequency Daily
Facilities Gift Shop and restaurant
Recommended Comfortable shoes and camera
Includes guided transportation and entrance fee

Perfect combination:
The tour begins with a 25-minute film that gives an introduction as to what will be seen and discussed with the guide. From the film room, visitors proceed with a knowledgeable guide to the export office. After an explanation on the exportation of butterflies, the tour proceeds to The Butterfly Garden. In an enclosed tropical garden where perhaps over a thousand butterflies live their lives, feeding, mating and laying eggs. Guides may identify the most beautiful of Costa Rica's butterflies, point out the females ovipositing their eggs on host plants and feeding on flowers. The tour then proceeds to view the amazing metamorphosis of the caterpillar forming the pupae where their bodies change from a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. The entire cycle of the metamorphosis is shown and the early morning tours may even see the butterflies emerging from their chrysalides and taking off for their maiden flight.

After this unique experience, imagine following the journey of a coffee bean on the plantation - from the plant to a cup of gourmet coffee. When you take the Coffee Tour at Café Britt you'll do exactly that! The professional acting troupe, dressed in traditional garb, will escort you through a multi-media, interactive tour through the history of coffee. On a finca, as the plantation is called in Spanish, your day starts on six-acres of coffee fields, tropical gardens and coffee processing facilities. When you arrive, you are greeted by a breathtaking view from the lookout point with two of Costa Rica's most famous volcanoes on one side and a spectacular panoramic view of the Central Valley on the other. You will learn all about coffee cultivation - and not just by giving you the facts - feel free to pick a few ripe cherries to taste their sweetness or take a few of the dried beans home to grow a plant of your own!
From the fields, you will be taken into the roasting and packaging facilities where you'll soak in the aroma of roasting coffee and learn all about this magical process that turns a red coffee cherry into a delicious cup of java. Then, in the theater, sit back and watch a multi-media play and presentation of coffee's place in world history. Learn about how deeply coffee culture is woven into the history and people of Costa Rica - and be prepared to have a few good laughs while you're at it.

Departures Around noon. Pick up times vary according to the hotel location.
Duration 7 hours
Frequency Daily
Facilities Gift Shop and restaurant
Recommended Comfortable shoes and camera

Lankester Gardens and Orosi Valley:
About an hour's drive southeast of San José, just beyond the town of Paraíso, lies this splendorously scenic valley. Taking the road towards Orosi will bring you to a lookout point on the valley rim that is well worth a stop for the panoramic view of the valley below
Some 600 of the country's 1,400 native orchid species are kept in this 11 ha. garden administered by the University of Costa Rica. This was one of three orchid collections amassed during the early part of the 20th century by Charles Lankester, a British coffee plantation supervisor who was duly impressed by the tremendous variety of orchids he found on the trunks and branches of forest trees that were being felled to make way for more coffee plantations throughout the interior valleys and slopes. Although he did nothing to protect the forests (nor did anybody else in those days), his orchid collections formed a basis for the study and appreciation of these beautiful plants.

Departures Once a day. Around 8:30 am.
Duration 7 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended Comfortable shoes, light jacket and camera

Includes guided transportation, lunch and entrance fee Tour to the towns of Sarchi and Grecia: We invite you to visit the “cradle of Costa Rican handicrafts”. Among the many shops in this town you will be able to find articles of leather, jewelry, toys, as well as accessories of bronze, wood and other materials. This is the ideal place to find wonderful souvenirs of your trip. Your second stop will be made in Grecia, a small town famous for its iron church, friendly people and armony. This will be a great opportunity for you to seat in the central park and talk to the local people. Departures Once a day. Around 8:00 am. Duration 6 hours. Frequency Daily. Facilities Gift Shop. Recommended Comfortable shoes and camera. Includes guided transportation, land tour guide.

The Pueblo Antiguo Experience (Old Town):
"Pueblo Antiguo" was conceived with the idea of providing permanent economic support to
the Costa Rican National Children´s Hospital. This is an authentic attraction with professional actors that are going to transport you to a Costa Rica of the turn of the century. The inspired words of great political leaders and the insighful comments of everyday people recreate the spirit of independence, patriotism, democracy and religion that have shaped this country. Come to learn about the roots of Costa Rican traditions, myths, legends and amusing idiosincracy in an entertaining one hour long presentation of theater, music and dance. Here in Pueblo Antiguo the story of our past is told with the pride and friendship in hope that these remembrances of paths traveled will help lead us on the road to a brighter future.

Departures Tour operates from Wednesday to Sunday 10:00am to 2:00pm
Duration 5 hours
Frequency Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday only
Facilities Gift Shop and restaurant
Recommended Comfortable shoes, and camera
Includes guided transportation and entrance fee

Costa Rican Nights at Pueblo Antiguo (Old Town):
"Pueblo Antiguo" was conceived with the idea of providing permanent economic support to the Costa Rican National Children´s Hospital. Come and enjoy an unforgettable night in Pueblo Antiguo surrounded by the evocative scenes from the Costa Rica of yesterday. Enjoy our delicious typical cuisine and the folkloric show. This play is made up of folkloric dances and songs that reflect our customs and beliefs, and what is best: the way of life of the Costa Rica of yesterday surrounded by an atmosphere and humor which takes the spectator to the intimate roots of its people. Share a different night with us and enjoy a Pueblo Antiguo style evening.

Departures Tour operates Saturday and Sunday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Duration 5 hours
Frequency Saturday and Sunday only
Facilities Gift Shop and restaurant
Recommended Comfortable shoes, light jacket and camera
Includes guided transportation, dinner and entrance fee

Tortuga island with Calypso Cruises:
The world famous "Calypso Catamaran Cruise" to Tortuga Island was created by Calypso Tours in 1975 and has been polished into one of Costa Rica's great experiences, combining blue water, white sand, green mountains, superb cuisine and personal service. Only Calypso's super yacht, the Manta Ray, built with pride in Costa Rica, has the speed to provide an extended island cruise. Glide past more than seven islands in the Gulf of Nicoya, spend more time on the beach and enjoy our snorkeling excursion!
Whether you're 2 or 92, no visit to Costa Rica is complete without a trip on the "Calypso Catamaran Cruise". The day begins at your hotel where you will be greeted by a bilingual guide, seated on an air-conditioned bus and served a Continental Breakfast. The bus ride takes you from 5000 ft. to sea level, to the pacific port of Puntarenas. This is an excellent opportunity to view the coffee, sugar plantations, volcanic mountains and the unique Brahman cattle that form an ever-changing panorama.

Departures Around 6:30 am
Duration 12 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended Casual clothes, bathing suit or shorts, suntan lotion, camera, sun glasses, tight fitting hat, light weight long sleeved shirt, rubber sandals, tennis or boat shoes. Don't forget your towels!
Includes Air-Conditioned Bus Transportation to and from San José, Continental Breakfast, Bar-B-Que lunch served with Chilled White Wine, Soft Drinks and Fresh Fruit, Live Music

Punta Coral Cruise with Calypso Cruises:
The day starts for Calypso passengers when the tour's comfortable bus picks them up at their hotel in San José. A delicious Continental Breakfast is served as the bus rolls along the Inter-American Highway toward Puntarenas and a guide explains the scenery, interspersing his comments with anecdotes from Costa Rica's history as well as facts about the country.
Upon arrival in Puntarenas, you will board the World Famous yacht Calypso, gleaming with varnished hardwoods and polished brass, for the 1½ hour cruise to Punta Coral.
Accessible only by boat, Punta Coral is the eastern-most tip of the Peninsula of Nicoya. Located in front of the Islas Negritos Biological Reserve (a pre-Columbian Indian burial ground), this privately owned point of dry tropical forest has a quiet beach and a valley filled with flowering plants on one side and interesting rock formations and numerous caves on the other.
Spend the late morning on the easy to walk nature trails. The many varieties of trees and interesting plants are labeled and the ocean views are spectacular. There are numerous producing fruit trees on the property which provide food for the wild animals native to the area. Troops of black-faced howler monkeys, yellow naped amazon parrots, a variety of humming birds and butterflies call this special place "Home".

Departures Around 6:30 am
Duration 12 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended Casual clothes, bathing suit or shorts, suntan lotion, camera, sun glasses, tight fitting hat, light weight long sleeved shirt, rubber sandals, tennis or boat shoes. Don't forget your towels!
Includes Air-Conditioned Bus Transportation to and from San José, Continental Breakfast, Bar-B-Que lunch served with Chilled White Wine, Soft Drinks and Fresh Fruit, Live Music

Poás Volcano:
Like the other volcanoes in the Central Volcanic Cordillera, the silhouette of Poás Volcano as seen from the Central Valley gives no hint of the power and pent-up fury below the surface. But once at the summit and standing on the crater's rim, it becomes easier to understand the forces that have shaped this region of the planet.
With a diameter of 1.5 km., the active crater is reportedly the widest of any volcano in the world. If it is clear enough to see to the bottom of the 300-meter deep crater, you will surely observe some type of activity ranging from fumaroles to bubbling emissions on the surface of the small rain-filled lake to actual geyser-type eruptions, but it is constantly changing. During the early 1990s, there was enough geyser activity to cause the lake to lose its water by the end of the dry season (April/May); this resulted in increased gaseous emanations that forced the park to close on a few occasions.

Departures Around 7:30 am. Pick up times vary depending on the hotel location
Duration 5 hours
Frequency Daily
Facilities cafeteria
Recommended Comfortable shoes, light jacket, long pants and camera
Includes guided transportation, lunch and entrance fee

Irazú Volcano: At 3,432 meters above sea level, Irazú Volcano is the highest point in the Central Volcanic Cordillera. The gently sloping southern flank with its patchwork pattern of potatoes, cabbages, and other vegetable crops, replaced by bucolic dairy farms at higher elevations, belies the violent past of this sleeping behemoth that looms above the city of Cartago.

Upon nearing the summit the destructive forces of volcanism begin to become more noticeable with the presence of scorched dead tree trunks that are still standing. On top of Irazú you will find several deep craters in this barren windswept terrain that is reminiscent of a moonscape. The high elevation itself, being just above the tree line at this latitude, keeps the vegetation from growing very tall, but the periodic devastating effects of eruptions help to keep plant life rather sparse. Among the few species of birds that live in this habitat are the aptly named Volcano Junco and Volcano Hummingbird.

As with all active volcanoes, the level and type of activity changes periodically, often abruptly. Since the last series of eruptions, between August of 1962 and March of 1965, Irazú's principal crater has only emitted fumarole activity -- but things could change again at any time.
Departures Around 7:30 am. Pick up times vary depending on the hotel location
Duration 6 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended Comfortable shoes, light jacket, long pants and camera
Includes guided transportation, lunch and entrance fee

INBIO Park:
As an introduction to biodiversity and its wonders, our guided tour starts with an audiovisual presentation:
Sit back and enjoy this 15-minute audiovisual presentation. It will show you the way biodiversity has been utilized in Costa Rica. Who knows? You will probably learn something about Costa Rica that you did not know before!

Following this presentation your friendly guide will take you next to an unforgettable journey through our four ecosystems. Feel free to enjoy INBioparque's wonders! Have the delight of feeling what it is like to go through Costa Rica's native forest of the Central Valley, the Humid Forest, the tropical Dry Forest, and the Wet Land.
Walking along the trails might turn out to be an adventure as you may be able to see white-tailed deer, three-toed sloths, green iguanas, snapping turtles, Hoffmann's woodpeckers, blue-gray tanagers, rufous-tailed hummingbirds, and even more…

The adventure does not stop there! Along the trails are several stations with permanent live exhibits, including poisonous dart frogs, tarantulas, stingless bees, bullet ants, orchids, and bromeliads.

Going through a Wetland!
INBioparque's lagoon is one of its most attractive sites! Here, you will enjoy looking at the different species in the lagoon through its underwater glass viewer. We also have several fish tanks to show you the most common and native fresh water fish that live in Costa Rica's wetland.

Beautiful butterflies will flutter around you as you appreciate their colors and sizes. As you go through our butterfly garden our tour guide will show you the different species of butterflies and their metamorphosis cycle.
After you experience what biodiversity is all about you will want to know more about Costa Rica…
Your tour will end with a sound and light presentation of Costa Rica's wild protected areas. This presentation may even motivate you to know and explore more about our country!

This is a unique experience where you'll learn how many species of a certain group are in Costa Rica as compared to the rest of the world. Through interactive designs we'll show you the world distribution of major biomes and their characteristics.

Departures Mornings and afternoons
Duration 4 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended Casual clothing, comfortable shoes, and camera
Includes transportation, tour guide and entrance fee

Canopy in the mountains of Heredia: Enjoy nature while you have the adventure of your life traveling through the treetops. Just 45 minutes from the capital city, and on the slopes of Barva Volcano in San José de la Montaña, let your adrenaline flow sliding from one platform to the next. Includes snack. Departures Mornings and afternoons Duration 5 hours Frequency Daily Recommended Walking shoes, long pants and camera Includes transportation, tour guide, snack and entrance fee

Rain Forest Aerial Tram:
The Rain Forest Aerial Tram is a unique ecotourism and research facility which opened in October of 1994. Visitors from around the world ride the Tram on a fascinating excursión through the rain forest canopy and its hanging gardens of plants and animals hidden at the tops of tall tropical trees. Home to two-thirds of all rain forest species, the rain forest canopy is a little-known world of tremendous beauty and extraordinary biological diversity. Our park, (adjacent to Braulio Carillo National Park and only an hour from San Jose), possesses one of the richest canopy communities in the world. The canopy is full of both known and unknown plant and animal species. Visitors will be able to see canopy life close-up for the first time, and scientists will discover new things about the ecology of the rain forest. Due to its inaccessibility, little scientific work has been done concerning life in the tops of tropical trees. The tram, by being the best access tool in the world, has become a center for canopy exploration and research.

Departures You can choose the morning tour or the afternoon tour. The morning tour will pick you up at your hotel (or near by) between 5:15 and 6:15 a.m. and returns by 1:00 p.m. The afternoon tour has pick-up times between 10:40 and 11:50 and returns by 7:00 p.m.
Duration 6 hours
Frequency Daily
Facilities Restaurant, souvernir shop, and cafeteria.
Recommended Light-weight, casual clothes, sneakers (or other comfortable rubber-sole shoes), rain gear (just in case), and camera
Includes all admission fees for the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, either breakfast or lunch, the Tram ride, 45 minute hike (optional), transportation to/from San Jose, transportation within the Park, and tax.

Carara National Park and Villa Lapas Sky Walk:
The 4,700 ha. Carara Biological Reserve occupies a unique position at the transition zone between tropical moist forest and tropical wet forest in the Pacific lowlands. Though most of the vegetation in the reserve remains evergreen and is characteristic of the wet forest life zone, there are a number of species that lose their leaves during the dry season, showing their affinity to the drier climate found north of the reserve.
However, Carara's main attraction for most visitors is its wildlife, and star billing goes to the Scarlet Macaw. These large, raucous members of the parrot family add a bright splash of primary colors to the overall green of the rain forest, although at times it is amazing how difficult they can be to see in a leafy tree. It is estimated that about 150 of these blatant birds feed and nest in the reserve. When not brooding eggs or young, they roost in mangroves several kilometers away.
In addition to this and other colorful tropical species, the forest is home to many somber-hued bird species that often travel together in mixed flocks that are a true delight (and challenge!) to birdwatchers. Of the many kinds of birds that can be found in such flocks, a few of the more common ones are the Black-hooded Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Long-billed Gnatwren, Chestnut-backed Antbird, and Lesser Greenlet.
"Villa Lapas Sky Way" is a union of natural trails and hanging bridges (hammocks) throughout a wonderful rain forest of centenary trees. It is located in our own private reserve very close to the Carara National Park. Depending on the hour at which you take this tour, you can see many species of birds and animals.
This trail has a length of 2.5 km with a descending slope. This tour is very accessible for children and adults of all ages offering total security from any kind of danger.

Departures Around 6:30 am. Pick up times change depending on the hotel
Duration 10 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended walking shoes, light clothing, camera, insect repellent, and a light jacket
Includes: transportation, tour guide, lunch and entrance fees

San Lorenzo Canopy Tour:
The best way to get a close up look of nature from the bird’s perspective over the trees. The Canopy Tour starts with the explanation of the basic principles to make it a safe and enjoyable adventure; our trained guides will inspect your equipment before and after every run to guarantee their efficiency and your safety during the 1:30 hours of the tour.
Sliding down from one platform to another,across the 13 platforms and 8 steel cables of this canopy tour throughout the private reserve, each trip between platforms is an experience full of adventure. Our location includes 3 platforms based on trees (each one on a different type of tree) and 9 on the ground and one more on a tower. Each platform includes a scenery full of nature.The San Lorenzo canopy tour is located at the Valle Escondido Hotel, only 1:45 hours from San Jose, where you'll have a nice 10 minutes walk to the platform.

Departures Around 8:00 am. Pick up times vary depending on the hotel location
Duration 9 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended Ligh jacket, walking shoes, long pants, binoculars, and
Includes: transportation, tour guide, entrance fee and lunch.

Poás Volcano and Sarchí:
The Poas Volcano is famous for having one of the largest craters in the world and for its constant geyser-like eruptions. Your tour guide will acquaint you with all the information regarding the flora and fauna of the region, before heading towards to Sarchi, where you will enjoy a delicious typical lunch. Sarchi is the hometown of the artisans, and here you will be able to purchase beautiful articles such as the famous oxcart, handicrafts made of wood or leather, t-shirts, coffee, hammocks, liquor.

Departures Around 6:30 am. Pick up times change depending on the hotel
Duration 8 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended The volcano is sometimes cold so bring a sweater or jacket - It can rain in the rainforest so take an umbrella or a poncho - Wear comfortable walking shoes - Bottled water is available throughout the tour route - Binoculars and camera are recommended
Includes: transportation, tour guide, entrance fee to the volcano and lunch.

Irazú Volcano, Lankester Gardens and Orosi valley:
At 3,432 meters above sea level, Irazú Volcano is the highest point in the Central Volcanic Cordillera. The gently sloping southern flank with its patchwork pattern of potatoes, cabbages, and other vegetable crops, replaced by bucolic dairy farms at higher elevations, belies the violent past of this sleeping behemoth that looms above the city of Cartago.
About an hour's drive southeast of San José, just beyond the town of Paraíso, lies this splendorously scenic valley. Taking the road towards Orosi will bring you to a lookout point on the valley rim that is well worth a stop for the panoramic view of the valley below.

Some 600 of the country's 1,400 native orchid species are kept in this 11 ha. garden administered by the University of Costa Rica. This was one of three orchid collections amassed during the early part of the 20th century by Charles Lankester, a British coffee plantation supervisor who was duly impressed by the tremendous variety of orchids he found on the trunks and branches of forest trees that were being felled to make way for more coffee plantations throughout the interior valleys and slopes. Although he did nothing to protect the forests (nor did anybody else in those days), his orchid collections formed a basis for the study and appreciation of these beautiful plants.

Departures Around 7:30 am. Pick up times change depending on the hotel
Duration 8 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended The volcano is sometimes cold so bring a sweater or jacket - It can rain in the rainforest so take an umbrella or a poncho - Wear comfortable walking shoes - Bottled water is available throughout the tour route - Binoculars and camera are recommended
Includes: transportation, tour guide, entrance fee to the volcano and lunch.

Arenal volcano and hot springs: Undisputedly one of Costa Rica's foremost tourist attractions, the highly eruptive Arenal Volcano is the centerpiece of this new national park declared in October of 1994. In addition to including in the national park system what is currently one of the world's most active volcanoes, the area now under park service protection encompasses the watersheds of several rivers and streams that flow into Lake Arenal, the country's most important source of hydroelectric power.

Costa Rica Highlights:
In just one day visit coffee plantations, Poás Volcano, a cloud forest, waterfalls, a rain forest, the Sarapiquí River and, during the return trip to San José, see the Braulio Carrillo National Park. Even though it appears to be too much for one day, the tour is realized in such a way that it can be fully enjoyed.

Departures Around 6:30 am. Pick up times change depending on the hotel
Duration 10 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended The volcano is sometimes cold so bring a sweater or jacket - It can rain in the rainforest so take an umbrella or a poncho - Wear comfortable walking shoes - The river can be warm and humid so wear light clothing - Insect repellant is not necessary - Bottled water is available throughout the tour route - Binoculars and camera are recommended
Includes: breakfast at Mountain Lodge - Stop at coffee fields - Poas Volcano crater visit - Cloud forest walk - Stop at waterfalls - Coffee break at Hummingbird Gallery - Buffet Lunch and free time at Selva Verde Rainforest Lodge - 1 ½ hr. Jungle river safari - Drive back through Braulio Carrillo National Park & Excellent Guides!

Rapids on the Reventazón River - Florida Section. Class III:
This section of the mighty Reventazón River is some of the fastest and best 10 miles of Class III rapids you'll ever paddle! If you're a first-time or experienced paddler looking for the excitement of big waves, hydraulics, and stunning scenery, then this trip is for you. The drive from San Jose takes you through the impressive Braulio Carrillo National Park, past rainforest and waterfalls across the Continental Divide to the Caribbean side of the country. At the Operations Center you will have breakfast, there are bathrooms, changing rooms and an area to buy last minute needs. After your safety orientation, the first rapid of the day will set the pace for more to come. As your raft rounds each new bend in this dam-controlled river, you'll be greeted with yet another breathtaking view of the Reventazón Valley. Look for toucans, kingfishers, herons, tanagers, iguanas and bright green "Jesus Christ" lizards. After a fun and exhilarating day of big waves, hydraulics and stunning scenery, you'll finish your trip with a stop at our Operations Center for a delicious hot lunch, showers, optional drinks and souvenir store before the return drive to San José. This one-day adventure is unforgettable! Rafting distance 10 miles River time: From 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 hours - depending on water level.

Departures 6:00-7:00 a.m. Morning pick-ups at San José hotels. (Varies according to hotel location). 5:00-5:30 p.m. Arrival at San José hotels (varies according to hotel location).
Duration 10 hours.
Frequency Daily.
Recommended on the river Rubber-soled shoes that can get wet (Tevas, tennis shoes, booties or similar), swimsuit / swim trunks; t-shirt and shorts of a quick-drying material, waterproof sunscreen lotion (SPF 15 or higher), sun hat or bandana, croakies or straps to secure glasses. Clothing change for after your rafting tour towel, complete change of clothing including shoes.Includes Professional bilingual guides, rafting equipment, breakfast, hot lunch, our Operations Center with comfortable open dining area and spacious changing rooms and showers.
Participant Requirements: anyone in normal healthy physical condition. Swimming experience is required. Min. age: 12-years-old.
Includes transportation, tour guide, breakfast and box lunch.

Rapids on the Pacuare River - class IV: This river has been declared a Wild and Scenic River, and offers some of the finest white water in Latin America, providing the adventurous rafter with a ride of unbelievable natural beauty as it winds deep inside one of Costa Rica's most impressive primordial rainforests. You will traverse 20 miles of remote and scenic waters that course through a wilderness of dense vegetation covering the sides of steep gorges that rise above the river banks. The thick undergrowth provides shelter for jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, sloths, and numerous other species of animals and birds. You'll break for a delicious lunch served along the river's edge by your guides.

While lunch is being prepared, you'll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery as you marvel at the raw, pounding power of the untamed Pacuare River that for millions of years has coursed through this virgin tropical rainforest. Depart from San José, driving approximately 3 hours to the put in. Breakfast en route. At the put in you'll rig your raft and begin the journey downriver. River time: approximately 4 hours depending on the water level. Lunch on the riverbank before the afternoon take out at which time you can shower and change into dry clothes. Return to San José.

Departures 5:45-7:15 a.m. Morning pickups at San José hotels. (Varies according to hotel location)
5:45-6:30 p.m. Arrival at San José hotels. (Varies according to hotel location)
Duration 10 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended gear: On the River Rubber-soled shoes that can get wet (Tevas, tennis shoes, booties or similar) Swimsuit / swim trunks; t-shirt and shorts of a quick-drying material, waterproof sunscreen lotion (SPF 15 or higher), sun hat or bandana, croakies or straps to secure glasses. Clothing Change for After Your Rafting Tour, towel and complete change of clothing including shoes
Participant Requirements: rafters should be physically fit for this trip, although no previous white-water experience is necessary. Includes transportation, breakfast, lunch, rafting equipment and safety kayaker.
Includes transportation, tour guide, breakfast and box lunch.

Rapids on the Sarapiqui River, La Virgen to Chilamate, class III :
This stunning rainforest river is an excellent choice for a first rafting trip in Costa Rica. The lush vegetation and thick tree canopy along the narrow, winding river are home to toucans, cormorants, kingfishers, howler monkeys, hummingbirds and much more. After finishing rafting, you'll enjoy the relaxing beauty of the Selva Verde restaurant and lodge where you can shower and change clothes. On the return drive to San José, you'll pass through Braulio Carrillo National Park and past Irazu Volcano. Difficulty Easy. Class I rafting: Moving water with a few riffles and small waves; few or no obstructions. Class II rafting: Easy rapids, waves up to three feet, and wide, clear channels that are obvious without scouting; some maneuvering is required. Rafting distance 7 miles River time: From 2-1/2 to 3 hours - depending on water level.

Departures 6:00-7:00 a.m. Morning pick-ups at San José hotels. (Varies according to hotel location). 5:00-5:30 p.m. Arrival at San José hotels (varies according to hotel location).
Duration 10 hours
Frequency Daily
Recommended on the river Rubber-soled shoes that can get wet (Tevas, tennis shoes, booties or similar), swimsuit / swim trunks; t-shirt and shorts of a quick-drying material, waterproof sunscreen lotion (SPF 15 or higher), sun hat or bandana, croakies or straps to secure glasses. Clothing change for after your rafting tour towel, complete change of clothing including shoes.Includes professional bilingual guides, rafting equipment, breakfast, picnic lunch.
Participant Requirements: anyone in normal healthy physical condition. Swimming experience is required. Min. age: 7-years-old accompanied by an adultIncludes transporation, tour guide, breakfast and box lunch.

Treasures of Costa Rica:
Sarapiqui river rafting, class III Winding through the region of the "Eternal Spring," this river offers some of Costa Rica's most lush and vibrant scenery. Free-flowing, it has its origins in clear mountain streams that tumble down through thick rainforest, finally joining together in the crystal waters of the beautiful Sarapiquí. Verdant forest reaches right up to the river's sun-basked banks. If Matisse had come to Costa Rica, this is what he would have painted! Rain Forest. Included: a hummingbird gallery, waterfalls, buttlerfly Garden at La Paz Waterfall gardens, a drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park and of course the white water rafting. Breakfast and lunch.

Valle Escondido Private Reserve:
Be prepared to admire the landscapes of coffee plantations and sugar cane in route to one of the most beautiful rain forests of the country. We recommend you to take hiking shoes, rain gear, and inspect repellant. Includes entrance fee and lunch.Horseback riding and canopy in Valle Escondido:
Do you like different experiences which are somewhat daring? The blend of nature and horseback riding is just what we recommend. Enjoy a single day of the sensational tour and discover the secrets of the Valle Escondido private reserve. Lunch included.

Outrigger Canoeing:
Pristine Beaches and calm seas await you on the Rafting the Ocean experience. You will paddle next to spectacular cliffs, in a guided 40-foot long outrigger canoe with 8 paddlers plus a guide in each canoe, to a secluded beach. Maybe even take a dip in the deep blue sea along the way. The warm waters of the Pacific are home to a large variety of tropical fish that are looking forward to swimming with you as you snorkel and explore the underwater world with your guide. Relax on the beach, as lunch is prepared, surfside. Optional hikes make this a great day for everyone, before paddling back to the starting point where you can shower, change and enjoy refreshments before your return to San Jose. Snorkeling only when conditions permit. Minimum 6 persons from San Jose. Minimum 4 persons from Jaco Beach. It can be locally consolidated. Minimum of age, 4 years old. Included: comfortable round-trip transportation from local hotels. Morning snack and picnic style lunch are provided. Top of the line paddling equipment is used. Professional and bilingual guides will ensure the safety enjoyment during the trip.