Costa Rica Tours - Highlights of Costa Rica — The Americas — Kuoni Travel Worldwide 2008 2nd Edition online holiday brochure

costa rica Set between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Costa Rica is a naturalist's paradise, offering luxuriant tropical rainforests, steaming volcanoes, delightful beaches and an incredible diversity of wildlife, which includes toucans, tapirs, sloths, monkeys, macaws, jaguars, turtles, hummingbirds and the magnificent resplendent quetzal. G GRANADA NICARAGUA G MORGAN'S ROCK HIGHLIGHTS OF COSTA RICA TAMARINDO EXTENSION G TAMARINDO LA FORTUNA G PUERTO VIEJO DE SARAPIQU� G G TORTUGUERO G MONTEVERDE COSTA RICA G SAN JOS� PANAMA G MANUEL ANTONIO Colourful Macaws of Costa Rica Kuoni P L US OFFERS escorted Highlights of Costa Rica is escorted by a local guide from Day 2-Day 10. Extensions are not escorted but assistance is provided in each destination by our local representative. highlights of costa rica San Jos�: 1 night Tortuguero: 2 nights Sarapiqui: 2 nights La Fortuna: 2 nights Monteverde: 2 nights San Jos�: 1 night I Day 1 Fri Iberia flight via Madrid to San Jos�. Transfer to the Gran Hotel Costa Rica, located in the heart of San Jose close to the National Theatre. I Day 2 Sat Transfer by road into the Caribbean lowlands and continue through the jungle by boat to Mawamba lodge. Nestled in lush rainforest on a sandbar overlooking the Caribbean, the lodge is an ideal base from which to explore the Tortuguero National Park. The park is an area of significant biological diversity, which includes toucans, macaws, monkeys, crocodiles, colourful frogs and the green turtles, which lay their eggs on the beaches between July and September (approx. 110 miles). B,L,D. I Day 3 Sun Learn about the local flora and fauna from your guide as you spend the day exploring the national park by boat and on foot. B,L,D. I Day 4 Mon Continue west to your next hotel located close to the Sarapiqui River in an area of verdant tropical wet forest. Afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the wonderful surroundings (approx. 100 miles). B,L. I Day 5 Tue A leisurely day including a gentle walk through the forest, where there is the opportunity to bathe beneath the nearby waterfalls. B. I Day 6 Wed Join the `chocolate trail' in Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve, learning how cacao is grown, processed, its history as well as the chance to sample the final product. In the afternoon continue to the town of La Fortuna set beneath Arenal Volcano. The almost perfect conical peak is an impressive sight and you can often watch as it spews ash and steam, while at night you may be able to see the glowing lava as it rolls down the slopes. Two nights are spent at the Arenal Paraiso hotel located just out of town, offering spectacular views of the volcano from its spacious grounds. I Day 7 Thu Discover a little more about the local culture: learning about agriculture at a typical farm house, visiting a local school and taking a ride on a tractor drawn trailer. I Day 8 Fri A morning walk in the National Park taking you across an old lava field to an area of forest where toucans and other wildlife can often be seen. In the afternoon depart along the northern shore of Lake Arenal, climbing by road to the small town of Monteverde, located amid pristine cloud forest. It is noticeably cooler here and the flora and fauna are distinctly different from the tropical forests experienced so far. Two nights at the Cloud Forest Lodge, where comfortable bungalows are scattered around the attractive grounds, where hummingbirds can often be seen (approx. 75 miles). B. I Day 9 Sat A morning walk in the Santa Elena cloud forest reserve, the abundant vegetation here is home to a variety of wildlife including the highly elusive jaguar and the resplendent quetzal, although sightings are rare amid the dense vegetation. In the afternoon, visit the Don Carlos coffee plantation. B. I Day 10 Sun Return to San Jos� and overnight (approx. 80 miles). Alternatively, continue to Manuel Antonio or Tamarindo for time relaxing at the beach. B. I Day 11 Mon Overnight flight via Madrid to Heathrow with Iberia. B. tailormade Based on scheduled flight services our Costa Rica programme offers the flexibility to create the individual holiday of your choice. You can easily extend your time at the beach or combine Costa Rica with Ecuador & the Galapagos, Peru, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Havana, Miami or New York. Please see p6-7 for further details. 434 Beautiful beach in Costa Rica Volcanic landscapes, Costa Rica

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