Duration
8 Days / 7 Nights
Package Type
Traditional
Activity Level
Moderate
Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
Costa Rica is blessed with a magnificent array of flora and fauna, making it one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The pristine, well-kept national parks are home to many incredible and exotic wildlife and plant species. The rainforests and cloud forests offer us privileged opportunities to see abundant wildlife in general and the variety of bird species in the National Parks is astonishing. We will see the best of what Mother Nature has to offer in this compact yet diverse country with this 8 day Exploring The Tropics Tour.
Special features of our 8 day Exploring The Tropics Tour:
Type of Tourism: Nature, Biodiversity, Classic, Adventure
Places to Visit: San Jose, Sarapiqui, Arenal & Manuel Antonio.
Duration: 8 Days and 7 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 3 star hotels and lodges at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is your arrival day to the San José airport. We will collect you and take you to the hotel to settle in. You will have a free afternoon and evening to explore the modern Costa Rican Capital with its bustling commerce and modern services for visitors. San Jose offers a variety of touristic, cultural and natural attractions, like the museums of Costa Rican Art, Gold, Jade, National and Children’s Contemporary Art and Design. The National Theatre and the historical architecture of the buildings and churches close to p...
A journey through The Braulio Carrillo National park will take us to the Sarapiqui Rainforest area. This area is characterized by lush green rainforest, coffee and banana plantations and the dramatic Poas volcano forms part of the dramatic scenery of this tropical area.
Upon arrival get ready for the first adventure, River Rafting at Sarapiqui River, this river has sections for all ages from rapids class I to IV.
Today we will wake up early to head out on a bird-watching expedition in the La Selva Biological Station. The park has an excellent system of trails to experience the area, with the aim being to see as many birds as possible. The local, knowledgeable nature guides, will take us through a number of different habitats, from dense primary rain forest to open pasturelands. The shadowy terrain is teeming with wildlife including amphibians and reptiles, as well as a wide variety of birds that swoop through the forests tree canopies. <...
After breakfast, we will head to the famous Arenal Volcano National Park on two hikes through the National Park, with magnificent views of the volcano. Our guide will explain the history of the Volcano and the park and the different flora and fauna of the park. The 2nd hike is to “La Peninsula” trail that takes us to the shores of Lake Arenal. Passing through beautiful tropical forests of 20-metre trees, we will have the best panoramic view of both the volcano and the lake. Along the way, we will stop off for a Chocolate ...
During the morning, we will head to The Sloth Park, where we will get the opportunity to find from 4 to 5 sloths, different species of birds, snakes, beetles, spiders and frogs such as the famous Red Eyed Frog, the Blue Jeans Frog and a lot of tropical forest biodiversity. Sloth searching is the central attraction at the park. The guide will explain the characteristics of the sloths, their habitat and their behavioural traits.
In the afternoon we will hike across the lava flow of the 1992 eruption. On a clear day, there...
Today, we will leave Arenal for the Central Pacific coast. The drive will take us through small villages and pictures landscapes from rainforest, Cloud forest to the warm weather of the coast. This lush national park houses an amazing coastal rainforest and white sandy beaches, which are home to a variety of animal species. We will head to the hotel and prepare for the next days’ activities.
After an early breakfast, our guide will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park where you can easily see a least 3 of the 4 species of monkeys that are endemic in the country, sloths, iguanas and many other species. Our guide will explain all about the park's biodiversity, preserved for over 40 years. This impressive park offers beautiful beaches and magnificent flora and fauna. In the afternoon we can relax at the stunning beach of the National park.
Today is the final day of this Classic Exploring the Tropics tour of Costa Rica. Depending on your international flight departure time, our driver will drive you back to San Jose International Airport, for your flight back home or on to your next exciting destination.
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://www.horizontes.com/travel-bubbles
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
Hepatitis A Food & Water
Recommended for most travellers
Hepatitis B Blood & Body Fluids
Recommended for travellers to most regions.
Typhoid Food & Water
Recommended for travellers to most regions.
Yellow Fever Mosquito
Required if travelling from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.
Rabies Saliva of Infected Animals
A High-risk country. The Vaccine ris ecommended for long-term travellers and those who may come in contact with animals.
Malaria
There are often outbreaks of malaria in Costa Rica. While there is no vaccine for malaria you can take certain medications.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when travelling to the destination.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Costa Rica is the Costa Rican colón (CRC). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a committed tour operator we follow the next steps in order to promote sustainability with our collaborators, suppliers and clients:
We undertake sustainability certification processes to improve our operation and promote our green credentials.
We promote sustainable practices among our suppliers and evaluate their performance.
We educate travelers in how to be a responsible traveler.
With our Horizontes Foundation we work with local communities to improve livelihoods and preserve ecosystems.
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the 24/7 Operations Phone & WhatsApp number: (506) 8730-0396
We have put together a vast selection of highly qualified organizations that we consider to have influenced their specific fields and the sustainable development of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is known for being a green sustainable country and you can do activities such as:
Visit National Parks
Visit rural communities and share with locals
Try local gastronomy
Immerse in nature and wildlife
Volunteer
Plant a tree
For more information you can check our Hands on Learning in Costa Rica Program on the following link: https://horizontes.s3.amazonaws.com/dev/ks/images/VNYhAKY31Ed7w0bY.pdf
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: (506) 8730-0396. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your program.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. Depending on your destination, at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
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