Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets Trip Notes
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Current as of: January 23, 2020 - 16:46 Valid for departures: From January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets Trip Notes Ways to Travel: Guided Group, Tailor 15 Days Land only Trip Code: Made Adventures Min age: 16 WUR Leisurely / Destinations: Costa Rica Moderate Programmes: Wildlife Trip Overview From the wildlife rich waterways of Tortuguero to the dense jungle coastline of the Osa Peninsula, an area labelled by National Geographic as 'the most biologically intense place on Earth', Costa Rica reveals its secrets: Scarlet macaws rule the roost adding brilliant ashes of red, blue and gold to the foliage; Humpback whales breed in the waters off-shore, and sloths lazily crawl along cecropia branches. At a Glance Travel by minibus and boat 14 nights comfortable hotels and lodges Green turtle nesting season: July to October Trip Highlights Three nights in Drake Bay - the remote gateway to some of Costa Rica's premier wildlife destinations Corcovado National Park - the 'most biologically intense place on Earth' Discover the wildlife and waterways of Tortuguero, an important nesting site for Green turtles Unrivalled wildlife viewing - monkeys, sloths, dolphins & whales (in season) Visit both the Caribbean and Pacic Coastline Is This Trip for You? This trip has been graded 2 (Leisurely/Moderate) with a safari rating of 4. Driving distances are not very long and most of the roads that we travel on are of good quality. However, the road which leads to the river on the way to and from Tortuguero has a poor surface and this can result in slow driving times, particularly following heavy rain. Drake Bay and Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula are two of the most remote areas that we visit on this itinerary - there is very limited road access or facilities in these areas and we will use boats as the main form of transportation. There are several included and optional walks on the itinerary which occasionally involve walking on rough paths. These are suitable for most levels of tness and usually last from two to three hours. During times of heavy rain, trails can be muddy and slippery and extra care should be taken. Many of the areas visited on the trip are hot and humid and there is the chance of heavy rain year-round - this is why Costa Rica is so green! Please note that in the region of Tortuguero and Cahuita the sea has very strong rip currents and is not suitable for swimming from the beach. Adult min age: 16 Min group size: 5 Max group size: 16 Itinerary Land Only Start City: San Jose End City: San Jose Land Only Itinerary Day 1 Start San Jose. The group transfer usually takes place from the San Jose airport this evening. Land Only clients should aim to arrive at the hotel this afternoon/evening. Free transfers are available for all clients. This evening is the perfect opportunity to meet your guide and get to know your fellow travelers. Accommodation: Presidente Hotel (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Day 2 To Tortuguero N.P. Our adventure begins early this morning, leaving San Jose behind as we travel to the north-east of Costa Rica to Tortuguero National Park. Accessible only by boat or light aircraft, Tortuguero's vast network of waterways, canals and swamps are remarkably tranquil, unspoilt and devoid of noise pollution. On reaching the pier we board a small motorboat for the one hour fteen minute journey to our lodge, which is nestled on a small strip of land between the Caribbean Sea and the main lagoon. Our afternoon is spent in Tortuguero village, where it’s possible to visit the Sea Turtle Museum (a donation will be requested at the entrance). Tortuguero is probably most famous as a nesting site for the endangered Green turtle, which can be seen arriving onto the beach to lay eggs from late July to October (as part of an optional excursion). Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Giant Leatherback turtles also nest in this region, and during November to January baby turtles start to hatch and make their way towards the ocean. Today's travel time will be in the region of six hours including a break for breakfast. Accommodation: Evergreen Lodge (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 3 Boat tour around Tortuguero waterways. Just after sunrise we board a small boat, enabling us to discover the extraordinary ora and fauna of Tortuguero as we pass serenely along the waterways. At this time of day wildlife is usually at its most active and with the help of our expert guide we are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butteries and many of the 300+ bird species recorded here. We return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast near the river. The lodge is a tranquil spot to relax this afternoon if you want to take some time out to enjoy the facilities, or alternatively you can join a second boat trip (included). Accommodation: Evergreen Lodge (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 4 To Cahuita; relax on the Caribbean coast. We leave Tortuguero the same way we arrived, by taking a small boat to Siquirres pier. Our bus will be at the pier waiting to drive us to the region of Cahuita on the Caribbean coast, where we check into our hotel. Caribbean culture pervades this part of Costa Rica and is reected in the music, food and laid-back lifestyle. Cahuita’s famous white-sand beach is fringed by tall palms, behind which the dense, wet tropical forest of Cahuita National Park can be found. Accommodation: Ciudad Perdida (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch Day 5 Wildlife walk in Cahuita N.P. Cahuita National Park has 2711 acres of land and an impressive 600 acres of coral reef, forming Costa Rica's largest reef system. Today we visit the national park, taking a 7km walk from the southern entrance of the park which follows the coastline, leads through rainforest and passes impressive Caribbean beaches. Although a fairly small park in terms of size, there is plenty of diversity here. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the beach, join an optional snorkelling excursion to discover the underwater world or simply relax. Accommodation: Ciudad Perdida (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Free day in Cahuita Today is free to relax into the Caribbean pace of life and enjoy some free time around Cahuita. It is possible to join an optional excursion to the indigenous communities of Kekoldi & Bri Bri Reserve, where you'll learn about the properties and uses of native plants, as well as the process of making artisan chocolate. Chocolate is very important in Bri Bri culture and used for purication rituals, food and medicine. Accommodation: Ciudad Perdida (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Walk in La Marta Wildlife Refuge; to Turrialba Valley. Our next destination is Turrialba Valley, a rich agricultural region located in the Central Highlands. On the way to Turrialba we visit La Marta Wildlife Refuge, an area of both primary and secondary forest within La Amistad Biosphere (recognised as a UNESCO World Patrimony of Humanity). The topography of this region is mountainous, with waterfalls, rivers and caves - the varied elevation supports a wide range of plants (such as orchids, bromeliads, lichens and mosses) and animals (such as anteaters, ocelots and tapirs). Accommodation: Villa Florencia or Guayabo (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 To Savegre Cloud Forest. After breakfast we depart towards San Gerado de Dota and Savegre Cloud Forest. This is said to be one of the best places in the whole of Costa Rica to see the beautiful, colourful and notoriously shy Resplendant Quetzal and we have two nights here to discover the region. These endangered birds rely on the cloud forest for their habitat - the males in particular are striking with a green crest, red breast and tail feathers that can reach a metre in length. A good pair of binoculars will be helpful for quetzal spotting as these birds camouage themselves well amongst the wet leaves of the forest! After lunch we take a short walk into the cloud forest. Accommodation: Savegre Hotel, Nature Reserve & Spa or Trogon Lodge (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 9 Free day to discover walking trails in Savegre. Today is free to relax and explore Savegre Valley. Bring your binoculars to spot some of the 170 bird species, trek through the tropical cloud forest or simply enjoy the incredible view from the lodge. Your leader will suggest walks for today so that you can discover the tropical cloud forest and sub-Alpine vegetation of the area. Birds that may be seen in this area include hummingbirds, colibri, tanagers and trogons, whilst tapirs and Squirrel monkeys may also be seen. Accommodation: Savegre Hotel, Nature Reserve & Spa or Trogon Lodge (or similar) Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 10 To Sierpe; boat to Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula. Our journey continues towards the small town of Sierpe, where we board a small motorboat to Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula. Passing the huge mangrove swamps that line the Sierpe River, our boat crosses the ocean before arriving into Drake Bay. This region is very remote and with extremely limited road access, which means the majority of supplies, as well as visitors and locals, must arrive by boat. Originally discovered by Francis Drake, getting here is part of the adventure! The bay is spectacular, with just a handful of lodges scattering the horizon and the rest thick verdant forest and rocky coves as far as the eye can see.